A/N: Wow, Chapter 10 already! Once again, I thank you all for reading and leaving nice comments! And I also wanted to point out to anyone who might be reading, from the UK, that I hope I'm not offending anyone with my poor attempt to write a Cockney accent and British slang for Randy. xD Anyways...I struggled a bit with writing this chapter, but I have some better ideas for what's to come so I hope this one is not too bad, and please stay tuned for more!
Friday night was a busy night at the bar, which was to be expected. Phoebe was beginning to understand why Gina drank so much at work, with how quickly the building filled with bodies, and how noisy and rowdy it was. It seemed every few minutes, Phoebe had to sweep up broken glass, or break up a fight between customers. Phoebe had made the decision not to drink tonight. She was going to show up for Joey's play, after all. It was the least she could do. She knew that even though the things he said to her the day she left his house really hurt her, he was sincere in his apology, and she decided she'd been mad at him long enough. Besides, even though with Randy and his band, and all the girls at work, she had made a lot of new friends, she missed hanging out with Joey. Their friendship was special, and unlike anything she had with her new friends. Even if he was a little immature sometimes, he had a good heart, and he was always looking out for her. It would be stupid, on her part, to lose a friend like him over something so trivial. Besides, she knew how much the play meant to him, and that he'd be devastated if she missed it. She simply couldn't do that to him. He was her best friend, after all.
As Phoebe was carrying a tray of empty bottles back to the bar, she comes across Gina, flirtatiously chatting with two young male customers seated at the bar. She spots Phoebe and comes closer to her. "Hey, Pheebs. These guys are just about to buy me another shot, you in?"
"Oh, no thanks," Phoebe tells her. "You go ahead, I'm not drinking anything tonight. I have plans."
Gina smirks, and playfully nudges her in the arm. "You and your old man, huh? Lucky gal."
"Who, Randy?" Phoebe asks. "Nah, he's doing another show tonight. I meant Joey and his big play tonight. Hey, you wanna come see it with me?"
Gina tosses back her head and laughs heartedly. "Man, you crack me up, doll. Seriously. Where do you come up with this stuff?" it takes her a moment to realize Phoebe isn't laughing. "Oh...wait, you're seriously going?"
"Yeah, you wanna come with?" Phoebe casually repeats her question.
Gina snorts. "Only if I can bring box of tomatoes to throw at the dork. Seriously, hon, it's Friday night. You're dating the lead singer of a rock band, and that's you're big plans for this evening? Watching my idiot little brother making an ass of himself on stage?"
"You know, it wouldn't kill you to do something nice for him for once." Phoebe tells her friend, with disapproval. "I mean, this is something that means a lot to him. And besides, what if he makes it to Hollywood one day? You're gonna wish you'd been nicer to him when he's a millionaire, you know."
"Yeah, sure.." Gina mutters. "That'll happen. Right after I become a nun."
Phoebe picks up her tray of shots and beers for her table, giving up on reasoning with Gina. It's only in her nature as a sister to treat Joey with such resentment.
"Hey, by the way.." she says, as she starts towards her table, and stops. "Do you know what kind of flowers your brother likes?"
Gina's lifts an eyebrow in bewilderment. "Flowers?"
Phoebe shrugs. "Well..isn't that what you're supposed to give to actors or performers or whatever? I dunno, if nothing else, I thought it might make a good peace offering. Maybe I should get him some roses.."
Gina's expression contorts even further into confusion as she raises her shoulders. "How the hell should I know? Geez, I've never even seen you give your boyfriend flowers. What are you, in love with him, or somethin'?"
"No!" Phoebe tells her. She turns around to make her way to her table before Gina can see the embarrassment warming her face.
After Phoebe brings her drinks to the customers, she makes another round to pick up empties. She glances at the clock. Only another hour before she gets to leave for the show. While picking up bottles, she feels someone grab her behind, and immediately whirls around, ready to tear the head off of yet another drunk customer who doesn't know how to keep his hands to himself, when she see's her boyfriend's, smiling face, and her regains her composure.
"My, aren't you looking deliciously fit tonight. As always."
"Randy!" she exclaims. "I thought you had a show?"
"We did. It's done, love. So the boys an' I thought we'd stop in for a few drinks." He puts his hands on her hips and pulls her close to him. Close enough that she can smell the cigarettes and liquor on his breath. When he tries to kiss her she turns her head. She grabs his hands and lifts them off of her. "Come on, now..I'm at work."
"Ah, c'mon, babe." he persuades, as an irresistible smirk crosses his handsome face. "I di'nt come down all the way down 'ere to watch you work."
