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Teardrop In The Fire	By : MysticNight Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Incubus Views: 3776 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the members of Incubus. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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“I deserve that” she nodded, slightly embarrassed with the other guys watching.

“You want to get something to eat?” Mike asked, changing the subject for her more than anyone else.

“Nah, I’m good. Plane food filled me up” she joked.

“Sick. You know it's all recycled food, right? For the chicken meal, it’s everything the chicken doesn’t want, for the beef meal, it’s everything the cow doesn’t want, for the-”

“Okay, Okay, Jose, shut up.” she shook her head.

They stayed in the main area of the bus talking for a bit about random things that happened so far on the tour while Brandon remained in the back.

“So you know we’re going celebrate you’re latest acheivement tomorrow, right?”

“Are you telling or asking me?” She asked Chris.

“Obviously telling you”

She shrugged “Whatever”

They continued to chat, and joke around until 2am, when finally Mike noticed
the clock.

“Dude, we have that radio interview thing, at 6am this morning”

“Then go. Go to bed, all of you. You don’t need to stay up with me. We have a whole two weeks catch up.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Babe”

“Jose, Fuck off” she plainly told him. “Can someone show me to my bunk?”

Mike, followed opting to do just that.

“Here you go” he pointed to the middle.

“K, Thanks” she gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

Changing quickly, she got into her bunk, believing Brandon was in the one all the way at the end while she remained at the front.

Just as Claire felt herself drifting off, her cell phone began to vibrate.

“Hello?”

“So you can’t even call to let me know you arrived safely?”

“Michael, what do you want? I was going to bed”

“With who, Brandon? I bet you couldn’t wait to fuck him.” he smirked.

Claire sat up in her bunk, irritated by the mere sound of his voice.

“Michael, I’m going to tell you something, and then I’m going to hang up. Okay?”

“You’ll hang up when I tell you to hang up.” he smugly adviced

“Look. Because of you, Brandon and I aren’t talking, right? Because of you, he walks right past me like he doesn’t know me, correct? And Because of YOU, I bruised a rib last week! So i think you've more than instilled it into me that I am to have no contact with Brandon, or you’ll do what you’ve been threatening to do now for how many months, So if I wanted to ’fuck’ Brandon, why the hell would I do it now?! I'm done for the night, goodnight Michael” she ended the call, whipping the phone out of her bunk in frustration.

The frustration Claire felt was soon followed by tears; until she eventually fell asleep hours later.

*

The next morning, Claire awoke to find her cell phone beside her pillow figuring it was either Mike or Chris who picked it up for her.

She got up, wandering into the main area of the bus.

“Guys” she called out.

Going back and opening the curtains to each bunk she noticed no one was in them. She then walked into the main area, to see a note verifying what she thought. They left for the interview, but the driver of the bus would bring her to a studio session, that was to follow.

“Fair enough”

*

Finally rapping up the interview, the radio DJ asked

“So how’s your sister, Kilmore?”

“She’s good. She’s actually out here right now for a visit.”

“That’s good, you know I find it pretty awesome that you two get along so well. If my little sister were around me half as much as yours was, I’d kill her, probably even myself." he joked "Even my friends can’t stand her, but with you guys, here you have her being good friends with boyd, and wrestling around with José. At least that’s what I remember from that MTV diary clip.”

When Brandon listened to him talk about Claire and himself, he remained neutral taking it as nothing while Chris responded “See that’s the thing though, you have to remember, She’s not a little kid, she’s an adult so it’s much different as it would be with any pair of siblings. You kind of grow out of driving one another crazy.”

“True! so Brandon...”

“So” he repeated, not too enthralled by what he was going to be asked next.

“Are you still on the Market? Or are you and the pretty Ms. Kilmore together, yet?” he joked, but Brandon found it the least bit humorous.

“I‘m in a relationship.” he answered.

“With…”

“Simply put, I’m in a relationship. I care not to go further on the topic.”

