Credit for the lyrics in italics goes to Daughtry, in the song Life After You, album Leave This Town
January 1
All that I'm after is a life full of laughter; As long as I'm laughing with you. I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after, after the life we've been through. 'Cause I know there's no life after you.
14-year-old Avery Parker turned the radio down as she and her friend pulled into the driveway. "Thanks Bree!" She yelled, jumping out of the car. Bree Jennings, her best friend, was one of the prettiest girls in the school, but marred her image with what she wore to school everyday. She stood out, but not in a bad way or a good way. Avery just blended. Avery swung her backpack out of the car. "See you Sunday, right? The big game?" Avery asked, and Bree nodded, snapping her gum. It always drew Avery crazy, but she put up with it. The two girls played soccer on the school team, and had one game left to see if they could make it to the championships. "Bye Ava!" Bree screamed as she pulled out of the driveway. Avery nodded, and walked into her house, slamming her backpack on the counter and grabbing a cookie off of the rack as she walked by, just as her mom walked in. "Those are for Jeff's band!" Right. Because her little brother (by 2 minutes) had to be in a band that always made it a tradition where they had cookies every day during break. Jeff stumbled down into the kitchen. "Hey Ava." He mumbled, yawning. Jeff had missed school due to band practice (all the other boys had already dropped out). Ave smiled at her brother. Even though they were twins, they didn't seem to fight a lot. Typically they just got each other cookies and smiled. Neither of them were big talkers. Three other boys followed behind: Luke, the lead singer of their band, Calum, the bass guitarist, and Michael, the guitarist. Jeff was the drummer. Luke's hair was messed up, and Avery laughed silently at him. Calum noticed her. "Oh. Uh, Avery, right?" She sighed. Her brother had been with them for four months and still none of them really knew about her. "We were going to practice in the garage, so you have to move our car." Jeff added. Apparently her couldn't move the car himself, so Avery set her teeth and grabbed her keys and tried to walk calmly to the car, get in, and close the door. Then she backed the car up a foot, and sent a triumphant look at her brother, who was laughing. He got it. He walked around, opened the door and let her climb out. Then he pulled the car effortlessly out of the garage, and jumped out, leaving the car in idle. Avery sighed and went to grab her keys. Michael had already set up the instruments, and her brother walked over to the drums. Avery did not want to stick around, and decided to go just to Starbucks or something.
Ten miles from town and I just broke down, spittin' out smoke on the side of the road. I'm out here alone, just tryin' to get home, to tell you I was wrong but you already know. Believe me I won't stop at nothin'. To see you so I've started runnin'.
Avery was at Starbucks, warming her hands on a chai latte. People milled around, but as always, nobody noticed her. She was too ordinary. A blond-haired, brown-eyed girl wearing a light blue ski had with a blue sweater and black skinny jeans and black Uggs? Nobody cares. She doesn't matter to them. Just then, Jackson August walked into Starbucks. Jackson was the kind of kid that everybody liked. He wasn't on the football team, but he was an outfielder in baseball. He wasn't dating the prettiest girl in the school, but his girlfriend was pretty enough, and sweet, too. Jackson himself was nice enough, he wasn't overly friendly, but he knew everyone, liked everyone, and everyone knew and liked him back. Avery sighed when his gaze passed over her. "Don't I know you? I think I do." Jackson asked, staring right at her. Avery bit her lip. "No. Sorry, I have to...bye." She ran out. Not that she didn't like him, she had a crush on the guy for three years, but that if he knew her, and they were friends, she couldn't hide from everyone anymore, and would have to be just like Jackson himself, because that's what everyone who was friends with him tried to do, so that they knew him better than anyone, and so that they too, could become popular like him.
Last time we talked, the night that I walked, burns like an iron in the back of my mind. I must've been high, to say you and I, weren't meant to be and just wasting my time. Oh, why did I ever doubt you? You know I would die here without you!
When Avery got home, that garage was full of screaming 14 year olds. Well, there were only four, but it sounded like there could be a hundred by the racket in there. "NO! I said NO! That lyrics' STUPID!" "Like your mom!" "Well, I don't care, I'm putting it down!" "NO YOU WON'T!" "I hate you!" "Then why are you here, in this band, now, giving me cookies?" Luke eventually shouted over the others, and they all shut up. Jeff took a step forward so the two were nose to nose. "I'm here because it's my house. I'm in this band because I like to play drums. And I'm not giving you cookies, my mom is. Oh, and I quit this band. It sucks, none of you can play, and we don't actually have any music, we just scream at each other. Good luck getting another drummer." Jeff spun and walked into the house, slamming the door behind him. The other band members looked at each other, then at Avery, who was backing slowly into the house. Then she turned and fled up into Jeff's room. "J?" She called, peeking around then door. He was on his bed, head in his hands. She sat down next to him, and smiled sympathetically, crying with him until they weren't sure why they were crying, or even sitting on his bed, and gave each other a hug. Jeff smiled and pointed at the bathroom, and Avery nodded and stood up. The band was right outside the door, and she shut the door and pushed through the boys into her room. Her huge Great Pyrenees, Cody, lifted him head and whined at her, and she put her arms around his neck, burying her fingers into his fluffy white coat. Cody and Bree were her best friends, and they always made her feel better, even if she was crying for her brother. Which she was now, of course. Avery couldn't help but go over the day. Last day of school. Check. Bree was asked out by Drake during lunch. Check. She accepted. Check. Brother's band practice. Check. Brother got kicked out of band. Check. She came home and felt awkward. Check. Now she is sitting here crying. Check. Dinner time? Nope. Movie night? Nope. Winter break. Check. Homework due in two weeks? Not until next week. Just then Michael crept in her room and she froze. "Avery? Can I have your number?"