Avery's Desire Pt. 11

Avery was still having a hard time dealing with the long nights alone though. He missed Rick lying beside him on the bed; he missed his arms around him, and he missed the sweet, soft kisses goodnight. When the quiet got to be too much for him, Avery would walk to Shaggy's and hang out until closing, either working on his songs, or singing along to the ancient karaoke machine he'd dug out of the back room that hadn't been used in a decade.

Sometimes he'd hang around and help Boomer close up. He didn't mind helping out when he could and Boomer seemed to like the company. He'd usually give Avery a ride home if they left around the same time. It wasn't that long of a walk back to the apartment, but Boomer still didn't like Avery to walk alone at night, and he felt better knowing that he'd seen him safely home.

That Thursday, Rick was at work and Avery found himself at the bar again. It was pretty busy for a Thursday night. Many of the regulars were there, gathered around the same table they normally occupied, playing cards and drinking. A couple college girls came in and were sitting at the bar laughing and flirting with Nick. One of them tried to talk to Avery but soon lost interest in him when she realized she wasn't his type.

Over the next few hours a few stragglers would wander in, have a few drinks, and then leave. Avery took to the small, plat-form stage and fired up the karaoke machine. The college girls sang a couple of songs with him, and he got a few requests from the others. Not really the kind of music that he was into but it was all in good fun so he sang for them and they cheered him on.

By the end of the night most of the regulars had left, the two college girls thanked Avery for a fun night of singing and they too staggered out to the cab that Boomer had called for them. Avery turned off the machine then wiped down the tables for Boomer and put up the chairs. There was one guy still there, in the back of the room sitting alone at a table and nursing the same bottle that he'd been working on all night.

When he saw Avery putting the chairs up the guy stood, downed the last of his drink, then tossed a couple of bucks onto the table and left. Avery handed the money to Boomer then cleaned the table off.

"You want me to sweep the floor?" Avery asked.

"No, but thank you," Boomer told him. "You do any more and I'll have to put you on the pay roll."

Both men laughed. Avery tossed the wash rag he'd been using on the bar and grabbed his coat.

"I guess I'll take off then." He said, smiling. "If you're sure you don't need any more help."

"Nope, we're good. You go on home and get some rest. What time does Rick get in?"

"He gets home around seven if he walks, six-thirty if he catches a ride with someone."

"You boys should invest in a car, now that you're living together, you should be able to afford one."

"We've talked about it," Avery told him. "I don't have a license though, but Rick said he'd teach me to drive."

"Well there ya go." Boomer smiled. "Get yourselves a good reliable vehicle before winter hits."

"That would be nice. My first winter here I was stuck in doors most of the time. I wasn't used to the cold at all; I didn't even have any winter clothes. I'm getting more used to it, and at least I'm better equipped now." Avery chuckled. "I still don't like winter though."

"I don't blame you." Boomer grinned. "Don't know why anyone would actually choose to move up here, especially from down south. The winters are terrible and about the only thing to do around here is watch corn grow."

Avery shrugged. "I was tired of living in the city. I thought moving to a smaller town would be easier. Plus, I wanted to put as much distance between me and my parents as I could."

"Yeah, I can understand that." Boomer grabbed the rag Avery had used and began to wipe down the bar.

An awkward silence fell over the room. Avery tensed some. "Anyway, I'm going to head out now. I'll probably see you tonight."

"Alright Avery, take care."

Avery nodded. He slipped his coat on and walked across the room to the front door. He wasn't sure why he chose to leave out the front, he normally went out the back way, but that was usually after Boomer had locked up the front.

The neon light in the window was still on, casting an incandescent glow across the paved sidewalk and into the street. As Avery stepped into the doorway, the fluorescent lighting cut through the inky darkness and illuminated his face.

He was about to step out into the night but stopped, standing there hesitantly as he stared across the street to the shape he saw standing under a lamp post. It was hard to make out in the dim lighting, but he was almost certain that the man he'd seen earlier in the bar, the last straggler to leave, was standing across the street, smoking a cigarette and watching the bar.

Avery took a step back, closing the door part of the way. The figure didn't move, aside from flicking his ash then bringing his cigarette to his lips once more. He wasn't really doing anything that seemed menacing, but he gave Avery the creeps none the less.

