Mind Games>>Ricky Horror AU

Chris?

[This chapter was written while I was babysitting a screaming toddler who refuses to nap without getting candy or to let me watch the latest episode of AHS without drawing on the walls.
I apologize for the shortness the next chapter will be long af.]

I was completely in thought on our way to the concert with that same question running back and forth in my mind; Did Ricky try to kiss me? I would zone out and almost hit the fender of the car in front of me. Ricky tried to get me to pull over but I refused, remembering what he did to my neighbors car. I kept my car in one piece by the time we were in the parking lot. Now, I had so many questions hurting my head. What would have happened if we had kissed? Why was he being so nice lately? What if he just wanted to kiss me for something other than an innocent kiss like sëx? Then what would I do? He's so much stronger than me— "Vanessa! Jesus Christ, snap out of it and get out of the car!" I jump when Ricky bangs on the glass door of the driver's side. "Okay, cool it! I was just thinking!"

I make sure to slam my door into his body to show him I wasn't in the mood for his shït. "Calm your hormones, don't be a Haley." I snap my head at him with an intense glare and shut my car door, being sure to lock it. "If your head is going to get any bigger from your ego issues it will explode." Ricky's dirty smile is back on his face returning from the Spanish classroom, and realize where he could take it. "Define head." I shove him with my hand and strut towards the building where the bands would be playing. I run up the concrete stairs and into the building, hearing the door close after me with footsteps following assured me that Ricky had sadly followed me anyway.

"You are lucky Chris isn't here I would have so much rather preferred taking him here than you." I sigh at the thought of Chris and how he'd be excited for the concert if he was here. "Ouch, that stung me a little bit." I keep my eyes from turning to meet his eyes, I just need to stop thinking of what happened in the bathroom and start thinking of the fun I was going to have with or without the nuisance by my side.

I show Ricky and I's tickets at the door to the lady in a small booth. "Backstage? You guys can go backstage now if you'd like, in fact, I think one of the three has a drummer who is helping set up." I usher Ricky to hurry up as we make our way towards the security check. The guard feels our wrists, has us show lift our jackets up enough to see the belt loops of our jeans, before doing a full scan with a small metal detector. "Guess that shooting in California woke some people up." I tell Ricky when we are finally allowed inside. "Tragedy allows the blind to see." Ricky states simply with a shrug as he shoves his hands in his jacket pockets. I see a guy wearing full black, including his arms and neck that had been painted black as well, messing with a amp near the front of the stage. I could only assume he was the drummer the lady was talking about. I approach him hesitating, what if this guy had an ego as big as Texas like Ricky or he was just a flat out jerk. I hate socializing and situations like this.

"Um, hey." I manage to call his attention, and damn was he attractive. "Oh, Hi. Can I help you?" Well, you could propose to me and we could have slightly punk rock children but since that's to advanced...

"My friend and I are here to see Marilyn and Black Veil Brides. We have backstage passes so the lady that was looking at our tickets said we could go ahead and go in." The drummer gives me a smile and stands up from the floor. "Yeah? I'm Vinny. But, I'm sure you don't care about me it's the lazy boys to the left of me you probably want to meet." I felt bad that I couldn't be one of those girls who would make any band member feel appreciated. "You seem cool too, we are planning to stay for your band's performance too." Ricky shoves me with a desperate look, he really didn't want to stay for Black Veil Brides if I threw another band in there he thought he'd dislike he would throw a fit when we got home. "I think your little boyfriend says otherwise." Vinny chuckles and helps me up onto the stage, leaving Ricky to fend for himself. Ricky had no problem getting onto the stage except his bruised knee. "It really hurts, okay? I have feelings too!" Ricky snaps at me in a whisper as Vinny leads us towards backstage where it was mostly black except for the couches, tables, and seats that were orange. "We have guest, get your feet off the table, Balz." Vinny pushes another man's feet off the wooden table. "Well, this is it. Not much to us, Marilyn is getting his make-up done." I could literally hear Ricky's groan of annoyance in my head. I glance around, the five men from Black Veil Brides were all here and another four, not counting Vinny, were also in the large room. "Chris?" I hear Ricky's voice come from behind me, his eyes were dead locked on the corner near the guy named Balz. Ricky showed no emotion but I knew he was ecstatic inside because I was just as bad as he was, in the corner stood a very tall man who was pale as a snowman with dark, black hair hanging to his chin. His clothes were just a dark as his hair, his arms and neck have been covered up in tattoos.

It was our Chris, our Chris Cerulli.

"Chris?" I say in shock right after Ricky when I took in the sight of my friend who I had witnessed dying in his own 'blood' yesterday night. "Is there an echo in the room? You know Chris?" Vinny raises his eyebrow at the two of us having a full on stare off with Chris. "Do you remember us? Vanessa? Ricky?" I finally ask, trying to hide the crack in my voice. You don't realize how much you miss someone till you see them and remember all the good and bad you've been through.
"I don't know, I've met a stripper named Vanessa." Laughter bounces off the walls and I almost burst into tears right there. Chris's words to me last night knocked on my head: I know you won't forget but I will.

He didn't remember us, just like he said he wouldn't.

...I won't let these demons drag me to the grave...