A/N
Here we go! A chapter with less Lissa in it! Hooray!
I don't have any life fail stories, so let's get on with the story.
Enjoy! (Still working on a better catch-phrase)
"Okay. So, like this?" Max played a complicated riff. We all stared at her. "I'm taking that as a yeah." The band was all practicing in my recording room, which Max said was pretty awesome. I mean, it was pretty cool, if I do say so myself, what with all the huge mirrors and masses of instruments piled against the walls.
"How the hell do you do that?" Gazzy asked in awe. She shrugged.
"Just comes naturally, I guess." Her eyes told a different story, but I didn't comment.
"So, for Saturday, what're we gonna sing?" Angel asked, tapping her fingers against her seat. Iggy hit the drums in time with it. Gazzy started beat-boxing. I rolled my eyes. Max saw and grinned, and began plucking at her guitar. Nudge pressed a key on her keyboard every few seconds. It slowly turned into a beat I recognized.
"Wish we could turn back time, to the good old days
When our momma sang us to sleep but now we're stressed out
Wish we could turn back time, to the good old days
When our momma sang us to sleep but now we're stressed out." I nodded to Iggy, and he started the rap. Max stopped playing after I sang the first line of the next chorus.
"Okay, it's official. I'm joining, cause you guys rock."
"Woop woop!" Iggy cheered.
"Don't make me quit already," she warned. He made a zipping motion over his mouth.
"Alrighty. Can we do Pumped Up Kicks? I just learnt it," Nudge piped up.
"Yeah, alright. Any other suggestions? Last chances, otherwise I'm making the list," I said. Max raised a hand.
"Hey, d'you mind if I choose a few? Y'know, just stuff that I know."
"Yeah, okay. If that's everything, you guys can go do whatever," I waved a hand at the exit. Everyone except Gazzy and Angel headed out the door. I quietly shut it, and took a seat.
"What's happened now?" I asked softly. Gazzy put his head between his knees, and Angel took a deep breath.
"He was drunk driving, and-" her voice choked up. "-and he got into a crash." I closed my eyes. I knew their dad was an asshole, but I didn't think he'd stoop that low. I ran my fingers through my hair.
"Are the people who were in the car okay?" Angel looked down at Gazzy, and put a hand on his shoulder. He spoke without looking up.
"A mother and daughter. Both in comas," he said dully. Then he glanced up. "We found him passed out on the deck. Totally wasted," he added in disgust. Sometimes, I thought my parents were bad. Well, parent. I'd never met my dad, and my mom was some hooker. But she truly did love me, I'd thought, because she still put in the effort to spend at least one day a year with me, doing whatever I wanted. I mean, sure, one day in three hundred and sixty five seems pretty bad, but at least it was something, you know? Gazzy and Angel had a drunk dad and a mom who was to anxious to do anything about it. Except divorce him, apparently.
"Crap. That's...that's bad," I murmured. Angel broke in.
"There was a man in the car, too. The father. He-he didn't make it," she said, her lips pressed firmly together so I couldn't see them trembling. I stood up and wrapped my arms around her.
"I don't know what to tell you, but you can both stay here for a while if you need to," I said. They both nodded mutely. Gazzy looked hesitant, then spoke up.
"Can we keep this between us? I don't want anyones sympathy." Angel stared at him, then turned back to me.
"Agreed. We keep this quiet. Please," she added quietly. I nodded.
"You know where the guest rooms are. I'll come up and get you for dinner." Since they stayed with us a lot, they were pretty tight with the rest of my family, and they knew my house like the backs of their hands.
"Thanks, Nick," Angel said, before exiting with Gazzy. I stood by the door, looking at the ground. Life really wasn't fair, sometimes. Good things happened to the worst people, while the good ones got nothing.
I fidgeted at the table. I was wondering how Angel and Gazzy were doing. I felt someone sit beside me, and glanced to my left.
"Hey, you seem...anxious. You okay?" Lissa asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Yeah. I'm fine," I replied. I totally didn't sound fine.
"You know, normally it's the girl saying she's fine when she's not," Max observed.
"But I am," I argued.
"No, you're not," both girls said (creepily, may I add) in sync.
"Maybe I'm not. But it's personal," I said. Max dropped it, but Lissa kept pressing.
"You can tell me about this stuff, Nick," she said, touching my arm gently.
"It's not my secret to tell," I answered briefly, and spotted Angel from across the cafeteria. I waved, and she did the same back.
"Hey," she greeted, sliding into the seat beside me.
"Where's Gazzy?" I asked her quietly.
"He stayed home." By home, she meant my house of course.
"Right. I'll see him afterschool, then. Where's Ig? I'm outnumbered one to three," I complained. Angel smirked, and pointed to my left. I turned, and saw Nudge walking quickly towards our table. "One to four? Are you serious?"