"Well, can I at least pretend to look busy? I don't want my boss to get mad, y'know?" She turns around and resumes picking up empty bottles. "He's letting me leave early tonight, and I don't wanna push my luck."
"Leavin' early?" Randy repeats. He leans against the table she's busting and lights a cigarette. "What for?"
Phoebe pauses, unsure of what to say. "Uhm..I sort of have this important thing that I'm doing, for a friend."
"Really?" Randy smiles with amusement, exhaling a small cloud of smoke. He stands up from the table and stands behind her, wrapping his arms around her.
"'Coz I kind of had some'fin else in mind. A bit of a surprise, if you will."
Phoebe stops picking up bottles for a moment, lifting her head with a smile. "A surprise? For me?"
"Yeah, for you. A sort of...surprise party, back at the hotel with a the boys an' a few friends. Only now it's no' much of a surprise, is it? Shit. Ah well.." he pauses to brush her hair back and press his lips against the curve between her neck and shoulder. "You, er...sure you've got plans? It'll be loads of fun."
"Uhm.." Phoebe hesitates, finding it increasingly hard to resist his charm as goosebumps rise on her skin. After a moment, she comes to her senses, and again, pulls his hands off of her. "No...I'm sorry, Randy, but tonight is really not a good night for me."
"You sure?" he asks. "You sure you haven't got time to stop in, even fo' a li'l while? See, the thing is, our manager may be there. An' I've been tellin' him about you an' your songs. An' he says he'd really like to meet you, and see wha' the fuss is about, you know. So wha'ever it is you're tryin' to blow me off for, well..it can wait, cannit? Just for a li'l bit?"
Phoebe stares at him, wide-eyed and speechless. Somebody in the music business wanted to meet her, and hear her songs. This was something she'd always dreamed of, and a chance she might not get again. She thinks for a moment and shrugs. "Well...I suppose I could make an appearance, and maybe play some of my songs. Just for a little bit. But the thing is, I really can't back out of this thing."
"No worries, darlin'. We'll get you there in time. Jus' as long as you'll make an appearance."
"Ok!" Phoebe agrees, grinning from ear to ear. She was glad to reach a compromise so easily. "Let me just finish up here, and then we can go."
...
Joey can hear his co-stars on stage, acting out the Munchkinland scene. His scene was coming up next. He was nervously going over the script one more time, as he sat in full costume, subconsciously scratching all over from the straw of his costume chaffing his skin. It was really uncomfortable. He starts pulling handfuls of it out of his flannel shirt, when Sarah approaches him. She's in costume as well and has just finished with her first scene. Meaning Joey only had a few minutes before he had to be on stage.
"Hi." She says.
"Hey, you guys were great out there." he tells her.
She smiles bashfully. "Oh..thanks. How's it going for you? Are you nervous?"
"Uh..a little." he admits. "I'm just worried I'm going to forget my lines or something."
"Don't worry." Sarah assures him. "You did great in rehearsal yesterday. And if you forget, just make something up. It's easy."
Joey nods, as Kevin, the director of the play who is also playing the Wizard hastily approaches. "What are you doing!?" he demands, in absolute horror. "You're ruining your costume! Moments before you have to go on stage, are you insane!?"
"I'm sorry, but the straw itches." Joey explains.
"That doesn't matter! You're a scarecrow! Does the Tinman complain about being made of tin!?"
"Hey, Kevin, give him a break, this is his first performance." Sarah pipes up in Joey's defense.
Kevin lets out a deep breath. "You're right. I'm sorry. I guess I'm just a little high strung right now because of all the pressure, and the fear that any minute now one of our actors is going to get hit with a cup of soda. Remember The Music Man? I could have throttled those imbecile jocks, if they weren't so much stronger than I!" he glances at Joey. "No offence to you."
"Hey, it's alright." Joey tells him as he starts stuffing the straw back into his shirt. "Look, if any of those guys out there so much as cough loudly, I'll be kicking there asses after the show. All of 'em. And I'll put on Dorothy's ruby slippers before I do it, too just to get my point across! You have my word."
Kevin's anxiety seems to quickly disappear, and he smiles, gratefully. "I knew having you around was a good idea. Now come on, you're up next. Break a leg!"
Joey furrows his brow in confusion. "Uh...I don't actually have to break my leg, do I?"
"Just go!" Kevin says, giving him a guiding push towards the stage.
"Good luck!" Sarah calls to him.
