Post by Jeszika on Jul 24, 2014 2:56:48 GMT -6
(Sorry for the lack of coding, for some reason my chrome doesnt wanna work for colour coding any more :-( Sucky)
Month from hell was an understatement for Jeszika Gautier, and it had al come to a head last week. A massive argument between the members or Arsenal and Aerynn... A argument that Samuel ended, and thus they were here, meeting outside a bar, with tickets in hand.
This was meant to be a a night of reconciliations, of making up. This night could be a total success or a total failure. Here's hoping it all went as Samuel planned it.
When the girls arrived at the address they found what could only be called a little hole in the wall night club. Hardly any people, no parking to really speak of, but you know what they said about appearances being deceiving? When they walked inside the place was beautiful. Tables filled all around, a long bar lying across the wall on the right side. A stage sat against the far wall with curtains on either side.
There were people dressed anywhere from country, to rock, to goth all around them as they entered the little bar/club. A beautiful redhead sitting alone at the bar, a man in what appeared to be a low rent business suit sitting near the stage and a man in a leather jacket with his hood up near the far end of the building near the edge of the curtain. As they stepped into the building a large Hispanic man held his hand up.::
Bar Man: Sorry ladies, private mic night tonight. You got tickets?
Jeszika pulls her ticket out of her pocket and hands it over.
Jeszika: I have mine.
Nikki, Ashley and Bethany each present one as well.
And Aerynn was the last to present hers.
Bar Man: Ah! Good good!
The large man took the tickets and opened a hand for them to enter behind him.
Bar Man: ...Drinks are on the house tonight, and Jayni and Michael Sullivan are gonna be performing last. Enjoy your night!
Jeszika: That’s the plan.
As they walk inside, Ashley leans over.
Ashley: Are we supposed to know who that is?
Jeszika: The performers? Maybe... but I don't, do you guys?
Aerynn'd kept quiet this whole time. Even more quiet than usual. Once the man at the door gave entry to them, she headed inside behind the rest. She didn't wear anything fancy, just a pair of jeans, boots and a hoodie. The hood of said hoodie was pulled up over her blonde hair and her hands were tucked into the pockets.
Nikki: From the looks on everyone's faces I'd say, no... and I'd say Aerynn doesn't care even if she does know.
Jeszika: And me... I just wanna go get a drink. Anyone else want? My shout.
Ashley: Whatever whiskey they got...
Jeszika: Anyone else?
Bethany: Are you sure that's a good idea? As nice as this place is...
Ashley: I'll drink if I want to, thanks!
Jeszika: Worried you'll catch someone off the glasses B?
Bethany: No, I just...
Aerynn: Jameson whiskey.
Her voice was low.
Jeszika inclines her head to her acknowledging her order.
Jeszika: B? Nik? You guys too?
Bethany: I'm ok for now.
Nikki nods.
Nikki: Me too.
Ashley: Oh, so now you're too good to drink with us too?
Jeszika: I'm don’t think that’s what they meant Ash...
Nikki: No, she's right, beer.
Bethany: ok.
Jeszika: What will you have, B?
Bethany: Beer.
Jeszika: I'll be back soon then.
She starts heading over to the bar. The woman with the short blondish red hair approached the woman at the bar with a huge smile on her face.
Woman: "Are you Jeszika Gautier?"
Jeszika pauses and frowns.
Jeszika: Guilty. Who's asking?
Woman: "No one special. I am Jayni Sullivan. Huge fan is all. Are those the Kenyon Sisters and Aerynn Donnelly with you?"
Jeszika nods.
Jeszika: It is. I take it you're a fan of UWA then?
Woman: "No, not really. Thanks Jez."
The woman simply turned and walked back to her group, and she leaned over and began to whisper something to one of the two who were....you know, intoxicated and he began to scribble onto a napkin with a open.
Jeszika frowns as she watches her leave, and shakes her head.
