Page 98 of Dark Room Junkie

Alex?

Oh no.

Jessica hesitantly sat down next to me, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder and opening her bag. I took a sip and watched her every move closely. It made her so nervous that even her hands trembled slightly.

My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could hardly wait to get on stage. Plus, something stirred in my pants.

“Did we used to have something together?” I asked her as she spread makeup on a sponge.

“You’re still the worst,” was her brief response.

“You’re probably right,” I said, flinching as she tended to my black eye.

“Hold still.”

“Can you sing the songs?” Lukas asked anxiously.

“Of course,” I replied in an irritated tone.

“Even when you’re drunk?”

“Stop it,” Chris hissed, being sensible enough to try to avoid a fight.

“At least it’s not swollen anymore,” Jessica said and also applied makeup to the bruise on my jaw. Reaching for a small brush, she applied even more makeup.

“And then I’ll look like Madonna.”

“No, you’ll look like you’re supposed to look,” Marco contradicted, nodding approvingly at his sister.

She switched to a powder and dabbed it all over my face.

“This is bullshit! As soon as I get under the spotlights, this stuff is gonna melt right off.”

“It won’t,” Jessica snapped. “And now hold still!”

It wasn’t easy to sit still, especially not with the coke rushing through my veins. I stared at Jessica, trying to keep my jumbled thoughts in check. Eventually, she leaned back and inspected me, or rather, my face. When she tried to brush a strand of hair away, I instinctively knocked her arm aside and recoiled.

“Ow!” she yelped.

“S-sorry,” I apologized, surprised at myself. I downed the glass in one gulp, jumped up, and ran my hands through my hair. “Can we get this show on the road?” I said excitedly.

“Don’t you want to look at yourself?”

“No.”

“No stage fright?”

“Not a bit.”

“How do you feel?”

“Like a damn demigod.”

It was impossible for the guys not to suspect what was going on, but just like Tom, they all masked their concerns and put on a brave face. As long as I didn’t mess up the gig, everything was fine.

Maybe I’ll play it safe and do one more line, I thought, and rushed back to the bathroom.

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