The Mistake Chapter 1

"Gustav's gone missing again!" Georg shouted from the bedroom he shared with the drummer. "He left without leaving us a note!"
Tom sighed and shook his head, his cornrows swaying as he did so. He glanced at his twin brother, Bill, and asked "Is he really missing?"
"Apparently!" Georg shouted again, leaving the room and walking down the small hallway of the hotel. "I don't know why he's been so quiet lately; sure, he was hit over the head with some beer bottles, but he said everything was fine and it's no reason for him to just walk out..."
"You go find him," Bill instructed, nodding to himself. "Tom and I could do some searching; maybe we can figure out why he's upset and confront him about it."
"Confrontation," Georg replied, weary from the very thought of it. "That's a great idea..."
"Just do it," Tom muttered. "Find him, wimp."
Georg glared at Tom, looking about ready to open his mouth and retort something. He instead nodded shortly and stalked towards the door, grabbing onto his jacket and heading down the stairs towards the front exit.
"That was kind of harsh."
"None of us are really morning people, Bill."
He shrugged. "Still, Tom, he seemed upset."
"Let's just do what we said we would, alright?"
"Fine..." Bill grumbled, rolling his eyes. He walked towards Georg and Gustav's room, his mind wandering to the possibilities on why Gustav would just disappear. It was 9 A.M.; nobody wanted to be up at this time except him, and usually he would at least leave a note or something saying he'd be out exploring the area.
Bill could hear Tom's feet thudding behind him. He's still tired, Bill thought, smiling to himself. Of course, so am I...
The twins entered the room, looking around at Georg's items strewn across the floor. Gustav's area was much tidier than the bassist's, but it was still not in the best shape.
"I'll look in Hagen's area," Tom mumbled, heading over to Georg's messy bed.
Bill shook his head. Of course he will; he wants to find some more dirt on him.
"I guess I'll look at Wolfgang's stuff." Bill walked towards the bedside table, glancing around at the items on it. The spare case for his glasses was sitting near the edge on top of a small black book. In silver was the word "JOURNAL" written into it. He glanced behind him at Tom, who was halfway under Georg's bed.
Idiot. But, it won't hurt if I took a look into Gustav's journal....maybe he wrote why he's leaving. I didn't even know he had a journal.
Bill quietly picked up the spare case and set it down onto a small part of remaining table space, then lifted up the journal and opened it, his back facing in Tom's direction.
Nothing too interesting yet...I shouldn't be doing this...
He shrugged and turned to the latest entry and read:

11-8-09
I'm still alive, luckily. Those wounds are healing alright...they still itch, though. Beer bottle wounds...of course it would happen to me. The "quiet, always-in-the-background drummer of Tokio Hotel."
This fame is starting to be a burden; this band is starting to be a burden. I've given up a normal life for a band I thought wouldn't get too famous. Of course I secretly hoped it would get somewhat popular but I was naive; I didn't think about the price of fame that went with it.
I wonder how everyone will react when I tell them my decision. I have to think it over, but I think I'm clear on what I have to do.

Bill dropped the book with a thud onto the floor. "He's quitting."
Tom crawled out from under the bed, looking pleased with himself. "I found some of Hagen's porn! He said he'd stop doing that; he lied! Now, what did you say?"
"Gustav's quitting Tokio Hotel."
Tom's face froze over. "You're kidding."
"Why would I joke about our drummer leaving!?"
"He can't leave. Stop lying."
"He wants to leave, Tom. We have to act like we don't know about this until he brings it up once he comes home....I think he's out walking to think it all over. Georg should bring him back; he might not have gotten too far."
"He better bring him back!" Tom shouted. "This band can't fall apart yet!"
"It can't ever just 'fall apart', Tom," Bill murmured. "I hear something."
Two sets of feet were heading up the stairs, both set at an average pace. Everything was at peace...meaning Gustav didn't tell Georg his decision.
"I brought him back!"
Tom's face showed all of the seething anger and confusion he felt as he took a large, forceful step towards the door. Bill grabbed onto the back of his shirt and hissed "You're not going out there like that. Act like you know nothing about this!"
