Chapter 12

Russell kept on dragging me backstage and I wasted no effort in fighting him. I was too dumbfounded to even understand why he was even dragging me away from Jason in the first place. I know the two of them started off bad, okay, maybe even worst, but this is a bit too much.

He opened the door to the room I was practicing and shoved me in. He slammed the door shut and look at me with anger mixed with a hint of panic.

"Isn't that the guy who took you a couple of weeks ago?" Russell exclaimed to me as he took a step closer to me. "Don't you even care what might happen to you again if you hang out with him? Last time I checked, he kidnapped you from school with you protesting halfway."

Wow, Russell really does hate Jason. Who knew just meeting with each other once was already enough to make Russell go haywire.

I looked at Russell's face and red lipstick can be visibly seen all over his lips and some on his cheeks. For once, I wished that he would have just continued making out with a girl.

I tried to think of a reasonable reason but by the looks of it, I think any explanation from me won't help calm down his nerves.

I shrugged. "...We just ran into each other," I replied trying to sound casual but my voice gave it away when I stuttered a bit. It was a good thing that he didn't notice it.

"Really?" Russell said anxiously.

"Yeah, maybe it was just coincidence we met in the club. Either way, I don't have anything to do with him and I'm not planning on associating with him ever again."

He didn't say anything. Knowing Russell my whole life, bit by bit he was starting to calm down. After a while, he started talking normally to me again but with precaution. "But if you repeat anything that happened weeks ago, you better get ready for another punch to the face."

"Sure," I said with full sarcasm. "I'll gladly accept it with open arms."

At the same time, Lin, Steven, and Daniel entered the room. I can see the cash piling out of Steven's pocket and he had a happy grin on his face, satisfied of the quick money he made with just a game of poker. Daniel was there picking up the falling money from Steven's pockets and Lin was drinking a bottle of water, sweat plastered on her forehead.

"Russell? I thought you were with that waitress?" Steven asked as he started to organize the cash he got. "What are you doing here?"

"You know just some brotherly bonding with Richard," Russell replied.

"Are you sure about that?" Daniel asked, suspiciously staring at me. "Richard?"

"Yeah, nothing out of place here, just some misunderstandings," I replied a bit too hastily.

"...Oh, right" Lin suddenly said, "I ran into one of the staff and they said that we're next."

"We're right on schedule," Steven said as he started stashing the cash in his bag.

Lin and Steven walked to a door leading straight to the stage with both their guitar and bass strapped on their body while Daniel walked out empty-handed since his keyboard was already set up on stage. I looked over to where Russell was standing and he grabbed for his drumsticks which were just lying on top of a table.

I kept on eyeing the red lipstick on his face. I wouldn't want him to go on the stage with lipstick all over his face. As much as I wanted to see Russell's hilarious expression after he figured out that there was still lipstick on his face, I'm his best friend first so I reached over to a tissue roll just lying on the couch.

I stopped him from going out the door and gestured him to bend down a bit since he was a few inches taller than me. If this was Jason, he would have to completely bend down for me to reach his face. He's taller than Russell and he was completely taller than me by a foot. But this isn't the time to think about Jason or heights. I have to save a friend from embarrassing himself.

"What is it?" Russell asked as he looked at me then to the tissue roll in my hands then back to me with confusion. He was completely unaware of the lipstick on his face.

"You still have lipstick on your face." I pointed out immediately and he reached up to touch his face and when he brought his finger back down there was red lipstick on his fingers.

"I completely forgot about that." You're not kidding. I should be asking something from him from saving him from embarrassment but I decided to put a hold on it. We still had a concert to finish.

Since Russell was still looking at the lipstick on his hand and since we had to hurry on stage before the audience starts to boo at us I reached up to him and pulled his head down. I used one hand to pull on his neck and the other hand to wipe the lipstick off his face.

I was giving more attention to his lips since that's where the most lipstick was and I used the gentlest touch to wipe it off.

Russell was stiff the entire time as I wiped his face. This must be weird to him for his male best friend to wipe away lipstick on his face but he just stared at me, he didn't let me stop wiping it and he continued on staring at me.

