CHAPTER 8 - Crash and Burn

"hey, not bad. not bad."

"what is?"

"these guys."

"the band, you mean?"

"have you gone fucking nuts? of course, im talking bout the band!"

"you didn't say anything!"

"i said they're not bad!"

"yeah! but you didn't say it was them!"

"fuck you man!"

"fuck you!"

"you retard!"

"who you calling retard, retard!?"

*moshpit rumble*

***

"shit. we're late."

"we are?"

"damn."

"that's okay. we can just grab a drink, right."

"yeah."

"i'm sure another band's gonna play in an hour or so."

"oh, hope this isn't their last song."

"you seem so excited about this, mason. who is this ---"

"we're just in time, they just started!"

"mason, what the fuck?

"what?"

"it's her!"

"who?"

"it's freaking her!"

"jesus, katie, stop pointing!"

"why'd you bring us here?! i don't wanna fucking meet her here!"

"katie, katie, katie! its an invitation okay?! slick was nice enough to let us in for free."

"no, fuck that, let's go."

"we just got here!"

"oh my god, she's looking at us, she's looking at us!"

"would you relax? it's just her!"

"let's go before they finish and we meet up! god, mason, you are so fucking stupid!"

"relax, alright.stay here."

"what? what? so you wanna meet her?"

"we know each other, katie, why - "

"Used to, mason, used to! come on, let's go someplace else."

"there's no place else,alright? now stop fidgeting and let's have a drink."

"oi there!"

"slick!"

"you got here just in time!"

"yeah, glad we did."

"your escort seems to wanna go."

"oh, slick, this is my girlfriend, katie. katie, this here's slick."

"augh, the reason of my suffering, hello."

"ooh, she bites. what's up with her?"

"she doesn't wanna meet the band."

"yeah? you should. they're very down to earth."

"i already fucking know her, okay?! i got her boyfriend for fuck's sake!"

"she's just upset, slick."

"eh? feisty one, boy. she got her boyfriend, huh? what's that mean?"

"..."

" you mean---? no!"

"..."

"you didn't tell me, boy! how could you not?!"

"we're not together anymore, k? so no point in telling."

"you've got a point there. still wanna meet 'em?"

"if you insist."

"you meet them. i'm gonna enjoy myself somewhere around here. where there's no fucking disgusting JO to see!"

"ooh, she hates her."

"i'm sorry slick."

"hey, hey, coola down, boy. no sympathies."

"well.."

"come on, its their last song for the night."

"cool."

CHAPTER 7 - Walla Walla

"hey...heard your girl's won that award...oh, oh. wait she's not your girl anymore. my bad."

"why do you have to come in and shit on my day?"

"what the fuck, man? she's all over the news! i gotta hand it to her - she's good. and she's getting preee- teh. have you tapped her 'fore? oh sorry i forgot, you haven't!"

"..."

"oh, you're here bret. just in time for dinner."

"hey, sweetcakes. what's for dinner? ooh, chinese...i love chinese!"

"bret, do you really have to call her that?"

"call her what?"

"..."

"what?! she is a sweetcake! aren't you?"

"you're so funny."

"bret, do you remember? she's my girlfriend."

"mason, i'm just stating an absolute fact! come on, man!"

"it doesn't sound - feel right - especially when i'm around!"

"shit man!"

"hey, hey you guys! stop the fighting.... god! mason, come on, let's eat. i'm sorry i'm so late."

"..love chinese..hmm ooh what's this...hmm.."

"fine with me. 's long as you got dinner. i'm actually starving."

"you poor thing."

"..."

"what?"

"don't say that."

"don't say what?"

"nothing."

"are you alright, mason?"

"yeah, yeah. i'm - i'm fine."

"you sound so irritated."

"he's got menstrual cramps. haha. menstrual cramps."

"shut it bret, not funny."

"alright, alright! backing off. backing off. geez. you guys better get laid. maybe all he needs is a little fucking boost. do that little fellatio with him, hm hm yeah suck him. that'd be something to ease the whatever's fucking with his mind."

"you're disgusting."

"i know! thanks for noticing, sweetcakes."

"get out, bret."

"..."

