A Friend

Rent didn’t talk to me for the next two days. He focused solely on his drums. Some of the songs he played sounded familiar to me, but I couldn’t put a name or lyrics to them. He seemed mad at me, I really didn’t know why though. He made his anger very clear when he threw his drum stick at me, nearly taking my head off.

I went over to him, “What the hell is your problem?”

He ignored me, pounding away at the drums even harder. He furrowed his brow and I noticed his face turning red. I gave up, he didn’t want to talk to me and I would just have to deal with it. I started to walk away when I heard him throw down his sticks and get up.

I turned around just in time to see him running towards me. He slammed me against the wall and gave me one solid punch to the face. My vision scattered as I slid down the wall in a daze.

As I laid on the floor trying to regain my senses, I heard Rent go back to his drum set. He did not play, however. My head was swimming as I stumbled onto my feet, bracing myself against the wall.

“Would you just tell me what is bothering you?” I pleaded.

He got up and walked over to me. I winced, hoping not to get knocked in the head again. He stopped just short of me, a sad look on his face.

“That girl you slept with the other day was my sister. I brought her out here to Bridgeport so she could become famous. Since she hasn’t had any luck, she has just been whoring around trying to score a famous boyfriend.”

I was surprised by his complete change in personality as well as the information he had just shared with me. I wasn’t sure what to say to him, so I merely said, “sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. Your just doing your rocker thing. I get it. I just can’t help but get angry every time I see her run off with another guy. I guess it’s just that I promised my family I would take care of her when the band came out here with her.”

I was confused. “What do you mean ‘the band’? I thought you were just a rented out drummer.”

I knew by his expression that he had said something he never meant to say. He pulled at his mustache a bit. Before asking, “Do you really want to know my life story?”

I smiled at him, “Will it keep you from punching me again?”

Rent laughed, “Come with me, I’ll take you to my thinking spot. No one ever goes there anymore.”

He took me to a small park. It had a few swings and an empty stage. Other than that, it was just an overgrown plot of land, a place clearly deserted for years. We both took a seat in a swing.

Neither of us spoke for a few minutes. The awkward silence engulfed me, but Rent seemed to enjoy it. I didn’t want to pressure him to say anything he didn’t want to, so I just sat there and watched him fidget with a leaf.

“I grew up in Appaloosa Plains.” He began his story, “My life was easy. My mom stayed at home while my dad worked sixteen hour shifts at his private practice. My sister and I were always close; we played together all the time. I took afterschool drum lessons and she took acting classes and participated in school plays.”

“In high school, my best friends and I decided to start a band together. We called ourselves ‘Blood Tea’. We practiced all the time, and when we graduated, we started touring. We went all over the country. Almost every town we went to, there were people calling out our names.”

I realized why his songs sounded familiar, I had once been one of his screaming fans.

“By the time we got booked in Bridgeport, my sister had graduated. She begged me to take her with, and I eventually agreed. I made her promise me that she would take acting classes if she didn’t get a job right away. I, in return, made a promise to look out for her and take care of her.”

Rent got up and walked over to the stage, I followed him like a shadow.

“Our concert was scheduled to play on this stage. Everything was going well and finally we were standing before a roaring crowd getting ready to play our first song. I took my place behind my drums, and our song began.”

“We were only halfway through our first song when a gun shot rang out. It was like slow motion as I watched the bullet hit our guitarist. Then there was another shot, this one hit our singer. I watched them fall to the floor completely lifeless; I watched it all from behind my drums.”

Rent started crying, “I watched my best friends die in front of me. Both of them shot in the head. They say I was lucky security stopped the gunman before I got shot. Sometimes I wonder though.”

As we walked back to the apartment in silence, I was bouncing ideas off in my head. I was glad that Rent had confided so much in me, but did that mean we had become friends? Do friends punch each other in the face? I wasn’t sure what had happened that day, but I knew it was a good thing.

The next couple of days were filled with Rent and I gabbing away about our lives. I told him all about Connie and how I watched her through the window to calm myself. I confessed to him, my love for her. I told him that I wished we could be together again because I missed her so much. He told me that I would have to choose between this life and a life with her, but I knew if she gave me a chance, I would be able to have both.

Finally, the night came for my second show in Bridgeport. As we got ready, Rent made me promise not to take home any girls. I agreed, but I made him promise he would entertain me after the concert was over.

We arrived at the venue early. Before setting up, I sat at the bar for a bit talking to the bartender.

When the time came for the concert to begin, the place was packed. There was an exciting buzz in the air and it pumped me up. Every song went by flawlessly; when I ran out of songs, the crowd roared for another. I decided to whip out an old song from when I had broken up with Connie. Rent followed my lead.

I want you to hold me,

Like you did when we were together.

Your eyes speak to me,

They speak the truth.

You miss me.

 

You’ve said it once,

But I’ve asked twice.

If you’re ok and if you’re fine.

I can’t deny anymore,

Every second of every day

I wish you would look my way.

Cuz I miss you and I need you.

Please come back to me today!

Rent and I knew the underlying meaning to that song. To the fans it was just another tune to jam out to. I guess I wouldn’t want it any other way. I had a friend who understood me, and fans who loved me.

After the concert was over, and all the fans left, Rent took me to a small bar and showed me how he celebrated a great show.

I laughed as I watched him up on the bar counter dancing.

Chapter Six: In Other Places