Boomer looked up when he noticed Avery hovering in the doorway. "What's wrong?" He asked.

Avery turned around. The smile on his face was gone, replaced by a look of concern. "Probably nothing," Avery told him. "Just some guy standing outside, I think it's the same guy that was in here earlier, sitting at the table in back. He's probably harmless; still, I think I'll wait till you leave, if that's okay with you."

Boomer walked over to the door and looked outside. He saw the man standing there, just as Avery had said. Boomer narrowed his eyes. There were no other people around, no cars, and no reason for him to be standing there, unless he was waiting for someone. Boomer instantly became uneasy.

"Yeah..." He told Avery. "I think that's a very good idea. Just hang around for another hour or so and I'll drive you home."

Boomer ushered Avery back into the bar then slowly shut the door and locked it. He switched off the flashing sign in the window then glanced outside once more through the glass. The man had moved from his original spot to a few feet up the road, but he was still outside, slowly moving up and down along the sidewalk, almost as if he were casing the place.

"Just stay inside till we're ready to leave." Boomer looked at Avery sternly. "I don't know who that guy is, and I don't like the way he's hanging around out there. But if he's planning to break in I got a .357 magnum behind the counter with his name on it."

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By the time Boomer and Avery left the bar the stranger outside was nowhere to be found. This did little to ease Boomer's mind though. He didn't like the way the guy was stalking around outside, and he'd noticed the way he kept watching Avery all night in the bar. Something about that guy didn't seem right.

"Put your seat-belt on." Boomer said as they got into the truck.

"Yes dad." Avery snickered.

"Damn right." Boomer grinned. "I'm closest thing you have to a father so you better fucking listen to me."

Boomer glanced over and watched as Avery obediently pulled the seat belt across his chest and then snapped it into place. He'd never realized before just how small and frail Avery looked. On stage he seemed huge, powerful, and almost regal. But, looking at him now, Boomer could see that he was just a boy. A small, innocent, and naïve young boy, with a dashing smile, who just wanted to see the good in the world and block out all of the bad.

It wasn't such a bad attitude to have Boomer supposed, but it did make him vulnerable, and that frightened Boomer a lot. Avery wasn't his son, his wife never gave birth to him, and Boomer hadn't raised him, but he loved him just as much as if he had raised the boy. He felt a certain responsibility towards him. He knew that Avery looked up to him, all his boys did, and he didn't want to let them down. Each and every one of those kids had a special place in his heart, even Kat who was new to the group.

They were his kids and he loved them. Boomer wasn't even sure when he'd become a surrogate father to that ragtag band of misfit kids, but he was glad that he had. He was glad they were in his life, and he was glad that they'd opened their hearts to him. They didn't exactly fill the whole that was left by the death of his son, but they definitely helped to ease the pain some. Even Cole seemed to lighten up a bit when he was around them.

Cole even seemed to have taken an instant liking to Avery. But, how could he not? Avery was everyone's little brother. Most people who met Avery instantly fell in love with him, it couldn't be helped; there was just something about Avery that drew people to him.

Boomer pulled into the parking lot, close to the stairs, and cut the engine off. "I'll sit here till I know your inside." He told Avery.

"I appreciate you bringing me home," Avery said, "But you don't need wait, I'll be fine."

Boomer shrugged. "I'll feel better knowing you made it in safely. I'm still a little leery of that shady character outside the bar tonight."

Avery smiled, blushing some. "Thanks for looking out for me Boom."

"Hey, no problem kid. You go get some rest now. We'll see ya later."

Avery nodded. He hopped out of the truck, gently closing the door, and then hurried up the steps to the second floor landing. Boomer watched him go down the walkway, stopping at his door which was located close to the end, and then disappear into the apartment. Boomer rolled down the window and shouted up to him. "Remember to lock the door!"

Avery waved, letting Boomer know that he'd heard him, and then he shut the door and switched on the living room light. Boomer hung around for a couple minutes, just keeping an eye on the place. He looked around for any sign of someone lurking around who shouldn't be there, but when he saw that no one was around; he started up the truck again and left. Avery was safe and sound inside, nothing seemed to be amiss, and Rick would be home shortly.

