Strangetown: Chapter Twenty Two - part two
Warnings: language, sexual situations
Chapter Twenty Two
Part Two
Jaxy Rai was giving the band a pep talk.
"Okay, let's go over some ground rules here." Jaxy said. "This gig is very important to me. We really fucking need this audience. We might not be getting paid much, but that's not the point here. That will come later. If we want to get somewhere, we have to pander to these fucking dimwits a little." Jaxy had been waiting her whole life for this opportunity, afterall. She wasn't about to fuck it up.
"What that means is I want you all to be on your best behaviour. Do not get too fucked up - if you can't handle it, don't do it! Do not fuck with any of the alpha bitches at this sorority. If they talk shit, just ignore them."
"Does that fucking apply to you too, Jax?"
"Yes, it does, Ripp. I'm going to refrain from cursing out the audience as if my fucking life depended on it. Just this once."
"Also! If you're going to fuck any of these bitches, please be nice about it." She glared at Gunnar. Gunnar gave a bored nod.
"Hey, why'd you single Gunnar out? And not me?"
"Oh, honey, we KNOW that you're fucking nice about it." Zoe and Jaxy laughed.
"What?!"
"Yeah, Ripp sends a thank you note the next day."
"We've heard some stories, Ripp." Jaxy grinned. "That's good, though. At least you know your fucking place. Nothing wrong with letting the ladies take charge."
"Well, sometimes..." Ripp shrugged. "Works for me."
Gunnar gave him a slightly disgusted look, which Ripp returned. Fuck Gunnar. Like he needed advice from that asshole. And it's not like he was never in the driver's seat. And It wasn't always kind and gentle either. Hardly. He did it all, so he liked to switch things up. It was all fucking good to him. He'd do almost anything.
But they were mostly right, especially about the nice thing. He would never, ever be seriously disrespectful to a woman like that, unless they wanted him to pretend to be. He wasn't like that. Why would he be? He loved women.
"Ripp's just lazy, I'll bet." Zoe smirked.
"No, he's extra obedient and nice, in the hopes that they'll fucking cook him breakfast the next morning!" They started laughing again.
"Fuck you both." He said, with a smile.
Tank and Frances stepped into the room, and both instantly froze. There were so many people there. So many loud people. Tank turned to look at Frances with a worried look on his face, and Frances offered him a hopefully smile.
"Do you want a drink, Tank? I'm going to get one for myself." He felt like he could really use some liquid courage.
"Yeah, sure, Worthington. I guess I'm going to need to relax a bit here"
Yes, Frances thought. Relaxing is good. How many drinks would it take before he was relaxed enough to say something to Tank? This was a good opportunity to find out. If Tank got a little drunk and he got a little drunk, then maybe things would just naturally fall into place. He could hope, right? It was worth a try.
Frances was on his way back with the drinks, when he noticed that Ripp was talking to Tank. Remembering the way the conversation had headed the last time, he held back. He didn't want Ripp to say anything to embarrass him again, or worse... give him away to Tank before he wanted that to happen.
Frances decided to finish his drink and get another.
"So, Tank..." Ripp said. "See anyone you like?"
"I don't know, Ripp..."
"Well, don't be so fucking enthusiastic about it, Tank. You're overwhelming me here."
"Shut up, Ripp."
"How about that one? She's cute."
"I guess so."
"You're way too picky. She's totally fucking cute, and that skirt is so short! So fucking short. It's mind numbing. Makes me want to fucking howl at the moon."
"Heh."
"ALL of these girls are fucking great. What do you want, exactly?!"
Tank didn't have an answer for that question, but he was sure that Ripp would decide for him eventually, if he kept quiet. He didn't have to wait for long.
"Oooh, that one! That one's a real demon in the sack."
"I thought you were going to find someone that you hadn't actually slept with for me!"
"Come on, now, Tank! Let's be realistic here. Like there are that many out there. And like I really fucking care."
"That girl seems a bit much for me."
"Well, how about that one? She's a nice girl. Just pick one and fucking do it, Tank! The key here is just doing it."
"Well, what exactly should I do?"
"Just go up to her and say something!"
"Like what?"
"Anything! Tell her she's pretty - you do think she's pretty, right?"
"I can't do that."