When he enters the stage, the lights are down to set up the scene. Even in the darkness, it occurs to him that there are people watching him. Not a lot of people, but more than he's become use to, just from Rehearsal. He takes a deep breath. 'Don't panic.' he tells himself. 'You can do this..'. Another thought that crosses his mind is Phoebe. She said she might come. Seeing her in the audience would make him feel a whole lot more confident. In his mind, he didn't think that Phoebe could be mad enough to miss this, when she knew how much it meant to him. She had so much kindness in her spirit that Joey couldn't imagine her doing something like that to deliberately hurt him, whether she was angry or not. Besides, she had been more excited about the play than he was. e The lights slowly adjust, and Joey realizes that it's time for his first ever live performance. He's meant to be hanging off of post right now, in a fake corn field, and doesn't have any lines until Dorothy comes skipping towards him. He takes a moment to inconspicuously scan the crowd while he waits for his line. He's whole-heartedly expecting to see Phoebe's face in the audience, but he doesn't see her anywhere. He tries to ignore the overwhelming sense of disappointment. 'Maybe she's running late..' he tries reason. Either way, he plans on doing the best that he can, just to get through the play.
...
Meanwhile, after Randy drives Phoebe to the hotel, he takes her up to the room. His room is one of the biggest suites in the hotel. Phoebe has been staying in it since she left the Tribbiabi's house, for the most part. Though some nights, she's gotten her own room at a smaller hotel, now that she has enough money that she doesn't have to sleep outside. She has to admit, though, being inside Randy's room makes her feel special, because it's so big and expensive. She was expecting the manager to be their soon after they arrived but she discovers they are the only ones there.
"Where is everyone?" she asks him. She sits down on the couch, while Randy proceeds to the mini-bar in the kitchen area.
"Oh, they'll be along shortly, love. Som'fin to drink for you?"
"Uhm, just a water is fine." Phoebe says. She's already becoming anxious about missing Joey's play. He would understand if she was late, but if she misses it all together, he would be so disappointed. She keeps looking at the clock. Randy laughs from the kitchen.
"Nah, love, 'ave a drink. I'm 'avin' one. 'ow about a gin an' tonic?"
Phoebe shifts uncomfortably in her seat. She certainly doesn't want to show up to the play hammered. She also doesn't want Randy to think less of her if she turns a drink down. "Well..sure. Just one, though."
"I knew I liked you for a reason." he says, flashing her an irresistible grin as he brings her her drink. He sits down next to her. "Cheers." he says and clinks his own glass against hers. Although he's drinking a straight scotch. Phoebe takes a small sip of her drink. She doesn't want to drink it too fast and have it go straight to her head. Meanwhile, Randy finishes his drink in one gulp. He puts the empty glass in his hand down, and replaces it with her knee as he leans over and brushes her hair off her shoulder. He starts to kiss her, with increasing pressure against her mouth, while his hand moves up to her thigh. Phoebe kisses him back, despite the unpleasant feeling she gets when his tongue fills her mouth. So far, she hasn't gone farther than making out with him. As much as she was attracted to his British bad-boy charm, she didn't feel that she knew him well enough to be comfortable going any further. But the fact that she was in the room alone with him was making her worry. Usually, the band mates stayed in here, as well. It crossed her mind that maybe the manager wasn't coming and this was just a ploy to get her alone. The moment his hands become a little more aggressive, Phoebe pushes them away.
"Hey, come on, now." she says, trying to keep her cool.
Randy smirks, and sits back on the couch, with his arm over her shoulders, making her feel more entrapped than comfortable. "Sorry bout that, love. I got meself a li'l carried away, din't I?" He leans closer again, lifting her chin in his hand. "Maybe I jus' can' 'elp meself, because you're jus' so beau'iful." He tries to kiss her again, but she pulls back and shifts herself over a few inches. Randy furrows his brow. He sits back again and lights himself a cigarette. "Wha's wrong, babe?"
"Nothing." Phoebe tells him.
"You're actin' a bit 'off the trolley."
Phoebe looks at him, with puzzlement. "I'm what?"
He gives a laugh. "Awh, come off. I'm only taking the piss."
Her eyes widen. "Right here? Well..shouldn't you do that in the bathroom?"
He laughs again, shaking his head. "Oh, you American birds...I mean I'm only joking with you, love. Bit uptight tonight, aren't we?"
"No.." she tells him, feeling embarrassed. She's grateful when they're interrupted by a knock at the door, and Randy gets up to answer it. Phoebe's expecting it to be the band mates, or even their manager. She doesn't recognize the two women at the door. They squeal with delight when Randy answers.
"It's about time you got here, yeah?" Randy says, stepping back to let them in.
"Yeah, well Paul gave us the wrong room number." One of them says. She has an accent, like Randy's. They both appear to be older then Phoebe, and highly intoxicated. "But we wouldn't miss you after a great show like tonight's Randy."
