Destined To Explode

“So our parents are gonna move our stuff in while we’re away if everything finalizes quickly. That way, we can pretty much move it straight away when we get back.”

It had been a quick process; getting this house.

I’d been flicking through listings and had even ventured into the local Realtors to check on houses that Jack and I could afford, and after a chance listing had cropped up the first people’s offer having fallen through, the house that seemed to be perfect for us, was back on the market.

It had been a quick phone call and promised pictures that had led to Jack telling me we needed to make an offer, and because the owners were so eager to sell their place so they could actually move into the other house they themselves had purchased, our just below asking price offer was accepted and we suddenly owned a house together.

Jack cheers over the webcam as I grin back, having already shown my own excitement, just happy to be talking to someone other than my Mom. “No packing boxes for me! You sure you wanna live with me? I’m like a child! Last chance!”

“I’m sure, Jackary. Just promise that you’ll try not to wake me up if you hook up?”

“I’ll see what I can do.” He winks as I laugh at my own statement. “How’re you doing anyway, cuz? Healing?”

“Healed. Stitches dissolved completely a few days ago, just got to go and get the thumbs up from the Doctor on Tuesday and I should be back with you guys, either Saturday or Sunday.” I smile and wave at the screen as Matt’s head pops into shot and he grins at me. “You’re all missing me, I hope?”

“Of course! Alex is plain fucking boring right now, Vinny never shuts up complaining because Coloussy sucks at Merch and Cass has commandeered Travis for her girly needs, so I’ve got no one to be idiotic with. It’s torture, I tell you!” He pouts at me. “Plus, no one will play scrabble with me.”

“We’ll play when I get back, I promise you.”

There’s something said out of ear shot and Jack pouts in the direction of the voice, looking back at me sadly. “Alex wants to talk to you before we go on. Call me!”

There’s some shuffling around as Jack puts the laptop on the couch he was sitting on and Alex’s legs come into shot before the device is levelled on his lap and I can see his face, which is covered by the idiotic Maryland postcard that I’d sent ahead to the venue as a joke. “Bored a lot, are we?”

“You know I am! Bed rest got to me, okay? That’s my message in a bottle, you know, a call for help?”

Alex continues laughing as I pout at him, trying to look unimpressed that he’s taking the piss out of me. “You’re like a small child, Poppy, you know that?” He snorts. “You still feeling good, baby?”

“Hundred per cent as usual. I managedto move my bed around today, building up my muscles now that they’ve been wasting away for a few weeks. I’ll be ready for Vinny’s wrath in no time.”

“Just don’t push yourself. No one is expecting you to come back and start running around like everyone’s bitch again. You know? You’re allowed a few more days to get right again.”

“I’m fine, really, Lex. I’m just missing everyone now.”

“You know, I thought that I’d love getting my bunk back, but it’s kind of lonely, pretty cold too, so I’m proclaiming that I’ve missed you the most.”

“I did steal Baz and Pey for a night the other day and they shared my bed, so I can say that I haven’t been missing you all that much.” I wink, laughing as Alex clutches at his chest in mock hurt. “No, really, it’ll be nice to be back. See you in person and the like.”

“Few more days right, Pops? You need meeting from the airport? Matt will organize a car.”

I shake my head rapidly. “I don’t know what day I’m flying in yet, but you’re in LA until Tuesday now, so I’ll just show up before you leave again. Surprise you over the weekend.”

In fact, as soon as I was officially in the all clear to fly, I was using one of the tickets that I had booked for each day of the week, except for the Thursday because sadly, there wasn’t one available.

“I’ll be waiting, babe.” The smile that’s directed into the screen could make hearts melt, and it probably has before. “I’ve gotta go and get wired up now. I’ll call you in a few hours, love.”

“See you soon, Lex.” We both direct kisses to the screen before his goes black and my room is plunged back into silence. “Wednesday, probably.”

* * * *

The all clear. Something that I had been waiting for since I had been told what was wrong with me, and especially since my stitches had started to disappear and the pink line of a scar had formed on my stomach.

I had been told that I was fine to travel and do everyday things, but not to engage in a lot of physical activity for at least another two weeks, just to make sure that everything was fine. Sure, that bummed me out, but it only really meant that I couldn’t set up the merch, but I could sell it, and ‘alone’ time with Alex was going to have to be put on hold until those two weeks were over again, but at least I was allowed to be back with everyone.

“So, you’re just going to leave again so soon?” My Mom questions as I climb back into the passenger seat of her car, seeing as she insisted on driving me to my check up because she wanted to hear for herself that I was alright. “You’re sure that you don’t want to stay at home for a little while longer?”

“It’s not really a matter of choice, Mom, I’m employed to be there, so I have to get back as soon as I can. Just because you think that I’m doing this for leisure, doesn’t mean that I am.” I have to bite my tongue so as not to bitch at her. “I know that it seems it to you; that I’m just travelling around with them like I did in High School, but this is my job now.”

“No, your job is working at a clothing label, not touring with your friends band.”

“Will you ever stop treating me like a child? I don’t know why you’re suddenly like this, but look, I lived for three years by myself in Chicago, and I was fine-“

“But you weren’t!”

“Mom! Okay, so Rick wasn’t fine, but the whole point of being on this tour is that I don’t have to go back there and be around him. Mark has already said that I can keep working from home or carry on selling merchandise on other tours, if I want to, I can even go and work at the New York office.” I reach across and touch the back of her hand that’s clenched on the wheel. “It’s just, I’m going back to join everyone on the tour tomorrow, okay? When we come back, I’ll talk it through with everyone and see what’s happening about Europe, is that alright?”

“Whatever you like, Poppy.”

* * * *

“So, your Mom’s being a complete bitch because?”

“Because I’m flying back out to join you guys on tour so soon after I got the Doctor’s permission to do so. She thinks that you’ve got some sort of hold over me, I don’t know. I just want out of here, now. At least when we get back, I’ll be living with Jack.” I scoff, trying to be quiet as I re-pack my duffel bag, thankful that my other case was still travelling around America without me, trying not to let on to Alex that I would be back a lot sooner than he thought.

“Well, you’re staying until the weekend, so she can’t really complain about you not being at home, right? I mean, she’s seen you a lot more while you’ve been touring than she ever did when you were permanently a few states away.”

“Finally, someone who gets it! She never made an effort to come and see me while I was over there, and yet, now that I’m suddenly back in the same state, she doesn’t see me enough? One thing that I absolutely hate is being treated like a child.”

“You are on the short side…” I hear his deep chuckle from the other side of the room where my phone is still resting and I go to flip off the air but I stop myself with a roll of my eyes.

“I’m barely shorter than you, thanks! Rian’s the midget in this!”

“Hey!”

I almost choke on the laughter as I hear Rian’s clear protest at bringing him into the conversation and then everyone else who happens to be in that room with Alex at the time is following my lead as Rian continues to whine. “Why am I on speaker phone?”

“You’re funny, I thought that I’d share.”

“Man bitch! For that, I’m hanging up and finding something better to do with my time!”

Like pack my bag so that I can meet you all in LA tomorrow afternoon.

Notes