As our final song of our set ended, I played my signature drum solo and movement out of the corner of my eye made me turn my head. My eyes landed on the cutest girl in the whole club and I smiled at her as she swayed her hips to the music. I watched her long, light brown hair flowing around her slender shoulders as she looked up and smiled back at me, pride beaming from her eyes.
From the day I met her when I was seven years old, Jessica Monroe had quickly become one of my best friends, next to the guys in the band. We had a lot in common; music, movies, hangouts. The one huge thing that bonded us? We both came from fucked up households.
Jessie lived with her mother (if you could call her that) in the same rundown apartment complex that I lived in with my dad and where Jude, Beau, and his sister Sadie lived. It was about as close to a slum as you could get and it seemed like that was where just about every horrible neglectful parent lived with their children they wished they never had.
I met her on my first day of second grade and she was starting kindergarten. She was being picked on and bullied and from the moment I laid eyes on her I felt a strong sense of both sympathy and protectiveness. There was something about her that pulled me to her that day and when we talked outside the principal’s office that day I knew I’d made a friend for life.
Ryder, Jude, and Beau all liked to give me shit about Jessie having a thing for me but I knew it wasn’t true. I’d spent every day with her for the past eleven years and if there was one thing I could read well was when a chick was into me. Jessie clearly wasn’t because she didn’t dress in tight clothes or act like a slut to get my attention. I wasn’t a prick that thought I was hot shit but I knew I was okay to look at. From the time I was twelve girls went out of their way to hook up with me. Most of high school was spent with me having girls following me everywhere. I even had a girlfriend or two and Jessie was right there through it all. She was always nice to my girlfriends and never had one negative thing to say about any of them. If she was into me she would’ve probably trashed the girls up and down and told me I could’ve done better.
Even if she’d shown the slightest interest in me I am not sure I would have followed through with it. There is only one female in all my life I’ve ever been able to count on and that was Jessie. Hell, I told her things I couldn’t even tell the guys in the band. How could I go and fuck that all up?
As I banged my drums for the final time in the song, the club erupted in applause and loud screaming. I loved performing live…it was such a rush. I had always wanted to be a musician and when we hit junior high and I joined the marching band, I loved every instrument and learned to play piano and guitar but drums just seemed to be a perfect fit.
Luckily, Ryder’s father Alan saw how committed to music we all were and fully supported us. He was the one that bought all of our first instruments, including my first drum kit, and he let us practice in their garage every single day. I knew my dad didn’t give two shits about me so to have a guy like Alan Matthews behind you was truly great. I really hope Ryder knew how lucky he was.
“Thank you all, this crowd fucking rocks!” Ryder screamed into the microphone.
“See you all next show!”
He took his guitar off and reached into his pocket to do his signature gesture and tossed a handful of guitar picks out to the audience. I stood up from my drum kit and walked across the stage to stand next to Jude, who was standing on Ryder’s left. Beau was on the right side of Ryder and we all joined our hands together. We raised our arms and bowed down and the crowd started to go crazy, especially the girls in the front row. Ryder and Jude were already staring at them like they were pieces of meat. I chuckled to myself…I would almost feel sorry for those unsuspecting girls if they weren’t asking for it night after night.
I noticed a cute redhead with her eye on me…she was definitely hot. I wanted to go for it. Fuck, I’d not gotten laid in almost six months and my hand was getting tired. However, I was just going to have to pass this time because Jessie was here. I vowed to myself that no matter how bad I wanted to party, I wouldn’t do it if she came to any of the shows.
Even though her birthday was coming up next week, she was still only seventeen years old. She’d witnessed and lived through more than anyone her age should have had to and I wasn’t going to let her see that side of me…the wild, slutty rocker that was out to party and get pussy like it was nothing. She wasn’t my girlfriend but she was, however, one of my best friends and I wasn’t going to expose her to any more sex and partying than she was already used to seeing from her own evil bitch mother.
After we bowed, we all started walking toward the back stage. I tossed a glance at Jessie over my shoulder and jerked my head in the direction of the back, silently telling her to meet me at the backstage entrance and I’d make sure she got back.
“Good show guys,” Ryder said, nudging my back with his elbow.
“You fucking killed it tonight, dude.”
“Thanks, man,” I said.
I stopped off to the side of the entrance and waited for Jessie to appear.
Beau smiled at me as he took a drink of bottled water.
“I saw Jess came tonight. You’ve got to be stoked about that,” he teased.
I smirked at him and wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.
“Yeah, I am. She’s not been to a show in a few weeks because she’s had to work.”
Jessie worked mostly late shifts at a fast food restaurant called The Greasy Spoon and I hated it. It was in a bad part of town and it made me nervous that she had to take the bus or a cab home on nights when we had a show or when I was working the graveyard shift doing stock for a local grocery store. I hoped that we got this record deal soon because the first thing I was doing was helping her get out of that shithole apartment she lived in with her fucking bitch of a mother.