Jeszika grabs the tray with their drinks on and begins her walk to the table.
Jeszika: So we have a Jamiesons for Aerynn, a beer for Nik and B and whiskey for me and Ash.
She says as she places a drink in front of each girl before taking her own seat.
Nikki: Who was that talking to you, Jez?
Jeszika shrugs.
Jesika: Just a fan. No one special. her name was Jayni.
Bethany: Like... as in the chick they said was playing here tonight?
Aerynn looked up from where she had been staring down at the table and looked at each one of them. Now that they were all at the same table.
Aerynn: "I wanted tae thank ye.. All o' ye.. Fer nae lettin' tha Children kill me."
She looked down at her hands again. She wasn't having the best week. But still needed to be said.
Jeszika: I suppose it was B.
She looks over at Aerynn and smiles.
Jeszika: Was the least we could do. Thank you also, without you we wouldn't have survived as long as we have either. You're the one who's done the most work here.
Bethany: Aerynn, has something more... happened?
She looked to Jeszika and nodded. But then at Bethany's question... She stopped. Looking at her hands once again...
Aerynn: "Logan's gone."
Bethany: WHAT?
Jeszika: Gone? Like taken?
She shook her head.
Aerynn: "Nae. No' taken."
Jeszika lowers her head.
Jeszika: He left you? Because of what happened last week?
All Aerynn did was nod in confirmation. Only to reach out and drag that shot of whiskey to her and downed it all too quickly.
Bethany: Oh my God…
Ashley sneers.
Ashley: Like you care…
Bethany nods, finally seeming sure of herself again.
Bethany: Ok, let’s just put it all on the table now. Yes, I lied to you about Mama. She was dying and I could have helped her but she wouldn’t let me and she and Daddy decided it would be best to just tell you nothing could be done. They were trying to protect both of us and I hated them for it. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to admit I hated Mama for not letting me fight for her or that I hated myself for not doing it anyway. Now, anybody else got something they wanna hash out, let’s go...
Jeszika: Fine, I'll go. Look guys, I know I'm not perfect and I know playing Brody how I did was a mistake, a mistake I regret daily. And Aerynn, when I first met you I hated you so damn much, hated Brody too. but I try my best to do what I think is right, and you must understand that with what I did to Brody I was only trying to help him see the error of his ways, help him see what he had done to so many girls in the past. I never meant for the 2 of us to actually fall in love like we did. I never meant for it to be as bad as it was. I'm sorry for the pain that I've caused to all of you over this.
Aerynn called over to a waitress and ordered a whole bottle of Jameson. When it was brought back to the table, Aerynn refilled her shot glass and looked to Jeszika.
She pointed the rim of the glass towards Bethany and Ashley.
Aerynn: "Their problems are jus' tha'.. Theirs. They need tae figure this out 'tween them."
She looked back to Jeszika.
Aerynn: "As fer me an' ye.. I dinna care tha' ye dinna like me. At tha time, I was doin' me job. But yer no' tha only one tha' was tryin' tae help Brody see whot he was doin' wrong, Jeszika. We both were. Only.. Ye did it in a way tha' destroyed tha man.."
She downed the shot and set the glass back on the table.
Aerynn: "Ye wanna know whot really pissed me off at ye, Jeszika? Since we are layin' it all out..."
Jeszika nods
Jeszika: Lay it on me, I need to hear this...
She refilled her glass again and down another shot. Eyes raising up to look at the woman.
Aerynn: "I dinna care whot ye do in yer personal life. Ye wanna love Melissa, we're all happy fer ye. But ye could've done it a bit less publically. Did ye really think Joshua wasna gonna use tha' tae torture Brody? Ye gave him ammunition."
She refilled the glass and downed yet another shot.
Aerynn: "We're at war, Jeszika.. An' ye handed tha enemy a gun."
Jeszika looks down, guilt written all over her face. She closes her eyes and sighs before she speaks.
