“Shut up.”
“You’re welcome,Travis.” She hisses my name with venom I’ve never heard from her before.
“I didn’t ask you to do that.”
“Travis, damn,” Penn huffs. “Stop being a dick.”
“I’ll go to the bank and pay you back tomorrow,” I tell her, standing up. Although we both know I don’t have that kind of money right now. Christ, I’ll have to ask my parents. Just another fucking thing for them to hate about me.
“Fine.” She shrugs, staring at her nails.
I head for my bed. I’m done with this shit.
“This isn’t over,” Tanner calls. “You’re on notice.”
My feet halt. “Notice?”
“Yeah, we said no drugs. Don’t fuck up again.”
“Or what?” I challenge. “I started this band, you can’t kick me out!”
“Westarted this band,” Penn interjects.
I frown. Why’s he taking Tanner’s side all of a sudden? “Who else is going to sing for you, huh?”
“Just don’t mess up again,” Tanner says, turning and making his way to the driver’s seat.
38
TRAVIS
Everyone,and I meaneveryone,is giving me the cold shoulder. Even the crew members are being weird. All because I got arrested? Big fucking deal. I’m a rock star, what did they expect? Have they listened to our lyrics? Seen us play? It’s not like we’re sitting around the campfire, kumbaya-ing, and singing “Living On A Prayer.” We sing about fucking the man. People fist fight at our shows. They make circle pits, crowd surf, and throw shit at us. We’re supposed to fuck shit up.
And it’s not like I did it on purpose. I was TRYING TO PISS. But apparently, I left some ticked-off fans in the crowd waiting for my return. I don’t know why they care. It was a free pop-up show. They weren’t out anything. I haven’t been on social media, I avoid that shit at all costs. Ellie gets mad when I mess up her perfectly crafted version of us.
I hear hushed voices coming from the front of the bus, and I quit breathing so I can listen.
“Just try it out. One song a show?” Tanner says.
“No.” That’s Penn.
“They loved you.”
“I said no,” he bites in a hushed tone.
What are they talking about? Singing? Excuse the fuck out of me. That’s my job.
“Fine, whatever.”
Instead of going out and confronting them, I stay put. They might be pissed, but so am I, and they’re all getting the silent treatment from me. No one even asked me about the black eye I was sporting once I was released. Mr. Little Dick Pissy Leg was a bitch, throwing me into the wall like that, trying to get his revenge.
We pull up to Planet Fitness, and everyone rushes off to shower and use the bathroom. As soon as everyone clears the bus, I catch Calvin scrolling on his phone.
“Hey.” I take the seat across from him.
“Hey,” he says, not bothering to look up. He’s avoiding me, too. Only because he knows I could easily get him fired. If the guys find out he’s the one who supplied me with the drugs, he’ll be stranded in whatever city we’re in, without so much as a ticket home.
“What was all that shit about Penn singing?”
