Friday, July 9, 2010

Los Angeles, CA

It wasn't too often that all of us got together in one place. But today was a special one. Our dearest Bobby was headlining his first show at the legendary Troubadour Club.

His girlfriend and my best friend, Nicole, had spent weeks working on a surprise for him. With Marcus and Tom in London, Sam in Vancouver, Rob in Ventura, and Nicole in New York City, Bobby thought I was going to be the only attendee at his show. Little did he know we had some tricks up our sleeves!

Make it convincing! – A

Aid, I really can't make it. I have night shoots tonight. Trust me, I've tried to get out of it. – R

That's a shame. I was really looking forward to seeing you tonight. – A

As was I. I have to get back to work, love. Have fun tonight. Tell everyone I say hello. Miss you. Love you. – R

"Rob is out," I told Nicole as we stepped into La Perla. We were wandering around Rodeo Drive; somewhere we knew Bobby would never catch us.

"He's not coming?" She asked.

I shook my head. "He has night shoots, apparently."

We strolled through the shop, continuously checking the price tags and shrugging. "I don't understand the appeal of spending three-hundred dollars on a bra when Bobby is going to have it off of me in .2 seconds. Doesn't seem worth it to me."

"I think your bank account would agree," I laughed, venturing over to the bathing suits, which were just as expensive.

Hours later, Nicole and I snuck into the Troubadour during Bobby's sound check. By snuck, I mean we called his manager, Phil, and told him to let us in. Bobby didn't even notice us sitting in the loft above the stage until he stopped for a water break. As he stood talking with Phil, he lifted the bottom of his t-shirt to wipe the sweat on his forehead, exposing his bare stomach.

"Ow!" Nicole yelled.

Bobby released his shirt and glanced up at us, narrowing his eyes to make sense of our figures.

"I don't think he can tell it's us," I laughed. "It's too dark."

He was pointing up at us, a confused expression on his face.

"I love you, baby!" Nicole shouted again, hoping this time he'd be able to decipher who it was.

He took a step forward and beamed up at us. "Nicole? Adin?"

"No, it's your mom," Nicole laughed. "Come on," she nudged me. "Let's go say hi."

She didn't wait for me to move. I watched as she sprinted down the steps and into Bobby's arms. They kissed, hugged, kissed some more, and then finally started talking. God, they made me sick.

"Adin!" Bobby yelled up at me. "Come down here, love."

I made my way down the stairs and wrapped my arms around him. It had been six months since I had seen him last for New Year's in the UK. "Hey, Bobby," I smiled into his chest. He rocked back and forth, holding onto me tightly.

"I've missed my girls," he said when I pulled out of his grasp.

"Who did you think we were?" I asked, smirking. "A couple of fan girls?"

"Actually, yes," he laughed. "I definitely wasn't expecting you two."

I stayed with Nicole until Bobby finished up his rehearsal and then I let them have some time alone. I went back to my apartment in Santa Monica to finish up some work since I was technically "working from home" today.

Right as I was leaving to meet everyone for dinner, Rob called. "Hello," I smiled into the phone. "How are you?"

"Bummed I can't be with you guys tonight."

"Everyone wishes you could come, too," I told him as I unlocked my car and got in. "Bobby understands that you have to work."

"I know," he groaned. "It just sucks. I'm so fucking close, but I can't even be there."

"Are you staying in a hotel out there in Fillmore or driving back to LA?"

"Haven't decided yet. It depends on when I get off."

"Okay well if you come back, will you wake me?"

"Of course," he agreed. "I love you, Aid."

"Love you more."

Bobby, Nicole, Marcus, Sam, Tom and I had an early dinner at Soho House in West Hollywood before Bobby's show. Bobby was so excited to see all of his friends, although I think we all felt the missing piece by Rob not being there. There was no one to do funny imitations of Tom shamelessly flirting with the waitress nor was there anyone to steal bits of our food off our plates when he didn't think we were looking. I missed him, even if he was only a forty-minute drive away. He could be across the country and I would still see him the same amount of time. He was a busy boy, between filming Water For Elephants and prepping for Breaking Dawn.