"Iggy was by his locker. I don't think he'll be joining us any time soon. Unless his food's more important than his relationship goals," she added with a knowing smirk. I processed this, and my palms hit the table.
"No way," I gaped, my jaw hanging open. She nodded, turning on her phone.
"Yeah way. He finally grew a pair and asked her out."
"Is this Tess?" Lissa piped up. I nodded. "Great. She owes me a sundae, then."
"You bet on that? Why is everyone betting nowadays?" I asked to no one in particular.
"Cause they want free money?" Nudge suggested. I scowled at her.
"She said he wouldn't ask her out til the holidays. I said it would take three weeks. I'm closest, so I win," Lissa stated proudly.
"I shoulda made a bet. Everyone's made enough money off of me," I muttered.
"Hey, don't worry. People'll make even more on your wedding dates," Max put in 'helpfully'.
"Oh, shut up."
"Now, now, Fangy, if that's how you talk to girls, you'll be a lonely cat lady in twenty years time," I turned in my seat, and saw Iggy standing behind me.
"Really? I thought it was my best pick up line," I drawled. Iggy tsked.
"No, dude. You want pick up lines?" He slid into the empty seat next to Max. "Do you have a mirror in your pocket? 'Cause I can see myself in your pants." Max rolled her eyes at him, and pushed away his arm that he'd draped over her.
"Maybe you have eye problems," she said cheerfully. He pouted, and grabbed his shirt.
"D'you know what material this is?" He asked. Max shrugged.
"Cotton?"
"Boyfriend material," he answered, winking.
"Yeah, someone else's boyfriend," Max replied.
"Hey, now, we haven't actually made it official-"
"Neither have those two, that I know of, and look at them," she gestured to me and Lissa. Lissa and I. Whatever.
"Me and Tess aren't Lissa and Fang-"
"So you're admitting there is a you and Tess," Max quipped, raising her eyebrows smugly. Iggy looked annoyed.
"No, but-"
"What's this all about?" Tess asked, standing with her arms folded behind Iggy. He frowned.
"Your boyfriend was trying his pick up lines on Max," I replied, peering over my shoulder at her. She raised an eyebrow at the back of Iggy's head.
"Oh, really?"
Iggy turned around, and exclaimed exaggeratedly, "why, Tess! How's life working out for you?" I shook my head at him.
"Dear lord, Iggy." Angel had her hands over her mouth, trying not to laugh. At least she was smiling. Then she leaned forward. "So, we have a problem."
Iggy looked confused. "We do?" Angel nodded seriously.
"We're down a bass player tonight."
"Well, where's Gazzy? Can't he make it for two hours?" He asked exasperatedly.
I raised a hand. "If you don't shut up, I think Angel's gonna kill you."
"Wise words," Max drawled. I turned to her.
"I know. I'm quite the wit."
Max's eyebrows arched. "Oh, quite."
"I could play bass!" Lissa said hurriedly. Then her expression changed. "Well, no, actually, I can't. But if one of the back up singers was gonna move to bass, I could do that." Max subtly watched her with amusement, then shifted her eyes to me and Angel.
"I think you're forgetting that your newest addition actually plays bass," she said. Lissa turned to me.
"You have a new member? Who?" Max's growing smirk widened. Iggy eyed her outfit.
"They might think we're going punk. Or emo. Gothic, even," he noted. While Max's eyes rolled, Nudge's widened.
"Oh my god! I can design an outfit for you and everything!" The look of horror on Max's face was priceless.
Lissa glanced at Max. "You're in the band?"
"That's right," she drawled in response.
"Huh."
"Can you do bass and vocals at the same time? 'Cause we had some songs for you," I asked her. She flapped a lazy hand.
"You've got music next, right? You can decide for yourself."
I threw my hands up. "Well, that's helpful."
"You're welcome," she replied, winking.
I was sitting slouched in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs in the music room. Max, Nudge and I had left ten minutes early so we could practise without the whole rest of the class there.
"This one goes out to my adoring fans, and fellow band members," Max spoke into the mic, while I rolled my eyes. "This is Break Your Little Heart by All Time Low. Hope you enjoy!" She added, winking. Nudge was grinning beside me, and whispered, "I like this girl."
At the end of Max's performance, we had no doubt that she could sing and play bass at the same time. Then the rest of the class filed in.
"Oh, Max! Would you like to give us a performance, since you're already on stage?" Mr Grenly asked. She looked at him in...fear?
"Uh, no. Thanks. I'm good." She quickly hopped off the stage, and took the seat next to me.
"Close call," I observed. She scowled at the front of the room.
"You don't say."
"I believe I just did." Her eyes snapped to me, then rolled.
"Wow, you're a genius," she deadpanned.
I grinned. "'Course I am. I'm in AP classes."
"AP meaning Annoying Prick?" I shook my head. "Abnormally Pig-headed?"
