Losing My Life

Chapter 20

Another great night and successful gig, and he wanted to go again but has to wait. The sweat trickling off his face and the glowing smile, finally acknowledging he was doing what he loved. Rory wishes he would celebrate with his girl.

The crew applauds him as he wipes his face with a towel and downs a whole bottle of water in the dressing room. Valentina was always the first to approach him, kissing him on the cheek and congratulating him on his performance. Even though she does it every night, it always catches him off guard. Everyone in the room shows him the attention he deserves, which helps keep his spirits up. Cameron suggests getting the shots down and keeping the after-party going.

Usually, Rory will turn away, but with a good show with great company, it's time to celebrate. Cameron sets up all of the shots and instructs the crew to pass them along, and handing one to Rory.

'To a good night.' Cameron toasted, clink their glasses, and necked down the tequila.

Rory forgets how strong this substance is when a sharp burn reaches the back of his throat. He does, however, have some more and just notices that someone is not here while downing more shots with a beer on the side.

'Where's Josh?' Rory asks Cameron, and he shrugs.

'Not sure. Haven't seen him for a while.' He responds casually, as though he doesn't care, and attempts to make Rory forget as well.

As a result, he pressures him to speak with Valentina, who inquires about his ideas on her tattoo. He seems to be ranting a little as the tequila absorbs into his bloodstream, but she has his full attention. She's doing everything she can to keep him from leaving, bragging about how amazing he is on stage. Rory loves hearing this and wants to hear more.

He reached his hotel room without trouble, but he could sense the lethal chemicals rushing through his body and found it difficult to stand. Walking along the narrow corridor with yellow stained wallpaper and ruffed out carpet, almost repeating every five steps. Rory's vision is good enough to remember which room he is in, and he retrieves the key-card from his wallet.

He senses a muffling noise from behind him and a ringing sound in his ears and slowly turns around, and just over his shoulder, he sees a person dressed like he has seen in his dreams a few times. The clicking noise from the door unlocking woke Rory up. He glanced back one more time just to be sure, but no one was there.

When he steps into the room, with the lights on, and piles of clothes on the bed and floor, Josh comes out of the bathroom, scuffing up his hair in his dark blue shorts and a simple scruffy grey t-shirt.

'Hey mate, what are you doing here?' He says chirpy, but Josh looked disturbed.

'Been talking to K, and my phone died, then I fell asleep.' he replies, acting considerably shifty.

'It better not of been my bed. I'm having that tonight.' Rory laughs, and Josh responds with a faint smile.

'Yes, I know, that's why I have the pulled-out couch.'

'Move your shit then.' He taunts him, and Rory sits on the bed, untying his shoes and taking them from his sore feet.

Josh picks up his jeans and tosses them into the chair next to the dresser, but something falls out of his back pocket. It caught Rory's attention, and he knew his vision wasn't that bad, but this was a surprise, and he picked it up to find something he dreaded seeing again.

'Why do you have this?' Rory unleashes in anger while Josh glances over, and the blood from his face drained as he forgot about holding onto the substance.

'It's not mine.'

'Then why is it in your back pocket? Holding it for a friend, were you?'

The shock of discovering it in his possession and believing he could rely on someone to help him steer clear from it was like a knife to the back. It was as if he was mocking and tormenting him for all the years he had been fighting it.

Rory launches the drugs down onto the dresser in frustration. 'I can't believe this...I trusted you!'

Rory's fury has built up inside him and is ready to burst. Josh wanted to tell him the truth, but the way Cameron treated him made him fear for his life, as this is something he needs to keep hidden from Rory.

'Mate, listen....I found them-'

'Why do this? When you know it's a struggle to me? Do you think it's fair?'

Rory had no intention to hear what he has to say, and the alcohol suppressing opened up his rage that has not happened in years.

'What's the point if all you're going to do is make a fool of me!'

Rory holds his hands on his head, and starts to hear the voices again,

"It's time. To be who you really are. Wake up". Rory has a flashback as he saw the figure with the hood on in the rain a few days ago.

Josh was bothered by Rory's movements, and he wondered if all of his bad memories from his drug use are coming back to haunt him.

He then hears Layla's voice, "Daddy, why did you go to jail?".

The voice then switches to a young female calling him dad. He then sees Ryleigh, who hallucinates the drugs after her drink had was spiked on the show. The horror crawled into his head when Stacie takes away his daughter, then a visionary of girls half naked all around them, waking up by his bedside.

'Rory...' Josh's voice transits him back.

'Don't come near me!' Rory warns him, with his hands in fists, 'You're nothing but a shit friend. Fuck you! You selfish prick.'

Josh becomes even more upset by his ungracious tone, and he decides to leave before saying something he would regret. He quickly gathered his jeans and coat and walked away, disappointed by Rory's behaviour.

The anger and the cruel of his personality now exposed, and this was a side of he wished he could to forget. Resilient from anyone that comes his way, always thinking they only want him for a reason. Never one to care on whose feelings get hurt, as long as they aren't his. Defensive, paranoid, anything that made him believe not to trust people. He thought Josh was an exception. He wasn't keen to begin with, but he respected his dedication and belief in himself after being fucked over by others and ex-bandmates in the past.

Rory had lost his temper and needed something to calm him down, so he looked at the bag on the dresser, calling his name.