“Glitz and Glamour”
Chapter 5: I’m Coming Out
I guess you can say the surprise came about a week after that outing with the girls. Calm week, watching and listening to interviews Nick was doing. He’s had to fly around the country a ton this past week too. Me? I’ve been reworking this apartment, ooh excuse me, condo. (Nick gets sooooo bratty when I call it an apartment and he corrects it all quicky lately). Speaking of Nick, am I the only one who’s seen him acting a bit weird? And I mean for his standards. He’s spacier than usual which I never thought possible. Then again, he has been traveling a lot and working hard. That’s probably why, poor Squishy. Maybe I can try and cook him something tonight for when he comes back.
I’ve had this place looking better. I haven’t seen him much and he hasn’t seen the apartment, but I took some time and repainted the living room. Yeah, I made Teddy and Izzy help me haha. Now instead of that blaaaaaand cream color, I had this really neat looking design. See I did the painting, Iz and Teddy helped cover/move all the furniture. So now we had this very neat blending wave design of blues and greens, and you can almost feel like you’re in the ocean. Took me two days to get done really. It’s actually pretty, and I know it sounds weird. I’m a painter not a writer, so it’s hard to describe. But since my favorite color is blue and Nick’s is green I went ahead and redecorated a bit. Nick had said when he first showed it to me when he first bought the place to go ahead and make it my own.
I had my sketch book with me on the couch in said living room, trying to figure out what to do with my room. I had one of the living room in there already. Which by the way, the living room isn’t done. The painting is, but since I’m going for an ocean style and we don’t have everything in there yet, it would be neat to see if we can get some like…what’s the word? Little display thingies to help the effect. I don’t know. I just hope Nick likes it since all I told him was that I was going to spice up the place.
I heard the phone ring and I lunged for it, and almost fell off the couch, again. I look at the phone and answer, seeing it’s Teddy. And of course, I sing as I answer. Would I be me if I didn’t? “Just a small town girl…living in a lonely world…“ Classic. Come on, someone other than me must know this song.
“I like that song.”
“And you say I answer the phone weird.”
“Well you do, but I love you anyway.”
“I’m bored, entertain me.”
“I thought you were looking up art schools.”
I stretch as I shift the phone onto speaker so I don’t have to keep it on my ear. “Yeah I know, but it’s just the whole thing is scary and I might go with Nick on tour and…”
“You’re avoiding it sweetie. I thought this is what you want?”
Damn Teddy, why must he make sense? Shrugging, well before remembering he can’t see me I kind of made my way to the kitchen. “Well I am, it’s just, I dunno. I’m not big on change, never have been. Doesn’t make me avoidy.”
“You know Sebastian would be saying the same.”
“Yeah, yeah…I know.” And I did, and I just, yeah I hate change. Even with everything happening in the past couple months, I never liked it. But bleh. I hate it when my boys are right. And they always are.
“So what about it?”
“I’m trying to just get used to everything. I might end up going along on tour at least for part of it. And no one knows I’m dating Nick yet…well public wise, so I’m…blah! Teddy it’s just I gotta get used to one change before the next.”
“Can’t avoid it all forever dear.”
Don’t I know it?
*********
I am getting so damn sick of lying for management. Yeah yeah after I exploded I haven’t done it yet. I know they’re gonna find some way to try and cover anything I do with Cally. Two weeks since the meeting I had with the bastard and I ain‘t changed nothing yet. We’re on TV yet a-fucking-gain. This was supposed to be our week off before the VMAs. Heh. And oh oh oh! Here’s the question again!
“How’s it feel being single again?”
“Lovin’ it, the ladies do too, cause it means when they’re rockin I might come a knockin’” Smirk here, listen to screams, do a small wink that’s not like the Howie wink. Turn, smile and laugh. And we’re done. Heaven forbid we get asked about the damn music right? And you know my girlfriend is going to see that, and I ain’t liking it. I also just got another call from London. Which I ain’t answered yet, but now I’m getting texts from her too. She must want something. She ain’t the chasin’ type.
After the interview we all head into the van while the limo tricks fans into following it thinking we’re in there. Nope. And we’re on the road, as our drivers drive this huge ass van that fits all of us plus a big, beefy, could kill me in a minute, bodyguard. Damn. Kevin is on the phone with Kristen, Brian is trying to work out a few chords out on his guitar for a song he’s been trying to write. Howie’s trying to change to station from System of a Down to…whoa what the fuck? What is this shit?! Spanish rap? Great music in a language I ain’t ever gonna know (I can barely do English) going hella fast that even if I did know it, I still ain’t gonna understand it.
