Chapter 14 - He Said Goodbye

 

 

Jon could tell that it was going to be a good night.  The moon was full, and glowing bright and the mood on the shore is always a happy one - everyone loved the shore.  People were walking all over in bathing suits, and it was easy to spot the ones that were intoxicated.  The Jersey Shore was the destination many people flocked to in the summer, and the closer it got to summer, the busier it got.

 

The guys planned to meet at the Stone Pony since it was a night they planned to 'work' and they'd be able to sit in the back or outside if it was too bad.  They planned to meet before the band took the stage, so hopefully they could get some writing done.  Jon didn't expect hit songs being written right away, he knew they would need to get into each others groove's and see who was weak where and who was strongest where.  Jon was the first to arrive, because he was like a kid in a candy shoppe.  He wanted it all, and he wanted it now.  Richie was next to arrive, he spotted Jon, stopped at the bar, got a beer and joined his band mate. Jon and Richie talked shop and drank a couple of beers before Dave, Tico and Alec arrived. 

 

Sitting there, Jon punched Richie in the shoulder and said, "Hey, who the hell is Monica?" 

 

Richie threw his head back and laughed, "Dude, did she call you?" He's laughing his ass off.

 

"Yes, she did.  Why did you give her my number?" Jon didn't see the humor, but he wasn't pissed.

 

Richie still laughing, "Are you going to go out with her?  She's hot!"

 

Jon gets up to get a round of beers, watching the rest of the guys walk in, looking back at Richie, he says, "Yeah tomorrow night."

 

Arriving back at the table, Jon hears Richie telling the guys about Monica.  David has met Monica and has even asked her out, but she turned him down. 

 

Jon interrupts and tells the guys that he was ready to get to work.  Alec asked, "Can we have a beer first?  I just got out of work." 

 

The guys sit there and talk for a while.  Jon had the opportunity to tell the guys about his day with David Bowie and they listened to every word.  The guys have no idea how Jon just happens to 'luck' into things, and from the sounds of it, maybe they shouldn't care?  They all agreed to be in this band together, and if Jon's luck was the break that they all needed - they were okay with it.

 

David asks Jon, "Hey, where are you and Monica going tomorrow?  Did you make plans?"  Dave knows its none of his business, but they needed a subject change, so they could drink their beers. 

 

"We're going to see South Side down the shore." Jon answers the question, although he would rather get down to business. 

 

Time ticks away on the clock and the guys were able to get some details hammered out so when they met the next time, they would play together.  Jon wanted them all to learn Runaway and write a song or two the next time they met.  The band would learn Runaway easy, the writing might be the tricky part.  Finishing their first meeting together as a band, the five guys were able to relax a moment and enjoy the night life. 

 

Richie was always in search of the next best thing.  Tico was quiet and shy, being the oldest of the bunch, over time he will play the father roll to all of them.  And David worries about approval from everyone around him.  He knows his parents are going to be pissed when he tells them he's quitting school.  Medical school is all they talked about and when he crushes his mothers dream for him, she will be devastated.  Alec was a loner that tends to adapt to every situation with ease and when you put them together with the Italian drive - you have a rock band. 

 

Jon, tipping his beer, said "To Bon Jovi.  May the next 10 years be great ones and may we have awesome success."  All the guys toasted with Jon and took a drink. 

 

They are all having a good night asking each other the questions like, "What's the first thing you're going to buy when we're famous?  What kind of car are you going to buy?"  The questions were fun and a great distraction, so distracting that Jon didn't see Liz walk in the door. 

 

Behind him he hears, "Is this the reason that you don't call me back?  Because you're always out drinking with your friends.?" 

 

Slowly turning around, he looks at her and replies with, "Hello Liz.  What are you doing here?"  And he's thinking that she must have called his house. The only ones that knew he would be there was his dad and brother. 

 

"Why are you not returning my calls?" She snaps at him.  "I've called you many times, and you can't even bother.  Are THEY really more important than I am?  Than we are?"

 

Jon stands up, pushing his chair back with his legs, ""We?  Liz there is no we.  And I really don't want to get into it with you.  Not here, not now, not ever.  I am unable to forget what you've done."  He's pissed that she showed up and started this crap with him in front of his band.  "How can you not see that?"  And he walks away. 

 

She goes to follow and Richie stops her.  "Hey, leave him alone.  He obviously walked away from you for a reason, I really don't think he wants you to follow him." 

 

"Screw you Richie, what do you know?"  She blurts back at Richie and walks away in a huff.  Richie looked at his band mates and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say 'I tried.'

 

Liz found Jon outside smoking a cigarette, talking to another woman.  "Is this your new girlfriend?"  She screams at Jon.

 

With a look of what can only be described as mortified, Jon looks at Liz and says, "I don't even know this lady.  Go away."  And he turns his back to her.  Pissing her off even more.  Yet she kept running her mouth.  The lady that was standing there with Jon, on a public sidewalk even told her to shut up, but Liz didn't listen.  Jon finished his cigarette and walked away again.

 

Jon doesn't like to deal with drama and he knew that Liz was on the verge of creating a scene.  With that in mind, he went back inside and told the guys, "I'm out of here.  Crazy is on the verge of going mental."  And he threw some cash on the table and left. 

 

Once he was back outside he expected Liz to be right there.  But he didn't see her.  Taking a deep breath, and sighing heavily Jon walked to his car.  He gets in, starts the car and starts his journey home.  Since he's had a single on the radio, he stays loyal to WAPP and he turns the radio on.  Great tune from the Scorpions on, and Jon starts to sing along with it. 

 

Driving north towards home, he was happy with where his life was headed.  He knows that he's made some great decisions and he knows that he will have life by the ass in no time at all.  Jon Bon Jovi was meant to be a star and he will learn, fast, how much his success depends on the other 4 people he is in this band with.  A single doesn't make you rich and famous.  It opens doors and Jon knows that he will need some pretty solid help to get through the doors.  He knows he cannot do it alone.

 

Out of nowhere, with no warning and no clue he hears, "JON" behind him.