Blame It On The Love

Nineteen

A week and a half passed and tonight the boys and I were playing a club in town. Rehearsals, family and just about everything else had kept me busy but I did attempt to visit Grace and whenever we were together it was like we were never apart.

We were using Tico's van to take our equipment to the club, but I wasn't going to be traveling with the boys. I was taking my car to pick up Grace instead.

I picked Grace up and she told her family that she would be staying at mine tonight, which wasn't even my idea. This obviously came with pushback from her dad but Susan stepped in and shut him up. He wasn't very impressed to say the least. Oh well.

We entered through the back entrance with lanyards around our necks confirming that we were allowed to be there. All our gear was onstage, it just needed to be sorted out, which wasn't hard because there wasn't a lot, the club did provide the majority of basic equipment, we just decided to use our own guitars and some alterations to the bog-standard drum kit. We were third on the bill and played at 8:30, each act had a 30 minute slot.

The boys all headed over to the bar to get a few drinks in to boost their confidence but Tico, Grace and I just headed to a booth and watched the other acts, they didn't really impress us, no one was unique. Each guitarist was playing in the style of Eddie Van Halen and each singer attempted to match their vocals to the likes of Paul Stanley, Freddie Mercury and Robert Plant. Take your pick, they all failed.

We headed up to the stage a few minutes early to avoid keeping the crowd waiting. Grace stood on the dance floor by the front of the stage, just a little off to the right but still in clear view. Despite giving me a good luck kiss before we parted, she continued blowing kisses at me until we started the first song, Runaway. Duh.

Despite the new crowd there was a pretty good vibe coming from them. I think they were glad that we weren't carbon copies of what already existed. Grace danced a little and cheered. I hadn't noticed this before but she had brought along her camera and was taking snapshots of us in our element, wild and free.

After performing we all found a bigger booth to get wasted in. Grace to my left had spread a few of the photos out onto the table, but only for her eyes and mine only.

"So what was your favourite song?" I almost shouted into her ear. The new band had decided to turn everything up to ten, all the dynamics were wrong and it sounded like shit.

"Either Runaway or Breakout."

"Oh yeah? How come?"

"Runaway reminds me of when we met, and as for Roulette, I had input in it and they're both just killer songs anyway." I kissed her on the cheek and noticed a waitress coming our way. Richie in no time started the catcalling, then proceeded to flirt with her as I tried to order a beer.

After a few more shitty bands, the clock on the wall behind the bar read 10:49 and I could tell Grace was knackered, as she was most days due to her body being so weak at this point in time. We called it quits and decided to head back to mine. I didn't even finish that one beer I ordered because of how lively the conversation was, if you wanted to say something you had to be on your toes and spit it out then and there, otherwise it would've moved onto a new topic.

I unlocked the front door, all the house lights were off so everyone was in bed. After re-locking it, I picked Grace up bridal style and proceeded up the staircase, telling her to be quiet. After entering my room she changed into one of my light blue t-shirts which fell just beneath her bum, and I stripped down to my boxers.

Like my room, my bed was considerably smaller than her king-size, as mine was only a double, but we made do with it. Like before Grace was on the right and I was on the left and we spooned to avoid Grace injuring her arm.

Grace woke at half four, accidentally waking me up. She woke due to her pain, then needed to piss and "fell" out of bed, waking me.

"What was that?" My head remained against the pillow with my eyes closed.

"Nothing don't worry." Her voice light and fluffy like a cupcake.

"Grace why aren't you in bed love?"

"I need to pee."

"Do you even know where the upstairs toilet is?"

"....no."

"Ok hold on one sec Darlin'." I hauled myself up and turned on the lamp beside my bed, then wrapped my arms around her from behind. "Let's go."

I went with her so my family would think it was me if they woke.

"You just gonna stay there?"

"Well I can't go out there and wait, my family will be like 'why you waiting outside the bathroom?'."

"Fine, but turn around."

"Alright Darlin'."

We returned to my bed, cuddled and made out a bit. I could hear my family making their way downstairs for their family breakfast, I usually decide to sleep in and don't join them. We waited a while until we thought they had left, then made our way downstairs. I had helped Grace put on her jeans and tuck my top in so it was out the way. I remained in my boxers.

We kept conversation flowing as we went downstairs and through the hall, everything stopped when we turned into the kitchen though. We were greeted by multiple faces looking up at us. I was stood a little behind Grace, usuing her to cover me a little.

"Mom. Dad."

"Jon, Grace. Didn't realise you would be joining us." Dad said.

"Yeah, she came to the show last night and we thought it would just be easier for her to spend the night here." I scratched my head.

"And were her parents ok with it?" Dad raised his eyebrow. Grace nodded.

"I should go." Grace mumbled, turning around and pushing past me, making her way back upstairs. I quickly looked at my family to see my moms face smiling but showing clear emotion of sorrow for me. I went to go after Grace but dad stopped me.

"Sit."

"Dad I'm literally stood in my boxers."

"Sit. Now." This was unusual, dad hardly ever was mad so I obliged. "Did you have sex with her?"

"Da-"

"John!" My mother exclaimed, giving my father a death glare. Dad ignored him and raised his eyebrows at me.

"No, I did not. Not that's it's any of your business anyway."

"Then why was she here?"

"Because she's my friend! It's literally just like when the boys and I slept at her house the other day. It doesn't mean anything' going on."

"Good. It's probably best to not become infatuated with the Brooks."

"Wh-"

"Jon, go. John how dare you? Do you...." my mother butted in and I walked away to find Grace, not listening to what mom had to say to my father. How fucking dare he.

I saw Grace walking towards the door and I gently grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Grace.."

"Jon let go." I let go, her voice was soft but she didn't make eye contact with me, she just looked at our hands. " I need to go home. I'll see you later yeah?" She looked up, her eyes soft.

"Let me take you home."

"Dressed like that?" Her eyes scanned my body.

"Just give me a second to get changed Darlin', ok?" I turned and flew up the stairs but when I returned she was gone.