Everyone could detect something different in his attitude that morning, he was more quiet than usual, caught up in his own thoughts.
For instance, the moment the DJ thanked them for coming in that morning off-air. Brandon hadn’t even noticed the interview was over until the radio host appeared from behind his booth apologizing for over stepping with the question pertaining to Claire, almost ten minutes prior.

“Not a problem, man. Have a good day.” They shook hands, and Brandon was the first one out the door.

Just as he walked into the elevator, someone jumped on him from behind.

“What the fuck” He swung around with the person latched to him.

She quickly jumped off before actually falling.

“Hey baby!” Marissa beamed.

“Hey” he forced a smile. “How’d you get here?”

“Well since I spent the night at my sister’s to catch up. I just had her drop me over here.”

“How’d you know?” he didn’t recall telling her they had a radio interview this morning.

“I saw your schedule back at the bus, so I photocopied it yesterday” she leered.

The look on Brandon’s face alone had her ask “You’re not mad at me, are you? I was thinking that I should have asked you first, but then I was all ‘why ask Mar? he’s your man, you’re entitled to know where’s he’s at. And you’ll probably end up marrying him so you’ll know TONS more than just his schedule and-’ “

“Okay, I get it.” he moaned, not bothering to go on with why it was an issue to begin with, knowing it would take all day.

“So, I heard Jose mention that Claire’s in town?”

“Correct” he half nodded, walking out of the building.

“Oh.” she got in the car with him. “Where are we going now?” she asked.

“You’re the one with the schedule” he plainly pointed out.

When the rest of the guys got into the spacious vehicle, Brandon kept silent, pretending he had fallen asleep.

*

Walking into the studio, the background track to ‘Here in my room' could be heard, but it definitely was not Brandon’s vocals.

As soon as they stepped in, she stopped, now walking from out the booth.

“That didn’t sound half bad” Mike commented

“Yeah, well I got bored, and mr. producer let me fool around for a bit. How
was the interview?”

“Just like the rest. Can’t there just be a song that doesn’t mean anything? Everything has to have a meaning” Mike complained.

She patted him on the shoulder re-assuringly “It all comes along with being a rock star” she teased.

As everyone made their way into the room, she spotted a familiar blonde.

“Marissa, hey” Claire greeted.

“Hey, Claire” she walked, Brandon was soon to follow behind.

While the guys took their positions to record, Claire and Marissa sat down.

“So how’s everything been with you?” she asked.

“Good,” she lied “I can’t complain” she lied even more. “How about you?”

“Great, I decided to take a month off, if not more, to spend some time with my 'number one brand.'”

Claire winced at how cheesy she had just sounded.

“You know, we’ve been discussing marriage?”

“Who?” Claire was actually lost to who she was referring to.

“Me and Brandon, silly” she smiled.

“Really?” She wasn’t buying it. “Did Brandon actually say the words ‘Marry’ and ‘You’”

“No,”

Just as I thought

“But, he did say that I was probably the last girlfriend he was going to have, which insulated that we would be getting married.”

“Insinuated”

“What?”

“You said insulated. The word is insinuated”

“Oh. Well, whatever.” she shrugged it off “Aren’t you happy for us!?”

There were a lot of things Claire was experiencing at that moment. Hurt, possibly. Happiness? Not so much.

“Of course I am.” she smiled.

“You can even be apart of the wedding, but I think the best man part will be given to Mike or his brother”

“Ha Ha” she actually tried to laugh, but failed miserably.

A question that remained in her mind was, whether or not Brandon told Marissa that they weren’t on speaking terms. Surely if Marissa knew, she wouldn’t have brought up the comment of Claire being apart of the wedding; but then again, Marissa was the brightest apple on the tree.

For the rest of the hour, the two women listened to them practise.

“I always think he’s singing that song to me” Marissa commented as Brandon ran through an older track.

“Just a phase?” Claire smirked. “Interesting choice”

“I think he means, all the drama in our lives will be over soon. When we make things official”

“Oh give me a break” Claire sighed a little too loudly.

“Is there something you want to discuss?”