"Tank, that's so fucking easy! Talk about the weather - anything! Fuck. I'm not fucking asking you to march over there and start swinging your dick around! Not even I would do that." Tank wasn't completely sure that he believed him on that last point.
"Just talk to her."
"I can't do this."
"Tank. You have to stop being so shy."
"That's easy for you to say."
"There's no big secret to it, Tank. Just do it! Just go over there and start talking. Anything will do. People are always just fucking flapping their gums. It's doesn't even matter what you talk about. Just look at her like you're interested, and she'll get the idea."
"I'm just not sure if she's the right one."
"You don't fucking want Mrs. Right, Tank, you want Mrs. Right Now!" Ripp let out a frustrated sigh.
"Yeah..." Tank trailed off. He appreciated the help, but he really couldn't see Ripp's advice being of any use to him. He'd never get up the nerve to do that. Never.
"Okay, well, you're on your own now. I have to go play." Ripp turned back towards where his band was setting up. "Good luck."
"Thanks, Ripp." He smiled.
"Any time, Bro."
Frances returned with the drinks. "So what was he saying?"
"Oh, you know. The usual bullshit. Trying to hook me up with someone, just like he said." Tank rolled his eyes, and Frances smiled.
"Here's your drink."
"Thanks. I think Ripp's band is going to play now. I haven't seen them before, but I've been hearing everyone talk about them. Saying good things."
"Edie thought they were good." Frances smiled. "And she would know."
Jaxy coughed into the microphone. "Is this fucking on? Oh... okay. I just wanted to say thank you to the girls here for inviting us to play. D.J., honey, you're a fucking doll." She winked at her, quite proud of herself for managing to play nice.
"We're The Shifting Paradymes. I'm Jaxy. That's Zoe, Ripp, and Gunnar. Hold on to your fucking asses, because we're going to try to rock them off."
"Now you know I'm ready.
Can't you see I'm ready.
Well hell you know I'm ready.
Now you know I'm ready."
"One more time around the block with me.
One more time around the block.
One more time around the block with me.
Just for me!"
"Now you know I'm ready.
Can't you see I'm ready.
Well hell you know I'm ready.
Now you know I'm ready!"
"I'm ready!
I'm ready!
I'm ready!
I'm ready!"
"Now you know I'm ready.
Can't you see I'm ready.
Well hell you know I'm ready.
Now you know I'm ready."
"One more time around the block with me.
One more time around the block.
One more time around the block with me.
Just for me."
Tank noticed Johnny and Ophelia enter the room, and they had a couple of other alien girls with them. He looked away. He didn't want Johnny thinking that he was giving him the evil eye. And it was kind of true. He really was giving them the evil eye.
Just lovely, he thought. Now he's starting up a gang.
"Hey, Ophelia!" Jayne said. "Want a drink?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Ophelia said. "Why not?"
"Well, come with me and we'll get some. Just us girls, ya know!"
They left Johnny and Stella behind.
"Isn't Stella a girl too?" Ophelia asked as she looked back. Jayne held her by the arm and moved her forward.
"Oh, right. Yeah... of course." Jayne brushed her off. "Oh, look! A punchbowl. Perfect!"
"So, what's Johnny like? As a boyfriend, I mean..."
"He's great..." Ophelia didn't really know how to answer such a question, and didn't feel that she should have to. Johnny was Johnny. How could she even explain that?
"So, Ripp lives with you too?"
"Yeah."
"Do you ever find that uncomfortable?"
"Like how?"
"Well, you know..." She smiled. "When you want some privacy?"
"Oh." Ophelia had never really felt that way. "Well, no. Not really. Ripp has just always been there. We like having him around."
"Really... that's interesting."
"He's our friend."
"Right. I get it." Jayne wondered about it. If Johnny and Ophelia were so serious, then why did they design their life around a permanent third wheel? It seemed like a crutch to her. Unless... unless Ripp served some other purpose in that arrangement. Maybe Ophelia, or Johnny, or maybe even both, had other reasons for wanting him around.
Jayne decided to head back before Stella started bringing up questionable topics with Johnny.
"I'm ready!
I'm ready!
I'm ready!
I'm ready!
I'm ready!
I'm ready!
I'm ready!
I'm ready!
I'm ready!
I'm ready!
