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Post by Bobby Drake on Aug 3, 2007 17:18:18 GMT -4
"Geez, way to be open-ended!"
Yeah. It wasn’t really a cool question. But if she was going to get another round, Bobby wanted to be in on it too. He slammed back his drink and slid the empty container across the countertop to her with a grin on his face.
"Um...Well... I'm better at answering questions that storytelling. What kind of stuff do you want to know? How I broke my wrist falling from a tree when I was nine? That you know I'm not listening when I stare over your right shoulder? How I have piercings you will never see? I dunno... Open-ended questions suck ass."
He was listening to every word. Nodding his head and just taking it in. “Anything,” he said with a laugh. “Sorry. Anything is cool.”
He mentally filed away the thing about the piercings. That one would drive him absolutely crazy when he thought about it later. So many possible answers! All of them intriguing!
“Okay, that wasn’t cool of me,” he said with a laugh. “Let me narrow it down.” He held up his open hand and pulled one finger down. “What do you love that the public doesn’t know about?” He pulled down another finger, “What do you hate more than anything?” Another, “What are you afraid of?” Another, “Where do you get all your strength?” and lastly his thumb, “What’s your favorite thing about me?”
He smiled and shrugged a little sheepishly. “I ran out of questions.”
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Post by dazz on Aug 3, 2007 18:15:47 GMT -4
Ali's face was scrunched up as she tried to think of more to say. Thankfully, Bobby gave her something to do with her hands while her mind was occupied. Sliding his class closer to her side of the bar, she again grabbed for the shaker and mixed another round for him, this time leaving the alcoholic ingredients down on the counter for when he wanted a third. As she put the orange juice back in the fridge for health's sake, she listened to Bobby's response over her shoulder.
"Anything. Sorry. Anything is cool."
Ali let out a dramatic sigh, as if to say 'that doesn't help,' though it was clearly in a joking manner. He seemed to get it and began coming up with some things for her to answer by the time she stood up and handed over his drink.
"Okay, that wasn't cool of me. Let me narrow it down,"
He held up a hand and began counting off on his fingers, much like she had earlier in her little speech about sex, drugs and rock n' roll. She let out a laugh and let him talk.
"What do you love that the public doesn't know about? What do you hate more than anything? What are you afraid of? Where do you get all your strength...?"
She'd been listening carefully so she'd answer them all, but she had to stop and laugh at his last one.
"What's your favorite thing about me?"
He was grinning and shrugged when he finished.
Ali took a moment, still chuckling at the last joke. Deciding to answer that first, she responded.
"Your child-like innocence." She said it in such a sweet voice it could've given him diabetes. "Heh, actually, I dig the guttermind. I can relate to that in many, many ways. Plus, you're funny. You're a cool guy to hang with, Bobby."
She answered with a sly grin on her face. Going over the questions again in her mind, she continued, a bit more seriously.
"Nobody knows I'm obsessed with roller skating. Not inline skating, not extreme sports for me. I'm talking roller rinks like in the disco era. I'm friggin' amazing at it."
Ali lowered her head and laughed, taking a sip of vodka to distract him from the blush on her cheeks. She loved it, but it's not the kinda thing you tell people about.
"I hate...oh god, this isn't one I like to bring up much either. Let's see...I hate fake people, but that's not the big one. The big one would get me in some trouble, but let's just phrase it as...I hate politics. Just, don't talk about that one. Or any of this crap I'm telling you, for that matter."
He hadn't earned enough trust yet to get into the serious matters. She wasn't even going to mention the homo-inferior.
"I'm scared of...not too much really. I don't like bugs, but I'm not phobic about it. I got no problem with public speaking and things like that. I guess my fear is that one day, I'm gonna wake up and the world's a different place and I'm not famous anymore. I worked hard to get here and I wouldn't want to have to start over. My strength is just my passion for what I do. I don't like to half-ass anything. If I want to do something, it's either I pour my heart into it or won't bother."
Looking back at Bobby, she shrugged.
"What else? I'm kinda on a roll here."
