Youth & Whiskey

Chapter 1

I was finishing my homework when there was a knock on my door. "It's open!" I called as I started putting my school stuff away. "How's the homework?" Mom asked as her and Dad walked in and sat on my bed. "All done. Can I go to the mall with Kevin?" I asked. Kevin is my best friend and he is the only one that knows about my parents. We've been best friends since 5th grade when we moved here. "Yea I'll drop you off. But first we want to ask you something." Mom said. "What's up?" I asked. "You know how your Dad and I are sharing a tour together this summer with Uncle Chris' band Motionless In White?" She asked, and I nodded "How would you feel about going with us on tour?" Dad asked smiling and I felt my mouth drop. "Wait for real?! I get to go?!" I asked excitedly because I haven't been on tour since I was a baby when Mom was on Warped Tour where she met Uncle Chris. So I don't remember anything. "Well we figured that you're going to be out of school by the time we have to leave and back in time to start school again." Dad said. "But we have some rules. You have been passing your classes and we want you to continue to until you're done with this year. If I see an F on anything you're not going and you will take two hours every two days to do summer reading." Mom said. "Deal! Thank you!" I said getting up and hugging them as they laughed. "Wait what about Taylor?" I asked. "She's still too young to go on tour so she's going to be staying with Uncle Jayy and Auntie Jillian." Mo0m said. "Ok. Ugh I can't wait to tell Kevin that I'm going on tour!" I said grabbing my wallet and phone before running towards the hallway. I stopped in my tracks and ran back into my room. "Come on Ma!" I said with a huge smile on my face before running to the car. I waited impatiently for her to get out of the house and to the car. "Can I please drive this time?" I asked as she got closer. "I don't know if I trust you while you're all hyped up like this." She laughed, and I instantly calmed down. "Please" I asked more calmly. "You're lucky that you have your permit." She laughed while tossing me the keys as we switched spots on the other side of the car and got in. We drove to Kevin's house two doors down from us and I honked the horn. "Hey relax. You'll break the horn." Mom laughed. I rolled down my window and I saw that Kevin was running out of the door. "Come on Kevin!" I yelled to him "I'm coming!" He said running faster "Hi Jen!" Mom called out to Kevin's mom before hitting my arm to do the same to be polite. "Hi Ms. Jen" I said as she walked to the car. "Hi guys what's the rush?" She asked leaning on the car. "JJ has some exciting news for Kevin." Mom said "Oh you guys told him." She smiled "Yea and as you can see he's very excited about it." Mom laughed. "Yea I can see that. Kevin does too." Jen said "You told him." Mom said happily and she nodded. "Well I better let them get to the mall." Mom said "I'll talk to you later. Have fun boys" She said "We will" Kevin and I said at the same time before we drove off. "So she let you drive today." Kevin said noticing me in the driver seat. "Yea. Dude you need to practice so we can get our licenses together." I said. "Wait so you're not going to be my driver for the rest of high school? Damn I was looking forward to having a personal driver." He said jokingly. "I said we would carpool but take turns." I laughed "I know." He laughed. We pulled up to the mall and I parked the car and we all got out. "Oh here. You need to get new things for when we leave. Whatever is left over you use to get whatever you want or save it for when we go. Up to you." Mom said handing me $200 and I put it with my $50 that I had saved from my allowance. "Thanks Ma." I smiled putting my wallet away. "Be safe, love you guys. Either Ms. Jen or I will pick you up later." She said as she walked around the car. "Love you" Kevin and I said while walking into the mall. "So what is this news that you have to tell me?" I asked Kevin. "I got into the summer art class that I wanted to get into." He said excitedly "That's the one in London right?" I asked excitedly "Yea" He said happily "Dude that's awesome!" I said happy for him. "Yea." He smiled "Well I guess I'll see you there because they're taking me on tour this summer!" I said excitedly "Holy shit! That's awesome" He said just as excited and we did our brother handshake. We call each other brothers because he's an only child and I have a sister and him and I have been so close since day one. "We should probably get the stuff we need." I said as we started walking towards Target. Once we got everything that we needed we hung around at bit. Going to the food court and our favorite stores. We walked into Hot Topic and I instantly went to the hair dye section. "What are you doing?" Kevin asked. "I think I'm going to dye my hair for tour. But what color?" I asked while looking at the colors. "This would look cool." Kevin said picking up bright blue. "I like it." I smiled taking it and getting hair bleach as well. When I was done I bought the hair stuff, two new band shirts, jean shorts for tour, and new gages. Mom said that I can never go bigger than a 2g. We after spending 3 hours in the mall Kevin called his mom and she came to pick us up. "I see you boys got everything that you need for your busy summers." She smiled as we put everything in the car. "Yep. We're all set." Kevin smiled. "That's good." She smiled. We got to their house and I helped Kevin bring everything into his room before he helped me bring my stuff home. "Hi boys. How was the Mall?" Mom asked "Good. We got everything that we need for the summer." I said "That's good. Dinner is almost ready." She said "Ok" I said as we headed upstairs and then Kevin left to go have dinner with his Moms. I know that it's early to do this, but I started to pack everything that I know I will not use until tour. Once I was done Dad called me downstairs for dinner. "JJ look what I made in school today in art class." Taylor smiled while showing me her art project. "That's awesome little sis." I said kissing the top of her head before sitting down for dinner. We finished eating and I went with Dad to the recording studio room. "So listen, you're not only going to be going on the tour with us. You're going to have a job selling Mom's merch." He said as he closed the door. "Just like Mom did for you guys." I smiled loving the story that they fell in love while on tour. "JJ" Dad called pulling me out of my thoughts. "Hey, don't get any ideas. Remember that Mom was pregnant with you while on tour." Dad warned. "Yes Dad, I know. But maybe finding love or a summer girlfriend wouldn't be the worst thing." I said. "You are your mother's child. Such a romantic mind. But I'd rather you be like this then like your Uncle Ashley on tour years ago." He laughed remembering how much of a lady's man Uncle Ashley was before he met Auntie Chrissy. "Ok so starting tomorrow Mom is going to teach you how to work the merch table. We only have a month left and Uncle Andy needs all the help he can get by everyone doing what they need to." He said a bit more seriously. "You can count on me Dad. I promise you won't regret bringing me on tour." I said confidently, and he smiled while pulling me in for a hug. "I know Bud. Now go getting ready for bed, you have school tomorrow." He smiled as we pulled away. I wish him a goodnight before going to Taylor's room where Mom was tucking her in for the night. "Goodnight guys" I said while kissing Taylor on the forehead and Mom on the cheek. "Night JJ" They said as I walked towards my room. I closed my door and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Once I was done I put my phone on the charger and I laid down in my bed for the night.