Jeszika: I know I did, and it's a decision I am regretting every day...
Bethany: Can any of us say we haven’t walked right into one of his traps?
Ashley cocks her head.
Ashley: One?
Bethany nods slowly, acknowledging it’s been way more than one for her. This seems to disarm Ashley.
Ashley: You’re right… I’m sorry...
Jeszika: We've let them do this to us... I know you're pride will deny it, but we have all provided ammunition, some more than others.
Guilt crosses her face as she says this.
Jeszika: I don't know how we can make this right, but I intend to fight and try and at least repair some of the mess...
As the girls aired their grievances, It was about then that the woman climbed onto the stage. She was wearing a long cream colored dress that hit to mid thigh in the front and ankles in the back showing off slender legs and calf high boots. She gently tapped the mic and it let out a faint static throughout the building.
Jeszika nods toward the stage
Jeszika: Seems the show is finally starting.
Jayni: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Firelight! I am afraid there has been a change of plan.....Travis will not be performing with us tonight. So it will be an acoustic set."
Bethany: So Logan’s gone, Carrie’s hurt, Melissa’s captured… have you found Billy yet?
Ashley shakes her head.
Ashley: No.
Jeszika: AN acoustic set... great... I need another drink now...
SHe gets up from the table.
Jeszika: Anyone else need a fresh drink?
Aerynn was about six or seven shots in and shook her head when she glanced over to Jeszika. Shaking her head, she glanced back to Ashley.
Aerynn: "Yer guy's missin', also?"
Ashley: Yes. I've tried calling all his usual haunts and dealers... nothing.
She glanced up to the stage at the mention of the set being acustic.
Aerynn: "Hmm."
Then looked back to Ashley. Nodding slightly, she frowned and as the music started, she fell into silence. Spinning the shot glass a few times before taking another drink.
Jeszika leaves the table and goes to buy a round a 8 shots. Acoustic music brought back memories, and the last thing she wanted to do was cry right now. SHe knocks back 2 at the bar. She takes a deep breath before picking up the remaining shots and coming back to the table.
Aerynn knocked back one more and looked around at the gathered women. She watched as Jeszika went up to the bar and then came back.
Aerynn: "We're a Motley Crew aren't we?"
She said that more to herself than to the others. But it still rang true none the less. Once the music started, she shifted her attention up to the stage and just listened.
Bethany nods.
Bethany: I’m afraid Carrie’s gonna leave me too.
Ashley can’t believe her ears.
Ashley: What?
Bethany nods.
Bethany: Her head...
Jeszika: I'm afraid if we ever get Melissa back... She will to. I shafted her for months to sleep with a man while she waited at home. I'm afraid this may all be too much for her now... SHe's there cause of me...
She knocks back a wth shot.
Jeszika: I just want this all to be over. All I can wish for is some kind of do over but I know those type of things don't exist. I wish it hadn't got this bad. For Logan, for Melissa, for Carrie, for Billy, for Brody and for us all...
::At about 25 seconds in the bands set was interrupted by a male voice. Gruff but low and gentle, almost hesitant.
Male Voice: "When everything has turned to black....
you don't know where to go.
You need something to justify your soul.
Silences are broken.
Confidence is gone.
When everything you're holding onto falls."
Bethany: I'll admit... I don't know what to do...
Jeszika looks up as the male voice starts singing... It almost sounds like... No, it couldn't be. She shakes her head and downs another shot. Her memories were kicking up again, she was now hallucinating,,, Great...
Aerynn leaned back a bit and glanced at Bethany.
Aerynn: "Ye wake up. Ye put yer pants on one day at a time.. Ye do e'erythin' ye been doin'."
Jeszika: Will it be that easy? To just go on living like that when your reason for living is gone?
Male Voice: "All the people selling truths on every corner now.
They wait until the fear has knocked you down.
All the rules are changing now.
you're living in sin....
and everything around you is caving in.....
and all you're holding onto
slipping like water through your hands....
yes...."