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Post by Bobby Drake on Aug 3, 2007 19:32:02 GMT -4
"Your child-like innocence." She said it so automatically and so sweetly that Bobby couldn’t help but go from sheepish to laughing again. "Heh, actually, I dig the guttermind. I can relate to that in many, many ways. Plus, you're funny. You're a cool guy to hang with, Bobby."
And though he wasn’t truly looking for one, that was one of the best compliments he had ever gotten in his life that didn’t come from his mom. And he knew that sometimes she was only doing that out of duty or something. “Hey,” he said. “If all it takes is a guttermind, I’m your man. I’m just sayin’...”
But She was already moving on to the other four questions. "Nobody knows I'm obsessed with roller skating. Not inline skating, not extreme sports for me. I'm talking roller rinks like in the disco era. I'm friggin' amazing at it."
Bobby nodded. He pictured her skating backwards with one arm draped behind her back. Nice tight shorts. Cut off shirt. Real short shorts. He faded for a moment.
"I hate...oh god, this isn't one I like to bring up much either. Let's see...I hate fake people, but that's not the big one. The big one would get me in some trouble, but let's just phrase it as...I hate politics. Just, don't talk about that one. Or any of this crap I'm telling you, for that matter."
A genuine stab of guilt hit his heart suddenly at the mention of fake. Not that he wasn’t being himself here...just that he sort of bent the truth a little bit about working freelance. He comforted himself with a belief that maybe it wasn’t that big of a deal. She’d totally understand. Besides, she’ll never find out.
What’s the worst that can happen?
"I'm scared of...not too much really. I don't like bugs, but I'm not phobic about it. I got no problem with public speaking and things like that. I guess my fear is that one day, I'm gonna wake up and the world's a different place and I'm not famous anymore. I worked hard to get here and I wouldn't want to have to start over. My strength is just my passion for what I do. I don't like to half-ass anything. If I want to do something, it's either I pour my heart into it or won't bother."
Bobby wrinkled his face. “Shyeah, like that’s gonna happen. A world where Dazzler doesn’t rule? I want no part of that place!”
"What else? I'm kinda on a roll here."
He didn’t even really think about it, but just leaned forward. “Yeah.” He looked her face over a little. “Why are you single?” He shook his head. “Don’t answer if you don’t want...but I just don’t get it!”
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Post by dazz on Aug 3, 2007 22:23:04 GMT -4
Every so often, Bobby threw his own commentary into the mix as she answered his question. First he was her man, if all it took was a guttermind. She threw him a playful look before knocking back some more liquor and continuing. Then he sought to calm her fears about her fame. If she wasn't tops, then he wanted no part of it. She appreciated that a great deal, but didn't comment. Finally, his questions answered, Bobby had one more, right off the top of his head.
"Yeah. Why are you single? Don't answer if you don't want...but I just don't get it!"
Ali didn't mind that he'd jumped back to sex talk. She regarded it as a fairly casual, if a tad inappropriate, thing to talk about. She wasn't ready for the deep stuff yet anyway, so this was great. Looking down at her glass idly, she though of her response. Another quick gulp and it was empty, and she was ready to answer.
"Well, we kinda went over this already. I'm a use-em-and-lose-em kinda girl. I'm not too big on commitment, I suppose. I mean...See, I've been hurt before, so now I stay single or drop the guy before he has a chance to do it again. One night stands. Two if he's good, but it's always pretty hollow. I don't now. There are probably issues there, but...meh."
Shrugging, Ali reached for the vodka again and didn't bother pouring it in the glass, simply taking a swig.
"I need to be at least buzzed to talk details of such matters," she explained.
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Post by Bobby Drake on Aug 4, 2007 11:32:15 GMT -4
Dazz was downing the drinks fast as lightning, and Bobby could hardly keep up. Still, he wasn't going to be drank (drunk? dranken?) under the table by a girl...so he finished his and kept right on pace with her.
"Well, we kinda went over this already. I'm a use-em-and-lose-em kinda girl. I'm not too big on commitment, I suppose. I mean...See, I've been hurt before, so now I stay single or drop the guy before he has a chance to do it again. One night stands. Two if he's good, but it's always pretty hollow. I don't now. There are probably issues there, but...meh."
