--
I was already at my side of the bar after saying by to all 9 of the guys.
I was excited to see them play. Despite serving these people alcohol to pretty much fade out their memories of what was to play out in less than an hour.

The opening band was alright. They played a few cover songs and a bit of their own before the stage was being prepared for those masked men behind the stage.

"So what did you think about them?" Danny asked me pouring Vodka into a shot glass for a large man at the counter who looked stoned to death.

"They are so nice." I said selling 5 cans of Coors to a group of guys.

"What did they say to you?" He asked

"I actually met them at an awkward state." I laughed as I told  Danny how I fell.

"So you fell like a total idiot. And the lead guy picked you up?"

"Corey." I corrected him

"Ooooh Coreyyy! He saved me! He picked me up." Danny was mocking me in a high pitch voice.

"Stop. They are all really nice Dan." I said "I was surprised he cared enough to help me up."

"You just met them. Believe me. You'll probably be in love once they get on stage."

"I'm trusting you." I laughed
I was as sober as a 5 year old but boy did I want to drink.
The thought of Ronnie coming after me scared me.
I still couldn't feel anything.

"So what did your sister say when she saw all those bruises on your face?" Danny asked me serving a few other girls. I handed him another mix of margarita.

"She wasn't surprised. I honestly feel like a piece of shit. Like I'm a bum or something." I bit my swollen lip. I winced abit

"You aren't. She had 2 kids of her own. She's a natural caretaker. You're her sister. All the family she has here in Iowa. Don't think of it as being a bum." Dan paused. He was answering a question from a young guy at the bar.
We didn't card people often but this guy was 15. Dan laughed and said no turning back to me "think of it like this." He cleared his throat. "You just got out of an abusive relationship with someone who neglected you, hit you, and mistreated you. You deserve only the best and if calling your sister Peyton is being a 'bum' think twice because just as I said. Peyton only wants the best for you as do I. You need help. And we're all here for you."

He was right. It was in the past and I needed to heal.

--
Motörhead's Ace of Spades turned off and then the lights went completely off.

"I hope you're happy get sick" it played over and over again. Then after it went silent. The shotty lights of the venue shown brightly on the 9 of them on stage. I felt myself watching them move left to right. It was brilliant.

'Sic' was the song. I was in love with this band.
Every song they played on stage it was a trance I couldn't get out of. I poured drinks as I stared at that band on that old wooden stage. The crowd was going nuts. It wasn't until they played 'Spit it Out' when the crowd then went berserk.

The band ended it with a song called 'Eeyore'

They didn't come back out after that. But the crowd decided to get as much as alcohol as possible before we closed at 2 am.
Raul locked the door and waved Danny and I good bye.

"So we're both off tomorrow, how about we go out and get some lunch?" Danny said as he cleaned off the bar tables and I scrubbed the bar counter.

"That sounds fun." I nodded "I'll call you at Peyton's."

"I'll bring Jack is that okay" he said putting all the drinks in order
Jack was his boyfriend. Any time Danny and I hung out with Jack the three of us were crazy. It was fun.

"Sounds fantastic." I smiled at him. Danny was my best friend at the end of the day. My loud, crazy, gay best friend since 8th grade. We dated in 10th grade and that's when he knew he was gay. He was my first kiss, as I was his.

"Hey. Can I get a whiskey and tonic please?" I heard a voice as I was crouched down cleaning the foot prints off the bottom racks

"Sorry we're-" I was cut off.

"Closed." He finished the sentence for me. He has long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. "We met back stage." He smirked at me

"Corey?" I said staring at him in those piercing eyes

"I couldn't help myself. I had to come talk to you. I told the guys i wouldn't be to long. But can I have a number or an address?"
He asked me as I sucked on my swollen lip again

I looked at Danny. He nodded winking at me handing me a piece of paper and a pen.

I wrote my new address and Peyton's home number.

"Expect me there. 3 pm." He smiled at me.
I handed him his tonic and his whiskey. "I wanna know your story." He said after gulping both drinks getting up from the stool. "I'll see you tomorrow Penelope."

"Holy fuck." Danny said as Corey left out the back of the venue into the cold night. "He sooo wants you."

"What do. I do?" I was shocked "I just gave him my informAtion like it was nothing."

"To Corey fucking Taylor. You know he's not just 'Knots lead singer. He is of Stone Sour, a rock band as well."

"Holy fuck" my eyes widened.
--

Danny and I left the Firewater and went to our cars. I got into the Camry after listening to Danny rant on about Slipknot.

When I got to Peyton's. She was awake with one of her boys. Issac and Ivan were their names but Issac was the one that was awake with her drinking chocolate milk. He hugged me, as Peyton led me to my room.

"Night Auntie Penny."

"Good night" I smiled and went to the large bed that was now my own.