I'm ready!"
Tank watched his brother in action. He thought he was really quite good at what he did. The style wasn't really to Tank's taste, but Ripp was quite handy with a guitar.
Ripp put so much into his playing. Tank could see things in Ripp's expressions that he would never have revealed to him in person.
Frances wasn't even watching the band, not really. He was watching Tank watch the band.
"Gotta build your rock on the Ray-O-Vac.
Gotta build your rock on the Ray-O-Vac.
On the Ray-O-Vac, on the Ray-O-Vac."
"You believe in cotton candy and you're not lying.
Your brother and his friends are living in a dying border town.
Where getting out means running away,
And getting crossed means going down."
"They just suck hard and they choke it back."
"Now how can you bust up an act like that?"
"Gotta build your rock on the Ray-O-Vac.
Gotta build your rock on the Ray-O-Vac.
On the Ray-O-Vac, on the Ray-O-Vac."
"When I was twelve and my ass was up for grabs.
The kids at school had their religion, sex and greed.
Something was wrong with them.
How could any kid know what was going on?"
"They just suck hard and they choke it back."
"Now how can you bust up an act like that?"
"Gotta build your rock on the Ray-O-Vac."
When they were done, Jaxy wiped her forehead in her arm, and flashed Ripp a grin. "Well, Ripp. I'm totally fucking impressed. You actually did a lot of work for this. You weren't just strumming your fucking pubes all week like I expected."
"Well, I'll be honest with you, Jax." He grinned. "I did both."
She laughed. "I'll bet."
"I think it went pretty well, don't you?"
"Yeah, it fucking rocked."
Ophelia went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She didn't often drink alcohol, so she thought it would be a good idea to drink some water in between drinks. Even just the couple of drinks that she'd had so far were making her feel light in the head.
The kitchen was full of girls. From the sorority, and around campus. Did it just seem like they were all staring at her and whispering?
Since high school, Ophelia had been wary of large groups of girls. She'd always been on the outside, looking in, never managing to make inroads. Always interested in the wrong things, not knowing the inside jokes, and generally failing to relate. And once they'd caught wind of her past, it was like she was carrying the plague. She became the "creepy girl". It was always the same. That's why she'd come kept most of them at an arm's distance.
Boys were different. They were simpler. She felt more comfortable around them. When Ripp and Johnny had started hanging around with her, she had been so excited. Guys just seemed more straight-forward, most of the time, and easier to read.
"God, who do I need to fuck around here to get some ice, anyway?" Jaxy said, as she approached the fridge, with Zoe laughing behind her.
Ophelia observed the way Ripp's bandmates seemed to clear a path when they entered the room. They were kind of scary, but she could sort of relate to the way the other girl's reacted to them.
"Excuse me, honey, I just need some ice for my whisky. I don't mean to get in your way."
"It's okay - go right ahead."
Jaxy turned around to observe her more closely, giving Ophelia the once-over.
"You seem really out of place here, sweetie. I'll bet you fucking hate all these rich bitches just about as much as I do."
"Hate is a strong word."
"So is bitch. That's why I used it." Jaxy smiled, but then the smile quickly fell. What's not to hate about a group of people with rich, stable families, who pay their way through college, even though they'll barely even need to fucking work a day in their life? Or girls who only care about "his career" and looking good "for him". Girls who married a man and then didn't have to lift a finger for the rest of their lives? Girls who even had that option, as awful as it was. That seemed pretty worthy of hate to her. It's not like any of them cared when they threw heavy words in her direction. When they had judged her. As if they cared about what lay beneath it all. Where she came from. What she had to deal with.
She looked at Ophelia. "You actually seem like someone I wouldn't instantly hate. What's your name?"
"Ophelia Nigmos."
"Oh my god! You're Ophelia?! Ripp's Ophelia? The Great Phi?! Zoe, It's fucking Phi! PHI!"
"Well, Phi! I feel like I already know you, girl." Zoe laughed.
"I was expecting there to be fucking laser beams shooting out of your ass, or something, from the way Ripp talks about you. You sound pretty fucking special! He never fucking shuts up about you, especially after he's had a few."
"Don't forget Johnny."
"For a while, we thought Johnny was just some name he'd given his cock, with the number of times he fucking brought it up."
