The Drug In Me (Ronnie Radke Love Story)

Aftermath

"Why are you smiling?" I asked him, confused. He looked at me and said "no it's nothing, just, that punch was, ha a, it was pretty great."

I smiled and peered at him more. Our smiles grew until they turned into grins, and we sputtered little laughs until we had to stop for air.

"It-it's nice to see someone has my back" Ronnie said, looking forward, serious again. On impulse, I reached out and grabbed his hand.

He looked at me surprised, and I smiled, saying "hey, we've got your back. Your band, and your legit, loyal fans. We've got you."

He looked at me curiously, and then he turned away, a little half-smile playing on his lips. "Yeah well, I've got your back too" he said finally, and he put his arm around my shoulder.

I grinned and put my arm around his shoulder. "Thanks" I whispered to him, unable to contain my grin.

"Of course. You're a piece of work, but you're a great person" he said, smiling at me and pulling me closer on the curb, until our sides were touching.

"Yeah well, I guess it all depends on who's talking. I'm a great person, I'm a horrible person, I'm a crazy person, different people would swear all of those are true. It just depends on who's talking" I say, curling up my legs and resting my arms on them.

"Is there ever a thought or question that you don't have a deep answer to?" Ronnie asked, peering at me.

I laughed, and said "well! I'll let you know if that happens. But deep is all about perspective, what's deep to someone may be shallow to another-"

"And there you go again" he says, shaking me affectionately.

"Seriously though," he starts, looking at me gravely, "you've been through a lot, haven't you." He peered into my eyes as if all the answers lurked behind my guarded gleam, like he was hoping to get a glimpse into my past.

"I think everyone's been through a lot, in their own different way. I mean, haven't we all?" I said, staring off into the distance, seeing things from the past mixing with things from the present.

"You really are something. You make it seem like I'm getting answers, but you're really just adding even more mysteries to solve" he said, staring at me like I was some big mystery that he was dying to solve.

"What makes you think you're gonna solve me?" I teased, nudging him on the shoulder.

He just laughed and winked at me, saying, "oh babe, you're gonna get solved whether you want to or not. Oh, and you'll want it."

I smirked at him, quirked an eyebrow, and said "this conversation is increasingly sounding like it's about sex."

"Well, you know what they say, you use your conversations to tell people what's really on your mind" he laughed, winking.

I laughed, saying "nobody has ever, ever said that."

He grinned and stood up, grabbing my hand and pulling me up with him. "Well, it all depends on who's talking, right?" he said, throwing my previous thought back at me.

I shook my head laughing, and gave up, saying, "okay, whatever."

"So, you think you can handle a coffee shop?" he asked.

I nodded my head, still laughing a little, and he wrapped his arm around my waist, walking across the street to a little coffee shop. "You need to stay close, this could be a dangerous place" he said, smirking at me.

"Oh but you just so kindly complimented me on my left hook" I smirked back, winking.

Maybe things weren't so different after all.