“She’s looking pretty cute tonight, bro. Bet she dressed up for you,” Jude teased.
I rolled my eyes.
“She’s just wearing jeans and a black tank top,” I said, scanning the crowd for her but I couldn’t see her anywhere.
“The fact that you know that means you were checking her out. I never give a shit about what a girl is wearing because it’s usually in a pile on my bedroom floor or in the back seat of my car,” Ryder said.
“Just give it up and admit you have a boner for the girl.”
“I don’t have a boner for Jess, you fucker. She’s just my friend.”
I saw Ryder’s eyes flicker to the entrance to the back.
“So you wouldn’t care at all if I told you some beefy frat boy fucktard is throwing game at her right now, right?”
I felt anger start to rise and my head snapped to him.
“What do you mean?”
He nodded his head toward the entrance and said, “See for yourself.”
I took a few steps forward and saw some asshole in a polo shirt with his hand on Jessie’s waist and was leaning into her ear, whispering something to her that had her scrunching up her face in disgust. She was trying to back away from him but he wasn’t taking the hint.
“I’ll be right back guys,” I said, taking off down the steps as I heard the guys laughing.
I came to a stop in front of her and gripped her arm gently.
She looked at me with relief and I asked, “Hey Jess, who’s this guy?”
“Um, I don’t know him,” she said, tucking her long hair behind her ear and moving closer to me.
The frat boy idiot turned and glared at me.
“Excuse me, asshole, I was talking to her.”
“Well I’m talking to you, mother fucker, and she’s with the band. She clearly isn’t into you so back the fuck off before I knock your ass out,” I spat at him.
Jessie placed her delicate hand on my arm and tugged.
“Kris, let’s just go.”
The guy took a drink of his beer and turned his eyes back to Jessie.
He looked her up and down, staring at her like she was
nothing more than a piece of meat, and said, “Aw, come on sexy. Why would you want some white trash rocker when you can be riding my cock? I bet I can make you come faster than he can.”
Before I could even think, I punched the asshole frat boy right in his jaw and he stumbled back. Jessie gasped as I grabbed the collar of his shirt.
I pulled him close to my face and growled, “You so much as look at her again I will end you, mother fucker. She’s fucking seventeen years old and if you touch her at all I won’t need to call the fucking cops because I’ll kill you myself.”
The prick rolled his eyes and scoffed as I pushed him back to the wall.
“Whatever, you can have her. This little cunt isn’t worth it anyway.”
He spat blood out at us and it landed at my feet.
I was about to go after the guy again but Jessie grabbed my arm to stop me. He was laughing as he walked away and if I didn’t have her holding me back I’d have taken off after him.
“Kris, you’re shaking. Calm down,” she said, fear in her voice.
I turned my head and looked at her. She looked frightened and it made me soften up and start to calm down. I hated when she looked scared because it made my protectiveness go into overdrive.
I looked into her eyes that were wide with concern and I answered, “Sorry, Jess. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Letting go of me, she smiled and said, “You didn’t scare me. I was afraid I’d have to try and bail your ass out of jail. I’m saving all my money to move so you’d probably be sitting there for a while.”
I smiled at her and nudged her arm with my elbow.
“Well, it’s the thought that counts, right? Come on, let’s go backstage.”
I held my arm out for her to go ahead of me. As she climbed the stairs, she tossed her hair back over her shoulders and I caught a whiff of her cherry blossom scented shampoo. I always loved the fragrance of it and as I breathed her in I instantly felt calm.
“Are you sure you want to hang with me and not chase that red head that had her eye on you during the show?” she asked. “She was pretty stacked.”
I hooked an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into my chest.
“Hey, this is the first show you’ve been able to come to in over a month. The only girl I want to hang out with tonight is you,” I said, and she giggled.
She looked up at me with those big blue eyes and she grinned.
“Thanks, Kris. I’m really glad I was able to get tonight off. I know I need the money now more than ever but it’s still nice to get away from life for a while and have some fun.”
“You’re definitely due for some,” I asked.
“Which reminds me, what do you want to do for your birthday next week?”
“Oh, we don’t have to do anything. As long as I can hang with you and the guys I’m good.”
“Come on, Jess, there has to be something you want.”
She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and I could swear I saw her blush. I have never seen Jess have this reaction before…I wondered if this was about a guy.
My eyebrows drew together and before I could ask her about it, she said, “Really there isn’t. Just being with my friends and having a night away from Crystal sounds like heaven to me.”
Crystal was Jessie’s mom and whenever she wasn’t around her she called her by her first name. That woman didn’t deserve to be called “mom” by anyone, let alone one of the greatest girls in the world.
“Well, we’ll figure it out. You’re turning eighteen and that means you don’t have to stay with Crystal anymore. That alone is a celebration.”
“I know. I’m surprised she hasn’t thrown me out yet, but why would she? She still gets government assistance for me until I move out.”
“Which will be soon, I promise,” I said, squeezing her into me again.