Right. She did say that. Bobby thought he could actually feel the alcohol hitting his bloodstream all the sudden. "Nothin' wrong with that," he said. Of course, he already made it clear that he could be persuaded to going along with being used and...losed. Even though he was starting to wonder if he wouldn't miss just talking with her.
Just as quickly as that thought entered his mind, he silenced it aggressively.
"I need to be at least buzzed to talk details of such matters," she said as she guzzled down some straight vodka.
Bobby (who was already buzzed) nodded vigorously. "Well, I have other questions for you then..." He didn't yet, but he was going to...any minute. "Have you ever flown?" Of course she had, but that isn't what he meant. "I mean...with no plane and all. Just you and the sky..." Bobby closed his eyes.
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Post by dazz on Aug 4, 2007 18:07:42 GMT -4
Ali could suddenly sense Bobby's competitive streak when he went from thoughtful sips to downing his drink. Wordlessly, she repeated the motions and his glass was full again. Glancing at the OJ before throwing the bottle back into cold storage, she sighed and made herself a screwdriver. He obviousy didn't know her well enough when it came to drinking. She could go shot for shot with the best of 'em. If she continued drinking the straight booze, Bobby would try and keep up, and then he'd probably end up with alcohol poisoning or something. Not to mention, all that vodka made her look like an alcoholic, which isn't so classy.
Topping off the ice in her glass, she gave Bobby a look. He was so sexed up he didn't realize what he was saying. Used and tossed aside? That sucked royally, no matter how consenting he was. But again, they'd been over this already. She didn't say anything else on the subject.
Ali could feel some effects from the alcohol, but so far it was just the burning sensation down her throat and into her stomach. She was fine for the moment, or so she thought. Bobby had a new question for her, and when he said it, she was struck by an awful sense of deja vu.
"Have you ever flown? I mean...with no plane and all. Just you and the sky..."
Ali was confident she'd been asked that before. The intensity of the feeling nagged at her mind. Bobby's eyes were closed, so he missed the confused look on her face. He also missed her staring dubiously at the Stoli before shaking her head and dismissing the odd feeling.
"No, I've never done that. Would be cool, but it's not part of my powers. Unless you got any ideas how to fly with light. But I don't think so,"
Ali shrugged, looking wistful, but not so much as Bobby was.
Maybe I just had a really vivid dream or something...
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Post by Bobby Drake on Aug 5, 2007 7:28:04 GMT -4
It almost escaped Bobby's notice that Dazz was looking at him funny for a moment. His head was already starting to swim, which meant hers was too (since she was a girl and everyone knows a guy can drink more than a girl). Still, it gave him a pause. He'd just mentioned something about how it wouldn't be so bad to be used and tossed aside, and the look she gave him said everything she didn't.
The stupid smile slipped off of Bobby's face as he realized just how much she didn't agree with his inexperienced opinion. And then he just nodded, realizing that maybe...possibly...he might be wrong. Though to a boy who hardly ever got any in his entire life...that fact was hard to digest.
So he just changed the subject. He was thinking of the best feeling he had ever known, zipping along with nothing but an ice board under his feet, going all super fast and way up in the air and all. It was really about the only thing Bobby had in his life that was invigorating.
Ali took a few to answer, and had a kind of weird tone to her voice when she did. "No, I've never done that. Would be cool, but it's not part of my powers. Unless you got any ideas how to fly with light. But I don't think so."
His eyes met hers and he smiled. "Wanna go up sometime?" His grin broadened proudly. "With me I mean? I'd be gentle with you since it was your first time and all." Shhyeah right. "But I promise it's unlike anything you've ever felt." And that would bet totally awesome to know that he gave her a new experience.
Bobby took his new drink and thought that the room tilted just slightly to one side. It righted itself immediately, but...weird. Spotting one of her guitars across the room, he grinned. "Did I ever tell you I play guitar?"
The sad part was, it wasn't the alcohol talking. He really thought what he did could be classified as 'playing guitar'.
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Post by dazz on Aug 5, 2007 14:18:36 GMT -4
After Ali responded, silence reigned for a moment before they both broke from their respective reveries. Bobby looked so blissful it was almost cute as he though about flight. She didn't quite follow why he was so happy about it, not connecting ice and flight at all in her mind. But...nah, no way in hell he'd have that tone if he didn't have some trick up his sleeve I don't know about yet. That's pretty cool, though.