Ashley: Sounds like we all have to ask that question... cept Nik…
Aerynn down yet another shot and lowered her head down. She looked back to the stage and frowned a bit. Then she simply grabbed the bottle and drank from it.
Jeszika: Yeah I feel ya there...
Jeszika says quietly, not really to Aerynn, Or the male singer either, but mostly to herself, before she knocks back her last 2 shots one after the other.
Ashley: We're lucky this is all we can get here...
Jeszika: Agreed... Goddamn I could go for something stronger right now...
She looks over at the stage, the music washing over her. The guys voice, the emotion in it, his words, it was all becoming too much for her.
Jeszika: I... I need some air...
She pushes up from her seat and begins for the door.
::The man fell silent so Jayni stepped forward to the microphone stand and her voice joined the man's gentle and filled with emotion. Hitting a higher range than his own could.::
Jayni: "And you sing....
La La La La. La La La.
La La La La La La La.
Yea, you sing
La La La La. La La La.
La La La La La La La."
::There was the faintest little hint of breathing into the mic as Jayni finished and went back to playing before the man's voice finished.::
Male Voice: "Far off in the distance, somewhere you can't see. Allegiances have formed your destiny. Opposition all around, feeding off your soul.....trying hard to swallow up your hope....and the demons all around me waiting for me to sell my soul....."
Jeszika pauses by the door, hearing the words the man in singing. With one last look at the stage and her friends, she leaves the place. Once outside she leans against the wall outside, her breath catching with her unshed tears.
Nikki, Bethany, Aerynn and Ashley all follow out a few seconds later. Just as they walk up, Bethany notices something missing.
Bethany: Dammit, left my phone on the table...
She ducks back in and emerges a few minutes later. They all pile into a taxi and head back to theit motel rooms. The four Arsenal girls had booked out two motel rooms, though instead of taking a room alone as she normally did, Jeszika was rooming withe Bethany. Each girl not wanting to be alone right now, in the current situation.
Jeszika sits down on the bed once they get there, her head spinning from the alcohol, she was very much definatly drunk.
Jeszika: Good god.. Why did we agree to go there B? That did not end well...
Bethany: Because we all kinda needed it, honestly.
Jeszika: well yeah... That was good I guess. The talking and all. I hope Logan goes back to her...
Bethany shakes her head.
Bethany: That’s not what I meant when I said this is what we needed. I meant the getting stuff out there especially the way all of our love lives appear to be going. You know she was living with Logan…
Jeszika: Poor Aerynn... I hope that doesn't happen to anyone else. We can't have Joshua winning anymore than he is already...
She flops back on the bed, running her hands through her hair.
Jeszika: if only we could find Brody, he could give us some idea of where to find that bastard!
Bethany takes a deep breath, sitting back like she’s expecting the worst.
Bethany: He was there...
Jeszika sits up, surprise on her face.
Jeszika: Come again?
Bethany: When I went back for my phone, Brody was there.
Bethany: He was fine, didn’t exactly look thrilled to see me or hear about the rest of us.
Jeszika looks down.
Jeszika: Oh... I see...
She looks up again.
Jeszika: Will he be coming back?
Bethany shakes her head.
Bethany: Sounded like he was washing his hands of the whole thing. We’re on our own.
Jeszika looks down again.
Jeszika: I see...
She sighs.
Jeszika: I understand why too... you don't go and help out a girl who broke your heart the way I broke his...
Bethany pats Jezzy’s hand.
Bethany: We’ll get her back, Jezzy.
She pauses and sighs.
Bethany: And then we’ll both have work to do trying to make this up to our girls.
Jeszika manages a small smile.
Jeszika: Yeah, we will.
Bethany: I still don’t what to do there, Jez. Carrie doesn’t seem to know how to react and I don’t even know where to start with Samuel making you give me your blessing.
Jeszika frowns.