After dinner, we took a taxi to the venue. Nicole and I sat behind a curtain on the VIP balcony while the rest of the boys relaxed with their beers in the back room. Occasionally one of them would come out to peek down at the stage.

Bobby was so excited to be at the Troubadour and that exuded in his show. He was performing on the same stage that Carole King and James Taylor once had. To him, it didn't get much better than that.

We hung around the club for a while after Bobby had finished, waiting for the crowd to die down a bit. Security had warned us that there were paparazzi outside. I didn't think I'd ever get used to the photographers, but I did my best to ignore them. Someone must have tipped them off that Rob was here, even though that wasn't the case. They were going to be mighty disappointed when he didn't come out with us.

The six of us hopped into an awaiting taxi in the back alley behind the venue, ignoring the calls from the photographers asking where Rob was. I invited everyone back to my apartment to celebrate Bobby's night and spend some time together. Bobby took a quick shower while Tom and I walked to the liquor store down the street from my apartment. We stocked up on beer for the guys and wine for Nicole and me.

We played a couple of games of Ring of Fire, which in retrospect, was a horrible game to play with wine. Sam was the poor sucker who drew the last King and had to drink a mixture of Heineken and boxed red wine.

"Chug, chug, chug!" We all chanted as he poured the disgusting concoction down his throat.

The door opened and an exhausted Rob walked in. The last thing he probably wanted to do was be accosted by four drunk men. Even in my drunken state, I could tell that all he really wanted was his head to hit a pillow.

He managed to put a smile on his face as he greeted his best friends and apologized to Bobby for not being at his show. When Tom offered him a beer, he declined and b-lined towards the stairs. I set my wine glass down and followed behind him into my bedroom. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to me. "Hey," I said softly from the doorway. He turned around, smiling weakly, and patted the space next to him on the bed. I walked towards him, concentrating on walking in a straight line and he laughed at my meager attempt. "Sorry about the noise," I apologized.

He shook his head, letting me know that it was okay.

"How was work?" I asked, slipping out of my Toms. I scooped my legs up onto the bed to sit Indian-style.

He kicked his shoes off as well. "Long, but good. I got to work with Tai today," he smiled excitedly.

"Tai would be the elephant, right?" I clarified.

He nodded. "She's the sweetest thing. And she's so gentle, like when I go to feed her, she just scoops the fruit right from the palm of my hand."

I raised my eyebrows at him and laughed. "You speak more highly of a 9,000 pound animal than you do me!"

"That's not true," he smirked. "You have a lot of good qualities."

"Like?" I urged him to continue.

"Like, you don't fish for compliments," he said, smirking. "Oh, wait…"

I hit him playfully on the arm.

He caught my hand and leaned in to kiss me. "You have one thing on Tai," he giggled. "You don't slobber as much when you kiss me."

I rolled my eyes and hopped off the bed. Rob watched as I changed out of my clothes and into my pajamas. I slipped under the covers and waited for Rob to do the same. He stood up and pulled off his jeans and t-shirt before climbing into bed beside me. Even with my eyes closed, I could tell that he was staring at my face. As soon as he started laughing, my eyes flickered open. "What?"

"Have you been drinking red wine?"

"Maybe."

"Your lips are stained," he teased. "You look like you have some advanced retrovirus all over your mouth."

"That's pleasant, Rob."

He placed his lips on mine. "Still kissable," he mumbled. His leg wrapped around me, drawing me closer so our bodies were pressed against each other as our kiss deepened.

A loud crashing noise came from downstairs and just like that we were torn apart. "For fuck's sake," he groaned, rolling off the bed and retreating downstairs to see what one of our dumbass friends broke this time.

Minutes later, Rob returned to bed. "Marcus knocked over your lamp. He says he's sorry, but it was ugly anyways. We'll pick you up a new one tomorrow."