The Incredible League of Goth Pizza Haters (RH)

Part 11

---Sylvia---

"He was just drunk," I told the officer. "He was just drunk and emotional." He wrote all of this down and I knew if Ricky pressed charges they'll use my words in court. I'm on Ian's side. I don't want to be. 

"You can pick him up from the station tomorrow morning. We want to keep him overnight." 

"Okay." I said. Nothing felt okay. Ian glared at me from the window of the police cruiser and I knew tomorrow is going to be hell. The office walks away and I turned my eyes on Ricky. There's a paramedic poking at his face and he's wincing. I hate Ian for hitting Ricky. And I hate me for causing it. I walked over to him and waited until she tells him that his nose isn't broken, there will be some swelling and bruising. He should use ice. When he looks at me he sighs and I don't know how to take that. 

"I'm so sorry." I said, "He was drunk and I set him off. It's my fault. I'm so so sorry." I waited for a reply and Ricky sighed again. He got up. He walked away. I hate Ian.

***

An hour or two passed by and I left my RV to see Ricky outside smoking. I walked over and when he saw me, he breathed out, stomps out his cigarette and went back in his bus. That shouldn't have hurt as much as it did.  Angelo, who was standing a few feet away, walked over to me.

"He's mad at you."

"Really? I didn't notice." My voice came out more bitter than I meant it. 

"Your sarcasm is noted. Do you know why he's mad at you?"

"I got him punched in the face."

"Yeah but he's been punched in the face before. He's mad at you because he thinks you let Ian get away with it."

"What?"

"He's pissed at you cause you stood up for that dick when the police were interrogating or whatever. He was the one that hit you, right? And you were defending him? Were you? Tell me that's not true, Via. You're a nice person, we all know that. But you can't take shit from people. Stand up for yourself. I don't know exactly what happened, but I heard he had his hands around your throat. That's serious shit. You need to acknowledge how serious shit that is and figure it the fuck out. You're a nice person, Via, and I like that about you. But don't be weak." 

"...You're right." I said. Ian had pulled shit like this before, we knew that and let him get away with it... But it had never gotten this serious. I needed to stand up for myself. For my band. "So what do I do?"

"Well... You could always kick his ass, but..." he looks me up and down, "You're kinda short so I guess just call him out for his shit. He's stronger than you but that doesn't make him any better." I smiled.

"Will do." I turned on my heel to go back to my bus. I wanted to tell Meg, Mark and Cody.

"Oh and Via?"

"Yeah?"

"If you need backup just call us over. I speak for all of the band when I say we'll gladly beat the living shit out of anyone that tries to pull anything with you." I smiled and felt tears in my eyes. I don't know why exactly, maybe it's because I knew it was true. 

"Once again, will do. Thanks Angelo."

"Yep."

***

I was up most the night thinking about what to say the following morning, and Ian didn't take it well at first. Meg looked nauseous and weak, but Cody and Mark had my back on this. We all confronted Ian, told him he had to change his ways or be kicked out of the band. He screamed that he hardly even did anything. Cody pointed out the bruising on my neck and how that would fare in a court of law. Ian threatened that his father would drop us from our record deal. We said we knew. There were tears in his eyes then and he broke down. 

He gave mostly excuses stirred in with apologies. He'd said he's reached a hard time in his life where he doesn't know he wants to exist anymore. I said I'd been through the same thing, so did Cody. And Mark. And Meg. 

Ian promised he wouldn't drink like that anymore and that he would never touch anyone in a way they didn't consent to. 

There was a moment of silence and we forgave him. I think Meg already had, and I realized how little I understood her. 

***

We stayed in one of those incredibly cheap hotels that night. I walked down the hallway from my room, and this time I actually was sleeping in the hotel. Ian, Mark and Cody are bunking together and Meg and I are roommates. Weeird. She's in the guys' room and the hotel offers  really gross free lemonade in the front lobby that's been calling my name. 

I pressed the little nob on the jug and the clear liquid dribbled into the paper cup. When I turned to the coffee table I saw Ricky. I felt nervous as I walked over and he tried to walk away. I grabbed on the sleeve of his sweatshirt. The words came pouring out before I'd meant them to. 

"Talk to me instead of ignoring me. That is literally one of the most stupid things you can do right now. We're stuck together on this tour and you can't run away from me forever."he turns and looks at me. No, not at me. At my neck. At my bruises. He opens his mouth to say something. Doesn't. So I do."Okay I know you think I'm a manipulated weak piece of shit but I'm not. Ian has never done something that serious. Ever. And I am so sorry you got hurt, that was never my intention. If you want to hate me and avoid me because I got you punched in the face then I understand that. But do not think that I am some cowering mouse scurrying to protect my abuser. Ian is not an abuser and I am not a mouse. I talked to him about it and we all agreed that he needs to get his shit together. He apologized and has agreed not to drink and to sort out his violent tendencies or whatever the fuck drove him to do what he did. He owes you one hell of an apology and I will inform him of that. But don't you dare treat me like I'm weak. I deserve more respect than that."

When he didn't respond to that I sighed loudly, grabbed a packet of sugar, one of those super thin coffee straws, and left back to my room.