Chapter One: Blackout

"Guess who's going on tour?" Jon said, peeking over at me as I put on makeup.

"Aerosmith?" I said, applying lipstick.

Jon rolled his eyes, grabbing my waist from behind, and setting his chin on my shoulder. "You look good without makeup too, Clover."

I shook my head, putting down the lipstick and turning to him. "Who's going on tour?"

"Her name starts with "K" and ends with "Mae."



"Me?" I asked, confused. I never thought the day where I'd be going on tour would happen, considering the fight me and Richie were in.

"Yes, you." He lifted me up in his arms, and looked at me, smiling. "I couldn't choose anybody else that I'd rather take."

I smiled, before pressing a feather-like kiss to his lips. "You're something special, you know?"

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say."

"It's only the truth, babe."

"Better get packing," he said, "we've got quite the trip."

I smiled, going into our small room in our apartment, and grabbing my clothes, my notebook, my scrapbook, and a camera.

"A camera?" Jon asked. "We won't stop very many places, I hope you know."

"I can't capture OUR moments?" I asked, looking at him in sadness.

"Of course you can! I thought it was for something else."

I handed him one suitcase, as I took my bag. "Well, are you ready, Freddie?"

"It's Jon," he said, laughing.

I rolled my eyes, and with a kiss, we were on our way to our new life on the tour.










Before the tour: 1980




It was my Senior year, as I walked down the hallway in pride. I spotted John Bongiovi, my best friend, watching me, and winking before I stopped by his locker.

"What're you doing tonight?" he asked, leaning against his locker, looking at me.

"Whatever you're doing, obviously," I smiled.

"When are you going to be my girlfriend?" He asked, looking at me and tilting his head, as people behind me mocked us for talking in the hallway.

"When Richie can accept it."

"We can talk to him tonight, alright?"

I looked at him, my backpack drapped over my shoulder. "Ready to go?"

I nodded, as he shut his locker, and we walked down the hallway together. It was our last day as Seniors, so I said goodbye, as the sun hit my eyes, and I pulled down my shades, my shoes making soft noises as I followed John.

We got to his car, as I set my backpack in, and climbed in the passenger's seat. John got in, and turned on the engine, it humming slowly.






John drove us to his house, as we waited in the basement for Richie and Bobby, and Dave to come in.

"It's not Dave!" John would always yell at me, playfully. "It's Snake!"

I would always roll my eyes. "He's always been Dave to me."

Dave, or Snake, as friends called him, was a few years younger than us, and John's neighbor. He had hung around with us ever since I had moved there, anyways.

Richie came sliding down the staircase, his hands in his pockets. "Clover!"

I put on a fake smile, as he wrapped his arms around my neck.

"H..Hi, Richie," I studdered.

"Clover! How are you, beautiful?" He smiled, kissing my cheek.

I watched John in the corner, his eyes looking at Richie in disgust.

"I'm g..good," I said, squeezing away from him.

He looked at me odd. "Are you okay?"

"Y..yeah," I lied. "I'm just, just tired.."

John came over to me, putting his arm around me. "Don't kiss my girlfriend."

Richie looked at me. "Girlfriend?"

I bit my lip and nodded. I wasn't sure what had just happened between me and John's friendship, but it had skyrocketed completely.

"You know I love you," Richie said, his eyes growing cold.

Johhn stepped between us, as I stepped back. "She loves me, Richie. You know it."

"You talk pretty big for a small guy," Richie said, as he got close to taking a swing at John.

I stepped up between them, but everything turned black.

Richie had hit me, instead of John.