"Dude Looks Like a Lady"

Chapter 20 The Web Untangles (Strings POV)

Chapter 20

The Web Untangles

~ Strings

I picked up the note. Drummer, Sailor and Crystal all had a scared look on their faces, and I could tell just what they were thinking. "It’s Ray all over again." I knew better, Red wouldn’t pull a stunt like that, I’d say he was too much a wuss to do it but it was actually the opposite. Even though he was a weakling, cry baby, idiot that was gullible enough to believe that cheese spelt backwards sounded like the word "gullible" when I told him- the guy was a fighter. He might close the door but he’d never lock it. I thought the note might have been to say "Sorry guys but I’m heading back to the hotel, have fun without me!" and I really wished it had. I read it out:

Sorry guys but I can’t do this anymore. You all know how I feel about Chris

That’s not just gonna go away and listening to that song Ray wrote

I think he would understand if I did do all it takes to make her mine,

But it’s not just that.

She will always love Ray, even if she does have feelings for me,

she has more for Ray. I can’t bear to be second best,

and I can’t bear to be around her and not, well you know.

So I’m quitting. I’m sure Jake would take my place

as bassist. He’s a good one.

I’m heading back home tonight, packing my stuff

and moving back in with my dad.

So this is good bye.

Hope the albums a success

X

‘The prick.’ I added at the end of it. Honestly… I was a bit pissed, I mean I did want him to stay, he was my friend but deep down I’m a selfish bastard, really. With Red outta the picture, I could have a chance with Chris, right?

Drummer shook his head and fell back on the chair; ‘We need him.’

‘If he doesn’t want to stay he doesn’t want to stay. We could ask Jake?’ I said glancing at Chris who just stared blankly down at the table.

‘How the hell could you say that!?’ Drummer yelled at me. I looked back. Drummer’s thrown a fist once or twice but only at Ray by accident and at Sailor, but even then he never once shouted.

Sailor shrugged then sighed, ‘I hate to say it Drummer but Strings is right, we can’t make him stay, although I’m not happy to say so.’

Then I heard a little whining noise beside me. We all look to Chris who was obviously trying to fight back tears. Once the damn in her eyes broke she ran out into the cold, ‘Chris!’ I yelled, running after her.

She didn’t run very far, just a while away from the crowds, into the cemetery. She swung her head side to side, trying to catch any glimpse of him, until I caught up with her but even then she didn’t look at me, just to the sky.

‘He’s gone, and it’s cause of me.’ She cried. Her tears rolled down her cheeks onto the ground. Watching her cry like that was killing me, not even to mention that it was because her heart was breaking over another guy.

‘You really love him huh?’ I asked, without my mind’s permission.

She turned slowly to me before nodded with a painful look on her face as if she knew how much it hurt for me.

I don’t know what came over me in that moment, I guess it was me acting out that selfish bastard’s dying wish as her tears drowned him. With one of my hands holding onto her hip and the other cushioning the back of her head, I kissed her. It was a bittersweet taste knowing it was gonna be the last time I could hold her like that, kiss her like that. I had everything I wanted to say to her coded into that kiss. How much I loved her, so much that I only really wanted her to get what she wanted, and not me.