Aubrey (Revolving With Axis)

103: Aubrey

103: Aubrey

I stood inside the bus door waiting for Rafe. He was still steaming mad. I knew he was, and he had every reason to be. I had done something reckless, and thoughtless, and stupid, and almost got myself--- kidnapped, or killed. He was right.

I felt so sorry, I wanted to just go home right then. I wanted to crawl into my hole and hide. I'd ruined their concert.

But Ben was standing there, the look on his face one of abject misery. I reached up to cup his cheek, and he took my hand, pulled me close and wrapped me in his arms, and--- they were trembling.

"I'm so sorry." I said over and over, not realizing how much pain I had caused. Jeff was behind Ben, as the doors closed and Rafe stood there, steaming mad, yelling for Holli, and Will and anybody who could answer to him. Everybody was standing, everybody was yelling. It wasn't good.

Jeff held me against him, with his hands over my ears as he yelled too. I stood there at first, overwhelmed by the yelling, hating it, and then--- something snapped. I whirled around.

"Shut up! All of you! Just shut up!"

"Aubrey! You shut up!" Rafe yelled.

"This is all my fault, and I should shut up, but I can't think in here with all this yelling. Who are we, children? Knock it off, and let's talk about it like adults. Sit down, and let's just be normal."

"Holli, this wouldn't have happened if you'd been on that venue ahead of time. Where is Will? G—D---it, where is F----ing Will?" Rafe pushed past the few who had gathered in the lounge and stood in front of me, I think, daring me to say anything about his cussing--- and he definitely prevented me from leaving.

Holli was sputtering, looking at her clip board. Ben started to say something soothing, Jeff started cussing, Dylan and Mutt were sitting there on the couch, both cussing, and talking too loudly.

I took a deep breath. Holli started to answer Rafe, but he was staring at me, his eyes sparkling in anger. I took another deep breath and counted to ten.

"Holli, shut the f--- up. I don't want to talk to anybody. Just get this damn hotel on the road. I am so sick of incompetence. Am I not paying for better service than this?"

"You are Rafe, you are, but---." Holli was still sputtering, scared out of her mind at his violent outbursts. However, she had no reason to be, he wasn't ranting, and he wasn't throwing a fit. He was simply blocking my way.

Ben was next to him. "Hey Buddy." He said softly as Holli vacated the lounge, and the others in the hallway made themselves scarce.

But Rafe knew--- I could see it in his eyes.

He wasn't going to budge, even when the bus jerked to a roll. His eyes were deeply intent on mine. I took another deep breath. I counted to twenty.

"I f---ing can't believe this happened. It's too unreal. It's too unreal. Somebody actually accosted---- ."

And he kept staring at me, and I kept counting to ten, holding his eyes.

"Are you done?" I finally said.

"No." He replied, but he said it quietly. Then he turned around and got out a bottle of whiskey or whatever, and when he turned back his eyes were still on me, and he uncorked the darn thing and took a swig. My eyes widened, my face drained of color, and I felt my insides quivering in outrage. I had to keep myself from squeezing the life out of the couch cushion.