*A Week Later*

"Done with your homework?" Mom asked just as Ifinished. "Yep" I said as I was putting everything away for tomorrow. "Goodbecause we have more training to do." She said. "Ugh. Ma, can we please take abreak? I know how to do everything." I said tired because she has been trainingme all week. "I guess we can take a break today. Besides, someone is here tosee you." She said then moved more into my room before her best friend Jayy VonMonroe came into my room. "Uncle Jayy!" I said excitedly as I gave him a hug."Damn kid, you're getting big. I still remember when your Mom was pregnant withyou." He smiled as we pulled apart. "And how scared you were of him" Momlaughed "I was not scared. He was so fragile. I didn't want to break him." Helaughed. "Anyways, I hear that someone is going on tour this summer for thefirst time." He said and I nodded while smiling. "Ma's training me to work hermerch." I said "Is she driving you crazy?" He asked "A little." I laughed "Idon't know why. She was on the stage more than working the merch on her firstcouple tours." He laughed "Oh shut it the both of you." She said playfully hitting Uncle Jayy. "You're just mad because I'm right. Anyways, Where's myadorable niece?!" He called for Taylor. "Uncle Jayy!" she yelled excitedlywhile running into my room and hugging him. "Hi princess" He smiled whilepicking her up and we started walking towards the living room. We hang out withhim for a bit and he stayed the night. In the morning he offered to drive Kevinand I to school on his way home to relax before he has to go to work tonight athis Drag Queen/Preforming gig.