The van ain’t even moving. God dammit. I hate fucking traffic. Anyway, AJ’s…
“Stuck in traffic…“
“Stuck in traffic…“ Ooh I can bug the guys with AJ.
“We are living in hell…we are stuck in traffic…”
“Traffic…” I’m bored…and I can’t get a fucking signal.
“We’ve been doing dumb innnnteeerviews..”
“Dumb interviews…”
“We lost the fans and now we’re stuck in traffic…”
“Stuuuuuck in traffic…”
Whoa…AJ and I got a double glare. Howie and Kevin. A new record! Only forty seconds. Smirking and snickering I changed the station again. “Well fuck we’re bored and…”
Jay jumped in singing. “Stuuck in traffic.”
Kevin did something I didn’t expect, he actually started chuckling. Did I just do some freaky ass Star Trek shit where Kevin ain’t anal? (I love the man like a brother but it’s true). He shakes his head, still laughing. “Y’all I ain’t liking being stuck in LA traffic either but you don’t see me singing.”
Howie smirks, with Brian still playing with his guitar. He must be trying to work a kink out. “Kev, we’d have a stroke if you started acting like these two.”
Finally my sidekick can get a damn signal. Fucking technology, I’m a damn addict even when the shit don’t work. I’ve had enough of management, me threatening shit and doing nothing. Fuck it. I’m taking my girl out and you best believe I’m gonna show her the best damn time of her life. Seriously. I’ve had enough and I’m gonna show her a hella good time. Ya know?
******
As I’m talking to Teddy, Sebastian called. So I had the phone on three way as I danced to Disease by Matchbox 20. One of the greatest songs they had, I might add. Can you tell I’m a music lover? Maybe it’s not shocking I’m dating a musician…
“Cally…”
“Lyspi…”
“What, y’all don’t like matchbox 20? So what if I’m sliding along the kitchen floor in socks trying to imitate Tom Cruise before he went batshit crazy?” Which I totally was. Wheee!
“Well damn Lyspi why can’t you ever do that when I’m there?” He’s being pretty good about not harping on the Nick thing. I can tell he’s holding back.
“I’ll do it when you’re here for my birthday. You, me, Teddy, Izzy…dates…we can cause some chaos.”
“Isn’t Nick on tour around your birthday?”
“Um well I’ll make it work, I’ll plan something.” Eeek!
The phone beeped again, and me, thinking it was Iz, connected it to the phone conference. And…it wasn’t.
Can we say oops?
Maybe oh shit fits better. Lordie I’ve been around my squishy too much.
*******
Stuck in traffic, surrounded by the fellas, and even Brian’s going stir crazy now. He and AJ are singing 99 bottles of Squirt on the wall. (Not beer, Jay had rehab…so we remixed the song. Flames Of Ice logic aight?). So I’m calling Cally after making a few other phone calls to make sure my wicked awesome ass idea will work out aight. It ain’t nothing complicated, but I do gotta make sure I got my VIP room all set up and shit.
I heard the phone pick up…and three voices answer. What the fuck?
“Yo…” That voice sounds familiar. In some annoying way.
“Hello?” That one’s new.
“Heeeeey Heeeey baby…I wanna knooow if you’ll be my girl.” And what other girl sings when she answers the phone. That’s my baby.
“Uhh…Cally Baby…?”
“Shit! Oh my god, oh my Lordie…” I’m taking she didn’t check the phone before answering. Holy shit the van’s moving! It’s a god damned miracle! And it stopped again. Fucking LA!
68 bottles of Squirt on the wall…68 bottles of Squirt! Take one down; pass it around…67 bottles of Squirt on the wall…67 bottles of Squirt on the wall…67 bottles of Squirt! Take one down; pass it around…66 bottles of Squirt on the wall…
When you hear Kevin and Howie singing with AJ and Bri, you can tell we’ve been stuck on the damn fucking highway too long.
“Is this Nick?”
“Sebby shush!”
“Um…this is weird.”
“Cally?” I ask again, thinking she must’ve thought I was Isabel and was adding me to the friends chat she was having. And one of those would be the asshole best friend of hers. Didn’t like him last time…still don’t now.
“Hey Squishy! Um Sebby you’ve met Nick…Teddy…Teddy say hi so he knows your voice. Sheesh.”
“Um…hellooo…” Aight then.
“Yo.”
*********
Oh boy. What am I doing? This is weird. Totally my fault. I should’ve checked the phone and now things are totally weird and I’m getting bossy with my boys. (Well Teddy and Sebby) Why? So I don’t say something stupid to my best friends or my boyfriend. Why must all meetings happen on a phone? It’s how I met Nick to begin with. And I just got quiet with them all on the line.
