A/N: I am very ashamed to say that this chapter is barely over a thousand words. I rewrote it at least a billion times, though. I couldn't get the dialong just right, and when I did, there wasn't enough non-dialong. Ugh, I'm going to take a week long nap now.
Lenny, Thirteenth Street, 3:46 PM., Monday:
Carrie called me after school for band practice. Not unusual, but it was strange how she talked. Carrie speaks with a upbeat, happy tone. Early she had a tense, awkward air to her voice. I don't understand why she would should like that. Then again, maybe it's just girl stuff.
As soon as I arrive at the garage, Carrie abruptly stops talking. Kim and Konnie glance over their shoulders and scowl. Well, so far so good. Note the sarcasm.
Carrie crosses her arms, trying -and failing- to act casual. I can't take the tense air between us. It's heavy like an anvil, and so thick you could cut it with a knife.
"Is this about Laney?" I blurt out. Kim face palms and Konnie looks ready to tackle me. Carrie only nods semi-coldly.
"I can explain." My band mates stare at me.
"Okay, I can't." They roll their eyes. Carrie finally uncrosses her arms, and picks up her guitar. I wonder if she's going to throw it at me. She has that hateful glint in her eyes. No, maybe not, since she slides the strap over her head calmly.
"Whatever, it doesn't matter. Lenny can date whoever he wants to. It's not our choice or our control so let's just do what we came here to do," Carrie says. Konnie furrows her brow in confusion.
"Practice," Our bandleader spells out as she turns to search for her guitar pick. Kim gives me the, "I'm watching you," gesture as Konnie glowers, both stopping immediately when Carries turns to them.
The band has never turned on any member before. We Newmans are generally a pretty good team. This, though, feels like nothing I want even my worst enemies to experience. My longtime best friends have turned on me. My crush possibly hates me. (I'm also fake dating my sister, which I can't begin to explain how creepy that is.) The worst part is I can't tell them the truth. I feel my heart breaking.
Meanwhile, Carrie is destroying the garage looking for her guitar pick. Kim is fiddling with some device that I assume is a guitar pick locator, and Konnie is searching the fridge. I sigh and tap the blue haired girl on the shoulder.
"What do you want, Lenny?" Carrie snaps, not bothering to hind her malice. I hold out a blue piece of plastic with a elegant C engraved on it. She glances at me in a mixture of confusion, happiness, and anger, which I didn't even know was possible.
"It was on the table next to me, the only place you didn't look," I mutter sadly, pressing the pick into her hand. Carrie doesn't respond. I don't give her time to, anyway.
I leave the garage. I'm ashamed to say a few tears slid down my cheeks as I ran.
Laney, Riffin Driveway, 3:57 PM., Monday:
I walk into the garage to see Corey just sitting on the couch. He's completely calm, staring off into space. At first I think he's listening to music, as he often spaces out when he finds a good song, but there's no headphones. Corey is just…sitting there. I am officially worried.
"Hey, Core, what's up?" I greet. He jerks his head up and frowns.
"Traitor," Corey says quietly as he stands. Okay…that went downhill fast.
I grab my bass from its stand. Corey sidesteps me to get his guitar, as if I'm suddenly poison. He avoids looking at me, he doesn't stand within ten feet of me, and he isn't speaking to me. What could I have possibly done to make him act like this? I know for a fact no one stole his pudding cup this week. He called me at midnight last night to tell me.
Kin and Kon enter, giving me a glance over before whispering to Corey. He looks daggers at them, gripping his guitar so hard his knuckles turn white. Corey smiles at me, but it looks more like a grimace.
"Well, I think we should all sit down and talk this out," Kin announces, looking a little scared. I stare at him blankly.
"What are we talking about?" I question slowly. Corey scowls at the floor, his jaw tightening.
"You know what, Laney," He snarls.
"No, I'm afraid I don't know what, Corey." Kin looks between us and gulps. Kon backs away. Whenever Corey and I get into a fight, however rare it is, it's not pretty. They have the right idea. I would back down from Corey, but I really don't understand what's wrong.
"This is about him. We know your secret," Corey snaps. Oh, that's what this is about. Would it be alright to curse myself right now?
"W-what?" I stutter out. Refusing to face 'a traitor', Corey turns away.
"Dating a filthy Newman…What happened to you?" He sneers. I'm confused again.
"Huh?" Is my intelligent reply. Corey clenches his fist. He looks about ready to punch someone's lights out.
"Lenny," He fills in through gritted teeth, his tone like icy daggers piercing my heart.
I'm dating Lenny? How come I didn't know this? Oh, right, because I'm not dating him. He's my brother! But, I can't let Corey know, no matter how many times the voice in my head says it would fix things. It won't fix them. My life will get infinitely worse.
I have no idea how he came up with this insane hypothesis, but the saying is, "When life gives you lemonade, don't make lemons." Yea, that's how it goes.
"Yes, we're dating. I'm sorry, Core," I finally say, hoping he will shrug it off, smile brightly, and we'd continue with practice.
"Don't call me that," Corey says, slipping upstairs. That might have been the blow that hurt the worst. My heart sinks to my stomach.
Kin rests his hand on my shoulder as the first tear of many escapes me.
"He'll get over it, Laney."
"So band practice is canceled?" Kon asks, his brother glaring. I tear myself away from Kin's surprisingly strong grip on my arm.
"I've got to go," I whisper, my voice suddenly horse. Kon nods ruefully as Kin storms upstairs. I think he went to talk to Corey, but I don't know for sure. I run home as fast as I can.
Behind the Scenes...
Kon: Hey, why are Kin and I never in the behind the scenes?
Kin: Yea, we're in this story too!
Me: You're in now.
Kon: We are...aren't we? Yay!
Kin: Hi, people out there! Having a nice day yet?
Me: Dude, they can't talk to you.
Kin: Right...I knew that.