"..."

"i said get out."

"what the fuck,man. i'm not even fin---"

"get the fuck out! you're eating my food and you're rude to my girl - and you're fucking irritating, what the fuck man?!"

"whoa. man, you just cussed on me. o- okay. i'm out. you sound real angry. i'll see you some other time. sorry."

"..."

"..."

"what?!"

"nothing."

"..."

"it's just that, bret's always like that, you know, and you never seemed to mind. not until tonight."

"...i - i'm going, out."

"why? what for?"

"i'm sorry, katie. i need a drink."

"i'll come with - "

"------"

" - you."

***
"she's the real deal, huh?"

"huh? what?"

"you've been looking at that screen, boy, and i can see those admiring eyes."

"yeah, i guess she is."

"she just won that award, you know?"

".....so i've heard."

"you better get in, son, it's freezing cold out here."

"yeah."

"let me get you a beer."

"oh, oh, no, sir. i'm just - "

"it's okay, boy, i own the place. take a seat."

"thanks."

"here. fresh and warm for yah."

"thanks, again, mister -"

"slick. call me slick."

"o! mister slick."

"hmm, better lay-off the mister. just slick."

"okay, slick."

"that's better."

"i'm - i'm mason."

"hello, mason. you're into rock?"

"rock?! hell, that's my whole world!"

"ha ha! i like that! say... why don't you come over tomorrow night. a huge band is playing - as in huge - bring someone if you like."

"well..slick... i..."

"they've been playing here for some time now and they're pretty good. i like the frontman - got guts, that. you have to see them if you're into rock."

"i'll see to that, slick."

"there! then i'll see you tomorrow night?"

"yeah, i guess."

"great! now, just sit tight and enjoy the music now. i'm a have someone to meet. yo, al, give him some more beer!"

"thanks, slick."

"no problemo, mason.i'll see you around."

"yeah."

"have fun now.

CHAPTER 6 - These Eyes Won't Be the Same

"i thought we're supposed to go tug-pak-tug-pak-tug-tug-pak?!"

"fuck, absolutely not! we're going tug-tug-pak-tug-pak-tug-tug-tug-pak!"

"so not! wrong you all! its fucking tug-tug-pak-tug-pak-tug...-pak-tug-tug-tug-pak!"

"would you all stop with the freaking tug-paks?! you're tearing my ears off of my fucking head!"

"..."

"hey, jo. what do you say?"

"don't fucking mind her, beastie. she's absolutely out of this room and in another freaking dimension again with that fag ex-boyfriend swimmin' in her fuckin head."

"shut it, fred."

"what?! what?! its fucking true anyways! you saw how megan was absolutely bogusly disgusted with how jo is doing now.. hey jo! hey jooooo! yoohoo! you fucking snap out of it!"

"you're a fucking jerk."

"yeah? jerking and fucking - now that's what i wanna do ---, instead of this shit. i'm out of here."

"hey, hey where are you going?! we're in the middle of a session!?"

"what fucking session are you talking about - jo's in zombie mode - there's nothing coming out of that fucking head."

"george?"

"i think i'm coming with fred... uhm, bye."

"...guess, its just the three of us."

"nah. i'm going out, too. a lady of mine just texted and i have to be somewhere in thirty. haha. i think i'm a fuck somebody tonight!!!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"you better go too, beastie."

"hey... i was starting to think you weren't really in the room."

"i wasn't."

"yeah?"

"..."

"jo, you really have to snap out of it. it's been - '

"- a looong time. i know."

"...how about you write songs about him?"

"fuck that. what for?! so i can just remember him all the way?"

"it's easing the stress. let it out. let it go."

"what makes you think i haven't done that?"

"well...just looking at you, you look like shit everytime. its like the whole sky's fell down when we see you and that's been going on for quite a time... it's pissing megan, it's definitely pissing fred, it's affecting everyone, jo."

"..."

"..."

"i'll try to lighten up."

"you wan't help, jo?"

"no. there's no helping a....goddamnit! i'm turning cheesy!"

"hey, hey. cool it down. we're just human - we're born cheesy."

"fuck that."

"haha!"

"..."