“Hey.”
“Okay I’m sorry Nick I know this is totally weirdy…Sebastian, Teddy, I’ll talk to you guys later.”
“Later Lypsi.” Click. Okay, not as bad as it could’ve been.
“Nice sort of meeting you Nick. Byeeee Calypso!” Click.
Whoo. Bezels, that was just wow. Odd. Weird. Scary. “Nick?”
I hear him chuckle and I smile, knowing he’s not annoyed or anything. “Still here baby, that Teddy is…”
“Weird I know. I love his gay behind anyway. So…what’s…”
I pause then, because I’m hearing something totally crazy in the background. Well maybe not-yes actually crazy. Even for Nick and anyone in his life. And that says a lot…well cause yeah. It’s squishy.
63 bottles of Squirt on the wall…63 bottles of Squirt! Take one down; pass it around…62 bottles of Squirt on the wall…
“Is that…”
“We’ve been stuck in traffic for fucking ever!”
“Hey is that your girl bro? Hi Calypso! I still think she has the most fucking bad ass name.”
“Tell AJ I say hi. Ooh and Brian.”
“Calypso says yo!”
I laugh at how he translates that. He’s such a dork, but it’s why I love him. “I’ve missed you. ACK Babyface!” The lizard was humping my leg not even five seconds ago. Before I shook his scaly butt off. You can definitely tell who his owner is.
“What’d he do?”
“Umm…never mind! So what’s up?”
I can almost hear that grin in his voice as I lean on the counter, playing with some strands of hair falling out of my very messy bun. I keep eyeing my ocean styled handiwork on the wall. So pretty, and some of my best hehe.
“Get dressed in what you think are your sexiest clothes.”
Okay, that deserves a huh? My brow rises at that one. “Um…why?”
“Cause I’m taking you out. Fuck anyone seeing us. Fuck management. I have the perfect place and we’re going to live it up dammit. I know you ain’t 21 but fuck if Aaron can get in places at 17, I can get you in with me. They ain’t gonna say no to me. We’re going out. No worries Cally Baby, you’ll love it. I’ll be there as soon as we escape this fucking traffic. Bye baby!”
Click. What? Nick is what? He decides to surprise me with what?! I’m not ready! I can’t be all seen by the media yet! Ahhh!
And here’s where I say it. Jezel my bezels.
**********
A couple hours, changing four times before he gets home, and basically having a freak out….I’m now in a car with Nick. In his prized BMW actually. Which, for rambly not important information, is a lot cooler after he got it remodeled after he crashed it. (Remember? When him and I first started being friends and yeah.) We parked off in the distance along the sidewalks of downtown Los Angeles. Not a place you’ll see someone like me very often, yet Nick knows where he’s going. I’m not paying much attention to the music as he drove. Once parked I can feel my heart just about spazzing like a chinchilla on speed having a stroke.
The air is cool, especially for August. But it is nighttime so it’s not that odd right? I shivered a bit cause of my clothes. (Not THAT revealing! Lordie! ) They just weren’t all warm. I feel Nick’s arm wrap around me, glancing up to see his warm happy go lucky grin be directed back at me. Guess he senses my chill, but it’s not all cause of the cool breeze blowing.
“You’re aight with this right?”
Nodding, I try to smile. “Yeah, no worries.”
“You sure? After this, we ain’t gonna have privacy, and the paparazzi are gonna find us tonight.”
“I know.”
“We’re gonna have wild ass fun baby, I’m sick of not showing you off.” He squeezed me close to him as we approach Mood, which is one of Nick’s favorite clubs in Hollywood. We haven’t been spotted yet. Pretty sure I hear my heart pounding like a bongo drums. Eep.
“I’m good, promise.” What can I say? I knew this would happen eventually. Where our dates aren’t so secret, where I will have to be seen in public so people can remind me how I don’t deserve Nick. So, I’m trying to go with the flow, be optimistic. Sound calm.
To quote the Beatles, best band ever…
Obladi, Oblada, life goes on…
Right?
Author's Chapter Notes:
Yes another chapter in less than 2 months! lol yay me. Yes this has been inspired by something called Nick's Corners, which can be found in the fanclub or on youtube. If you have seen them, you will get a total kick out of it in this chapter. If you've never seen them, hopefully the scene that it's related to is still funny lol.
Enjoy the chapter! Feedback is loooove! ;-)
Enjoy the chapter! Feedback is loooove! ;-)