Tom nodded and changed his expression to a nonchalant glare. "There. It's masked until he brings the topic up."
"Just go, Tom..."
His twin nodded and walked out of the room into the hallway that led to the kitchen, taking completely average steps. He showed no anger or tensity in the way he held himself.
Good...
Bill followed, trying to plaster a small smile onto his face. He had to try to be supportive, he had to try to be persuasive...
"We missed you earlier, Gustav," Tom muttered, looking at the drummer. "Where did you go?"
"I took a morning jog," he replied, shrugging. "Why did you send Georg after me?"
Georg was gripping his shoulder as if he was keeping his friend as prisoner. "We didn't want you to get hurt again."
Gustav froze. "Did you guys think I ran away?" Panic shone in his eyes; it was easy to tell he thought his secret was out.
"Not really," Bill answered, smiling. "We were just wondering where you were. We all know you get up super early, but 9A.M is late for you and we thought you might have been gone for maybe two or three hours so far...we were worried about you."
"Ah."
Everyone was silent. They all just looked at each other. Bill's smile was becoming more fake by the second, Georg looked like he was standing guard for something and Tom was beginning to look pissed off.
"Georg, get off of me," Gustav eventually said coldly.
He nodded and took his hand off his shoulder.
Gustav kicked off his shoes and went into the shared bedroom, slamming the door behind him without a backward glance at his friends.
"He's mad," Georg mumbled, looking down at his shoes. "Something's wrong..."
"Oh, we would have never figured that out without your help," Tom replied sarcastically, narrowing his eyes.
"Shut up," he snarled. He turned on the spot and stomped into the main room, collapsing onto the couch and turning on the TV. "Leave me alone, Tom."
"Damn right I will!" Tom shouted, heading toward the room he shared with his twin. "Useless..."
Bill was left standing in the kitchen, alone. He pulled up a chair roughly at the dining table (he almost knocked it backwards with the strength and shortness in the way he brought it up) and sat down hardly. He lay his head on the table and took deep breaths. The band couldn't fall apart now after all they'd been through. It just couldn't.
--
How could they've found out?! Nobody ever went through my stuff!
Gustav was pacing around his portion of the room, touching the new scars on his forehead from the recent bar fight. He glanced over at the table next to his bed; his glasses case was sitting there without the journal under it. His journal was always under the glasses case...But there it was, sitting on its own in another spot...And there was the journal, flopped open onto the floor! He seethed with rage; was there no privacy in this band!? He had to make the decision now: Leave, or not? Georg had cut into his walk before he could even begin to think of the pros and cons of either decision. Everything was becoming too much for him; his decision was made.
But how to tell them all when they already knew, he had no clue.
--
Georg stared straight ahead at the TV, watching reruns of shows he didn't care for and watching watered down commercials for old products.
Damn this TV station...
He was on his side, laying on the couch trying to forgive Tom again. The teasing Tom inflicted on him had never bothered him before. He was always so good at ignoring it...it never occurred to him that, one day, enough might be enough. He'd snapped at Tom, but he would never regret it. He'd have to make up his mind on what to do now...everyone was separated.
He couldn't help but wonder what Gustav was doing. Maybe he would check on him...or, maybe he'd get kicked out and make things worse.
It's better I not take the chance...
--
Tom was sitting on his top bunk, staring down at the ground.
What's happening to our band? Everyone's so uptight...
He swung his legs and pulled out his iPod, turning it on to some Eminem and Samy Deluxe. He drowned out all of his confusion with the music; it was all he wanted to do.
--
Bill sat there, his head still down on the table. He didn't feel like moving. His life, his band, was being picked apart from within. He didn't know how to patch up the holes.
Gustav needs to stay and everyone needs to stay calm and work it out...
Sure, the band had fought before; it's only natural. This time, however, seemed so much longer than all those other times...
--
"Georg, Bill...please stop sulking. I'm sorry," Gustav muttered from his doorway. He could see them both looking sad and pathetic in their own, lonely spots. "Somebody go get Tom; I don't think I could deal with that..."