"That's funny." Ophelia smiled. "He does talk about it a bit, doesn't he?"
"You think?" Jaxy laughed. "He drives me fucking crazy. He makes me want to knee him in the groin."
"Well, you're obviously a decent broad if Ripp likes you so much, Phi." Zoe said. "I mean, beyond a potential lay. Not too many chicks can say that."
"No, I guess not. Maybe just you two."
"Tell me, though..." Jaxy grabbed her hands and held them. "You can be honest with me. I'll bet you get sick of how much of a lazy fucking asswad he is, don't you? Be honest - we know what he's like. I catch him drinking from the milk carton all the time. And the bathroom - fuck. If only it were just the toilet seat."
Ophelia laughed. "I'm pretty used to it. I live with two guys, you know. Not that Johnny is in the same league. But I'm used to Ripp. It doesn't bother me."
"Well, he's pretty lucky to have you. Phi." Zoe said.
"I'm lucky to have him."
Jaxy smiled. "Yes, you are. Ripp is great. He's a jackass, no doubt, but he'd do anything for his friends. I'd kill anyone who tried to fuck with Ripp." Ophelia smiled. She thought that Jaxy and Zoe seemed very nice beneath their armour.
"Well, I'm glad to hear you say that. Not the murder part, but you know what I mean..."
"We look after Ripp." Jaxy said. "Don't you fucking worry about it."
"We keep him in line." Zoe said.
Ophelia smiled.
Ripp was wading around in a sea of potential options, and noticed a very attractive woman approaching him.
"Hey sweetie, did you like the show?"
"Yeah, I did."
"I don't believe we've met before."
"You're kidding me, right?" She said. "You don't remember me?"
"Ummm... should I?" Ripp was completely lost.
"Kendal." She frowned. "Remember? Behind the bar, in your dining room?"
"My dining room?"
"In high school, jackass!"
"Oh! Right..." Kendal glared at him. He finally clued in.
"Oh shit! I'm sorry! I didn't forget about you - I just didn't fucking recognize you. You look completely different." He gave her a sheepish look, which slowly transformed into a lecherous grin. "That was a good time..."
"Well, I hope you enjoy the memory." She said. "Because that's all you're ever going to get from me."
Ripp was stunned.
She was so cold.
Ice, ice cold.
Across, the room, Ophelia found Tank sitting on the couch. "Hi Tank." She said, as she sat down next to him.
"Hi." He looked but didn't meet her eyes for more than second or two.
"How are you?"
"I'm okay."
"Listen, Tank. I'm sorry I slapped you, that day at the library." She said. "That wasn't like me."
"I know that."
"I was really upset, but I shouldn't have done that."
"It's okay, Ophelia." Tank smiled. "You're not the first person to do something you regret." They were silent, thinking of the various things that Tank had implied. How he had hurt Ripp, and that whole history of their conflicts, but also the kiss between them, and how much Tank regretted putting himself out there to face embarrassment.
"Tank, it's okay. Nobody's perfect." He smiled in silent agreement. After a minute, he changed the subject.
"Do you know where Ripp went?"
"I think he's upstairs somewhere."
Tank went in search of his brother. And found him upstairs, in one of the bedrooms.
"Oh GOD!"
"Fuck! Do you MIND, Tank?!"
Tank left the room with extreme haste.
The girl had just been unzipping Ripp's pants, thankfully, so he hadn't seen anything that would have completely shut his brain down. But still. Did Ripp even know that girl? Most people introduced themselves with a handshake. Tank just didn't know about these girls. They were so aggressive. So bold. He was really out of his element here.
"Well, where were we?" She asked.
"Ummm... maybe some other time." Ripp said.
"What?!"
"Nothing personal." He said. "But I'm not really in the mood anymore."
Nothing cooled his jets quite as well as staring into his brother's face. In fact, if he ever needed to intentionally to lose an erection, this is exactly what he would think about. Not that this situation had ever come up before.
Tank was walking past another room, in his urgency to flee the scene, and he overheard some other girls talking about Ripp.
They were giggling and saying things about him, as if he was just a piece of meat that one of them might sink their teeth into. It filled Tank with rage. So they thought he was good for nothing but sex, did they? That he was a joke? Tank wanted to walk in there and tell them all off, but he would never do that. He was so angry. At them, but also at Ripp, for doing all the things he did to make people see him that way. For earning his bad reputation.
