The next morning, Corey and I got up around 6 am.
We ate and headed out the door after we were ready to go. I wore a maroon pair of docs and a Soundgarden tee, proud supporter of those guys. I looked really shitty but that's alright. My long violet hair was eccentric and bright. That's where I got the nickname Violet. Amanda Lowe is pretty boring, so I go by Violet. Even though Corey liked to mock me and call me Blue, which made no sense at all.
Corey and I have been together for a year in a half. We founded the band when we were in love. But then he started getting into drugs, drugs that has destroyed him. I sound like a hypocrite since I do drugs often, but Corey let it consume him.
His entire life.
Honestly, I feel like the only reason we're still together is because we don't want to damage the band. We're the founding members of the band, we can't really kick each other out.
The bus was waiting for us outside the appartment complex.
We hopped into the huge black bus, to find Mike, Jeff, Eddie, Dave, and Stone there, along with the Crescent Sun members, Jordan and Donny.
They were all laughing and enjoying themselves. I sat down next to Eddie who greeted me with a smile. Corey just went straight to his bunk and went back to sleep.
"Eyyy, it's Ms. Violet!" Mike said. I laughed and gave him and the rest hugs.
Eddie smiled at me, and said,
"Cigarette?"
I took the cigarette from his long fingers.
It felt good being with these amazing people.
"Who wants to play poker?" Jeff asked.
"It's 7 in the morning," Stone muttered.
"Ah, Steno, never too early for poker." Eddie replied.
Stone grinned. Dave sat alone near the window, and I was worried he was lonely so I went over and sat down next to him.
"You alright?" I asked gently.
"I'm okay," he grinned shyly.
"Come play with us,"
"Maybe later."
"Fine," I smiled and then hugged him.
Wondering what must be wrong.
Rusty, our bus driver, started to yell:
"Next stop; Boise, Idaho!"
We all cheered as the bus started to move, and as we were leaving our home.
Hours of beer drinking and poker playing, most of the boys either crashed or kept to themselves.
Me and Eddie were the only ones that weren't in our bunks.
"Eddie," I asked.
"Yeah?"
Eddie was sitting across from me, in a baggy and old flannel, his hair messy and strange. The afternoon light shot through the window, shrouding him in a beautiful glow.
And then I started to feel...
Anxious, and...Nervous.
And I couldn't figure out why.
"I am so sick of Corey."
"Really, why?" He asked curiously.
"He's close to overdosing. The drugs are fucking consuming him. He's an abusive asshole. He's a drunk. He just bugs the fuck outta me."
"I understand. Well hey. You're ol' best friend is here for you." He smiled a genuine, pure smile.
He called me his best friend.
"Thanks, Eddie."
He wrapped me in his arms, and I started to cry. I didn't even know why. I just cried. And my best friend was there to comfort me.
For dinner the gang went out to a restaurant near the Washington border called, "Truckers Bite."
We walk in and we're surrounded my rednecks and country folk. We seem like outsiders but didn't really care.
"Baby," Corey called. I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah?"
We were heading to sit down at a large table to wait for our waiter, and Corey was already demanding for attention.
"You know what we should do tonight?"
"Shut the hell up, you're drunk, Corey."
We reached our table and I chose to sit by Eddie who seemed to be the only person there for me.
He rubbed my back gently, reassuring me it'll be okay.
"Hey y'all can I get yo order?" A black woman, our waitress, asked us.
"Uhh, I'll have a burger and fries," Mike ordered.
"And I'll have... A large steak with a salad," Jordan ordered.
Most the boys ordered similar shit. I ordered fish, because well, I really love salmon.
When our food came Eddie looked at me funny while I began to eat.
"Damn, you eat like dude," he said.
I looked around and all my friends were looking at me weird.
"Ah fuck off," I told em. They began to laugh, and we all took a swig of our beers. It felt good.
We all got pretty drunk, especially Corey.
"Hey! Black lady! Get me some fucking beer, ape ass!" Corey yelled. The entire diner went silent, everyone staring at Corey.
"Now young man, we treat the employees with respect," an older man told him.
Corey got up and punched him in the nose. The man was baffled.
Jeff and Stone were trying to calm Corey down but he started threatening the man.
"I can kick your ass old man! Fuck you!"
And then it took all of us to restrain Corey and coax him out of the restaurant before the police would come.
He then started puking behind the restaurant.
Mike, Stone, Dave, and Jeff went back to the bus to explain to Rusty about what happened. Eddie was still with old dude, comforting him.
Like Eddie would always do.
I got stuck taking care of Corey with Jordan and Donny.
"Goddammit, Corey, you start so much fucking drama!" I yelled at him.
"Calm down," Donny told me.
Donny was the most responsible and intelligent out of all of us. The diplomat, the scholar.
Jordan was very soft spoken, kind, thoughtful, and philosophical. He always gave the best advice.
"Why should I?!" I yelled over the sound of Corey's puking. Jordan stood quietly with towels in one hand and water in the other.
"We all get crazy when we're drunk, Violet."
"Honestly, this bastard always gets us in trouble and you know it, Donny."
"Just quit it, okay? We'll handle this. Go see what's up with Eddie, okay?"
"Alright." I signed.
I walked back into the restaurant, where Eddie was talking to the man. I walked through aisles of tables, ignoring the people staring at me.
I plopped down on the bench next to Eddie who was engaged in conversation, but stopped to introduce Mr. Bloody Nose.
"Violet, this is John, the dude that got punched by your boyfriend," Eddie laughed.
"God, I am so fucking sorry about that."
"Oh, it's okay, hun. This old man has been through worse."
He had a wet cloth held up to his nose to stop the bleeding. He gave me a humble smile.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. Its okay, sweetie."
I looked at Eddie and then John.
They have me reassuring smiles.
"Okay."
