A/N: Hey, guys barely made the deadline for this one because there are three minutes to midnight here, and this is my New Year's gift to you all.
Chapter Nine
SHE
Monday I was exposed to Jason's questioning as he drove to school that morning. Inside I was wishing that I took my bike instead, but no, I just had to wake up late this morning.
"So are you guys dating?' was the first thing that Jason had asked me once we got into his Audi.
"No, we aren't. And could you focus on driving? I'm already late as it is." I complained. I wrapped my fingers around my travel coffee mug. Kiss' 'Calling Dr. Love' was playing in the background. Jason had a crazy obsession with Kiss, and I didn't mind. I personally enjoyed their music, but there music never actually like it applied to my life. But now, I felt that maybe my life was turning into one of their songs. But I was I falling in love? Hell no. There couldn't be anyway in the goddamned fucking world that I was falling in love with my friend…could there?
While I was thinking Jason was rattling on about how I should get back into dating especially after Red, and he kept going on, while I nodded my head and answered him at all the right times. And if it wasn't obvious that I wasn't listening to Jason then, I didn't really know what he was thinking. He pulled up towards the school, and I jumped out as quickly as I could, slamming the door in the process.
"HEY! We aren't finished with this!" Jason yelled from his Audi.
I had put my earphones in and I was listening to the lyrics and melody that Rich and I had come up with Sunday morning. I wanted to write a new song because I was feeling bored with all the songs we were already performing and it had been a while since I had written anything. I was tapping a beat along to the melody we had come up with and was trying to figure out a beat for Gar to maintain. I started to think about the guitar riffs, maybe with a bass and electric? The singing would have to be different from our usual style but I could adjust. We could use a key board for this if I could find a way to readjust the middle part.
Throughout my thinking process I didn't notice that I had reached my locker, but there was someone who had their arm around my shoulders. I turned my head to face the person to find it was Rich. He had his backpack slung over his shoulder, while my own bag was bumping against my hip. I pulled out one of my earphones, and turned my head up towards him. "When did you get here?"
Rich didn't seem to notice, most likely because he had stolen the earphone I took out and put it in his ear. His bright blue eyes were filled with light, as his fingers were tapping along his bag strap, keeping the beat. "Piano would sound great in this, and thread it through with some drums and guitar."
Rich was giving me advice on my music? In a way it made me feel somewhat irritated, but it felt nice to have someone on the outside to evaluate my music. So I just wasn't getting flowery comments on my music, even though sometimes I wished someone would just say it's all ridiculous and I should start over, but I don't do that. "Yeah, I know, thing is that we don't have anyone who currently has that role. And have mentioned that I really don't appreciate that you mentioned that?" I asked my taking on a dangerous edge.
Rich raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, I'm just saying, when you finish with writing the lyrics and get the melody and music together; I think it would sound nice with some piano or keyboard."
I took in a deep breath. I didn't feel like talking to him about our keyboard situation, it was just over done and either way, I knew that my brother would win. But there was no way I was going down without a fight. At that moment the bell rang and saved me from explaining my stubbornness to Rich. I hugged him around the waist.
"I'll see you at lunch okay?" I started to walk away, but felt him catch my wrist.
"Where?"
I tugged my wrist, and continued to walk to my first period class. "Where else?" I called out, and walked to history.
I hurried in, and stole one of the seats in the back of the class. I pulled out my phone and started to text Kori and Gar, telling them to bring some essentials to the Muse today.
I met up with Kori in the Muse as she juggled her history and maths textbooks in her arms along with the supplies that we needed for lunch. Her purple tank top rising up just high enough you could see the end of the rose tattoo that was inked there. She handed me the biodegradable shopping bag, as we both entered the Muse. I tipped the contents of the bag onto the table. Cinnamon, butter, eggs and Gar's two month old gym socks. Both Kori and I chocked instinctively on the foul stench of the socks, and quickly shoved them back into the bag, leaving the rest of the items on the table.
"Where did you find those?" I asked her, as we went to throw open the windows at either side of the Muse to air out the smell of Gar's socks.