Georg made a face at Tom's mentioned name; he sure as hell wasn't going to get that bastard... He continued down the hallway. "Bill, maybe you should get him?"
Bill lifted his head up groggily. His dreadlocks had bent at odd angles from being stuck like that for so long, but they weren't too bad. He stood up from his seat and turned to look at Gustav, who was leaning against the hallway's entrance. "Please, Bill?"
He nodded and walked over to Tom's door, knocking first softly on it. He received no response and decided to enter anyway.
Tom was still blasting his music into his ears, his eyes closed and his head bobbing with the rhythm. His feet were tapping in the air with the beats of the song while he lip-synced along with the vocals.
Bill opened the door and saw Tom's method of relaxing.
He's trying to get over this...
He nodded to himself and shut the door behind him before heading over to his twin and grabbing on his foot without any problem.
Tom's eyes popped open and he shouted as he lost his balance and fell off the side of the bed. "Dammit, Bill!"
Bill grinned but still had to ask, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, sure," Tom growled, scooping his iPod and headphones in one hand before standing. "Why are you in here?"
"Well, I have a right to come into this room anyway, but Wolfgang wants to speak now."
Tom's mood didn't improve much. "I'm guessing we'll be hearing his decision now."
"Maybe. I wonder if he knows we know."
"I doubt it."
Bill smiled and patted his twin on the shoulder. "Come on; we're going out there."
"Is Georg out there?"
Bill's smile faltered. "Yes, and he's not pleased. Deal with it."
Tom sighed and shook his head. "Fine...Let's go."
Bill opened the door and held it for Tom, letting him leave first before following after. He could tell that Tom was still mad and shocked about Georg's response to his usual joking; the way he stood still and stiff was enough of a hint.
Gustav was sitting in the only single chair. He turned the other couch around to make a comfortable circle for four people to fit. "Please sit here, you two."
The twins nodded and sat next to each other.
Georg was still laying on his couch, seeming resistant to speak. He avoided Tom's questioning looks and just shut his eyes, ready to listen to whatever Gustav had to say.
"I'm guessing you all know why I'm doing this..."
Bill nodded slowly, looking guilty. Of course he knew...
Tom's face was stony and cold, completely expressionless. He was waiting for it; his emotions were already flaming up again inside him.
Georg had no clue what was happening. Was Gustav taking charge of the band's tenseness? Sure, he could try understanding that.
"My journal has been read by one of you, and it was left open to my last entry. One, two, or all three of you know what's going on. Which one of you read it?"
Bill raised his hand apprehensively, looking straight at Gustav. "I thought, if I read it, I'd figure out where you headed to. I didn't know you had a journal until then..."
Gustav nodded. "You're forgiven for that," he replied, smiling loosely. "I mean, it's fine." He knew he was lying to himself, but he had to let it slide. "So, you know about what I wrote. Who did you tell?"
Tom looked down at his shoes and raised his own hand in defeat. "I know, Gustav. I'm not happy about what you wrote."
Georg's face was turning red. Everyone knew what was going on except for him!?
It's nothing knew he thought bitterly.
"So...Georg, you're the only one who doesn't know?"
"No, I don't know," he replied coldly, a sharp edge in his voice. "Of course not."
"Well...I wanted to quit the band."
Georg's expression turned from cold to frantic. "What!?"
"I wrote it in my journal. Bill read it, he told Tom, and apparently it never got to you..."
"Tom didn't pass it on."
"It's not my responsibility to do so!" Tom shouted, glaring at Georg. "What's your problem?"
"My problem is you," he grumbled, his eyes narrowed.
Bill gripped his twin's shoulder tightly. "Stop, Tom."
"He's the one who started this and I should stop!?"
"Just quit, Tom."
His twin shrugged his way out of Bill's grip and stood up. He went over to a nearby wall and leaned against it. "I'll listen over here. Continue, Gustav."
"Uh...I took a walk to think it over, but I was summoned back here. I'm sorry I got mad; I wasn't happy about not getting time to think everything over before coming back. I thought about this in my room and reached a decision..." He glanced at everyone before continuing, "...I'm leaving Tokio Hotel."