"Wanna go up sometime? With me I mean? I'd be gentle with you since it was your first time and all. But I promise it's unlike anything you've ever felt."
The sexual tension from earlier still had Ali's mind lying in a gutter. Since it was my first time and all... Unlike anything you've ever felt... She snickered quietly to herself at the thought of it all. His tone didn't give him away, but Ali would put money down that it was intentional. She couldn't help but keep her sly, patented grin off her face.
"Well what if I like it rough, though?" she said in her most innocent voice. Unable to keep it up, she let out a loud, barking laugh. "As cool as that sounds, I'm gonna wait till your sober to take you up on that. What would that be? An FUI? Probably not so legal."
Bobby started on his third round of the scandalously-named drinks. She could tell by the glassy look of his eyes that he wasn't with her anymore. He looked just a bit dazed, and when he got distracted looking around the room, she saw him falter slightly in his seat, shifting to compensate for some tilt that wasn't there.
"Did I ever tell you I play guitar?"
Ali was giggling at the way he was jumping from one topic to the next, another indicator that he was more than just buzzed. Raising an eyebrow, she responded, in an amused tone.
"Really now? Fancy me with a performance then?"
The rockstar was ready for it to be bad. But the guitar was in the far corner of the room. She wasn't planning on playing fetch, so she waited for him to get up and walk over to it. That would be the real test of how hard the alcohol had hit him.
This should be amusing...
The look on her face was downright devilish.
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Post by Bobby Drake on Aug 5, 2007 15:33:28 GMT -4
"Well what if I like it rough, though?"
Bobby was ‘this close’ to not thinking dirty for almost one second...and Dazz dragged him right back into the gutter. He actually didn’t doubt that she might...and that made things very difficult for him. He wasn’t sure if she scared him, turned him on, or something of both.
"As cool as that sounds, I'm gonna wait till your sober to take you up on that. What would that be? An FUI? Probably not so legal."
The flying under the influence reference was lost on him. He thought FUI was something dirty, and he was a little offended for a second. I am too legal! The offense only lasted a split second, and he was already on a different track entirely.
The guitar was sweet looking. Colorful, shiny, beautiful. And it was Dazz’s guitar. It was like a little reminder that he was here talking to her live and in person! At the mention that he played a little guitar, she perked right up.
"Really now? Fancy me with a performance then?"
Bobby looked back at her with sparkly eyes. “If you think I’m going to be all intimidated and not play, you don’t know me very well.” He so was. But he got up off his stool and hopped to the ground a little clumsily nonetheless. The floor tilted a little and the room swiveled on an unseen axis. She really needed to get that looked at. But the stool steadied his balance a little and he walked in a sinuously ‘straight’ line across the room. Bare feet on shag. He stopped to enjoy that for a sec...
Pink strap. Not his style, but he managed to sling it on, and tried to look ‘rock’, even though with a girl’s guitar he thought he might look a little fruity. But it was Dazz’s guitar and nobody rocked harder than she did.
So he followed the cord up to a very tall box and an assortment of dials and switches that adorned the front of the amp. The teeny tiny little words that said what the dials and switches were for were all blurry. He squinted his eyes at them and leaned in, losing balance and pushing into the mesh of the amp to try and right himself.
“Ahhh-ha.” He flicked the switch and the amp came on with a very VERY loud buzzing feedback sound. Bobby flinched a little, but played it off by donning a pissed off look. “How’s this,” he said, snarling at her.
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Post by dazz on Aug 5, 2007 16:28:18 GMT -4
"If you think I'm going to be all intimidated and not play, you don't know me very well."
That sweet, wicked grin didn't move from Ali's lips. He had a macho complex, she could tell as much from his drinking habits. Once she called him on it, he wouldn't let himself back down, though he could well be terrified to play now. She didn't have to now him well to deduce that much from his actions.
