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CHAPTER 44 Early July, 1993 The Sextet wasn’t making enough money for a private jet, nor did the thought appeal to any of the grrls (except Chatha, but the thought of most anything appealed to her). So it was two bands, Kissably’s Sextet and the three Wasted Assumptions, filling up first class in a commercial airliner to the States. It was to be an 18-hour trip. Their first destination, to the horror and dismay of Kim, was Los Angeles. Seated beside Jessie, all she could think to say before the plane took off was: “I’m going to bloody well kill someone. L.A. Corruption central. With Wasted Assumption...” Jessie shook her head, half smiling. “At least we get the worst out of the way first, hm?” “Out of an entire country, where does Carroway decide to land us first? L.A. Not only that, but we’re staying in Hollywood! What sort of ungodly game is this?” “You know I’ve got more of a hand in management than Carroway.” Jessie leaned back into the seat. She didn’t look at Kim. “You’re punishing me.” She didn’t respond. Kim sighed. “I suppose I deserve it, hm? I deserve a lot, really... I’m sorry. I do all the wrong things at all the wrong times. I’m a bloody terrible person, if you ask me, but I don’t know much better.” Jessie was silent for a while. The seatbelt lights flashed, the captain’s voice announced their departure, and the plane began to move. Since she was in the aisle seat, she had to look past Kim to see out the window. Kim tried to catch her eye as she did, but nothing happened. “Jess-grrl...” Kim took hold of her hand. “I’m the one who should be uptight right now. Heading off to the bloody US of A with Elvyn Daray in tow.” “I never wanted to go back.” She gripped Kim’s hand, but didn’t look away from the window. “After I found my father then realized he still wanted to be lost...” She closed her eyes, collapsing against the seat again. “I don’t think it’s you I’m punishing.” “Your father’s in L.A.?” “No. Some little city in southern California. Close enough that if he heard the Sextet was coming... He could show up for a concert.” “Are you scared that he will or that he won’t, luv?” “The problem is, I don’t think I know.” “Jessie...” Kim pulled her close, kissed her cheek, then rested her head on her shoulder. “We’ll survive this whole American thing yet, huh? Or at least, we’ll survive the trip to the country... Bloody ‘ell. Maybe Carroway’ll send us off on a Canadian tour next? Wouldn’t that be exciting?” Across the aisle from them, Ebony and Raine sat together. They were talking softly together, too softly for anyone to hear. It probably had to do with the beauty of the subtlety of the Cure or the grandiose nature of Jim Steinman. It could have been to do with design and business ideas for Angelic Darkness. They could have even just been whispering words that meant nothing, content in hearing anything out of the other. Her right hand was held in his left, her fingers brushing his ring every once in a while. She would smile at him for no apparent reason, receiving a smile that was just as out of character from him. Together, with no colour between them except the green of their eyes and purple tints of blush, they were the happiest, most peaceful and beautiful sight on the plane. Chatha, sitting with Xavier behing Kim and Jessie, would sneak glances at them every once in a while, then grin. “Aren’t th’ so grea’ t’gethe’? Ah mean, sure, th’ve been t’gethe’ fr so long, bu’ i’s differen’ nah, y’know? Ah think when they go’ married they tied their souls t’gethe’ or somethin’, ‘cause th’ ‘aven’t been more’n ... well, ah don’ think th’ ‘ave e’er stopped touchin’ since th’ weddin’! ‘Ow d’ y’ do tha’?” She bit her lip, then her eyes went wide as she thought of something. “’Ow d’ y’ ge’ dressed like tha’?! Ah can’ imagine...” Xavier smiled. Unlike with most of the people Chatha knew, especially those in the band, his smile wasn’t rare. Kim thought he was just a traditional black-wearing bad boy, but Chatha knew he was actually quite nice and weird as all hell, which made him the perfect companion for this 18 hour trip. “Well, y’ gonna’ jus’ si’ there smilin’ or y’ gonna’ tell me ‘ow y’ ge’ dressed like tha’?” “I’m not getting any images, darlin’, but I can tell you one thing...” “Yeh?” “It’s something to try. Y’know, to see if it can be done.” “Wi’ who?” He pulled back, pretending to be hurt. “Well, if you don’t already know...” “Oh! Oh, yeh, well, sorry, ah’m still getting’ used t’ actually takin’ advantage o’ Dar sayin’ ah coul’ go wi’ othe’ guys, so if y’ gimme a second, ah shoul’ have m’ brain back in gear pre’y soon. So... Y’ think there’ll be a time when w’ll need t’ be puttin’ clothes on wi’ each othe’?” “Would I be going to the States with you if I didn’t?” She giggled, then covered her mouth with her hands, then giggled again. Smiling, he shook his head. “Look, I know I’m a funny guy, but there are just some things my ego can’t stand having laughed at, y’know? Oh, sex with Zavier, let’s laugh!” “Nah, nah, i’s jus’...” She took a breath, blushing profusely. “Ah... Ah really like th’ idea,” she said in almost a whisper. “Yeh? So that’s all good, ‘cause I’m thinkin’ I really like the idea too.” “Oh... Wow... Well... What’s yer band think o’ th’ idea?” “Does it matter?” “Ah dunno’... Ah guess. Maybe. Ah know if m’ band di’n’t like you, ah’d ne’er see th’ end o’ i’, y’know? So ah hope yer band’s okay