Phoebe becomes more and more confused as to whats going on when the three of them come over to join her in the lounge area.
"Oy! Who's this?" One of the women asks, gesturing to Phoebe.
"Sorry, loves. Where are my manners. This 'ere is a special friend of mine, Phoebe."
Phoebe doesn't know what to say as Randy takes another drag off his cigarette and rejoins her on the couch. She's trying to process why he's referred to her as a 'special friend' to these women, when up until now, he's been calling her his "girlfriend".
"This is Rose, and Sophia." Randy tells her.
"How do you do?" 'Rose' says sitting on the other side of Phoebe. Sophia eyes her up before she takes the arm chair in the corner.
"Geez, Ran, bit young, aint she?"
"Don' worry, she's cool. Plays the guitar, don'tcha, love?"
Phoebe doesn't answer. She's becoming more uncomfortable with every passing minute.
"Sorry again," Randy says, clumsily rising to his feet. "You birds want a drink?"
"You know it." Sophia answers.
"Another one for you, Phoebe?" Randy asks as he makes his way to the kitchen. Phoebe's not even half finished her first one.
"No thanks.." she too starts to rise to her feet. "Y'know, I think maybe I should take off, actually. I have that thing, remember?"
"Thing?" Rose asks her, with wide-eyed interest. "You're not stayin' for the party?"
"Phoebe, relax, babe. 'Ave another drink. We've go' time. Like I said, I'll get you there." Randy assures her from the kitchen as he's mixing drinks. "Go on, sit. Don' be such a wet blanket."
With frustration, Phoebe obeys and sits down. Glancing at the clock, she sees she's already late. She take another drink of her gin and tonic. Rose looks at Phoebe and smiles, widely.
"So," she says. "'ow long 'ave you been a groupie?"
Phoebe practically spits out her drink. "Excuse me?"
"I met the band back in London, well..technically, Amsterdam. 'Ave you ever been? They've got these wicked cool space cakes."
"I'm not a groupie." Phoebe tells her, firmly.
"Oh.." Rose muses. "Sorry. I jus' assumed. Randy's always picking up new ones, everywhere he goes, right?"
By the time Randy returns with drinks for all of them, Phoebe's blood is boiling. She wants nothing more than to be somewhere other than here right now. She feels like a total idiot for falling for Randy so quickly, when apparently she was only one of many "special friends" to him. A groupie.
"Mmn!" Sophia says suddenly while taking a drink. "Guess what we've go'."
"Nah, you di'nt!" Randy replies, happily while she pulls a small bag from her cleavage and hands it to him.
"Where'd you get these?"
"Oh, y'know. Some bloke round back."
"Brilliant. Now we'll really get this party started." Randy opens the bag and takes something out, placing it on his tongue. He places another one of whatever it is in the palm of Phoebe's hand and gives her a wink. "Go on, love."
It takes her a moment to realize that it's an oddly coloured pill. Something she'd never seen before.
"Yeah, take it." Sophia adds. "Don' be such a li'l priss. Go on."
"Yeah, it's fun." Rose pipes up. "You'll be able to see your skull!"
Randy snickers. "Rosie, don't scare her, now." he places his hand on Phoebe's leg. "Come on, love. It'll be fine. I'll look after you."
Phoebe stares at the pill in her hand for a few seconds, thinking hard. She has so many emotions swarming her brain right now. Mostly anger. She hands the pill back in Randy's hand. Suddenly, she doesn't care about making a good impression with him.
"No thanks.." she says.
Sophia gives a snort. "For God sakes, Randy. Where'd you fin' this one? Off the playground?"
"S'all right." Randy says, laughing along. "I forget how immature she is, sometimes. So young an' innocent."
"No, I'm not." Phoebe tells him. "If anyone's immature, it's you."
She stands up, and furiously makes her way to the door.
"Hang on, we're only taking a piss!" Randy calls after her.
Phoebe turns around. "Oh yeah? Well why don't you go 'take a piss' on yourself!? And you know something else? Your music sucks!"
"Phoebe, wha' the 'ell's gotten into you?" Randy says as she turns around.
"Fuck you!" she screams as she walks out the door, slamming it hard behind her. She walks briskly down the hall just wanting to get the hell out of here, and get as far away from this place as she can. She walks even faster, tears burning her eyes when she finally reaches the elevator. She feels betrayed in every which way by this man, and she feels like a complete fool.
'Joey was right all along..' she thinks to herself. The only thing she can do now is find him, and hope that he'll forgive her. Not just for missing his play, but for everything. She prays its not too late, because she needs him right now.