Ali made a sweeping handgesture toward the guitar and Bobby stood, albeit wobbly, and walked in a grand zig-zag across the room, apparently stopping wiggle his toes in the carpet. One eyebrow raised, she kept watching him wordlessly until he picked up his journey and finally made it to the instrument and amp set up in the corner. He lifted up the guitar--a black, white, and pink Fender--and slung the neon strap over his shoulder, trying his darndest to look manly while doing it. Still unsteady on his feet, he moved for the amp, squinting at all the nobs and buttons. Finally, he just sort of fell into it. Ali flinched as she saw his hand going for the mesh...
Don'tbreakDont'tbreakDON'T BREAK! Oh...phew...
Somehow, Bobby steadied himself without his hand going through it or anything. Relaxing slightly, but still incredibly wary, she watched him go for the switch. Immediately, Ali was very glad she was immune to loud noises. Still, it made her jump in a very un-Ali-like manner.
"How's this!"
Ali barely got the words over the crackling feedback. Her scrunched up face relaxed slightly as she laughed at his imitation of her snarl, but she still did it better. Raising one fist into the air, it began to glow and the obnoxious sound was quieted. Nimble as ever, she walked in an actual straight line to the amp and, with a practiced motion, she adjusted the right nobs and hit the right buttons. The glow of her hand subsided as she eliminated the noise the fueled it.
"There ya go. Better?"
She took a few steps back and seated herself on the edge of the pool table, ready to play audience.
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Post by Bobby Drake on Aug 5, 2007 19:11:10 GMT -4
The glow coming from Dazz all the sudden was mesmerizing. Were Bobby a moth, he would have probably tried to fly around it in circles. But he was not a moth, he was a man...mesmerized by the rockstar enigma that was Ali Blaire.
He snarled at her, showing teeth with a curl of his upper lip.
A laugh wasn't really what he was going for, but it was such a nice laugh that he didn't complain. And he didn't complain when she got rid of all that moaning and screeching feedback either. He nodded that it was better, and staggered back one step. The three or four drinks that he had slammed down in less than ten minutes time were starting to feel like a punching bag to his brain.
But it was perfect primer for him to start his song. It was easy...he only knew three songs. One was a Dazz song, (no way was he going to play that one!), the other was Mary Had a Little Lamb (rock version), and the last?
His tongue stuck out the corner of his mouth as he fiddled his fingers into place. He only knew the 'power cord', but it was usually enough to play just about anything. Sorta. The tongue stayed out as he hit the first cord and kept his attention on the guitar.
"Hear the lonesome whiperwill
He sounds too blue to fly
The midnight train is whining low
Im so lonesome I could cry"
And then he was doing all that he knew how. Not showboating, not overplaying...in fact it was only the first note of each riff that actually got played. But he sang his heart out...for better or for worse. And he made every effort to forget that he was singing to Ali Blaire.
"Ive never seen a night so long
When time goes crawling by
The moon just went behind a cloud
To hide its face and cry
Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die
That means hes lost the will to live
Im so lonesome I could cry"
It was choppy. It was far from the most musical piece anyone had ever played.
"The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple sky
And as I wonder where you are
Im so lonesome I could cry"
It wasn't going to win any awards anywhere...ever.
But he sang his heart out...and then the last note faded, and Bobby looked up shyly.
(original by Hank Williams: I'm So Lonesome I could Cry)
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Post by dazz on Aug 5, 2007 19:33:10 GMT -4
As Bobby concentrated on the guitar in his hands, Ali watched silently, letting him get into the groove of things. She knew that place. She knew it real well. She was better now, but she remember early practices where she could only play while watching her fingers. Then there was always a degree of stage fright. She could belt it out like nothing to strangers, but someone she knew? Even with all the confidence in the world, that was always harder. That's why, as Bobby began to play, she appreciated the song despite it's flaws.
"Hear the lonesome whiperwill
He sounds too blue to fly..."
Ali only knew the cover version put out by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, but it was obvious that Bobby was playing more true to the original version. He wasn't the best singer she'd heard, but he wasn't tone deaf. And while the guitar was choppy, really just the same chord strummed every so often, it served more to punctuate his singing than to provide a musical track. Still, it flowed well enough for its purpose. Bobby was singing his frosty little heart out. When he finished, Ali had all the more respect for him because of it.