"In his gym locker, where else? It pays to have his locker combo." She replied, swatting the air around her nose, as if she was trying to ward off the smell.
As we aired out the rest of the Muse, Gar and Jason walked in rolling in a huge industrial fan. Gar being the stupid one, rolled the fan in, only to notice that a) he had blocked the door, b) the fan was too big to fit into the Muse, and c) Jason was now stuck outside.
"Gar. I seriously hope that you bought that huge canvas cover with you, because if you didn't, you can clean up the mess, that'll we'll leave the Muse in." I threatened. "Oh, and did you get the water balloons and milk?" I added as an afterthought.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Gar managed to grunt out, as he pushed the fan out of the doorframe.
The Muse went quiet, as my friends and brother awaited my answer. I grabbed Gar's socks and the butter, smirked down at the noxious smell, and answered "Hell yes."
We stayed at the Muse for the rest of the free period. No one really wanted to go back to the library and do any type of school work. Instead we spent the rest of the time getting ready for what was about to happen during lunch. The moment the bell rang for our lunch period, we were ready and waiting and waiting for Rich and Vic to come around. Initiation was always good fun.
HE
When she left and headed towards her first period class, I was left slightly shocked. She invited me to the Muse, personally. She also added as a side note to get Vic as well .We were apparently both needed at the Muse today. From the ways acting, it was obviously something bug, otherwise she wouldn't have been the one to have told me. I met Vic in English and ran through reasons that she might have called us to the Muse. Did we do something to piss her off, or maybe the opposite, she could like one of us and doesn't know what to do and…actually that one sounded ridiculous.
Lessons went by faster than the speed of light. So here Vic and I were, at the Muse and not sure if we were supposed to enter or just wait outside. Just as I took a step to tap on the window, Kori burst through the door, holding a shopping bag.
"You have finally arrived! If you would, please follow me." She gave us a bright grin and started walking towards the back of the Muse.
Vic and I followed her, questioning silently why the hell would there...
Set up behind the Muse was a huge piece of canvas and an industrial sized fan. Leaning against the fan were a couple of guitars. Setting up a table and flipping through a clipboard were the Roth siblings.
Kori handed Jason the shopping bag, as he finished setting up the table, and started to load everything out from the shopping bag. I would have been able to see them, if Kori didn't use a spare piece of canvas to cover up the items. Raven was talking to Gar and writing things down, while inspecting some files that Gar was showing her. As he kept talking, he must of said something stupid, considering Raven looked up from the clip board, gave Gar a glare that was as hard as steel. He immediately shut up, and saw Vic and me standing awkwardly next to the huge metal fan. Gar grinned, and plopped himself down one of the many bean bag chairs that must have been set out here.
"Well, look who's finally turned up! Our guests of honour! Come on over, we won't hurt you!"
"Zip it Gar." Was Jason's retort.
By now everyone was sitting either on the bean bag chairs or they were hovering around the table with the mystery items. Both Vic and I didn't make a move, until I realized that setting up the instruments, a huge fan and a table of mystery items, and knowing their secret. Was this some sort of payback for finding out their little secret?
Jason stepped forward and grabbed both guitars. "One for each of you, don't even bother protesting. I know that both can play." He thrust the guitars into our hands, and sat himself walked over to the table.
Both Vic and I stared at each other. Were we supposed to lay something? Minutes passed, and the only thing we did was sling the guitars over bodies. We looked at each other confused, were we supposed to play a song to entertain them or something?
"Are you going to play something or not?" Raven asked monotonously.
"What are we supposed to play?"
Vic's question hung in the air, as Raven wrote something down on the clipboard and looked Jason. He got from where he was leaning against the table. He straightened his back, and cleared his throat, and with perfect clarity said: "Play something that has meaning to you. Something you click with."
Though the idea was slightly vague, I did have an idea of what I wanted to play. I turned to Vic who was still thinking of his choice. While he was thinking, I tuned my guitar up and started to finger the chords. The music was running through my head, before I knew it, I had started to play Temporary Bliss by the Cab. The lyrics stumbled out of my mouth without me knowing.