"you know, i like it when you turn loose. you go all out and swear the life out of everything and not a fucking care."

"..."

"what?"

"that's funny. mason - he - he never liked my swearing. how come you do?"

"hmmm...well....i just like it. it's, let's say...hmmm....sexy?"

"oh, fuck you, beastie!"

"what? what? FHM confirms that!"

"FHM? what?!"

"For Him Magazine? that kind that shows sexy curvaceous delicious chicks on the cover?"

"i know that!"

"then what?"

"FHM didn't confirm that!"

"what? you read FHM too?"

"i abso-fucking-lutely do. but i read something on purple slinky - "

"whoa, purple slinky?! what the fuck is purple slinky?!"

"you don't know that, but i do. so zip it. it says..."

"now you're the funny one, jo."

CHAPTER 5 - Caught In A Fiery Blaze

"hey, what the fuck?"

"ARE WE IN PRODUCTION, JO?! ARE WE IN PRODUCTION?!"

"of course we are! we're in the fucking studio!"

"WELL, YOU DON'T SOUND LIKE IT!"

"what are you - "

"JO,YOU'RE PREVIOUS MATERIAL WAS BETTER THAN THIS! ARE WE SHIFTING GEARS? TWO MINUTES IN THE SONG AND I'M ABOUT TO PUKE. YOUR BAND LOOKS LIKE SHIT, TOO. THEY FEEL IT - YOU DON'T."

"i'm - i'm sorry, megan."

"LET'S CALL IT A DAY, JO. CALL ME WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MOOD TO ACTUALLY WRITE A SONG."

"yeah. fuck."

****

"WHERE'S THE INSPIRATION, JO? YOU USED TO HAVE COOL WORDS WITH THE COOL NOTES, NOW, EVEN THE INTRO SOUNDS LIKE TRASH, I SUPPOSE THIS ISN'T YOU ANYMORE."

"fuck it, megan. i'm just tired."

"TIRED? GO FUCK YOURSELF, JO. YOU WERE OUT THERE FOR ALMOST HALF A YEAR AND NOT EVEN A GODDAMN SONG."

"i wrote twelve songs. i wrote them."

"YEAH, BUT THE MUSIC SUCKS."

"how bout we do shift gears?"

"NAH. WON'T WORK. THE COMPANY WON'T LIKE IT. YOU KNOW BETTER."

"..."

"STILL IN HEARTBREAK?"

"what? no! i - "

"THEN WHAT IS THIS, JO?! THIS CRAP-SHIT ALBUM YOU PUT YOURSELF AND YOUR BAND THROUGH?! WHAT? YOU WANNA BE WIPED OUT OF THE INDUSTRY AND GO BACK TO THAT UNDERGROUND SHIT YOU USED TO BE?"

"the underground was great. and we were not shit."

"I KNOW. BUT IT DOESN'T BRING MUCH ON THE LIMELIGHT."

"i - a hiatus maybe."

"HIATUS?! YOU WANNA BE IN HIATUS?! GODDAMN IT JO!"

"what? what? i - i can't explain it myself. i - i must have lost it."

"NO, FUCK YOU DIDN'T. YOU DIDN'T LOOSE IT, JO. THAT FUCKING MASON JUST STOLE IT AWAY."

"hey, what the fuck?"

"WELL, IT'S TRUE, ISN'T IT?"

"..."

"GET BACK AT HIM."

"..."

"PUT THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF HIM AND SMASH HIM INTO PIECES. WHEN YOU SEE HIM BLOODY AND GOUGING BLOOD -YOU'LL BE INSPIRED TO WRITE THOSE SONGS WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU."

"you're a bad influence, megan."

"DON'T BE ALL UP AND KIM CHIU ON ME, YOU'RE PATHETIC."

"i can't do that to him. i - "

"YOU STILL LOVE HIM?"

"..."

"HE FUCKED YOU UP GOOD. DID HE MADE YOU EAT HIS DICK OR SOMETHING?"

"huh? what? no!"

"WELL, HE'S HAVING THE TIME OF HIS LIFE WITH THAT GROUPIE-TURNED-WHORE. HE'S EATING RIGHT OUT OF HER HANDS!"