Didn't his little brother have any self-respect?
Sure, on one hand it was something to brag about, for a guy. But was it really so great to be known as the guys who fucks everyone and anyone? Really? Tank wouldn't want to have people say that about him, and that's the only thing they seemed to think that Ripp was any good for. But Ripp was worth more than that.
Yes, there were moments when Tank felt that Ripp was completely useless, but he didn't really think that. Maybe these girls were just idiots, but Tank really resented having his brother talked about like that.
Tank ducked into the bathroom to get away from it all for a minute.
Frances had come looking for Tank, and heard Ripp's voice, so he entered the room, hoping that Tank might be found there.
"Hi... Ripp." He paused when he saw the girl. "... Hi." She smiled, but then quickly left the room.
"Oh, hey, Worthington! What can I do for you?"
"Oh, nothing. I was just looking for Tank."
"I'll bet." Ripp smirked.
Frances stared at Ripp for a moment without saying anything.
"Look, I know that you know about me."
"That you're a homo? Everyone knows that, Frank. It's not a secret, is it?"
"Don't call me that."
"Call you what? A homo?"
"Frank. Don't call me Frank."
"But you said that I could..."
"Well, I changed my fucking mind." Frances frowned. "I don't want you getting that familiar with me, especially not after doing that. It wasn't very nice of you to make fun of me like that, in front of Tank, and try to reveal it all to him."
"Look, I'm not trying to fucking spoil your little secret for you, FRANCES. I was just fucking around! I was laughing at my dumbass brother, who really should be able to tell."
"Don't call him a dumbass."
"Listen, Frances - if anyone on earth has to right to call Tank a fucking dumbass, it's me! He's good for a little teasing too, believe me. He's done his share of it over the years, and then some. Teasing isn't the half of it! I've done my time. I'm his brother, I've seen the inside of a toilet bowl more times than I can count, and I'm allowed to take the piss out of him if I fucking well want to. I don't care what you say."
"Well, then I don't need to hear that kind of crap from you, okay?"
"Look. You might think it's cruel of me to be fucking around with you like that, but I might ask you what exactly you 're doing with my brother anyway." Frances gulped, as Ripp continued. "I mean, am I wrong in assuming that you want a piece of that ass?"
"I... ummm..." Frances was halted by the accusation. It was true, in a sense, but when Ripp put it that way it sounded so aggressive. So vulgar.
"You're the one who's putting yourself in that fucking situation to begin with." Ripp said through his teeth.
Frances tried to formulate some sort of justification and response, but Ripp continued before he could.
"Listen to me, Frances. I really have to warn you that Tank might not be very pleased when he finds out that you've been deceiving him. I mean, after he's done feeling like a fucking idiot, that is. I'm not sure if you realize what he's really like. He's hardly the most liberal-minded guy you'll ever meet - Tank has a pretty narrow idea of how the world ought to be run. He's just like our father was." Ripp paused, and Frances could see that it pained Ripp to even mention his father.
"And, like the General, he has a fucking evil temper. Well, you saw what he did to me, didn't you? Unless you're a hell of a lot tougher than you look, just try not to fucking come out with it when he's in a face-breaking sort of mood, okay?"
Frances turned away, and just stood there. Ripp sighed.
"Look, I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean to fucking hurt your feelings. I was just laughing at Tank. And that's just how I carry on with people. I'm just an asshole. That's how I carry on. It's not like I have anything against gay people. Half the fucking people I know are probably gay... or at least half gay or quarter gay or have gay feelings or fucking make out with other people who are gay. We're probably all fucking gay."
Ripp thought about it as he was saying it. Sure, he was just trying to make Frances feel better, but there was some truth to that statement, right? They might not all be gay, but how many of them had never at least thought about it? He wasn't gay, but then again, Stella wasn't really a woman, as such, was she? Did aliens count? It's not like she was a man either. He hadn't really given that much thought. Well, maybe a little.
Frances didn't say anything.
It was obvious to Frances, in the way that Ripp was saying all of this, that even thought he thought that the vast majority of the world might be gay, he didn't believe for a second that his brother was. Ripp clearly did not think that Tank was gay, or half gay, or even a quarter gay. Ripp did not think that Tank was even the least bit gay, and Ripp was his brother.