Boomer could rest a little easier now, though the presence of the stranger creeping around the bar still had him bothered a bit. Later, he'd tell the others about the incident, and he'd have the boys keep their eyes open, just in case their creepy friend decided to show up for an encore.

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Avery was still a little shaken over what had happened, but by the time Rick had made it home the entire incident was forgotten. Avery was so happy to see him that he immediately jumped into Rick's arms before he'd ever gotten all the way through the door.

Rick hugged Avery tightly and kissed him on the mouth. "I take it you missed me?" He chuckled.

"Like crazy." Avery grinned. "How was your night?

Rick shrugged. "Boring, the truck was late again so the first half of the night we basically sat around bullshitting with each other. We had a few pallets to unload but not a lot. By the time the truck did show up though we had to haul ass to get everything unloaded in time. I swear that driver shows up later and later every week."

"Aw, I'm sorry that you didn't have a good night." Avery sat down on the couch, pulling Rick along with him. "At least you're off tonight. You think, maybe, we could do a little catching up?" Avery winked at him playfully. Rick smiled; he liked what Avery had in mind.

"I think that's a definite possibility." Rick told him as he leaned in for another kiss. "Right now though, I'm tired and I smell. I'm going to grab a quick shower then go to bed."

"Sounds like a plan." Avery jumped up; stepping over Rick's long outstretched legs. "I'll meet you there."

"Right behind you," Rick stood up, yawned, and then moved to the front door. "Hey, by the way, when are you going to remember to lock this door?"

"Ops..." Avery held his hands up in an apologetic gesture. "Sorry, I forgot again."

Rick sighed and rolled his eyes, a little annoyed. "Please remember to do that." He said. "Especially when you're here alone; this neighborhood isn't as safe as you think."

"I'll remember from now on." Avery assured him. "I just get a little side tracked sometimes."

"Just don't forget anymore, please." Rick turned the deadbolt till it clicked into place. "I'll forgive you this one time, but you're still going to a get a spanking."

Avery giggled, "Oh baby, I love it when you punish me."

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"That little slut," Mikey laughed bitterly. "So, he has Rick shacking up with him,

huh? I didn't see that one coming." Mikey leaned back in his chair and folded his hands behind his head. "I guess it didn't take Brian Mueller long to realize what a waste of space the little whore is and dump his ass."

The man across from Mikey chuckled. "Yeah, from what I could tell the kids a real loser; how the hell did you ever get mixed up with him anyway?"

Mikey frowned. "That's a long story, and one I don't really want to rehash."

"Fair enough," The man shrugged. "The problem right now though is that the kid always has someone around him. If not his fuck buddy, then the other band members, or that old man; I thought I had a shot at him the other night but the old geezer drove him home again."

Mikey pursed his lips as he thought. "We have to figure out some way to get him by himself, hell, he can't have someone watching his back all the fucking time can he?"

The guy shrugged. "He's usually at the apartment, alone, when his boyfriend goes to work, that is, if he doesn't go down to the bar and hang out."

"Frankie, what do you think?" Mikey turned and looked at the second man in the room. He was standing on the opposite side of where Mikey was sitting, leaning against a wall, and looking through a stack of CD's.

"Rick's off all weekend." Frankie said, without even looking up. "They'll go to rehearsal until around three am. That's when they usually leave for the night. They've been practicing in the back of Boomer's club. They've converted one of the storage rooms into a crappy little music studio. Rick and the little bitch usually walk back to the apartment, unless the weathers bad, then Cole usually drives them. Either way, it's not going to be easy to get your boy alone.

I do have an idea though that would send them all a message. We'll have to wait until after closing but I think it will rattle them, maybe even enough to make them drop out of the competition. That is what you want isn't it?" He looked up, locking eyes with Mikey. "But Don's right about the kid being alone when Rick's at work. If he does go to Boomer's place, it's usually not till after it gets dark. So, if you still want to take out the little prick, that's the best time to do it."

Mikey smirked, the expression on his face becoming increasingly more sinister. "Yeah, I think this is going to work out good."

"What do Kass and the others think about this little plan of yours?" Don asked.

Mikey shrugged. "Let me worry about those assholes. As far as I'm concerned, what they don't know won't hurt 'em."

