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Bullets in a Music Box

St. Paul, MN [Part Two]

Inside the hotel room it was warm and comfortable, but outside, it was cold and snowing. I sat on the arm chair by the window, on my computer, while Andy was at the magazine interview. IT was cute, actually. This morning he got up and left, leaving me to sleep. Normally I would be pissed off, I came on this tour to experience it all. But Andy left me a really cute note and a bag of skittles, with a teddy bear, on the mini fridge for me to find when I woke up. Andy knows me so well that he got me the Darkside Skittles. I was smiling and munching on them as I shopped online for a bracelet to give Charlie. It needs to be special and mean something. As I was looking through the products, the door to the room opened and I looked up to see Andy and Ashley walking in.

"Morning," Andy smiled and I watched him.

"Thank you for the skittles," I said. He looked at me with a soft smirk and then he sat on the bed.

"You can never go wrong with Skittles. So I am free until five," he said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Really," he answered. I closed my computer and he watched me.

"What are you planning?" I asked.

"'Well, it is Valentine's Day, and there are restaurants in St. Paul. I might have gotten us a reservation somewhere fancy," he said.

"Are you saying that we are getting lunch? I asked.

"Maybe," he said. I set my computer next to me on the table and got off of the chair. I walked over to Andy and gave him a kiss before turning to my suitcase.

"When are we going?" I asked.

"As soon as you get dressed," he said. I sighed before rummaging through my clothes and finding a skirt and long sleeve shirt before running to the bathroom to jump in the shower really quickly. Once I was done with that, I got dressed and did my make up quickly. I walked out of the bathroom and saw Andy was wearing normal person clothes, as in a pair of his jeans, and a short sleeved button down white shirt and a black tie. He was putting on a leather jacket when I walked out of the bathroom. I grabbed my shoes and pulled them on before looking at Andy again.

"You shower fast when you are hungry," he said.

"It's not that I am hungry, it's that I am happy to be spending Valentine's Day with you," I smiled and grabbed a red cardigan and pulling it on. Andy shook his head as we both headed out of the hotel.

When we got to the restaurant and were seated, I was surprised at how fancy the restaurant was. It had low lighting, even in the middle of the day. The color scheme was dark reds and grays. I crossed my legs under the table and looked at Andy.

"Tell me, are you having fun on this tour?" He asked.

"Of course I am, why?" I asked.

"Because you aren't sleeping well, and normally, when you can't sleep, it's cause you are stressing about something," he said.

"I'm stressing about Charlie as of the moment," I said.

"Which is understandable. What is going to happen with him?" Andy asked.

"He's being put in the psych ward, which, from experience, isn't as bad as people portray it. He just needs to be open with the therapists," I said.

"Why were you in a psych ward?" Andy asked as he took a drink of his soda.

"Because my mom couldn't handle a depressed child," I said.

"Oh," he said. I nodded and sighed.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing," I said. He kept watching me and then he sighed himself.

"Bull, something is up. What's wrong?" He asked. I looked at him and swallowed.

"I don't know, this stupid insomnia shit is pissing me off," I said.

"Do you want to see a doctor and get sleeping meds?" He asked.

"No, I just, I want to know why I'm not sleeping," I said.

"You're stressed out about things, that's why," he said.

"I guess," I said and watched Andy shift in his seat and then put his hand in his jacket and pull out a box.

"What is that?" I asked.

"I was going to wait until later to give it to you, but you seem like you need something nice," he said and handed me the box. When I opened it I smiled and looked at the words on the holder thing. 'let your necklace be a reminder that, like this pearl, you are truly one in a million. I love you.'

"Oh my gosh, this is really pretty Andy," I said and took it out of the holder and put it around my neck. It was so light but it was so pretty.

"I picked it out all by myself," he said really proudly.

"And I give you props, cause it's really pretty," I said and leaned over the table to give him a quick kiss. When I sat back down, the waiter came back with our food.

"Do I have any gifts waiting for me?" Andy asked.

"Maybe, why are you asking?" I asked.

"Cause I'm a greedy bastard," he smiled and began eating his food.

At around six thirty, I began to get really hyper for some reason, probably because I get to perform, again, but it's something else. I was jumping up and down and all around the backstage area.

"Hyper much?" CC asked.

"Yes and I have no idea why," I said.

"Had any coffee?" He asked. I shook my head and he rolled his eyes.

"Did you and Andy, you know?" He asked.

"No, and not that I would even release that information," I said.

