Love Drunk: Chapter Seven

It's been two months since Lainie's diner opened and business is slow. Dexter's paintings are getting a lot of attention hanging on the walls and someone even tried to buy one but Dex being Dex was insulted by the price. Many things happen in this chapter that are a result of past experiences, get ready for flashbacks and falling out! It's chapter seven...

 "Now don't get mad..." Ashton began, "...but the Entertainments Manager has Deadly Nightshade booked..."

"Yes?" Dexter's eyes widened, hanging on his brother's every word.

"Promise me you won't get mad Dexter!"

"ASH! I promise not to get mad if you GET TO THE POINT!!!"

"It's not our band, it's another band with our name!" Dex let out an unexpected, small laugh.

"No no no!"

 Once he found the manager, he was determined to get to the bottom of this mix up. "We're Deadly Nightshade, there is no other band with the same name!"

"I'm sorry son, I thought you sounded different on the phone but when the guy said he was the lead singer of your band I..."

 "Who was this guy? What was his name?" Dex demanded as his brother groaned and tapped him on the arm.

"Uh Dexter? Please don't get mad but..."

"Oh for the love of...Ash stop tellin' me not to be mad!"

 "Oh come on Dexter, he can read you like a book...after all he is your brother!" Jeremy Price smirked and approached his former band members.

 "Go home Maloney! This is my gig now!"

"Jeremy what are you playing at???"

"Well since I named our band, I thought I'd take it with me when I left! It's only fair!"

 Dexter flew into a rage at the sight of Jeremy's smug face, "You WHAT???"

"You heard me! Did you think I'd let you losers use it and become famous without me?"

"How could you stoop so low???" Now it was Jeremy's turn to get angry...

 "Hey you're the one who always took Andrew's side over me! So don't try and play the victim here! I formed this band with you, he came on board, I named us! Don't forget it!"

"How could you take our gig like that? Why didn't you say something before you left? Why did you leave anyway?" Both men were close to coming to blows as their voices got louder and louder, the manager already left, scared of getting in the middle of their battle.

 Dexter looked his former friend up and down with disdain. "You always manage to turn everything to s**t don't you Jez?"

 As Dexter walked away in utter disbelief and exasperation, Jeremy turned on the other two, "What are you lookin' at, huh?"

Jeremy had always been mean, and as time went on the boys were even more shocked at how much nastier he could really get...

 SIXTEEN YEARS AGO

"DEXTER!!! We're gonna be late for classes!"

"Yeah yeah! Just a minute!"

 It had been an awesome summer full of laughs and late night partying followed by a couple of life's transitions, graduating from high school, going to university to study fine arts, yes Dexter Maloney was having a blast! He shared a house on campus with his two best friends, Andrew Mitchell and Jeremy Price. He'd been hurt badly by a girl in high school, Katie Reese, but he had his buddies to help him through it. After vowing to never get hurt like that again, he managed to get by on his looks and had bedded a few girls after luring them into his room with the promise of making them famous by way of nude sketches and paintings. His cheeky smile and boyish charm was a hit with the ladies, but deep down all he really wanted was someone he could cuddle up to at night!

 Jeremy and Drew were both studying science and medicine, so Dex didn't share the same classes. They would often hang out at the student union, Dex eyeing up the girls and Jeremy trying to put them off. Drew constantly had his head in a book, and on the rare occasions when he didn't, he was hanging out with Dexter. He and Jeremy never really got along, and unaware of it, Dex was in the middle of their feud!

 Jeremy always envied Drew's bond with Dex, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get as close to him as Drew. And that made him hate the guy with a passion!

 Always on the outside, looking in! That was how he felt when Drew and Dex were together!

 Drew knew that Jeremy was the one who broke Dex and Katie up, but he couldn't tell. Dex wouldn't believe him, or if he did, he'd only resent him for causing friction between him and Jeremy!

 "See you after class Dexter!" As Jeremy called out to his friend, he thought about going to meet Katie that night, how he'd taken her from Dex. The boy all the girls wanted in high school and all the boys wanted to be! Deep down he hated him, he hated his perfect skin and his aqua blue eyes, his floppy hair that just sat perfectly every time without any help! He had it all, and Jeremy had nothing! Not any more though, he had Katie Reese, Dexter's true love! His prom date who never showed up! And the best part was he knew nothing!