"Fair enough," Don said. He turned to Frankie. "So, what's this plan of yours? Am I going to get to trash something or what?"

"Oh yeah," Frankie grinned. "Either of you got a crow bar lying around?"

"Got ya covered brother." Mikey laughed.

"Sweet!" Frankie popped a CD into the stereo and hit play. Alice in chain's 'Man in the box' began playing, filling the room with the steady, thumping, beat of the music as Frankie tapped his foot in time with the song.

Mikey sat back and let the power of the music over take him. Those bastards were going down and he couldn't be any happier about it. 'Kick me out the band?' He thought. 'Fuck that, there won't be any band left when I get done with those assholes.'

Frankie and Don jammed to the music while guzzling down another few beers and laughing about their upcoming victory, though oblivious to Mikey's real motives. He wanted to crush Desire and make sure they didn't have a shot at winning the battle of the bands, but he also wanted to crush Avery.

The seething anger he felt towards that boy was stronger than any emotion he'd ever felt in his life, even the love he'd once felt for him. Avery had ruined everything; he'd taken everything from Mikey, his friends, his band, even his dignity. Now, Mikey wanted nothing more than to make him suffer.

That fact that he was now with Rick was just another slap in the face. Mikey wasn't about to admit it, but he was hurt by how quickly Avery had dismissed him. He couldn't believe that what they had meant so little to Avery, that he himself meant so little to him, that Avery could so easily replace him, not once but twice! Mikey loved Avery, he never lied about that, he was madly in love with him and he thought that Avery had loved him too. He just couldn't understand how one little mistake could be enough to throw away everything that they'd had.

No one had ever hurt Mikey the way that Avery had when he turned his back on him. No one had ever rejected Mikey before, or used him and then discarded him so callously. He wanted Avery to feel the same kind of pain that he'd felt, he wanted to hurt him the way that he'd been hurt, and he wanted Avery to lose everything; not just the battle, but his band, his friends, even Rick. Mikey wasn't going to rest until Avery was miserable and alone with his spirits crushed, and his dreams destroyed. He didn't know if destroying Avery would ever ease the hurt and the anger that he felt, but there had to be some satisfaction in knowing that Avery wouldn't walk away unscathed.

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Trash had no idea what he was doing. That fact was made painfully obvious by the way he paced up and down the narrow corridor of the Rosewood apartment complex, talking to himself.

"Hello..." He ran his hand nervously through his thick blond hair. "Good afternoon...no, hey, how's it going?" He stopped short in the middle of the hall and grumbled to himself.

"Lame..." He hissed, "Fucking lame."

An older woman walked passed him. He smiled at her as she gave him a nervous once

over. "Beautiful weather ain't it?" He gave a nervous laugh.

The woman nodded, half smiled, then hurried away.

'Great...' Trash thought, 'She thinks I'm nuts.'

He hovered in front of apartment 216 for what seemed like an eternity when in reality it was only a few seconds. He started to knock, then hesitantly withdrew his hand, and looked at the exit towards the end of the hall.

"This is crazy." He whispered. "What the fuck am I doing here?" It was so frustrating. He never had this much of an issue talking to women. Normally he was so smooth, so debonair. He could sweep into a room, flash one of his charming smiles, and have every girl in the place swooning. On a good night, he could go home with just about any girl he wanted, on a really good night he could go home with two or three of them.

Girls loved a rock star, and Trash definitely had that rock star vibe. Women threw themselves at him, they wanted him, and he normally didn't disappoint them. Lately though, his heart wasn't in it. Random girls and one night stands just didn't do it for him. Guiltless sex wasn't even in his vocabulary anymore. Every time he found himself talking to a potential conquest, he could suddenly only think of one woman. One face kept popping up in his brain, and that's when he realized that there was only one woman that he really wanted.

There he was now, standing in the hallway outside of her apartment and feeling like a damn fool of a sudden. He was weak in the knees, his hands were shaking, he was sweating like a whore in church, and for what? Some chick? He laughed at himself when he thought of it. No, she wasn't just some chick. She was the most amazing woman that he'd ever met in his life. Everything about her was so fantastically different from any woman he'd ever dated before.