“If I wanted to discuss anything honey, believe me I would”

“Good, because I think it’s about time we ‘discuss’ a few things, woman to woman.”

“Oh, here we go” Claire raked a hand through her tousled hair. “What’s the problem, Marissa”

“You”

Claire chuckled “Me? And dare I ask what I’ve done?”

“You need to know your place when it comes to me and Brandon. We’ve gotten a lot more serious in the past couple of months so I’m just letting you know, he doesn’t need you as much as you might have thought. He has me, and as much as I have to admit I thought you were a threat back then, he assured me that you’re not an issue. So, I just want to make sure that there are no misunderstandings of where you stand"

Claire didn’t know what to say. She wanted to defend herself, and tell Marissa what an idiot she was, but realized that if she were to argue about Brandon, she would be the one who consequently looked like the fool for arguing about someone who wasnt even speaking to her.

But, Claire being the woman she was, chose one out of the two.

“You’re an idiot.” she plainly sighted.

“And you’re a desperate bitch!” Marissa spat back defensively.

Meanwhile, although the guys could not hear what the two women were saying; from what they could see, things appeared to be growing heated outside the large sound-proof booth.

Claire shrugged it off, being called a bitch did nothing to her.

It was when Marissa decided to continue, things took a turn for the worst.

“Maybe you should go home and be with your own boyfriend, instead of pining over mine! I swear, Michael is worth so much more than you. He’s such a sweet guy, and to have girlfriend like you? It’s a waste”

“You know nothing about my relationship with him, so mind your own business.” Claire warned, growing feverishly heated at the way Marissa portrayed him, not knowing any better.

“I would mind my own business if you weren’t in it every step of the way.”

“Brandon isn’t you’re business, and he’s not your fucking property. So, I honestly don’t know where you’re getting your ideas from.”

“You know, now I totally understand why your uncle abused you. You’d drive anyone to their wits end.” Right then Marissa regretted the words that oh-so-easily slid from her lips.

Claire immediately struck her in the face, so powerfully, Marissa plunged completely off the couch.

As soon as Claire pounced to jump on her, she was quickly pulled back.

“What’s going on here?!” Chris, held on to her, followed by everyone surrounding the two. Brandon now kneeling down to help Marissa up.

“Bitch! That fucking bitch!” she cursed, believing that If she yelled, it would subside the tears that were soon to follow.

She lunged at her again, but this time both Mike and Chris restrained her. “Cool it!” Chris yelled.

“What happened” Brandon, asked Marissa calmly, trying to pull her to one side.

Immidialtley Claire interrupted, attempting to free herself from Chris’ arms. “I’m not going to hit her” she yelled, pulling herself free.

“You!” she marched up to Brandon. He was slightly surprised Claire was pointed in his direction, expecting if anything it to be Marissa.

Finally 2 feet in front of him she pressed her index finger against his chest. “How could you?! How could you tell her something so fucking personal! I couldn’t even tell you the whole story and you fucking run back and tell her?!”

“What are you talking about?”

“She’s crazy, Brandon” Marissa, butted it, wiping the blood from her mouth.

“You’re damn right I’m crazy, and so help me god, the next time you shoot off your mouth about something you know nothing about? I will cut your fucking tongue out.”
Claire turned back to Brandon once again, “I can’t believe you” she shook her head unable to hold back any tears she fought so hard to contain.

“Claire” she heard either Chris, or Mike call, but instead she pushed past Brandon trying to make her way out of the room.

“Have a nice day, Claire! And FYI, I still think you have a fat ass!”

“Well at least my fat ass will match your fat lip, bitch” she slammed the door on the way out.

“What the hell happened, here??” Brandon asked, turning to her.

“What do you think, Brandon? We were arguing over you!” she yelled back.

“Me?!” he actually looked surprised.

“Yes, you!”

“Why couldn’t you be arguing over me??!” Jose interrupted dramatically.

“Not the time, man, SO not the time.” Mike warned.