 "Yeah, see ya Jeremy!" The truth was that Dexter did know Jeremy was one to watch, he made excuses for him yes, but he wasn't completely blind! He just felt sorry for him, he felt guilty for being mean to him once yes ONCE! He humiliated him in front of Katie when they were 12, he'd wedgied him in gym class to make Katie smile because she was sad. He'd used his friend to gain brownie points with the girl who later broke his heart! And for that, he was sorry. And because of that, he was his friend, making amends!

 After classes were over and they were heading over to the student union, Drew was embarrassed but not surprised to see Dexter eyeing up yet another pretty blonde! "Hi!" he winked as she blushed and Drew muttered to himself,

"Give it a rest Maloney!"

 "Where are you going? The union's over there?" Drew knew exactly what Dex was up to.

"I'll meet you there, I've got...business to attend to!"

"Not another painting!" Drew sighed and left him to it as Jeremy appeared and sniggered,

"Go get 'er lady killer!"

"And that totally didn't spoil the mood, thanks Jez!"

 After a few drinks and giggles at the union, Drew felt he needed to have a serious chat with his friend about his new attitude towards women! "Dude, really? Just because Katie treated you badly, it doesn't mean all girls are the same! And the way you behave, it's just not you Dexter!"

 "Don't listen to him Dex!" Jeremy interrupted, "You're fine the way you are!"

"Butt out Jeremy! This is between me and Dexter okay?"

"Excuse me for being concerned!" Jeremy feigned surprise and tapped his hand to his chest.

"Yeah, concerned, right!" Drew snorted.

"What's going on..." As Dex tried to talk Jeremy shouted over him,

"Look Katie was going to dump him anyway so..." Jeremy blurted then gasped.

"What?" Dex turned to Jeremy with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

 "Jez, did you have something to do with Katie breaking up with me?"

 Jeremy turned on Drew and spat "You told him??? You lousy dweeb!"

"You told her I cheated on her didn't you? You're the one who lied to her and caused her to dump me! All over a wedgie in first year?" Jeremy stopped panicking, realising his secret was still safe, and laughed.

 "She wasn't right for you bro!"

"Oh really? Well now she's with someone else so..." Jeremy cut in...

 "Yeah and he's a jerk, she's a slut..."

 "No she isn't! At least she wasn't until this other guy showed up! And she's dating him instead of me because of you! She jilted me at prom because she thought I'd been seeing someone else behind her back, and you told her that? What's the matter Jez? You can't stand to see anyone else happy so you turn everything to s**t? Huh?"

 "Well, that's the last time I do you any favours! She was no good for you and I saved you from that!" Jeremy's lies just rolled off of his tongue with ease.

"Don't come to the wedding Jez, stay away from me for a while! I can't even look at you!" Jeremy's anger rose up and he growled back,

"Fine.By.Me!"

 "Stupid no good..." Dex muttered to himself, "Why does he have to be such a jerk???"

 "Because he's Jeremy!" Drew smiled and brought out a bean ball from his pocket.

 "Did you know Drew?" Dexter eyed his friend warily. Drew continued to play with the ball and sighed, finally replying in a whisper,

"Yes!"

"Oh, right! Who else knows then?" Dex tried to remain unfazed by this revelation but he couldn't help feeling a little betrayed.

"Nobody Dex! I promise! I just didn't know how to...tell you! It wasn't my place, and anyway if she was any kind of decent person she'd have told you herself, Jeremy too!"

 "Yeah you're right!" Dex shrugged and let out a small, unconvincing laugh, "Plenty more fish in the sea eh?"

 "Yeah!" Drew gave out a half hearted laugh, "Just forget about it!" but he couldn't, so telling Dex to was a bit hypocritical. How could he tell him it was actually Jeremy that Katie was dating? He just couldn't!

 He hoped Jeremy would do the decent thing and own up, but nothing about Jeremy Price had ever been decent!

 PRESENT DAY

"I got your text, what's the matter Char?" the text he had received had simply said "Please come over now! Don't knock, come straight in! Please please come!!!"

 Charlotte didn't answer, instead she spun around and raced into his arms, mascara running down her face in floods of tears! "Char what..." Drew began to speak as her muffled cries echoed into his chest.

 "Oh Andrew! That beast!"

"Who?"

"That Jeremy guy! He took my cats! He left a note on the door saying he took them and he's going to drown them and he says it's all because of you and he hates you and...oh..."