“You’ve got to be close to having enough to get your own place, right?”
Jessie smiled and said, “One more paycheck, Kris. God it’s going to feel so good to get the keys to my own apartment. I don’t care if it’s bare and I have nothing to sleep on. Just being away from her and on my own is going to feel amazing.”
“I know it,” I said, smiling at her enthusiasm.
I couldn’t wait to get away from my bastard father but saving for a new drum kit was making that impossible. Alan had offered to help me buy them, but he’d already done so much to help us so I refused. I had to do this on my own.
As we reached the door to the back stage lounge, Jessie pulled away from me to open the door. When she did she brushed her ass across my crotch. Suddenly, I felt tingles shooting through me and I stood up straight.
She tossed her hair back again and said, “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into you!”
Her cheeks were red with embarrassment as I moved away from her, but not in enough time to hide my instant semi. What the fuck was that?
“It’s okay Jess, no worries,” I said, shifting around and thinking of anything to make my sudden erection go away.
Thankfully she didn’t seem to notice and walked into the room while I tried to shake off what the hell just happened.
About an hour later, we’d been hanging out backstage, having a good time just drinking and laughing. My reaction to Jessie’s ass brushing against me was all but forgotten and I was feeling pretty good and buzzed. We’d been hanging with Corey Brewer, who not only loved the show but was insistent on talking to his manager about us to maybe come on tour with them this summer. We were on the verge of everything we’d been working hard for and we were all excited for this chance, including Jessie. We were starting to get noticed and she was one paycheck away from being free from Crystal. Things were finally starting to look up.
“Okay, well, I’m going to head out guys. Your band is fucking amazing and I’ll definitely be in touch,” Cory said, stopping to shake everyone’s hands.
“Nice meeting all of you.”
“You too, man,” Ryder said.
We all gave him one final goodbye and when he was gone, everyone jumped up and cheered.
“Dude, can you fucking believe this? This summer we might be on tour with Sticks and Stones,” Beau said.
“God that would be so awesome. Can you imagine playing in those venues night after night?” Ryder added.
“What about all the fucking hot ass girls at those shows? The pussy that’s going to get thrown at us every night…” Jude said and he and Ryder fist bumped.
I nudged his arm and said, “Fuck man, Jess is here. Can we not talk about pussy in front of her?”
Jessie rolled her eyes and said, “Kris, come on. I’m not a baby. I’ve heard you guys talk about this stuff before. It’s no big deal to me.”
“Yeah, but still…” I said, trailing off.
Jessie put up her hands and said, “Stop it, it’s okay, seriously. Let’s focus on the fact that Cory Fucking Brewer was just here and you might finally get your big break!” she squealed.
I smiled at her and grabbed her up into a big hug.
“This still doesn’t feel real.”
“Well it’s real, so you better start believing it. I am so happy for you all. You might actually get the hell out of this town!” she said.
“Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Cory said he’d be in touch so now we just play the waiting game.”
Jessie hugged me back tightly. “You’ve got this, Kris. I know it,” she said, stifling a yawn.
“You tired already? It’s only midnight,” Ryder said to her.
“Well, she’s working her ass off at that restaurant night after night. She’s not used to being out this late,” I answered for her.
“Thanks for that, Dad,” she joked.
“I know it’s lame but I am starting to crash. I think I’m going to head back to the hell hole. Crystal should be either passed out from drinking or whatever she shot into her arm by now so there shouldn’t be a problem.”
“I can take you home,” I a
nswered without thinking.
“Oh no, it’s all right. I can just take a cab,” she insisted.
I shook my head and replied, “Hell no. I’m taking you.”
“What’s the big deal? I take cabs all the time and we all don’t exactly live in the greatest neighborhood anyway.”
“Okay please don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re fucking hot, Jess. You already had some cock sucker trying to get into your panties tonight and dressed the way you are there’s no way you are going to make it back to your building without being groped or worse,” Jude answered in a protective big brother type way.
We all love Jessie and he teases her a lot, but when it comes down to it he cares about her as much as we all do.
“Let Kris take you home and we can load up all of the equipment.”
I smiled at Jude, surprised that he offered to pack up my drum kit for me. He never wanted to help pack shit up after a show. I wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth and walked to him, clapping him on the back.
“Thanks man,” I offered.
He smiled and said, “No problem, bro. You can owe me later. Just get her home safe.”
Usually when I owed Jude a favor it meant he wanted me to run interference on one chick so he could hook up with her friend.
Sighing, I said, “You know it, man. I’ll check in with you guys later.”
Jessie hugged everyone goodbye and made them all promise to call her the minute they got any news from Cory. As soon as she was ready, she linked her arm through mine and we walked out of the back stage lounge and out through the club.
As we reached my old beat up Ford pickup truck, I opened the passenger side door and she climbed in.
Before I shut the door, she had a dreamy look on her face and she said, “I can’t believe you guys are finally getting your big break.”
I laughed and shut the door after she got inside.