Song #3

Chapter Sixteen - Corey...get down from there

I'd like to dedicate this chapter to @metalxobsessed , you motivated me to update sooner haha 💕

Anywho!

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I had been so caught up in my problems. I hadn't noticed that Corey was suffering too.

The year is 2003, we were at the Hyatt House on Sunset Boulevard. Everybody was drinking, I didn't think anything of it.

We were laying in bed, almost asleep when Corey said he was going to go talk with Jim and Sid for a few minutes and I didn't think to check on them until, you guessed it, Sid and Jim burst through the door and yelled at me to come with them.

I scurried out of bed and threw on a pair of jeans and and a tank top and ran behind Jim and Sid until we reached their room, following them through the living room space and saw something I'll never forget. Corey was standing there, on the railing of the balcony, his body swaying back and forth. He almost lost his balance and a gasp fell from my lips.

"Corey?" My voice was shaky, though I had completely sobered up.

"What!?" He roared

"What are you doing?" I asked, cautiously taking a few steps forward. The floor getting colder under my feet the closer I got to the door of the balcony.

He had a bottle of Jack in one hand and a cigarette in the other as he shrugged.

"Doing you all a favour. I'll never be good enough for you. Or the boys" he said and his voice cracked, he was crying.

"You aren't doing any of us a favour. We love you. I love you" I took a step closer, "and what about your fans Corey? So many of them if not all will be absolutely crushed if you jump. Please please get down from there"

"Why?" He asked

Suddenly one of our friends, Thom Hazaert entered the room. Eyes wide.

I waved him over

"Because. We need you. I need you. And, if you jump. Then I'm jumping too." I said as I stumbled over to where he was standing. Thom following closely behind. I put both hands on the rail and slowly brought myself up and looked Corey dead in the eyes.

I saw out of the corner of my eye that Thom was reaching up to grab Corey.

Corey was balling, but he kept bringing the bottle back up to his lips, until I slowly took the bottle out of his hand and threw it to the ground below us.

"Let's go Corey. Come on" I said hesitantly

"You first" he said and I shakily nodded and climbed down from the balcony.

But once I was down and beside Thom, Corey went to walk off the balcony railing, I screamed, before Tom reached up and grabbed Corey's shirt and yanked him back down and onto the floor. I shut the balcony door and the blinds and lifted his upper half into my arms.

"What were you thinking?" I asked as I held him close to me

"I just wanted to be gone. I'd be better off as a splatter on the pavement." He said and I felt my tank top and shoulder become soaked from his tears.

"You're wrong. Come on, let's go back to our room." I said and Tom helped me carry Corey back to the room

I laid him on the bed and helped him get undressed before putting the covers over him

I was about to walk over to the couch but he reached his arms out to me, so I crawled under the covers with him but leaned against the headboard with him laying on my torso.

I sighed and played with his hair until he fell asleep. Thom, who I had forgotten was here cleared his throat.

"Thanks for helping bring him down" he said

"Same to you" I said before adding, "Hey, before you leave. Can you grab the Tylenol and the water bottle from my bag?" I asked and he nodded and was quick to bring the items to me, which I then set on the nightstand.

Both me and Corey would need them tomorrow morning.

The next day, not much was said between anyone of us.

We were in the middle of recording Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) but that all had to be postponed.

Corey and I had a big talk, and then an even bigger talk with the band and their manager. Corey was going to get sober. It would be very difficult. I wish I'd realized how bad his drinking problem was sooner. I could've helped more.

"It'll be okay. Don't worry. We've seen him like this before. We know how strong he is. He can and will get through this" Sid said as we were walking away from the rehab centre. I did not want to leave Corey here. But they wouldn't let me stay with him.

At this point I can only hope this works. I need him, his band mates need him, his fans, especially, need him.