BETA by Halo140


BURNING EMBERS


DISCLAIMER: Characters used are from the Fifty Shades Trilogy belong to EL James. Characters from the Lithium Springs series belongs to Carmel Rhodes. The plot is highly influenced by "The Rockers" series written by TA Browning. At times I have used some dialogue from the same series.

I own nothing. Enjoy

missmusicteach


CHAPTER TEN: PINKY SWEAR

Christian

Ana has been a little reserved around me over the last few days. Ethan made it clear that she was on her period. I swear she was the period ninja never showing physical signs only the signs for the noticeable chick whisperer to identify. Deep down I thought she had found out about Lizzie, but all the guys made it clear they had not said a word to her. Honestly it doesn't matter now. We're history.

Now off to see our birthday girl.

"Happy birthday, Annie!" Elliot exclaimed, pinching her cheeks.

"Owie." Annie giggled, rubbing her sore face.

"What is the one thing you want more than anything in the world?" Ethan asked watching her every move just like myself. Surprisingly she turned to me and quickly rubbed her eyes again.

It was 7:00am and we were all gathered around our no longer little girl but grown woman. Legal and eighteen Annie. The day had just began and we didn't have any other commitments until sometime tomorrow depending on sound checks for the performance. So for now we are all hers.

Ana was huddled on the couch wrapped in her fluffy pink blanket. Her hair was in every direction other than down, a complete birds nest, in no contrast to all those years ago when I met a very sad lonely four year old. Ana had on tight pajamas, horizontal striped with two shades of pink, all her skin was covering except three buttons had popped open and little rounds of her breasts were visible. Ana eventually stretched and resting her tired self on Ethan. Both Elliot and Luke began to rub her feet to start the day. I just stood back watching with jealously.

"Hey I didn't know you too had a foot fetish?" Ana giggled.

They both looked at each other with a smug grin "Nope." But they laughed in unison.

"Please stop it's a little… weird." And just as quickly as they started they pulled away.

But it was difficult and bittersweet hell for me having her so close, being next to Ethan, I could smell the scent of her shampoo and lotion… it was subtle but no less seductive to my senses. But she was giving off this back the fuck off vibe. So I didn't touch.

"I have everything I want right here." She turned to me again, then formed a straight lip, and continued to curl her head more into Ethan's chest.

I tortured myself. Thinking what I would like to do her like running my fingers through the ends of her silky soft brunette hair or touching her lips. But she was giving me the international chick sign DO NOT TOUCH.

"Baby Girl. What do you want to do?" I whispered.

"Nope already planned Christian." Ethan jumped up running to his sleeping berth grabbing the two bags I remembered from the other night's interruption.

I made my way on the now vacant couch next to Ana.

"Our girl requested several things…" Ethan was fumbling through the two bags. "Nails, facials, booze, movies…" He held up several small bottles of polish, a few foil packet facial and DVDs. "And the rest we will need to get later… ice-cream, pizza and tattoos." She smiled at Ethan where I grimaced.

"Really booze… you're not twen—"

"Shut up… they are only baby bottles." Ethan shook them, and he was right he had about six, maybe seven of varying poisons. Vodka, Gin, Whiskey, Bourbon, Rum and Tequila. They would have to be 1.5 oz each if you're lucky.

"Ok… are they just for you?" I pointed to the bottles of booze then Ana.

"No, to share silly." She laughed. Okay so they are just tasters. Good girl.

"I'll just grab my own K, Annie." Luke laughed alone. It most definitely wasn't a joke he drinks too much.

"And a tattoo. Really? You want a tattoo?" I questioned, had she thought it through?

"No… I mean yes, we all are getting tattoos."

"Please say we get to choose where they go?" Luke hurried his words.

"Yes… don't worry you wont see any blood."

"Well that's a fucking relief" Elliot fell on the floor in a heap, letting out a huge sigh.

Yep those two are hopeless when it comes to blood.

She lifted her arms yawned and gave a stretch and fell in my lap. I thought I was going to turn to granite, but I tried to think of things which would make the Pope go limp. Images of hauling cow manure, Elliot dancing in a tutu and channel 6 male new anchor who's in his 60s or Lizzie came to mind. Thank God I was safe for now.

She shrugged sitting up and her breast brush against my bicep. "I'm looking forward to what Ethan has in store." She yawned again. "But I just want it simple… you did get the movies?"

"Ah huh. 500 Days of Summer, The Graduate, The Perks of being a Wallflower and My Girl."

Ana clasped her hands together and I could tell she was excited.

"Really My Girl? Shit." I groaned, I remember the movie well… the others I'm not too familiar with.

"So let's get my official festivities started!" She smiled and jumped straight to the DVD player.

…..

I hate My Girl. I really do. I know I'm a rocker… a hardcore guy, but it makes me cry every fucking time. For starters it's a sad movie, not because little girl her surname is Sultenfuss or that her mother is dead. There are too many of us in the same boat but this doesn't make me cry. It's not that her dad is finding a new chick to love or because of this chick she feels her mom is being replaced… it's bees. Damn fucking bees.

"Umm are you crying Christian." Elliot chuckled.

I sniffed and rubbed my nose over my arm. Not my best move but I'm trying to cover my endless tears.

"He totally is." Luke sniggered. "Just like when we were eleven." He continued to laugh.

"Shut up guys, I'm trying to watch. Christian grow up, it's only a—" her breath hitched and I could see her tears falling "A movie… an old movie. A really sad movie." And like that she snuggled to Ethan again. Maybe I was crying because she should be snuggling to me. Nope I'm totally kidding myself, it's those fucking bees.

This is so deep… too deep for 9am on a Friday.

…..

"Nails boys!" Ana squealed holding up various little bottles of varnish.

