Patience (d.m)

2.6: On With The Show

My Michelle by Guns N' Roses

Henley's P.O.V

I don't want to be here. I don't want to be here. I don't want to be here. I don't want to be here.

That's the only thing I keep repeating in my head as Duff and I walk to the stadium. It's not too far from the hotel, thank God.

I know that I put up a small fight about performing tonight, but I just don't want to be here! I have to because my band would be lost without me. Jack said it himself, He can't play my solos. He tried once because I was sick, but he couldn't do it. I have to be here. I can't let them down.

"How you feeling?" Duff asks, looking down at me.

"Like shit," I answer, causing him to laugh. God, it's so fucking great to hear him laugh again. "But I have to do this." I stop in my tracks as the stadium comes into view. I grab his wrist, not letting him walk any further. He turns to me with a confused expression. "As soon as you get off stage, can we go back to your room? Me and you could watch MTV or something and order in some Chinese."

He smiles at me, grabbing my hand. "You haven't really changed, have you?" My mind immediately wanders back to when we were in Seattle and we'd order in nearly every night and just watch television. "Yeah, we can do that. I miss those days."

I want to smile at what he said, but it hurts too much right now. We continue into the huge stadium. I'm relieved to see that Nikki is nowhere in sight. The only one here from Mötley is Mick. I think he just wanted to have somewhere new to drink that isn't around Emi. I think that girl is slowly driving him insane.

"There's the man!" A voice says into the microphone. I look up to see Axl standing on the stage. Izzy and Slash are off to the side and Steven sits happily at his drumset. I thought that the Angel's would be soundchecking first. I guess I was wrong. "Get your ass up here, dude! Let's get this over with."

To my surprise, Duff kisses my temple and then runs off towards the stage. I blush, not used to him being so lovey like he used to be. Yep, my heart is still his. There's not a moment that it wasn't.

I finally spot my band sitting in group in the stands. I walk over to them, happy to see them.

"Look who decided to join us," Jasper teases as he spots me.

Everyone's attention is on me which makes me uncomfortable. Veronica glares at me for a second, but then her face changes to shock.

"What happened to your face, Henley?"

I look down to the ground, letting my hair fall in front of my face like a curtain. "W-What do you mean? My face is fine."

Someone walks in front of me and forces me to look up. I'm really surprised to see that it's Veronica. She inspects my face closely. No doubt that my split lip is visible. I just hope that it doesn't bust open and start bleeding again. It's hard to believe that all of that happened just hours ago.

Veronica drops her hands, placing them on her hips. "What's with the sunglasses, Henley?"

I sigh, feeling a headache coming on. "Would you believe me if I told you that I was at a rager last night and got piss drunk?"

"We both know that's not how you are," Veronica says, looking done with my shit.

I shake my head, looking down to the floor. "Can we just drop it? It's fine. It'll heal back up in a few weeks."

"Fine, but I expect an explanation sooner or later," Veronica demands.

I furrow my eyebrows. This is so weird. Veronica has never really shown any care for any of us since the band got big. "You sick or something? Since when do you care?"

Veronica opens her mouth to respond, but beautiful guitar chords sound throughout the huge stadium. I recognize it as my favorite Guns song. My Michelle. I don't know why, but ever since I heard this song, I've always loved it. My attention is now fully on Guns as they play through the song.

"You and the bassist together?" Jasper asks as I sit down next to him.

I shake my head, my eyes never leaving how sexy Duff looks on stage. "Not yet. He wants to get back together, but I want to take things slow this time."

"Woah," Jack says, his arm wrapped around Madeline. "I didn't know you dated Duff."

I nod, trying to smile at him. "Yep. We dated back when I lived in Seattle. Madeline dated Steven there for a while."

Jack's eyes turn to Madeline who looks like she wants to murder me right now. "You dated that drugged up drummer?"

"I'd be careful on what you say about Stevie, Jack," I say, glaring at him. "He is my best friend."

Jack nods, but he looks like he wants to ignore me.

"Why'd you have to say something?" Madeline whines.

I shrug. "I figured that you told him already."

"Why would I tell him that my ex boyfriend is on tour with him?"

She's completely ignoring Jack at this point.

"Maybe because that's something important for him to know?" I stand up, looking at Jack. "If it makes you feel any better, she broke his heart into a million pieces and made that poor puppy cry."

I walk away from them, my headache coming on at full force. No doubt that Madeline is gonna come yelling at me later. How was I supposed to know that she hadn't told Jack about her and Steven? I'm not a goddamn mind reader, now am I?

I bump into someone really hard, nearly causing me to fall down the stairs. "Shit," I say without looking up. I continue on down the stairs. Might as well go hang out with Duff since he's finished with soundcheck. "Sorry," I yell over my shoulder. I'm almost to the bottom when someone grabs my wrist. I look back to see Nikki with two black eyes, a split lip and eyebrow, and a swollen cheek with a bruise forming. God no. Not right now! I can't handle this right now!

"Please talk to me, Henley. I need to talk to you."

"Hey bastard!" I hear Duff yell from the stage. Before I know it he's standing beside me. He rips my wrist away from Nikki and puts me behind him. "You'd better get the fuck away from her or I will kill you."