I come over
Quarter past two
Love in my eyes
Blinded by you
Just to get a taste of heaven
I'm on my knees
I can't help it
I'm addicted
But I can't stand the
Pain inflicted
In the morning
You're not holding on to me
I was able to the first two verses without any trouble, and everything was going smoothly. My voice was still the same, after three years of distancing myself from performing. I couldn't believe that my voice was still in a reasonable condition, especially after screaming and losing my voice after every football, basketball, whatever ball game.
Tell me what's the point of doing this every night
What you're giving me
Is nothing but a heart
It's a lullaby
Gonna kill my dreams, oh
Nearing the end of this verse I felt something fly into my mouth. I started to slow down and cough at the powder that was flying into my direction. But I kept singing. Continuing from where I left it.
This is the last time
Baby make up your mind
'Cause I can't keep sleeping in your bed
If you keep messing with my head
Before I slip under your sheets
Can you give me something, please?
I can't keeping touching you like this
If it's just temporary bliss
Just temporary bliss
At this point I could see that Raven and Jason were leaning in towards me. Why couldn't they hear me? I amplified my voice so it was louder, only to realize that I was being drowned out by the huge industrial fan. The powder that I breathed in earlier seemed to increase, and I choked on the lyrics as I attempted to sing. I had to push on; I needed to finish this song.
We were on fire
Now we're frozen
There's no desire
Nothing spoken
You're just playing
I keep waiting for your heart
(I keep waiting for you)
I kept pushing my limits, and as the powder decreased in volume, I only realized that it was cinnamon, it started to clog my throat. Though horrible aftermath of the cinnamon was annoying and prevented me from singing properly, the smell that came next, made my stomach squeeze.
I am fiending for the sunshine
To show our love in a good light
Give me reason
I am pleading to the stars
(Tell me)
Another verse down, I told myself. I innards clenched violently, threatening to rise up my oesophagus. The smell was horrific, as if it was year old mouldy cheese, combined with vomit and sweat. Who on earth could or would produce such an unholy odour?
Tell me what's the point of doing this every night?
What you're giving me
Is nothing but a heart
It's a lullaby
Gonna kill my dreams, oh
This is the last time
Baby make up your mind
Another verse down. I needed to take in a breathe, but instead of the clean air I was used to, I was swallowed by the terrible stench, that I swore made my eyes water.
'Cause I can't keep sleeping in your bed
If you keep messing with my head
Before I slip under your sheets
Can you give me something, please?
I can't keeping touching you like this
If it's just temporary bliss
Just temporary bliss
Throughout the remainder of the song, I had many unpleasant objects thrown at me, as well as breathing in and taking in the sight of some disturbing things. I was on my final verse, before I could finish and relax and take in some clean air, instead of the toxic waste that was currently surrounding me.
I can't keep sleeping in your bed
If you keep messing with my head
I can't keep feeling love like this
It's not worth temporary bliss
I finished with a sigh of bliss, as I sunk into the canvas, and the fan died down. I crawled towards the bean bag chairs, where Vic, Raven and Jason were sitting. Vic had a sympathetic look in his eyes, as if he was telling me: "It's alright man. You're alive at least". It didn't help that the toxic waste air was still around me. Once I had reached a bean bag chair, Vic handed me a bottle of (thankfully) cold water. I chugged down the entire contents, and panted as my throat cleared, as well as my mind and sinuses. I stared towards Vic who was currently patting my shoulder, and at Jason and Raven who were deep into discussion and smirked at they spoke. Even Gar and Kori, who stood behind the fan, peeked around the corner, as if they were waiting for a verdict. The next words almost sounded maliciously evil, coming from Raven's mouth.
"Next."
A/N: So I didn't have any time to edit this chapter, so please forgive me. But I would also love some songs suggestions from you; my readers, for the songs that the band performs. And I'll put up some song choices in the next chapter, so please drop a review and tell me which song you think the band should perform. HAPPY NEW YEARS GUYS!
Punzi \(^_^)/
