"This song is dedicated to our new manager, Charlie." Roger started before starting Motley Crue's Don't Do Away Mad (Just Go Away).
"Is he out of his fucking mind." Charlie asked from behind the bar looking up at him.
"We could sail away or catch a freight train or rocket ship into outer space. Nothing left to do. Too many things were said to ever make it feel like yesterday did." he started as she came out from behind the bar and began walking to the front of the stage. He stared at her as sung the song. The crowd went wild. She couldn't believe he had actually done that song. They had been arguing all week about the cover songs he was gonna do and this one was only mentioned in anger. When he finished the song, everyone cheered. He finished his set and got off the stage.
"You think you're a wiseass don't you?" Charlie asked as she followed him outside.
"You wanted a hairband song, so I gave you a damn hairband song. Are you happy?" he asked lighting his cigarette.
"Roger, I'm trying really hard not to kick your ass, but you make it really hard." she yelled taking his cigarette and taking a drag from it.
"Do you mind? That's my cigarette." he asked leaning down for her hand. As he leaned down, he looked into her eyes. They leaned into each other and their lips touched. At first it was tender, but Roger's hand reached up to her hair and he pulled her into a deep passionate kiss.
"What the hell just happened?" she asked pulling away from him.
"My stupid friends were right." he said dropping his hand looking down at her.
"Huh?" she asked confused.
"Nothing. Um, I gotta go back inside for my next set." he told her opening the door going inside leaving her standing on the sidewalk still holding his cigarette in her hand.
"Is everything OK?" Mark asked coming out of the club.
"Um, yeah. Everything is fine." she told him taking another drag from the cigarette before disguarding it and going inside. As she entered the club she watched him on stage. He was so frustrating sometimes. She couldn't figure him out. One minute he was fighting with her and the next he was kissing her. She wasn't used to men standing up to her like that. Or making her feel so confused about who she was. She worked hard to become the successful woman she was and she never let any man make her second guess herself. But with Roger, she didn't know if she was coming or going. The last thing she wanted was to get involved with a man like him. She thought it best to just avoid him at all cost. She went into her office in the back and stayed there for the rest of the night.
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"What happened with Charlie before? Was she pissed about the song?" Mark asked as he and Roger walked home from the club.
"I don't want to talk about it." Roger told him walking faster towards the loft.
"Did you guys have another fight?" Mark asked trying to catch up to him.
"I said I don't want to talk about it." Roger said again walking faster. All he could think about was that kiss. She pissed him off so much. She questioned everything. When it came to music, he wasn't used to people questioning him. He knew music and everyone trusted in that. But not Charlie. She always had something to say. But what the hell was that kiss? What possessed him to do that? It was the furthest thing from his mind, yet he couldn't help himself. For the first time since Mimi went home to her parents, he felt alive. Fighting with Charlie, as frustrating as it was, had him living again. As he entered the loft Collins was sitting on the couch reading a book.
"How was the show tonight?" he asked looking up at him as he went straight to his room and slammed the door. "What's up with him? Him and Charlie get into it again?" he asked Mark as he walked breathlessly into the loft.
"He actually sung that Motley Crue song and dedicated it to her." he answered putting his bag down.
"The don't go away mad just go away one?" Collins asked putting his book on the table as Mark nodded. "Oh shit. Was she pissed?" he asked sitting up.
"I don't know. After the set he went outside and she chased him, but he wouldn't tell me what happened." Mark told him sitting on the arm chair.
"Think he kissed her?" he asked smiling.
"I don't know. He won't tell me anything." Mark answered starting to smile.
"You think he did, don't you?" Collins asked smiling back at him.
"Yeah I do." he said as Roger came out of his room with his guitar and notebook in hand.
"I'm going up to the roof." he said not looking up.
"So what happened tonight?" Collins asked looking up at him.
"I played, I rocked, I left." he told him not turning around.
"And?" he asked slyly.
"Nothing happened." he insisted with his back still towards them.
"OK, we're gonna have to do this the hard way. Did you kiss Charlie?" Collins asked continuing to pry.
"Yeah I did. But it didn't mean anything. She just had me so pissed and then she stole my cigarette and... shit, I don't know how it happened, it just did." he explained turning to them.
"I knew it." Collins said laughing. "So, what did she say?"
"Nothing. Because it didn't mean anything. We have nothing in common. All we do is piss each other off." he told him sitting on the couch next to Collins.
"Foreplay." Mark chimed in laughing.
"Would you two stop using that word please. I don't have a thing for her." he insisted getting up and leaving the loft.
"They'll be together before the summer is over." Collins said sitting back laughing.
"I give it within the month." Mark told him laughing.
"20 bucks?" Collins asked extending his hand to him.
"You're on." he said laughing shaking his hand.