Jeszika: What was that all about by the way?
Bethany: Brody, I presume.
Jeszika: But why would I need to give my blessing on that? It was just one night...
She trails off, pondering this question momentarily.
Jeszika: Wasn’t it?
Bethany shrugs.
Bethany: It wasn’t even one night. We didn’t really get that close to even having one night but I’m guessing Samuel sees me admitting things and heard the secret and jumped to the conclusion that I’d want you to let me if I wanted to.
Jeszika: Well its not like I'd try and stop you, I'm kinda accounted for myself now. If you wanted to, you could...
She sighs
Jeszika: But there would be one barrier there, I'm still married to him technically... Divorce papers haven't been signed or anything. I had them there, ready to get him to sign them... And I never got the chance.
Bethany frowns, confused.
Bethany: But… then how did Joshua make him homeless?
Jeszika: I don’t know, I guess he found some loophole... Joshua did say Brody actually signed the house over to him or something back when I ran into him after he took Brody…
Bethany: You guys kept your financials separate, right?
Jeszika: Well yeah, we're both rich, so he didn’t need my money and I didn’t need his...
Nodding, Bethany ponders the evening.
Bethany: Looking at the end of the night… I’m half afraid of what Ash would have gotten into if she wasn’t drunk enough to let Nikki talk her into just coming back here.
Jeszika: Yeah, could have ended badly...
Bethany: If Ash had found any, would you have done it?
Jeszika: The way I was feeling when I walked out of that place?
She looks down at her feet for a second taking a deep breath before looking back at Bethany.
Jeszika: Yes... I would have.
Bethany nods, guilt and shame written on her face..
Bethany: Me too.
She bites her bottom lip for a second, another question burning through her mind.
Bethany: You think Aerynn would have?
Jeszika: Possibly... She was in a bad way...
Bethany: What are we gonna do, Jezzy?
Jeszika: I don’t know, B... I really don't know...
She sighs.
Jeszika: I guess for now we just focus on our matches... And Joshua proposition, he did say he would offer me my terms on Melissa release remember? Two weeks he said... That means this week... I'll do whatever it takes to get her back B...
Bethany nods.
Bethany: Ok.
Jeszika: Even if it means I have to take her place...
Bethany's jaw drops.
Jeszika: I mean it, B. This isn’t just the alcohol talking, though the whiskey probably makes it easier to admit, but B, she's the woman I love and you saw what he did to Brody, you saw what he put her through.
Bethany nods.
Bethany: I did...
Jeszika: Now tell me you wouldn’t do the same if it was Carrie in Melissa's place....
Her lips quivering, Bethany nods.
Bethany: I would and I’d be more afraid you and Ash would try to stop me than what he would actually do to me.
Jeszika: Which is why I haven’t said this to Nik or Ash. They would stop me and if me in her place is what he wants, I don't want to disobey him. I want her free... no matter what...
She looks over at Bethany.
Jeszika: Would you try and stop me, B?
Tears stream down her face.
Bethany: You’re asking me not to fight for you…
Jeszika nods, lowering her head.
Jeszika: If that’s what it takes to make all this stop, to get Melissa back...
She pauses, nodding emphatically.
Jeszika: Then yes, I am, B. I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt over this. If it’s me he wants, it’s me he gets...
Bethany tries to choke back the sobs, but finds herself unable to.
Bethany: Ok…
Jeszika: Please, don't tell the others...
Bethany just stares at Jeszika, tears streaming down, her body shaking, almost unable to bear the strain.
Bethany: Ok…
Jeszika moves over to her and puts her arms around her, her own flood gates exploding finally too.
Jeszika: I'm so sorry to have to do this B... I wish there was another way...
Bethany nods.
Bethany: I know, I love you Jezzy. I don’t wanna lose you too.
Jeszika: I know, B... I know...
Jeszika whispers this as the two of them remain in an embrace crying on each other’s shoulders.