Frances felt tears welling up in his eyes, and he tried to hold them back. He didn't need this. He didn't need to cry in front of Ripp.
"What's wrong?" Ripp stepped a little closer to him, obviously aware that he was crying.
"Nothing."
"Are you sure?"
Frances didn't respond, and there was no hiding the fact that he was crying now.
Ripp put his hand on Frances' shoulder, causing him to flinch momentarily. He hadn't expected him to do that. For a moment, Frances felt like screaming at him and pushing him away, but he didn't. The touch did feel sort of nice, even though it was from Ripp. He hadn't had another man touch him in a while. And it really was comforting, in an odd way.
Ripp rubbed his hand over Frances' shoulder.
"I'm sorry."
And then he left the room.
Ripp found Tank standing outside. Frances heard them talking, and stayed back inside the room, trying to pull himself together. He didn't want Tank to see him like that.
"Hey Tank." Ripp said. "Sorry you had to witness that."
"It's okay."
"No, really. Nobody needs to see their brother at a time like that." He was referring to both himself and Tank.
"I didn't see anything."
"Thank fuck." Ripp continued on his way. Tank heard someone come out of the bedroom next to him.
"Well, well, well... Tank Grunt. I never thought I would run into you here."
"Excuse me?" Tank turned around to face a beautiful woman. He froze. He tried to relax, and remember what Ripp had said. They were just words. "Do I know you from somewhere?"
"What is it about me that is so forgettable? I haven't changed that much, have I?" She smiled.
Then it hit him. The smile. He remembered her. How could he forget that?
"Kendall." He said. "You really have changed."
"You have too, Tank."
"Not as much, though."
"Well, I think you've become much more handsome." She smiled. Tank shyly looked at his hands. He had never been able to take a compliment like that.
"Well, it was nice to see you, Kendall." He turned to walk away.
"Tank, don't be like that."
"Like what?"
"That was ages ago, wasn't it? Can't you forgive me?"
Could he? Tank wasn't sure. "It was a pretty awful thing to do."
"I know, Tank, and I'm very sorry. I was young and stupid. I suppose I might just be a little older and stupid now, but I've learned a thing or too."
He frowned.
"Haven't you ever done anything that you've regretted?"
"Yes. Of course I have."
"Well, if we weren't able to look past those things and move on, the world would be a pretty miserable place, don't you think?"
"Yes, I suppose you're right."
"So, can I have a second chance, or what?"
"I guess so."
"You look really good, Tank." He didn't know what to say. Kendal ran her hand along the side of his face. "Even better than I remember."
Tank just smiled, unable to articulate a response.
"And still the same quiet boy that I remember. You're so mysterious." She smiled. "I just love a mystery"
Frances opened the bedroom door and entered the hallway, having finally been able to get a grip on himself. All of those drinks had not had the effect on him that he had hoped they would, but that was so typical of him. Instead of becoming fearless, he had become a quivering crybaby.
He was hopeless.
And then he saw her kissing Tank.
Frances turned away. He couldn't bear to look. He wasn't going to cry again. He just wasn't. But he felt his heart shattering and shards of broken heart were sticking into every surface on his body.
Tank didn't even notice Frances enter the room. He was still reeling from the shock of being kissed by Kendall, right there in the hallway. Just like that.
Kendall just smiled, and then walked away.
Frances glanced back at them, and after she left, he spoke to Tank.
"Who was that?" He tried not too look too embarrassed. Or disappointed.
"Oh, nobody. Just some girl I went to high school with." Tank shrugged. "No big deal." Had Frances seen them kissing? Tank wasn't sure. Frances had a way of creeping up on you as quietly as a mouse. Tank felt a little embarrassed to think that he may have been watching them. He didn't want to push that sort of thing into anyone's face, and it didn't seem like Frances was having much luck for himself with the ladies.
"Oh... okay." Frances puzzled, but knew that Tank wouldn't tell him the full story unless he was good and ready. And why would Tank have been kissing her if she was just "some girl"? Frances' heart sank.
This hadn't been part of his plan.
Music is, again, Royal Trux: I'm Ready and Ray O Vac.