Uproar

Chapter 35

Mike

"The reviews aren't all that great," Brad muttered. "Well, Kerrang gave us a good review as always. But they also don't understand why we made this."

I sighed and closed my laptop. I didn't expect much of this project anyways. I knew the fans would like it, but critics didn't. "Well we still have the next record to look forward to," I told Brad as I got up from my place in the couch.

"Did Chester ever come back and finish?"

"No. I had to work with what I had from him. He's really not wanting to cooperate."

Brad spun his chair to look at me, his eyebrow raised. "Really? Because he told me you were giving me shit when I talked with him."

"He's lying," I waved my hand in dismissal and turned to pack my laptop away. "He was giving me hard time."

"Look Mike. Like I know you're pissed off because he and someone from the band messed around a bit, but I don't know why exactly you're mad about that."

"Like I said. Is this really what the band stands for?"

"Sheesh Mike. It's not like we're telling the kids to go out and like have sex all the time. This is something different. It's between us band members. Like, no one else knows about all this drama. The media and the fans are convinced you two are bffs!"

Brad had a point. I really didn't know why I was angry at everyone, but it the whole situation just made me feel terrible.

"It just bothers me that he runs on his hormones. Brad he could take advantage of one of us."

"Is that what you're worried about? That he'll like use us or some shit? C'mon Mike, Chester has standards. Even in his drugged up state, I'm sure he'll even hold the door open for strangers."

I sighed in frustration. Brad was coming up with pretty reasonable things to make it seem like Chester really isn't the bad guy here. I am.

"Mike you can tell me the truth."

What was the truth? I didn't know myself. I didn't know how it bothered me, and I didn't know why it bothered me.

"I...I don't know Brad. I really don't know why this whole situation is bothering me. Maybe because I don't know who did it."

"Is that it?" Brad asked, crossing his arms. "Well I still can't tell you but you can take a guess."

"I keep thinking Phi, but he's getting married...and well, he can get...religious."

"Hmm, well think what you want to think but like you always say, we got bigger things to worry about. Like the record we just started on."

***

I grabbed the last of the CDs and tapes we had stacked up, packing them securely into my backpack.

"We'll have a lot to do in between shows,"Joe sighed as he helped me. "I don't know why they book these tours when they want us to start on an album."

"Well it's just the rest Family Values now. I heard they changed the line up though."

"I'm excited to see Chester's reaction to the lineup. Did you hear?"

I zipped up the backpack and slung it over my shoulder. "No. What's up?"

"Stone Temple Pilots is performing like right before us in this second half of the tour. We haven't told Chester yet though. We're waiting for him to find out by himself," Joe grinned and grabbed his own bag.

"Oh. Well that's cool. I mean, they are good I guess. It's be nice to meet them."

"You met Dean already though," Joe reminded me.