"i don't care anymore."

"BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. DON'T GIVE ME THAT DON'T CARE SHIT. FYI, I FUCKING KNOW YOU VERY MUCH."

"drop it, megan! i let it go, why can;t you?!"

"BECAUSE - IT FUCKING SHOWS! IT'S OBVIOUS YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OVER HIM YET! AND DON'T GO AROUND TELLING EVERYBODY YOU ARE! CAUSE THIS - THIS FACE - IT FUCKING SHOWS ALRIGHT?!"

"..."

"COME HERE."

"..."

"I'M SORRY. YOU DON'T USE TO CRY WHEN I GIVE YOU SERMONS."

"fuck you, megan, fuck you very much."

"HEY, WHAT ARE BESTFRIENDS FOR."

CHAPTER 4 - A Kiss With a Fist is Better None

"forget her, mason, she's fucking ugly anyways."

"YOU KNOW THAT'S A LIE."

"of course, its a lie! it's called 'consoling'!"

"I DON'T NEED IT."

"let's go out. let's go to a bar - greyhoundz out in a-venue tonight."

"YOU GO ON, BRET. I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT."

"what the fuck, man?! you never used to pass up greyhoundz! what's happenin' to yah?!"

"..."

"forget jo, mason! that groupie you fucked was much better than her anyways, right?!"

"SHUT IT, BRET."

"god, you're getting kranky, man. loosen up. it's just jo!"

"WELL, THAT'S THAT! IT'S JUST JO! JO - JO IS EVERYTHING, ALRIGHT!?"

"she said she was a lesbian, man."

"I DON'T CARE, I LOVE HER."

"she's not sharing the same feelings, man. come on!! it's greyhoundz!"

"..."

"you're really a dick, mason."

"THANKS FOR NOTICING."

"get the fuck up. let us go."

"I'M HEADING TO BED."

"ah! you lost it."

"I KNOW."

"i'm getting outta here, before you give me a disease."

"..."

***

"HELLO?"

"hi. is mason there?"

"UH..."

"mason! oh my gosh! you're home! hi hi"

"WHO -? KATIE?"

"yeah! what's going on? i found bret at a-venue and you're not with him...i - i missed you!"

"KATIE...I -"

"come on down here, mason."

"I CAN'T."

"it's jo, isn't it?"

"..."

"okay, i get it. stay there. i'm coming over."

"you don't have to. hey - "

***

"YOU SHOULDN'T BE HERE, KATIE."

"oh, don't say that. i missed you. i want to be with you, that's all."

"..."

"you didn't return my calls."

" I DIDN'T INTEND TO."

"hmm. really. let's get you back to bed."

"I CAN GET BACK TO BED MYSELF, KATIE."

"thought you might need helping."

"WELL, I -- WHAT THE - ? KATIE, STOP!"

"..."

"AUGH, STOP! "

"what?! you obviously need a fuck, mason. you're so stressed out!"

" I DON'T NEED A FUCK, ALRIGHT! GODDAMNIT! LEAVE, KATIE, PLEASE."

"oh, mason. come on... you don't have to be like this. not this way."

"..."

"jo really got you, huh. and i'm just her groupie. of course, you'd pick her over me."

"KATIE, THAT'S --"

"not what it is? she's the best rockstar i know, mason. of course, you'd love her!"

"..."

"everybody loves a rockstar."

"..."

"forget her. you have me. you always had me. since that first night i can't forget you."

"I DON'T WANT TO BE REMINDED."

"fuck you, mason."

"..."

"she rocked your world...let me have my limelight with you."

"SHE'S - "

"she's nothing now, mason. to you, anyways. you're not together anymore - we are. so stop sulking around and fuck me. i love you."

"KATIE...DAMN IT."

CHAPTER 3 - Love Sticks Sweat Drips

"..."

"HEY, THERE'S SOMEONE AT THE DOOR FOR YOU."

"who?"

"I DUNNO."

"you shit."

"WHAT?"

"get out of the way."

"..."

"oh."

"JO."

"mason."

"JO, I - "

"the fuck do you want?"

"I LOVE YOU."