I could feel Russell's lips through the thin fabric of the tissue as I kept on going. I was trying to be rough as I wiped his lips to put on some masculine action but I was straight full-on gentle as I did it. I hope he doesn't figure out I'm a girl or even have a thought that my actions are feminine.

When I was done, I gathered the used tissue and threw it in the trash can. I looked back to where Russell was and he was still bending over, completely dazed.

"Russell? You okay?" I was starting to worry since he was still staring into space but he quickly came back to earth and looked at me with an expression I couldn't quite figure out but it must be awkward for a guy to do that to another guy.

He didn't say anything to me as he walked out of the room, completely dazed, and wobbling here and there. He stumbled a bit but he continued on. He would throw short glances my way but immediately turn away and shake his head. What is he doing?

Christine saw Russell wobbling, whom she ignored his weird ways, and then grabbed her guitar. She left the room and closed the door to catch up to the other band members.

I completely ignored his weird ways and I reached out for my guitar which was still in the same place where I left it. I could already hear the audience outside wanting the show to start. If they really want a show, then a show they shall get.

I walked out of the room, guitar in hand, and went to stand in front of the bad and next to Steven. I looked at the crowd cheering for the band then I looked back to Russell who was a string from behind me. When did he start staring at me?

I couldn't help but feel a huge nervousness build up inside me. It felt like the very first time I've played in front of a public crowd. It was weird how much I started to feel nervous. I started to look at the crowd but it wasn't helping bring down my nervousness.

I was looking at the crowd when my eyes fell on a certain guy wearing a black leather jacket sitting on the bar stool. How long has he been sitting there, I wonder.

Jason looked at me from the beer he was drinking and gave me a smirk. I couldn't help but feel more nervous than before as he continued looking at me. His intense gaze on me didn't look like it'll end any time soon. Better get used to it then.

I was about to start playing like I usually do but thought just seem to keep on appearing in my head. What if I embarrass myself and hit the wrong chord? Maybe slip on a wire and fall off the stage or on the band members? But worst of all, I wonder if Jason will enjoy it.

I could care less about what he thinks but at this moment it seems like any little action he shows or any little things I kept on thinking about Jason would make me into a nervous breakdown on stage.

I could feel my hands sweating and my whole body turning numb. My vision was spinning and I was extremely nervous until a small pain hit me on the back of my head.

I looked down and saw one of Russell's drumsticks there lying on the floor near my feet. I picked it up and looked over to Russell who glares at me was serious but it held worry as well. I didn't want him to worry about me at a time like this.

I shake the feeling off and looked at Russell with a determined smile on my face as I faced the crowd again. I tried my best to not look at Jason and I started playing in front of the whole audience.

Finally, the concert was finished. After it was finished I grabbed for my guitar and went back to where Jason was before Russell dragged me away. But he wasn't there. Lin called for me to go backstage and meet with them later.

Before I left I scan the crowd for any signs of him but nothing. He must have left after the concert. Oh well, maybe I'll talk to him next time I see him.

I slipped into the guitars' strap and headed backstage to where everyone was. I saw Russell, Daniel, and Lin waiting for Steven to get the cash inside the club managers' office. Some of them were busy using their phone and others did nothing and I joined them and waited for Steven to return.

I would catch Russell looking at me from time to time but I decided to not ask him why he was looking at me. He'll just say that I had something on my face and divert my attention away from him. It was bothering me but I stayed quiet.

Steven came out of the office and returned with loads of cash in his hand with a big smile on his face. Daniel started counting the money and split it with all five of us. Daniel wanted to work at his uncle's bank when he grows up. He'll fit the job perfectly.

When the money was split we decided to slip through the backdoor. We wouldn't want our fans to bother us in our departure so we left via the back door and entered an alleyway. It was already late as it is.

Lin, Steven, and Daniel were walking ahead of me and Russell. Steven talked to Russell that he saw him leave the woman he was with in a hurry and asked him why.

His question got my attention but just as I predicted Russell said that he really needed to use the bathroom so he left the girl. But I know that there's more to it. I wasn't going to push him into confessing.

Besides, if he really did use the bathroom, then why was there lipstick on his face when he confronted me? He could have forgotten to look at himself in the mirror, but I doubt he'd do that. I didn't want to think that he met me with Jason by coincidence. He might have seen me with him so he left the girl he was with. But I don't want to get my hopes up, maybe he did go to use the restroom, forgot to wash his face, and he saw me with Jason after he got out. Whatever it really was, Russell would never tell me or anyone what really happened.