When Bobby raised his head, he looked hopelessly shy. But the girl that met his look was grinning from ear to ear, and as soon as he was finished, burst into applause. She clapped first, then stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled.
"You know Bobby, you ain't half bad."
It may not have sounded encouraging, but her tone was so appreciative that there was no way in hell Bobby could take it wrong. From her, that kind of statement was practically gushing. Anything more and he probably would've gotten all funny again.
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Post by Bobby Drake on Aug 6, 2007 7:01:43 GMT -4
In the space of silence after he finished, Bobby realized a couple of things. First of all he realized how self-conscious he suddenly felt as he stood there in front of Dazz wearing her guitar, her concert T-shirt, in her house, drunk on her booze. Self-consciousness wasn’t something that Bobby felt too often. He didn’t know what to do with it.
He also realized that he was getting drunker by the second. And as Ali started to clap and whistle shrilly with her fingers in her mouth, a very big and very proud grin started spreading across his face, overshadowing the shy thing he had going on.
"You know Bobby, you ain't half bad."
The comment was taken in the spirit it was given and Bobby found himself beaming. “Yeah?” Maybe she wanted an encore. There were only two songs left in his repertoire to choose from...and he still refused to play the Dazz tribute.
So instead he gave her a look (rock look) and used it to signify that he was about to start a new song. Tongue stuck out as he tried fiddling his fingers back into position very awkwardly. Then he windmilled the first cord with his pick hand whirling in huge circles.
“Mary had a little lamb”
A normal person would have been too filled with shame to even attempt this one.
“The fleece was white as snowwww”
Maybe it was time for a little solo. He flopped his fingers around noisily, and made the most horrific racket you could imagine...dropping to his knees, he tried really showboating and getting into it with his eyes closed.
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Post by dazz on Aug 6, 2007 9:53:12 GMT -4
All it took was an instant for Ali's praise to sink in. The pink flush faded from Bobby's cheeks--though his nose remained ruddy from the alcohol--and was replaced by what was perhaps his widest grin yet. It was clear she'd distracted him from his nerves, though as if this were all to good to be true, he asked to clarify.
"Yeah?"
Ali nodded with gusto, her hands still clasped together ready to applaud. Bobby seemed thrilled about it, and decided apparently, that he wasn't done rocking out. Bobby flashed her another look, not quite are snarly as the last, and then the tongue was back out. Focused on the frets again, he found the placing he wanted and strummed so hard she thought the strings might break.
Bobby twirled his pick hand with all the bravado of the biggest names in rock history. As his arm arced out with great emphasis, he began to sing.
"Mary had a little lamb..."
Ali was hooting with laughter as soon as the first word hit her ears. He was playing metal lullabies with such unbridled confidence. She blamed the liquid courage he'd imbibed. Still, rather than hold this against him, she was loving it.
"The fleece was white as snowwww"
Bobby decided it was time for a solo. Dropping the lyrics, he started strumming widly at the strings, fingers landing any old place on the frets. It was the worst playing she'd ever heard, but when he dropped to his knees crooning out the awful melody, she just could not stop grinning. Her sides were starting to hurt too... She stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled again, a cat call this time. Then, she wiped a tear from her eye. This was so hideously bad it was amazing.
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Post by Bobby Drake on Aug 7, 2007 7:38:14 GMT -4
Sinking backwards, Bobby closed his eyes and let himself sink into the shag. It was cool and soft, and felt so good. And it was nice to know that there was something that was solid and unspinny. His fingers turned down the volume of the guitar and he looked over at Dazz who was grinning, smiling and approving openly.
“Glad you like it,” he said with no cooperation from his tongue. “Itsh going to be on the album.” He was definitely drunker now than he was a few minutes ago. “Maybe if you’re lucky I’ll autograv it for you.”
He cuddled the guitar a little.
Then with some effort he sat up and looked around for his drink. The guitar came off and with surprising care and gentleness he staggered over and put it lightly down in the stand. Turning widely, he focused on the amp and squinted his eyes again...finding the off switch a moment later and plunging the room back into a new level of quiet.
Fists planted on his hips, he looked at Ali wavering and accusingly. “Did you take my drink?”
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