"you're freaking funny, you know that."

"..."

"come on in. its freezing out here."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"well? sit down!"

"JO, I - "

"shut up."

"..."

"you really have to loosen up, mason."

"..."

"take my hand, mason."

"..."

"we broke up, mason. we hate each other. we - "

"NO! I LOVE YOU!"

"..."

"..."

"did that hurt?"

"YOU SLAPPED ME. OF COURSE, IT HURTS."

"it should hurt."

"JO..."

"tell your mom i'm not gonna go with you. i bet she's fucking happy with that."

"..."

"you better leave, mason."

"NO! I WANNA STAY!"

"..."

"TSK."

"what? my punch's not good enough for you?!"

"STOP BEATING ME, JO. I REALLY LOVE YOU."

"you shouldn't have come here, mason. you'll get killed."

"..."

"mason, i can't fucking breathe. let go."

"..."

"mason, i -"

"..."

"mason, i love you, too."

"THEN LET'S STAY TOGETHER."

"we can't."

"..."

"you heard what i said. you'll get killed."

"I WON'T."

"you're so fucking naive, mason. drop it."

"..."

"sO, tHis Is THe GReaT mASon."

"dad, get out of here."

"WhAt?! YoU diDN'T tELl uS he Was ComiNG oVEr."

"MR. MAYA."

"i'm going to kill him, dad."

"iS tHAt sO, hOneY? He LooKS tOo GOod to gEt killed."

"he broke my heart - "

"I'M SORRY!"

"shut the fuck up! i'm not talking to you!"

"..."

"WeLL? I thiNK he SaiD He's SoRRy, hoNey."

"dad, please."

"i'M gOIng, I'M goiNG."

"..."

"..."

"mason, go home."

"JO, I LOVE YOU."

"you sound like a broken disc, go the fuck home."

"I REALLY DO... I WANT TO MARRY YOU."

"..."

"..."

"wake up, mason! you're absolutely dreaming!"

"LET'S GET AWAY FROM HERE, JO. I HAVE A HOUSE IN THE EAST COAST. WE CAN LIVE THERE. YOU CAN PLAY AT THE BARS THERE. I'LL BE YOUR MANAGER - "

"..."

"AUGH."

"..."

"STOP, JO. THAT REALLY HURTS."

"then stop saying such things! east coast?! you freakin faggot!"

"JO, PLEASE, I LOVE YOU."

"you better stop, mason."

"WHAT DID I DO, JO? WHAT DID I DO?!"

"you fucked that groupie, mason. you couldn't hold your mojos."

"JO, I -- REALLY, I TOLD YOU I WAS DRUNK. I - "

"it's fucking impossible to fuck when you're unconscious, right? you knew what was going on. and don't tell me, its just a fuck! i hate you saying shit like that - you don't have a fucking right!"

"..."

"leave."

"WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE SEX WITH ME, JO?!"

"why can't you hold it, mason?"

"I -"

"you fucked all those girls in high school."

"I DON'T HAVE AIDS."

"not the freakin' point, mason."

"I REALLY DO LOVE YOU. JUST COME BACK WITH ME. I WON'T FORCE YOU TO HAVE SEX ANYMORE."

"i'm a lesbian, mason. go home."

CHAPTER 2 - Break the Lock if It Don't Fit

u're home."

"..."

"Where have you been?"

"..."

"Can't you hear me?"

"..."

"Hey!"

"WHAT?!"

"I asked you where you've been?!"

"OUT! I WAS OUTSIDE, ALRIGHT!"

"Well, where exactly?!"

"DOES IT MATTER?"

"Well?"

"I FOLLOWED HER."

"Did you? And?"

"..."

"Don't ever see her anymore."

"YES, MOM."

"She's good for nothing. She swears a lot. And in front of me!"

"YES, MOM."

"Go to bed."

"..."

"..."

"MOM, I LOVE HER."

"Honey, you don't love her."

"..."

"..."

"I WANT TO MARRY HER."

"She's not for you. Leave her alone. You have to - "

"I WANT TO GO TO HER."

"Mason, stop."

"..."

"Mason! Come back here!"

"I'M GOING, MOM."