Wait until the music's over

26. Awakenings (Pt.1)

Throwing a party the day before leaving wasn't exactly a great idea, at least given the horrible face that's telling me good morning from the mirror. If I had a daughter and if she showed up at my door one day with a jerk with a face as stupid as mine, I think I'd release the dogs. I drag myself in the shower and when I get out I realize I'm exactly like before, except for the fact I don't stink anymore. I try and save what I can throwing some cold frozen water at my face, before shaving. Yeah, now it's much better: now I look like an almost respectable asshole. I get out of the bathroom, already psychologically prepared to the disaster I'm about to see, but the only disaster I happen to see is Stone, intent in drinking my coffee with Mike. The living room, the kitchen... all is tidy. No glasses on the floor, no leftovers around, the carpets are ok, the ashtrays are empty, the floor is clean... What the fuck happened here?

"Please, make yourself at home, huh? Just help yourself to my kitchen!"

"Why the fuck are you shouting, Ames?!" Mike holds his head between his hands and keeps his eyes shut while he speaks.

"Good morning to you too, Jeffrey. Did you wake up in a bad mood?" that dick starts being fucking annoying this early, seems obvious.

"Actually I was feeling good and happy, until I saw your shitty face" I retort and with one hand I pour myself like a ton of coffee too, while with the other one I open a small cabinet, looking for something edible that can possibly be eaten in like two minutes.

"Well, seeing you in a robe isn't eye candy either. Anyway, I bet you'd rather have this shitty face of mine before your eyes all day than seeing the faces of your future parents-in-law. Am I wrong?" the jerk insists, as he sits on the table. And he's fucking right.

"Take off your big ass from my table! Where's Ed?" I make him stand up again with a thrust and finally notice the absence of my flat mate, who's most likely responsible for the apartment cleaning. At what time did he wake up?

"I don't know, we've been awake for like half an hour and still haven't seen him" Mike replies, finally lifting up his head and looking at me. Mmm, maybe you'd better go back to sleep some more, man, no offence.

"When I woke up he had already left and the bed was made" Stone adds, without giving any other useful information.

"Where the fuck could he be? I wanted to tell him bye, well..." I snort before attacking the ham and cheese sandwich I quickly prepared "And where's your girlfriend?" I ask Mike with my mouth full of food.

"She's still sleeping," McCready grumbles "lucky her"

"Still? Is narcolepsy her second name?" Stone asks. Right, piss Mike off a little now. I walk away, into my room, to get dressed and pick up my suitcase, which, thank god, I had already packed yesterday morning, following my girlfriend's advice. I'm ready to go in five minutes. I quickly peep into the kitchen to say bye to the guys, then leave. I'll wait for Laura and her Toyota Corolla to arrive. Her car is as much reliable as my van, but surely burns less gass and looks more respectable for a parent, remembering my previous thoughts. I've just pushed the button to call for the elevator, when I hear a voice I believed I wouldn't have heard anymore for the next 4/5 days.

"Wait, Jeffrey!"

"What the fuck do you want, Stone? Do you miss me already?"

"No, it's just I forgot to tell you the tick called" the guitarist answers, slowly walking up to me.

"The tick? Who? Cantrell?"

But, most of all, why should I give a fuck?

"No, the other one: Violet"

"Oh Jesus, what did she want?"

"She said she had just landed in Seattle and if we're doing something tonight, well, she'd be glad to be part of it" Stone explains, giving me news that somebody I know won't like at all.