Do You Still Love Me Like You Used To?

Part 20

Tommy tapped his foot, staring at the drummer, waiting for him to open his mouth and say something. The man never shut up like the bassist, yet somehow the cat had gotten his tongue. Eric went to open his mouth and then shut it again, running a hand through his dirty blonde hair, finally making the guitarist snap.

"Eric! What did Gene say to make you want to break up with Tara!" Tommy yelled

"She's an addict and has been in jail for assault on your girlfriend's dad, ex-boyfriend, plus her own parents. That could put many people in danger." Eric replied.

"Tara is, or was, an addict? When was the last time she was arrested? These are questions you should have asked Gene," the guitarist asked.

"This was all thrown at me in that stupid meeting, Tommy! I punched my bandmate and pretended that we knew everything about our girlfriends. I can't have someone around me where I have to worry about beating the shit out of me, or worry about an overdose," the drummer said.

The guitarist looked at Eric with his jaw dropped, now understanding what Paul had meant when he had told Tommy to get all the facts about his situation with Y/N, before deciding. Tommy moved to sit down next to the drummer, feeling him flinch, as the guitarist wrapped his arm around the older man. The two men stayed silent for a minute, before Eric shrugged Tommy's arm off of him and scrunched up his face at the guitarist.

"Are you sure you're not drunk with all this cuddly shit? You are freaking me out with all of it?" Eric asked.

"You know, who is Gene to call an addict, anyway? Have you seen when someone puts a cake down on a table, especially a rainbow cake? We are lucky if we get a piece! Honestly, I'm surprised he hasn't had to have costume alterations throughout all the tours I've been on with him," Tommy said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I remember the fight between Paul and Gene, when Gene ate half of Paul's birthday cake before we all had to get ready for the show." Eric replied,

"Paul may pretend he doesn't eat a lot of junk food, but I thought he was going to smash Gene's face into the rest of that cake. Now let's stop avoiding the actual conversation, so riddle me this Catman, are you pushing Tara away because of Gene's so-called information or because your feelings are getting to be too strong for her you're scared?" Tommy asked.

"I don't fucking know Tommy! This is all getting overwhelming and I can't breathe anymore. I love her and it's weird, because before it was getting drunk and banging girls at the after party. Now I have a beautiful girlfriend to show off, that I can't wait to get back to my room or spend all of my free time with. IT'S WEIRD!" Eric snapped.

"So you thought bringing this up drunk was the smartest option? Are you trying to get Paul to show up in your room at 3 am because your girlfriend called him? You need to sober up for a couple of days and then talk about this idiot. You had a lot of my special margaritas." the guitarist said.

"I like to get everything on the table as soon as it comes up," the drummer replied

Tommy shook his head and then punched the drummer in the arm, making Eric jump and hit him back. The two of them busted up laughing like two teenage boys, doing the constant shenanigans they both did on tours. The guitarist looked at his friend, seeing the sadness in his eyes, making his own heart sink, since he had been there just a week before.

"Eric, let Tara come back in here and sleep it off. Tomorrow we will grab breakfast so you both don't yack on the plane and then you can talk, got it?" Tommy said.

"No Tommy, Did you hear anything I just said? I don't know Tara, and from what Gene told us at that meeting, you clearly don't know Y/N. She's got a mom in a loony bin and debt for miles. She could drain you dry and I don't mean just in bed," Eric replied.

The guitarist looked back at Eric with a raised eyebrow, seeing the other man raise his fist for a looming fight, as Tommy tried to remember the whole conversation that had happened at the band meeting hours before. Gene's words finally come back to haunt him about the major debt, remaining family, and your own criminal history.

"Bro, I'm just repeating what that bastard told us. I know you were a little distracted by your collar but you need to protect yourself," The drummer said.

"Fuck you, Singer! Stay in your lane with your own train wreck girlfriend, and stop trying to be like Gene spreading rumors! You're lucky you are drunk or I'd kill you with my bare hands right now!" Tommy yelled before slamming the door.

Tommy walked down the hallway clenching his hands open and shut, a method his father had taught him when his emotions were getting out of hand. Standing outside his room door, the guitarist listened quietly to the conversation between you and Tara. Finding his dad's method wasn't helping this time.

-----------------------------------------------------------

(Reader POV)

"How are you feeling now?" You asked, looking over at your friend wrapped up in the comforter.

"Broken hearted, I really think I love him, Y/N, and he just sees me as a flavor of the month," Tara replied.

You looked over at your friend seeing her wrapping up in the comforter trying to focus on the tv and avoid eye count with you. Moving your arms, you pulled Tara back over to you, and held her tight against you again as she sobbed. The room filled with sadness as the memories flooded in when Tommy and you took that slight break because of the text messages.

"Tara, have you told Eric that you used to be an addict, and why you were in jail? The jail time my fault. You need to be honest with him if you want to move forward. Stop being so fucking stubborn, missy," You said.

"Why would I bring that up on the Kruise? I thought you would be the only one leaving with a good guy after the trip, and I would go back to the dull life we had in Oklahoma," She replied, looking up at you.

"You are a beautiful and confident woman, and you know that. I know the margaritas kinda made your head spin a little faster than you are used to, but don't let him run away from you. Gene fucked some shit up by digging into our past. It's not the end of the world though I don't know what he could find out about me, but I don't care. You are almost six years sober. We will get you both sober and you will talk it out tomorrow." You told her, sternly.

"I don't want to talk to him, I want to go home." Tara said.

Just as you went to reply to your friend's idiotic comment, Tommy walked through the door looking both exhausted and pissed off at once. You raised an eyebrow at him waiting to hear what he had gotten out of Eric, so some kind of plan to get Tara back with Eric. He glared at you for a moment, and then reopened the door, waving for you to follow him.

"We need to talk, and I need you to be honest about everything, including your past. Got it?" Tommy asked sternly.