 "Don't you worry babe, I will not let him hurt a hair on their heads okay? Trust me?"

"I do!"

"Good!" He could hardly hold in his rage as he stroked Charlotte's hair and breathed in her floral scent. it was one thing to mess with his band...but DON'T mess with Charlotte!

 Leaving Charlotte in her flat, Drew caught up with Jeremy in the most predictable place...the bins! "Hey Jezza!" he called to him in a sarcastic tone.

"Whoa Andrew you made me jump!"

"Got something to hide huh?"

 Jeremy turned to face him and laughed, "Why would I be hiding anything from you? As if you matter, as if I'm sc..." before the words could leave him Drew was on him in a flash...

 "Scared Jeremy??? HUH? Oh you should be SCARED OF ME!!!" he bellowed while grabbing him by the scruff of the neck with both fists, "You know why?" Jeremy shook his head in terror, "Because I'm the guy who's gonna disembowel you if anything happens to Charlotte Kennedy's cats, DO YOU UNDERSTAND???"

 Jeremy nodded again, paralysed in fear having never seen Andrew Mitchell get this angry before, the fire in his eyes, the tight grip he had on his sweatshirt. "Good, now where are they???"

 "I-in the d-dumpster!"

 "This is nice!" Erin mumbled as she felt Ash's heart beating against her cheek, "Isn't it?"

"M-hm!" he mumbled back, worried that his brother or best friend would walk in any minute and find them.

 "Why do you keep running away from me Ash?" He didn't answer her, instead he sighed and squeezed her softly. "Did you hear what I..."

"Yes I heard you!" he cut in and let his grip loosen slightly.

"Then answer me!"

"Can we just live in the moment please?" Erin pushed his arms away and sat up, pinning him to the bed...

 "HEY! What are you..." Ash laughed nervously as she looked down at him with serious eyes.

 "I'm not letting you up until you tell me why!"

"Erin!"

 "ASH! Why do you keep running away from me? It's a simple question!"

"I can't..."

 "Ashton, this has been going on for three whole months now! We kiss, we sneak in here and lie on the bed together in our underwear and just hold each other. You won't let anyone see us together it's like you're ashamed of me! You treat me like some kind of guilty pleasure that you despise yourself for indulging in! I can't do this any more Ash, I can't be your dirty little secret a moment longer!"

 "Don't push me girl!" Ash shoved her off and sat at the edge of the bed...

"I'm not afraid of you, I'm not afraid of what you're going to tell me! Nothing you say can stop the way I feel!"

 "Do you think I'm proud of what I'm doing?"

"No that's kinda what I'm getting at!"

"No, to you I mean! What I'm doing to you!" Ash could hardly look at her, he knew he was treating her badly, he just couldn't bring himself to tell why!

"TALK TO ME!!!" she pleaded.

"You wanna know why I run? Why I keep you at arms length when all I wanna do is hold you and never let you go?"

"YES!"

"I have my reasons..."

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO

"Ash? Please! Talk to me!"

"Just leave me alone Dexter!"

 As his big brother sat huddled in the middle of the spot he should have been getting married in, Dexter felt completely helpless! He'd never seen Ashton cry before! He wanted to help, he wanted to ease his pain! But how could he possibly do that? He'd just been jilted at the altar by text!

 Avril Maloney's heart broke for her first born son. Sitting there like a child, she wanted to hold him, comfort him but her husband told her to remember he was a man now, a man who could fight his own battles and lick his own wounds! "Jim! I can't...I have to..."

 "Give him a minute Avril! He doesn't need us crowding him, he's got Dexter!"

 "I should have known!" Ash muttered.

"Known what?"

"That she'd run!"

 "I didn't have a clue, nobody did! You and Melissa were like the most solid couple ever!" Dexter frowned, women were so confusing!

 "Dexter, you're only 18! You've got a lot to learn about women! They tell you NOTHING!" Ashton's voice echoed around the church as his parents and Drew came over to join him and his brother.

 "Come on honey, let's get you out of here!" his mother's soothing voice piped up.

"No!"

 "Hey come on kid don't talk to your mother like that!" his father scolded him.

"Jim? Leave the boy alone!"

