only the lonely // josh klinghoffer

ch. 6

"So the guitarist for the Chili's was in our apartment and you didn't wake me?!" asked Ashley while she scarfed down the pink sprinkled donuts that Josh had brought by earlier.

For being completely out of it last night, she was acting completely normal this morning.

"So weird. I cannot believe I didn't recognize him. God I feel so shitty," I said, letting out a huge sigh.

"Don't feel shitty. At least he had the decency to sit in our sloppy apartment and not say anything," she got up from the bed and changed into her day clothes.

I couldn't hold it in much longer. I blurted out, "So what happened last night after I left for the bathroom? I couldn't find you when I came back. I thought I lost you.."

She paused in her tracks and didn't once turn around to look at me.

"Frankie, I really don't know. I just remember that you were taking longer than normal, and I went to go find you. And that's it. I don't remember anything else really."

"Nothing? You don't remember Josh picking you up from the bathroom floor and carrying you outside?" I was starting to sound worried and I think it made her panic.

"Maybe I just had too much to drink. We did have like 7 beers, I think? Or was it 8? I don't know," she shrugged, slipping off her pajama pants and putting on shorts instead.

"I had just never seen you like that before. You were so.. out of it.. I was scared." I looked down at my feet.

"Frankie, just drop it. Now are we going to meet the peppers or not? I think you should wear your white shorts. What do you think?" she had completely changed the topic and the tone in her voice didn't sound so worried like before. As much as I wanted to know what happened, I left it alone. Either it wasn't a big deal, or she'd tell me when she was ready.

I sighed and nodded, letting her dress me once again.

"You look beautiful in red. Here, wear this," she tossed a red loose blouse my way. I quickly changed, allowing her to beautify me with make up and lipstick. We were both acting as if this was some kind of date. But I was completely nervous. And when I become nervous, I begin to second guess myself. And everything else.

He was probably just being nice when he invited us to see them. Maybe he didn't think we'd actually show up this quickly.

After Ashley dolled herself up, looking more gorgeous than ever, we left our apartment and googled where the studio might be. He said it wasn't far from here, but we were two lost girls in Los Angeles. Completely clueless to everything and everyone around us. I could stay lost forever with her. She was my best friend and soul mate, and I loved her more than I could ever love myself.

"Maybe this is it? It looks pretty fancy," she said, taking my hand and leading me towards a white all-glass building that was facing us.

"What if we get in trouble?" I said, worriedly.

"Who cares. Let's go inside," she dragged me inside the building and we wandered around like two lost puppies.

I was completely fascinated, lost in another world. All over the walls were vinyls of the Chili's albums that they released during their musical careers. Mother's Milk, BSSM, Stadium Arcadium, etc. I dragged my hand all along the vinyls, remembering how much I loved and enjoyed their music. I closed my eyes, thinking about the times where my dad would play the Mother's Milk album as I helped him clean the house every Sunday morning. Man, I really missed my dad. I need to call him soon.

So crazy to think that I was inside their studio. Looking at their work. Probably just steps away from their actual presence.

"It's so hard to pick a favorite, they all represent huge parts of our lives," said a deep voice from behind me. I snatched my hand away from the wall and turned around. I saw this handsome man with a dark mustache, with dark hair looking straight at me. It was Anthony Kiedis, the singer of the band. I was speechless.

This couldn't be a dream, right?