Restoring Force

I thrummed my fingers against the side of the car door, my hand hanging limply out the window.

"For fuck sakes Remmy, hurry up!" I grumbled, letting my head fall back against the cars leather headrest in frustration.

"I'm fucking hungry as shit." I groaned more audibly.

"I know Kat, I know! I'm coming!" A voice, presumably hers drifted to me from the drivers side. The door suddenly propped open and I saw one slim leg hold it there, creating a wide enough space for her to pop her head through and begin unloading the stuff she'd bought.

"Jesus Christ." I mumbled looking at everything she had managed to acquire at a simple service station.

Balancing a cardboard coffee tray, she set down two, hot, black coffees into the cup holders at the base of her new stereo system.

Remmy's family had quite a bit of money, which meant she usually had nice *new* things. Don't get me wrong she made her own way, and worked a part-time job at a restaurant to pay for the things she needed in her apartment. But she never really struggled to get by, like I had most of my life.

Remmy was kind, with blue eyes and brown hair that curled up at the ends. Always making it look like she had just encircled it around a hot iron to get it's shape, but it was just her natural curls. She was beautiful, and being in her presence.. Well I was pretty jealous of her looks. But she was my best friend, and I loved her more than anything, which is a bummer because it means I would also do anything for her.. So that's how I, an antisocial bundle of hate, ended up here. In her car. On our way to Warped Tour.
~
I sipped at my coffee, and bounced my leg in anticipation to get off the road. I wasn't crazy about going to Warped this year. Of course, I knew the bands, and was a fan of the music, but I just never really understood the whole meeting them in person thing. I couldn't be bothered, quite frankly.

I chalked up not wanting to go to the venue as my whole issue with crowds.. Or groups of people.. Or basically the entire human race. What I'm trying to say is that I'm not a people person, and everyone knows that with one look at my black clothes and hard expression.

I don't really know how I'd describe myself, since I'm not too good at that kind of thing, but my hair's long, with the lack of a haircut, and at the moment it was dark brown, (recently recovering from a crimson red thing I had going on a week or two ago.) My eyes were pale blue, a tad boring, but my eyes nonetheless.

I really didn't like long road trips, they were always painfully slow and not very entertaining. I plucked up a bag of chips that had fallen on the floor when we'd left the gas station, and tore into it. Finally satisfying my hunger.

"Any better?" Remmy laughed, lightheartedly, smiling as she focused on the road.
"Much, thank you." I grinned back.

"Well, good. You're not you when you're hungry."

I raised a brow at her, "Quoting Mars Bar commercials, are we?"

She laughed in return and I shook my head in mock shame, turning my gaze out the window.
We were on our way from L.A. to Denver, C.O to see her favorite band play their set at Warped. It's all she had talked about last year, and I decided I'd had enough. So for her 21 birthday, I bought us two tickets and a good attitude. Remmy was speechless when I gave her the gift, she downright burst into tears, and threw her arms around me blubbering "thank you's." 110% not my jam, but hey, it made her happy.

-

We crossed into Colorado state and continued driving. I could almost see her bouncing with excitement, a goofy grin plastered to her face, just because.

"You're crazy." I muttered.

"Only for you."

"Ha. ha. I bet you use that line on all your chicks." She giggled and I followed suit, breaking down into laughter.

Remmy reached over and turned on the stereo. A song by We The Kings was playing. It was a little too mellow for my taste and I found myself itching to listen to my own music.

"Imma listen to my stuff okay?" I stated, already digging around my bag in search of headphones.

She hummed in response, "Okay. Do what you gotta do."

I felt a thin cord wrap around my fingers so I grabbed it and yanked it out of my bag, along with some of my purse-y type belongings.

I scooped up what had fallen and dumped it back into my mess of things, all while focused on untangling the cord. I unlocked my phone simultaneously and opened the playlist titled, "Best shit ♡." I was pretty good at multitasking when it came to music.

With the buds in my ears the first song that played through them was "Peep Show" by Sikth. One of my favorites for sure. I dozed off by the third song titled "The Depths," by Of Mice & Men.

-

"Kat? Kathrine?" Someone mumbled, touching my shoulder to get my attention. Pushing me lightly trying to get me awake.

"KatKatKatKatKatKat!" The same voice said, this time shaking me violently into consciousness.

"What!? What the fuck is happening!?" I yelled, prying my eyes wide. "What do you want." I wasn't really an after nap kind of person. Remmy knew that.

She chuckled. "We're here, cranky pants."

I looked around and slowly pulled the earbuds out of my ears. The spot where I slept on one, kind of sore.

"Where is here?"

"Denver, you hambag. Now, come on, and get your ass out of the car."

I groaned internally and rolled out of my comfortable seat into the thick, humid summer air. I was already done with Denver's shit.

Pulling out my bag from the front, I went around to the hatch and grabbed my small suitcase, before slamming both doors.

I reached down to the luggage at my feet, and extended the handle, the wheels clacking against the asphalt as I made my way to the front entrance.

Remmy was waiting near the elevator with the door open. "About time."

I rolled my eyes as the two of us loaded in and waited patiently for the beeping of the floors to stop, and for the two stainless steel doors to slide open.

Around the fifth beep they finally did, allowing some air back into my lungs when they slid back.

I followed close behind her until we reached the room, and while she fumbled with the key, I turned and noticed a tall man walking towards us from down the hall.

He didn't stop, and he didn't say anything, but I did noticed how he locked his gaze on the two of us as he walked by. And then, just before he got on the elevator, he turned back to catch one last glimpse, putting a hand on the back of his neck as he did. Most likely just to catch one last glimpse of Remmy. Everyone likes to look at beautiful people.

We walked into the room, and I couldn't help but feel that I recognized the man in the hall. He had quite a few tattoos, and well, his height stood out, a lot. He had to be at least 6'something. I was mistaken, I had to be, because we're in Denver, now, and not L.A.

"Hey, you alright?" Remmy put a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes, getting my attention back.

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! I'm good, sorry, just still waking up I guess."

"Okay," she smiled, "But just promise me you won't, you know, 'Drop Dead' before Warped." She waggled her eyebrows at me, before continuing into the Bathroom and closing the door.
I threw my stuff in the corner and flopped down on the bed. The fluffy, white comforter making a puff sound under my weight.

I crawled my way up the length of it and peeled back the blankets, slipping under the covers.
They were nice and safe. I rolled over and was out like a light, dreading waking up the next morning and preparing myself for a bunch of screaming, sweaty, teenagers.

Notes