Bits and Pieces

Imaginary Parties

Hey friends! Back when I wrote about Bad 4 Us, I wondered if I would ever get around to doing more little stories based on Superfruit songs. I'm so glad to have all this amazing material to work with!! The last one was about the writing process, but they won't all be about that. They may just be events that eventually inspire the songs, which is the case here. I hope you enjoy. I'll try and get these out quickly, but you know...life. Love y'all!!

*****

Kevin slams his notebook shut with a satisfying thump and looks up at me. "A pleasure writing with you as always, Scotty," he says, rising from my couch and giving a stretch. I get up too, standing taller than him but not by a lot. We shake hands in a way that sort of evolves into a bro hug, which is weirdly formal, but also totally normal for the two of us. He's the most professional musician I know, and also one of the most creative, which works out great for me.

After a quick two hours with him, we have the structure of a couple really good new songs and I'm excited. He can tell I'm a bit keyed up and grins at me.

"Any big plans for the night?"

I shake my head. "Nah. Video games. Then Mitch and I will probably just watch a movie and hang out."

"Okay," Kevin says and there's something about his tone that's just a shade shy of sincere. In anyone else, I'm not sure that would have been noticeable, but he's a pretty transparent guy.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing," he replies with a shrug. "It's just... I mean, he's Mitch Grassi."

"Right..."

"Never mind," Kevin says and starts to walk out.

"No, tell me what you're thinking. I know he's Mitch Grassi. We have kinda been friends for a hundred years."

"Right, I know, and I can see how it would be easy to take that for granted."

This pulls me up short. "Are you serious? He's everything."

"I know he is," Kevin assures me. "And everyone else knows it now too."

My brow furrows. "Meaning what?"

He shakes his head, his big brown eyes contrite. "Forget I said anything. I meant that Mitch is a star and more and more people are figuring that out and will be vying for his attention. My first thought was that maybe hanging out and watching a movie wasn't really enough, but of course you know him better than I do. Forget it."

It's probably a good thing that Kevin is intelligent enough to find his way out of my house on his own because I'm suddenly useless and frozen. I couldn't have shown him to the door if my life had depended on it. My mind is a tangle of thorny thoughts, realizing that my friend is actually right on. Mitch has been pretty outspoken about keeping things chill between us lately. We still mess around from time to time, but it's been more about the physical release than any sort of emotional intimacy. I've been holding that part back because I was sure he didn't want to go there, but now I'm curious.

Kevin is right that I know Mitch better than he does, better than anyone does. But while I know that our bodies work perfectly together, I don't know what makes him tick lately. I find myself walking down the stairs in a trance, finding myself at his bedroom door without being fully aware of my actions.

He's still asleep, sprawled across his bed and taking up far more room than one would expect his tiny body to occupy. For a few minutes I just stand there, watching the late morning sun glow on his back, knowing that he's naked under those covers and wanting to confirm this by touch and taste.