"You're a terrible guesser."
"Why thank you. I try."
At the gig, I knew something was wrong the moment I stepped in. Why? The following reasons may mean that something odd is happening at your local gig:
1. Everyone's quiet.
2. No one's touching their food (major no-no)
3. Two people are yelling at each other
Gazzy and Angel were facing each other on the stage. Everybody's heads were twisted towards them. I had a bad feeling about this.
"You're going back to his house? You'll be killed!" Gazzy was yelling, hands gesturing frantically. Angel stared at him.
"He's family, Gazzy. I have to try."
"I quit trying when he ran that stupid light! He'll hurt you, Ange. You can't."
Angel didn't look at her brother, and kept her voice even. "Gaz...I just, have to go back. I have a feeling."
"You and your freaking feelings," he muttered, then straightened. "Fine. Do what you want. Don't say I didn't warn you." He jumped off the stage, and brushed past me, heading out the door I'd just entered. The crowds eyes turned to me. I looked at Max.
"You still good to play bass?" I asked solemnly. Wordlessly, she nodded. I unzipped my guitar case. "Let's play."
After our gig, I stood alone on the stage, watching the majority of people leave the café. I was worried about Gazzy. Angel, I knew, could handle herself, but Gazzy could be...impulsive.
"It'll be okay." I spun, and found Max a few feet in front of me.
I shrugged. "What'll be okay?" She gestured around her at things that weren't there.
"Gazzy, Angel. All the other crap you have on your plate."
"How-" She cut me off.
"Trust me, dude. I know what inner demons look like, and for whatever reasons, you have them," she replied casually.
"What would you know about inner demons?" I asked, putting my guitar away.
She offered a sarcastic elbow. "Walk with me."
We were sitting in a park a block away from the café. I turned to Max.
"So. Inner demons, huh?" She gave me a dry look.
"Great conversation killer."
"Really. What'd you drag me out here for?"
"I dragged you out here because I feel like I can trust you more than the others. Besides, you were the only one there," she added jokingly. I touched my chest in mock offence.
"Wow. Feeling the connection, really."
"Shut it. Anyway...I don't know why, I just feel like I can confide in you. So, you're gonna hear my freaking lovely back story," she explained briefly.
"Sounds wonderful," I quipped. She hit my arm, and I yelped.
"Anyway. Tragic back story. Long story short, back when I was real small, my mom...disappeared. I don't know what happened to her. Jeb was a great dad, up until he left me and my brother, Ari, and stuck us in a foster care.
"I rebelled, and now I realize what a stupid idea that was, because every time I stepped out of line, they'd beat me. I'd always stand up for the underdog, and that didn't work out. A few years later, they took me away. Said I was too unstable. I thought I was going to a shrink, but no. Instead, I get a science lab where I get injected with tester drugs."
I held up a hand. "Woah. Crap, that's horrible, but...again, why are you telling me all of this? We barely just met," I pointed out. Max shrugged.
"Like I said, I kinda feel like I've known you longer. Which is really weird and stalker-ish, but hear me out, okay? I just...want someone to know. Lift some of the burden, you know?"
"Okay," I chuckled.
"So, to shorten the hell I went through then, basically, I nearly died a bunch of times, got a couple weird mutations, little bitta rain damage, the usual sci-fi movie crap.
"Then Daddy Dearest decided to come pull me out, and he gave me to this other family. I mean, it doesn't sound too dramatic, but believe me...ugh," she shivered. I stared at her incredulously.
"'Not too dramatic?' Holy hell, that's frickin' terrible!" I exclaimed. She shrugged indifferently.
"Maybe it is. That was in the past." I decided I knew enough about her, but she knew nothing about me.
"My mom was a crack addict," I started. Max's eyes flicked in my direction, but she didn't say anything, so I continued. "I met her a couple times. She always visits me at least once a year. Dunno who my father is. Apparently they never identified him, and there were several candidates. So I moved in with my aunt. That...didn't work out too well. I got sent to live with my uncle and cousin, aka Nudge. Been there ever since."
"Why-" I interrupted her.
"I'm saying that everyone has some kind of tragedy in their lives, even if it's not as bad as yours. And nearly everyone has lost loved ones. So they can empathize. Just...know you're not alone, yeah?"
She gave me a level look. "That was...deep."
I shrugged one shoulder. "Hey, that's what I'm all about. Deepness."
"Hallmark moment lost," Max snorted. "But thanks, Fang."
"No problem," I replied. We sat there, staring at the sunset, for at least an hour. Not talking, just thinking.
And it wasn't all that bad.
Sorry about most of it being based around Gazzy and Angel, but it's what I felt like writing, soo...yeah. But I do have a plot around it! Kinda.
Also, do you guys want me to just work on maybe two of my fanfics and update them faster, or just stick to random sporadical updates on all of them?
See you next time,
HV