I and Russell stayed quiet at the back as the three of our friends chatted away. I was thinking of something when Russell started talking to me.

"Hey, are you alright, Richard?" Russell asked me, worry visible in his voice.

"I'm fine," I replied almost instantly. "I'm just tired."

"Of course you're tired, I saw you from behind that you were playing hard back there, you played all the notes perfectly."

"Was I really that good?"

"Yeah, you were breathing hard after the performance like a dog from a long run."

We started laughing at our own joke. I could feel that our three friends were looking at us with a smile on their face.

"Okay, now that we've cut up the money, we should be heading home," Lin said keeping her money inside her pocket. "It'll be a long way home from where we are but we'll get to our homes in no time once we've taken the train."

We were just about to exit the alleyway and head straight to the train subway when something came hurdling towards me. Luckily, I caught it and it was a black motorcycle helmet. I looked up and saw Jason across from me with his black motorcycle behind him.

Passersby's would take a quick glance at him and some would look at him longer, especially girls. There were three girls on either side of him, trying to talk to him or either trying to show off by showing him their bust, but Jason didn't budge.

He walked towards me by a few steps, pushing the girls away with pouting faces, and looked at me with his rock hard expression. I was mesmerized by the way he looked at me but it was faint and I didn't show it.

"Get on the motorcycle," Jason said straight to the point. "I'm taking you home."

I'd predicted that he'd say that, the timing is even perfect. When I thought that everything is fine and I'm freely hanging out with everyone, he'd suddenly appear and threaten me to go with him and that would leave me in another situation between me and everyone.

I can see Lin, Steven, and Daniel's face fell to one of worry and Russell was glaring at Jason but Jason was unaffected by Russell as he kept on looking at me.

Russell saw that Jason was completely ignoring him so he took a step toward Jason before I placed my hand on Russell's shoulder and stopped him. He looked back at me and I shook my head at him to not confront Jason.

I could see the turmoil in his eyes to either follow my request or let go of his anger of Jason or he'd shake me off and start beating up Jason. He chose the former and held himself back but he didn't back down without a fight of some sort.

"What's your business with Richard?!" Russell asked Jason, anger still evident on his face as he tried to shield me away from Jason's sight.

Jason looked at Russell like he only noticed him just now. He started walking to his motorcycle and started the engine. "I don't have time to play with you, kid."

"What was that!?" Russell yelled before I restrained him again with my hand on his shoulder.

"Listen, Russell," I said using my gentle voice and also trying my best to let my voice come out as a males' voice. "I'll see you next time, anytime at anywhere, but not here and not now. Don't worry. He won't do anything to me."

"I believe you," Russell said less furious. "But I don't trust him. If anything happens to you the next time I see you, I'll kill him."

"If you can kill me, that is," Jason said quietly but it was loud enough for the words to be delivered to mine and Russell's ears.

Russell shrugged off my hand from his shoulder and walked away from us then blended in the crowd. I watched as Russell's figure was completely blocked by walking civilians.

"Don't worry, Richard." Lin said, "We'll try to cheer him up."

"But-"

"We understand," Daniel said, "We'll see you next time."

"May that next time is in the near future," Steven said as he tried to force a smile on his face to show that it was alright for me to leave them.

Lin, Steven, and Daniel walked away and started chasing Russell in the crowd. I was left alone with the motorcycle helmet in my hands and Jason who was still sitting on his motorcycle. I looked at him and he looked back to me with that rock hard expression of his.

I can feel the friendship with everyone starting to crumble yet again and Jason is aware of it. I remembered back to what he said about pushing my friends away from the mafia world. He seems to know what I was thinking because he gave me a small nod.

I looked at the helmet in my hands, looked at the direction where everyone disappeared to, and put the helmet on. I walked over to where Jason was and hopped on the motorcycle, sitting behind him and placing my hands on either side of the motorcycle as I try to get myself comfortable and adjusting myself so that my guitar wouldn't damage.

The engine already started before I hopped on so when I was done adjusting myself Jason immediately drove away from the club and into the streets.