The Divine One- A Perrentes Love Story

-3-

I sat under the hot water of our bus shower, thinking.

We had just finished our set, and I had sprinted back to the bus to get first shower.

All I could think about was the party. I had been depressed and cooped up with the same three people for months. Sure, I loved them. But they got old sometimes. I liked having other friends, but it was so hard. I wanted a friend to be close with outside of my band.

Andy could be that friend.

Plus, it was strangely satisfying to make Tony jealous. Tony was my favorite friend, and part of me was happy when he got protective. I loved hanging out with Tony, even just as friends.

But could we be more?
No.

I corrected myself as soon as the thought occurred.

Do I like Tony?
No.
Yes.
No.
Yes.

I was stuck in an internal tug-of-war.

If I don't think of him as more than a friend, why am I even having this conversation with myself?

Now there was a point.

I like Tony.
I like Tony.
I like Tony.

I shook my thoughts away, finished showering, and got dressed.

It was nearly seven, and the sun was getting brighter like it always did before it set in the evening. I had a thing for sunsets. They always seemed to calm me down when I was sad or angry or scared. Of course, no one knew I had a fondness for sunsets. Tough guys don't like sunsets, or flowers, or half the other stuff I enjoyed.

"Finally!" Vic breathed when I exited the bathroom. He and the others were still sweaty and tousled from the show. "Move it, brother." He pushed past me and into the still steaming bathroom.

"Did he win Rock Paper Scissors? I asked, grinning at Tony and Jaime. They glared at me, nodding. We always played Rock Paper Scissors for shower privileges after a show.

I plopped next to Tony on the couch, getting my phone out. Pretending to text, I looked at his long legs next to mine. I liked Tony's legs. I caught him looking at me out of the corner of my eye, and I looked up to meet his gaze. He turned his head back to his phone at the last moment, trying to hide the fact that he'd been looking at me.

"Are you still going to that party?" He asked, without looking up from his phone.

"Uh, yeah. Why?"

He shrugged. "I dunno."

Silence. Scrolling. Texting.

"Is Andy cool?" He asked, after a few minutes.

"Yeah. He seems really great. I'd like to get to know him better." I replied, still not removing my eyes from my phone.

Silence again.

Vic emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam, wearing only a towel around his waist.

"Who's next?" He asked, shaking water out of his ear.

Tony and Jaime turned to face each other.

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" They chanted. Tony jumped up in victory when his rock beat Jaime's scissors.

"Fuuuuuuuck" breathed Jaime, slumping further into the couch and resuming whatever social networking he was scrolling through.

"Well, I guess I'm out." I said, standing.

"Where ya goin', baby brother?" Asked Vic, still trying to shake water out of his ear.

"Uh, Black Veil Brides bus." I said. "I'll only be about an hour or so."

"Oh, alright." He looked a little hurt that it wasn't a group thing. I had contemplated inviting them, but decided against it. I needed some me time and a new friend.

With that, I trotted down the steps and off the bus.