“Look,” Chris started, walking past Brandon and Marissa. “I’m going to go find her, I’ll see you guys back on the bus.” with that, he left.

“You. Me. need to talk, NOW” Brandon emphasized, still oblivious to what was going on.

*

“How could you say something so fucking heartless, Mar?!” he snapped outside the studio. “I didn’t even really tell you much, and you fucking throw that in her face? You’re always talking about trust, and yet you do something as stupid as this and wonder why the hell I don’t trust you!”

She stepped back, So taken back by the confrontation that she didn’t know what to think.

“You-you don’t trust me?” she meekly asked.

“You know trust is a hard thing for me, and I was just getting there with you. But when you do things like this, being ruthless to people I care about. I don’t know.” he truthfully told her.

“What about me, Brandon?! You’re taking up for her when I’m the one with the fucking busted lip!” She removed the ice pack, pointed to it.

“I’m sorry for that happening, but could you honestly expect anything less after saying something like that?”

“It’s always about her!” she screamed.

“No it isn’t! you just make everything to be about Claire when it doesn’t have to be”

“Well I’m sick and tired of her talking to me like I’m some sort of a fool walking around with my head in the clouds! It's like I’m fighting for something that isn’t there with you! I’m your girlfriend, Brandon, and god forgive me if this is too much to ask, but sometimes I just wish that I could actually feel that I am in fact, you’re girlfriend, not someone trying to gain that title.”

He sighed, loudly.

“Marissa,” he tried again,

*

“Claire, I don’t think Brandon would deliberately tell her something like that. He doesn’t even really know much about it himself. Hey, maybe he was even talking to me about it and she over heard, the possibilities are endless”

“I don’t fucking, care” she kept her head buried in her knees, sitting on a curb not too far away from the studio.

“I’m sick of living this way.”

“What way?”

“I’m battered and bruised in some form or another every single day.”

He placed an arm over her shoulder as she continued to keep her face hidden.
“Life is a struggle, sis. You just need to get past the obstacles, and I promise I’ll try my best to be here for your throughout them. K?”

“Yeah” she mumbled, feeling him place a quick kiss on the top of her head.

*

Not too long afterward, Chris and Claire spent the rest of the day that was now turning into night, walking around unfamiliar territory just to help her clear her mind. When the cars weaving through the streets began turning on their headlights, the two finally decided to call it a night, and headed back to the bus.

“Thanks” she told him, before they were fully inside.

“Don’t mention it.” he followed behind her.

All of them except Brandon could be seen in the main area. They eyed her, wanting to ask the question of the night “Are you Okay?” but decided not to, they all knew the obvious answer, especially from her behaviour earlier.

“Goodnight guys, I’m dead tired” she walked past them into the back.

Crying had always made her drowsy.

Throwing off her shirt, leaving only her white bra on. She couldn’t be bothered to change into night gear.

Instead Claire pulled her curtain back to get inside her bunk. Before she could fully do so, she noticed Brandon walking from the other side, presumably the bathroom.

He knew she was there, but declined to look at her.

Nodding to no one in particular, she proceeded to climb inside her bed for the time being.

Again, she was interrupted, but this time it was his grasp on her arm. She looked up immediately, placing her feet back onto the ground.

Claire stared at him unable to make eye contact with her, his eyes embellishing an expression that was almost in touch with reality, and out at the very same time. Something he did when he was terribly bothered by something. But, soon enough he opened his mouth to speak.

“I take full responsibility for what happened today,”

For some reason she couldn’t listen to his apology. In her eyes, It should have never happened in the first place. Marissa should never have been familiarized with anything that happened in her past.

“-It’s all good, Brandon. Goodnight.” she cut him off, slipping into the bunk without another word drawing the curtains shut.

He didn’t object, instead she noticed his silhouette relocate…to the top bunk.

Immediately, Claire’s chest tightened. Images of the previous night flooding back to her memory.

Michael’s late night call, in particular.

If Brandon was above her that entire night, that meant, he heard everything.

TBC...
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