wi’ i’.” He shrugged. “They’re purists, what can I say? The excess of pink scares them.” “Excess?” She drew back, feeling a little offended. “Their word, not mine. I couldn’t imagine you without the pink, Chatha. Any of it.” “Y’ve seen me in red, a’ th’ weddin’!” “I know. And I was tipsy and you were roaring drunk. I don’t think anyone at that entire reception was actually themselves that night.” “Eb an’ Raine were!” Xavier glanced over toward the happy couple, completely caught up in each other. “But they weren’t themselves. They were each other. And now they’re going to be each other for the rest of their lives.” “Oh... Tha’s beautiful...” Chatha heaved a deep sigh, gazing off at her best friend and the goth boy now permanently attached to her. “Ne’er once though’ Eb’d be th’ firs’ t’ live ‘appily e’er afteh, y’know.” She looked back at Xavier. “Don’ think ah know how t’ live ‘appily e’er afteh. Ah mean, tha’ takes fallin’ totally fer jus’ one person an’ livin’ fore’er wi’ jus’ tha’ one person, totally content an’ happy an’ everythin’ wi’ jus’ one person... No offense t’ you, or Darius, or anyone else’r anythin’... Bu’ ah couldn’ do i’.” “Some people just aren’t built to. I think, sometimes, a soul breaks off into pieces, and when those pieces find each other, then bam! Pure love for the rest of forever. Nothing can keep them apart. But if your soul’s still fully intact, you’re never gonna’ be satisfied with just one person, ‘cause no one person can fill you up. Ebony and Raine are lucky in so many ways, but they’re also missing out on a lot of the trials and tribulations that life is all about.” “Y’ talk nice.” Chatha grinned. “No’ like a me’al’ead a’ all. Kim thinks yer a me’al’ead. An’ sh’ thinks Elf-boy back there is a total pansy’r somethin’.” Xavier glanced back to where Elvyn and Acwellen were sitting. “Yeah, I think Elf-boy’s covering up something with his tragic romantic act. I mean, jeez, any guy who can’t please Kim doesn’t know how to lay on his back and moan.” Chatha whacked him. “Don’ talk like tha’!” He smiled. “Sorry, sorry. But ain’t it true?” “Well...” Chatha giggled. “Ah guess. I’s always th’ guy y’ ‘ear from ‘er room, y’know, ne’er her. Bu’ sh’ ‘asn’t taken ‘ome as many guys fer a long time, so there’s been n’ worry ‘bout all those noises. Ah wonder wha’ sh’ does nah... Don’ imagine sh’d e’er abstain, y’know?” She looked up to where Kim and Jessie were sitting together. “Sometimes... Ah wonder.” “I wouldn’t worry about those two. See, it’s the ulterior motives of those--” he motioned across the aisle, at Heather and Elke “--two that I’d be worried about. Always looking like they’re plotting together, you can never hear what they’re actually saying. Fetish bitch and grunge butch. Can’t you just see it?” “Ew! Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!” Chatha overed her ears. “Ah’m no’ lis’nin’... Ah’m no’ lis’nin’, ah’m no’ lis’nin’! No’ lis’nin’!” “Does Heather ever leave a room without Elke following?” “No’ lis’nin’!” “Who’s the only person in the band who sides with Heather?” “Ah’m no’ lis’nin’!” “Why would Heather have stayed in the band for so many years if she wasn’t at least getting a lay out of it?” “Ew! No’ lis’nin’! Ew!” “And what better way for Elke to get back at Kim, huh?” “Gross, gross, gross! Gross! Ew! Gross!” Xavier leaned back in his seat, not at all worried that Elke or Heather may have heard what he was saying over the raucous denials of Chatha Darling. He grinned, knowing he’d be getting an earful from his bandmates when they were finally off the plane, but nothing they could say or do would take away from the amusement of Chatha’s reaction. Behind them, Elvyn was rolling his eyes and muttering to Acwellen: “Low class begets low class, it seems. I suppose Xavier and Chatha were a match made in a drugged out rock and roll hell.” “’Tis true that it dost seem strange, this pairing of the two misplaced members of muchly different bands.” “And he even had the gall to tell me that two inter-band relationships would never work at the same time, insisting that my advances with my dear Ms. Kissably have no chance.” “Xavier knows not of what he speaks, Lord Daray. He is, forgets thou not, a rather young soul and quite the knave.” “I suppose you can’t expect any better from a bass player.” Elvyn scowled. “Not a good one in the lot of them. Perhaps we should lock that half-American and Xavier in the same bloody closet between shows on this tour of ours.” “’Twould do some good for both bands.” A pink head popped up over a chair in front of them, and Chatha made a quick face, before falling back into her seat, giggling wildly. Xavier’s voice called back, saying: “I heard that, y’know!” Elvyn put his hand over his face. “This is going to be a long tour, indeed.” A few empty seats back from the rest of them, Geneveve sat alone, staring out the window. Her pupils had almost engulfed her irises, and she probably wouldn’t be coming down until the plane did. Awesome guitar riffs that she wouldn’t remember in another few seconds were playing through her head, and her hands were finding the placements of strings in the air in front of her. There were noises from the people in front of her every once in a while, but she didn’t care to focus on them. The clouds and the strange, fleeting music in her head were all she needed. She wondered what the boys in America were like. |
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