 "My life is over! Why would a failure like me wanna leave this place? Huh? There's obviously something wrong with me, she doesn't wanna marry me and she can't even face me!" Ash shouted as fresh, hot tears rolled down his face. His mother suddenly pulled him up off of the ground and held him tightly as she felt his body shaking with every sob.

 Avril placed her hands on Ashton's face tenderly and her eyes bore into his, "You listen to me! This is NOT your fault! There is NOTHING wrong with you! Do you understand???"

"But mum..." Ash sobbed and was interrupted,

 "Ashton James Maloney, I am your mother! Would I tell you a lie? No! You're a handsome, wonderful, funny, intelligent young man who saves lives on a daily basis! A mother couldn't wish for a better son! I love you so much, when your father and I first brought you home we were terrified! How could we ever give you what you deserved? But we gave you all we had to give and more, then Dexter came along and you were the sweetest, most attentive big brother in the Universe! Your little brother worships you, your father is so proud he talks about you to everyone, his son the fire fighter! And me? Words cannot even begin to describe how I feel about you! This is not the end of your life my darling! It is the BEGINNING! She's the loser here not you!"

"But mum, I love her!" Ash cried and gripped his mother's arm.

"And you will love again, only next time that girl will deserve you!"

 Ash's father felt he had to give him some advice, even though he'd never experience heartache like this, he had to try! "Son! Tomorrow is another day!"

 "I'm sorry dad, but I don't want to live for tomorrow without Melissa!" Jim Maloney grew even more frustrated, he'd been lucky with Avril. Married since she was 16 and he was 17, they only ever had eyes for each other. And now his 20 year old son was in bits after his fiancee had second thoughts and left him standing in the church with a broken heart!

 "You will get over this! Your mother is right, she didn't deserve you! Things happen for a reason and what is for you will not pass you by! I love you son!"

 Ash reassured his parents that he wasn't going to do anything stupid and went to leave, go for a walk alone, clear his head!

 Dexter caught up with his brother, scared to let him out of his sight for one minute for fear he would do something stupid, "Ash wait! Where are you going?"

"Outta here, I can't be in this place a minute longer!"

"Okay I'll come with you!" Dex started but Ash waved his hand and shook his head,

"No! I need some time alone. Just promise me one thing Dexter!"

"Anything!"

"Never, ever trust a woman! Don't let her get your heart! I'm never going to fall for anyone ever again, and I suggest you do the same!!"

 Dexter had been hurt before too, with Katie. But he hadn't given up completely on love, and he hoped his brother hadn't either...despite what he said!

 PRESENT DAY

"Come on Dexy! What's the matter?" Lainie tried to comfort a very depressed Dexter, which was a hard task when she didn't know what was upsetting him!

 "Ohhhhh!" Dex moaned, "Do you ever get the feeling someone hates you for no good reason?"

"Sometimes, why?"

"Well, that's exactly how I feel right now freckles and no amount of your Victoria Sponge is gunna make it better, sorry!"

"It's that bad?" Lainie rubbed his back gently.

"Yup!"

 As the fog was clearing outside, Ash appeared with two of his female colleagues to buy them some coffee after returning from an emergency. Seeing his brother moping over what had happened a few hours before, he knew he had to be there for him.

 "Girls, I'm sorry but I really need to see to my brother over there, he's pestering the poor proprietor with his tales of woe!" Ash laughed and said his goodbyes to his colleagues.

 "Oh Dexy, please tell me what's wrong!"

"He stole our name!" Dex whined.

"Who?" Lainie squeaked in surprise.

"Jeremy, he stole our name and now we're a nameless band!"

"Aww I'm so sorry, does that mean you'll no longer be making your sweet cacophony across the landing young Cobain?"

 Dexter turned around and looked up at Lainie with an impish grin, "What did you just say freckles?"

"I said does that mean..." Dex shook his head and cut her off,

"No, nevermind! Oh freckles you are a total goddess you know that???"

 Lainie gave him a puzzled stare, "Why?"

"You just...oh you just are!"

 Lainie looked to her best friend for guidance, "Rox?"

"Don't get me involved, I have no idea what goes on in his head!" Roxy chuckled and nodded towards Dexter.

"I gotta go freckles, THANKS! I owe you one BIG TIME!!!" He yelled excitedly and disappeared out of the front door.

 Lainie was still none the wiser as she watched him run around the corner and out of sight, "What did I say?"

 Reunited with her cats, Charlotte was overjoyed to see them again as Drew felt the rage that consumed him a while ago leave. Her smiles and giggles made him calm down and smile with her.