"I can always ask Andy," he said.

"Ask me what?" I heard from behind me.

"Did you and Sadee, you know, before the show?" CC asked.

"It is Valentine's Day, and in the spirit of it, I am not going to answer you," he said and then turned to me with a box.

"What is this?" I asked.

"The second to last part of your Valentine's Day gift," he said. I grabbed the box and began opening it. The first thing I saw was the Batman logo. What did he get me? I pulled out a Batman shirt that had a cape. And to be honest, the cape made me excited. Then I pulled out a beanie, because I have no hair and I get cold. And that was it.

"A shirt and a beanie?" I asked.

"Yep, you'll get the rest later," he said. I watched him closely as he shifted in his spot.

"And you'll get what I bought, later," I said.

"Oh come on, I gave you skittles," he said.

"And they are awesome, but my gift is awesomer and deserves to make you wait," I said.

"I hate you so much right now," he muttered.

"Love you too!" I exclaimed and hugged him.

"Alright love birds, there is a change in the set," Jon said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Tyler called and he wants you Sadee to perform two of your own songs," he said.

"What? This isn't my tour," I said.

"I know, which is why you are going to perform these songs, starting tomorrow, as a mini opener for the band," he said.

"All of my songs are sad though," I said.

"Apparently Rayna, your niece, had a big influence on the decision," he said. I sighed and looked at Andy.

"I swear, if she is going to be a problem, I'm not going to be happy. I told her, I do not want to perform, I am a fucking songwriter, not a fucking singer," I was getting a little angry.

"I know," Andy said.

"What Tyler says, goes, sorry Sade," Jon said.

"I'm not mad at you Jonny boy, I'm just pissed at my brother," I said and pulled out my phone. He is going to hear my mind and I don't care what time it is in LA. I dialed his number and waited. Andy watched me as I sat down on a box.

"Hello," I heard.

"Hi, it's Sadee," I said.

"Hi Sadee, did Jon tell you the new changes?" He asked.

"He did, and I am calling to tell you that I am not performing any more of my songs," I said.

"Excuse me?" He asked.

"I'm not signed with that fucking label. The only damn song I recorded with the label is The Day You Left, and that was for Andy's side project. The other songs are mine, and I am not performing them as a damn opener," I said.

"Sadee, I know you don't like the whole performing thing, but if you hope to keep getting reviews on your song and keep getting downloads, you'll listen to me," he said.

"Hell no, because I am not under contract with that fucking label. I am a songwriter, and I told your daughter that. I don't know what kind of influence she had on this change, but I am not having it. I came on this tour to be with Andy, my boyfriend. Not to become a fucking singer," I said.

"Fine, then you can get off the tour," he said.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I asked.

"My label is paying for that tour, so no, I am not kidding you. If you don't perform two songs to open for Black Veil Brides, you can kiss Andy goodbye and get your ass back to LA," he said.

"Fuck you, for one. And if I am performing any songs, they are my choice," I said.

"Actually, no. You're going to perform the song you wrote with my daughter, and I want you to perform Where I Belong," he said. Oh hell no, Where I Belong is not my song, that is Andy's from his album.

"Where I Belong is not my song, and I will not sing it," I said.

"You'll sing what I tell you to sing. That Andy Black album is going nowhere, so suck it up and sing the song," he said. No, this guy is pissing me off so bad. Andy Black will be released.

"Fuck no. Andy and I worked too damn hard on that for you to not release it. No, I'll sing the song I wrote with Rayna, and I will choose the other song. But I am not performing any damn songs that are not mine," I said. He was quiet on the other end before answering.

"Fine. But if I hear you are not performing, I am going to ban you from this tour," he said.

"Just because you ran Warner Bros, doesn't mean you can become some dictator," I said.

"It's my label, I can do whatever I want," he said and hung up. My arm dropped and I was breathing heavily.

"What did he say?" Andy asked. I looked at him and sighed.

"Basically, Tyler said he isn't releasing the Andy Black album," I said.

"What? We worked really hard on that," Andy said.

"Exactly, he wanted me to perform Where I Belong," I said.

"You know, I'm kind of glad that Journey's is sponsoring this tour," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"Journey's is sponsoring the tour, you didn't know that?" Andy asked. I shook my head.

"Is the label paying for any of the tour?" I asked.

"Not really, except for the merch," he said.

"That son of a bitch," I said. Tyler is not going to dictate my life, especially when I am not one of his artists.