 "OH ANDREW!!!" she laughed and cuddled Mrs Ubercutes, "THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!"

"It's my pleasure Char!" he gushed as he put down Mr Fuzzickles.

 "She looks fine, no cuts or fur missing!"

 "But she does pong a little, don't you oh yes you do!"

 Drew replied shyly, "She was in the dumpster so..."

"Oh no! Well I can bathe them in your machine later can't I? But first, would you like some ice cream to say thanks?"

 Drew turned his head to look into her big brown eyes and smiled, "Yes, yes please Charlotte I would love some!"

 When Drew got back to the flat, Dex and Ash were talking rather quickly and excitedly. "DREW!" Dex exclaimed, "DREW DREW!"

"What what?"

"We have a new name and that's not all, I asked the manager of the venue to give us an audition for a gig with said new name and he said aye!"

"Okay..."

"So this is our new name..." Dex announced the new name proudly as Drew took it in for a moment.

 "Do you like it?" Ash asked him nervously, "Cuz I like it!"

"Well so do I!" Drew smiled, "Where did you get that from then Dex?"

"It was Lainie! She made it up!" Dex replied and a broad smile spread across his face when he said her name.

"Oh-kay!"

"So what do you say Drew? You up for screwing Jeremy and his band over?"

As he thought about Charlotte's sad face earlier on, the torment she felt when her cats were stolen, there was only one answer to that, "Count me in!"

The boys played their hearts out to the manager, this was a chance to get one over on Jeremy and reclaim the gig that was theirs in the first place.

 Like they always did, Erin and Selena knew where to find the band as they looked on, watching them play.

 "So you're seeing Ashton now!" Selena said, quite matter-of-factly.

"What if I am?" Erin snapped.

 Selena looked at her friend with big eyes and pleaded, "Could you get me a date with Dexter then?" Erin simply replied,

"No!"

 Selena huffed and left her friend to go home, but before she did her parting words made no effect on Erin, "Well you can just rot Erin Daley! And I hope you do, all your bits fall off and you rot!"

 "Whatever!" was all she had to say back.

 Ash noticed her leaning against the stairs, waiting for him. It made him feel uneasy...

... not her making him feel uneasy! What he'd told her earlier that day! He'd opened up to her, made himself vulnerable! But seeing her there also gave him a yearning, he wanted to kiss her and hold her. This audition couldn't end quick enough!

 The manager was impressed!

"That was great guys, you're much better than the other band by far!" he chuckled and clapped.

"Okay the gig is yours! What's the new name then?"

Dex smiled and declared with great pride "Sweet Cacophony!"

 Ash didn't wait around to hear about the band's success, he quickly excused himself and grabbed Erin by the hand, dragging her into a secluded booth. Pressing her against the wall he carelessly kissed her with such haste that he almost lost his balance and had to lean on the wall with his hands for support...

 ...she didn't put up a fight, wrapping her tiny arms around him and returning the kiss!

 "What the heck are we doing???" he breathed as their lips brushed together and it brought shivers down his back.

"Living!" she replied covering his mouth with her own in another long, lingering kiss before he could protest.

 Meanwhile at closing time in the diner...

"Roxy???"

 "ROXY???"

 "RRRRRROOOOOOOOXXXXXXXYYYYYYYY!!!"

 "WHAT???" Roxy dashed out of the kitchen towards her friend's hysterical screams.

"I...oh gosh Roxanne LOOK!"

"Oh..." Roxy cried when she saw what the fuss was all about.

 "How the heck did you..." she began but Lainie grew hysterical again and butted in,

"It was an accident Roxanne!"

"Duh! I know that!"

"I'm so dead, he's going to hate me! I couldn't bear it if he hated me!!!"

"Hush girl, we can deal with this!" Lainie stopped panicking and gave Roxy a dirty look replying sarcastically,

"Oh yeah? And HOW exactly do you suggest we DEAL WITH THIS???" keeping calm wasn't Lainie's strong point, especially when she'd managed to spill coffee on one of Dexter's paintings! No, she couldn't see a way of dealing with this without coming clean to Dexter...which could possibly end their friendship forever!!!

So that's chapter eight! Hope you all liked it, and the little flashbacks that explain why some of them are the way they are today! Chapter eight up sooooon! ;o)