"Totally bagsing the black." Elliot hollers and grabs the polish from Annie's fingers. "Oooh it's called licorices… nice." He began to shake the bottle, constantly rattle it like a fucking maraca. Here we go the eldest… twenty-nine going on toddler.

"Oooh it's purple" Ethan grabbed the small bottle and turned it over… "Nope Devil's Advocate… Fuck yeah. I'm totally going to be da boss." He praised the small bottle in the air.

"Nope. This is all mine. See-through for me." Luke tried to pull the polish from Ana's hand, but she resisted.

"Luke that's top coat… choose again." She giggled.

"Fuck. Ok this one…" He grabbed a deep blue. Luke turns it over and ultimately and looks like he's regretting his decision. "After School Boy Blazer… it's not even a cool name. It's kinda giving me the gay vibe, well…" We all laughed except Luke he had a frown on his face. "I need a stiff drink." And we all laughed again.

"I don't care." I shrugged I needed her to trust me again. She can do her worst.

Yeah so I retract my statement, I utter regret my I don't care. Ana decided to use five different colors… One for each finger… and with added glitter over the top. I swear that girl was grinning the whole time she was doing it. I guess it's her birthday so anything for my Baby Girl.

Ethan the chick whisperer painted Ana's a baby pink. It was very her.

"And where did you learn to paint the perfect nail?" Ana announced to the bus.

"Kate," Ethan smiled, proud as punch but it was evident he still misses his little sister.

The day grew into night and we had completed our nails, done a few black face masks and watched more movies. The food was amazing greasy pizzas with a mouth full of booze, honestly I don't think the ice-cream was necessary but Ana insisted.

"Ok guys, it's tattoo time!" Ana jumped and I have no idea how she has so much energy all us guys were done for the night.

We all hurried into a large taxi-cab and made our way to the tattoo parlor.

Once the design was brought to our attention, I wasn't surprised with the small tat. It was an outline pinky swear design.

"We are friends forever and no need for secrets. So pinky swear we tell each other everything. No need to hide." Ana announced to us all, holding up her right pinky

It was obvious it was going over my chest, straight to my heart. Ethan and Ana placed theirs on opposite wrists, Luke had it hidden within his back design of skulls and flames, Elliot on the other hand had it on his right ass cheek. It was small so each one only took close to ten minutes.

Our way back to the bus we stopped off to McDonalds to get a vanilla cone each and we suddenly broke into song for Ana:

Happy Birthday

You're sorta special

You're getting older

but not much better

We all want to embarrass you

That's why we're singing this song

So happy fucking birthday

You're sorta Special

You're sorta special

OK maybe you are!

*NOFX - New Happy Birthday Song (lyrics slightly altered for the story)

And like that we all got the biggest punches in the gut and that's what I call is love.

"Happy Birthday Baby Girl!" We all yelled in unison in McDonalds.

…..

Saturday was in stark contrast to Friday. Ana just wanted to curl up on the couch watching DVDs but honestly I needed to practice and get a few things checked at the sound desk. She was shitty with me, but hey what's new?

After our performance was over I made my way back to the bus and all I wanted to do was try and snuggle up to Ana and eat the cold left over pizza.

It had been an awkward twenty-four hours and I wanted it done.

Yesterday Ana was being distant, shitty and a hint of bitchiness during her festivities. I know I'm male but if she was being subtle I didn't get it. All four of us were there and bending over hand and foot to make it the best eighteenth for our Baby Girl and everyone got thank-yous except me. Damn I had my nails painted with glitter for fuck sakes, I've kept the polish on just in case it was some kind of teenager girly test.

Since it's a new day, I've decided to start a fresh. As soon as I set foot on the bus I could hear Ana giggling. The giggles were joined by a deeper tenor chuckle, and my gut knotted. Honestly I felt my balls shattering and vomit seeping in my mouth. There it was again, jealously. I didn't know why it bothered me that Ethan was already getting comfortable with her. Of course I had planned doing the exact same thing but I hadn't put my best friend in the whole scenario for tonight. With Elliot and Luke off doing probably a list of groupies and I had assumed he would have too. As always I never truly think things through.

The night I had planned…well wanted some alone time with her, my Baby Girl. Well this was before she gave the whole shitty mood with added bitch. Ideally I would love to have her end up on my lap, but I highly doubt the scenario will play suit.

Making my entry like a herd of elephants I wanted to ensure they were aware I was coming. As I reached the doorway at the back, I found Ana in the spot she had sat for most of the day but she was snuggled up to him. Her head was on his chest and Ethan's arms were curled around her waist with her favorite pink blanket tucked around her legs. She looked like she was in bliss grinning up to him as if she was a child in his arms. But she no longer was, she was eighteen and a woman.

"I didn't think you would be back tonight, I thought you would be warming someones bed?" Ana said without looking over at me from where I stood in the doorway.

I grimaced, a little sick to my stomach that she was so familiar with my recent routine every night. "There was something better waiting for me here." I told her honestly.

"So not with Lizzie? Lizzie Fucking Thayer. You know you're girlfriend!" The blood drained from my face.

"Cat's out of the bag" Ethan said.

"Shut up Eth." I yelled at my best-friend.

"Annie… Ana."

"Oh no. I gave several opportunities, you had your chance especially last night." She held up her wrist with her new tattoo.

SHIT. She was setting me up… to fail. FUCK!

"I'm surprised you want to spend time with little Annie over your girlfriend? You know it's not my birthday anymore. You're not required to be here." She huffed crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm sorry. I should have been honest, plus we are over. I'm certain she was fucking someone behind my back." I rubbed my hair, fucking worried what else she was going to blurt out.

Ana muttered something like I know the feeling under her breath but I wasn't too certain they were the words.

"Sorry?" Now that wasn't the voice of a confident guy. Shit!

"Oh I know she was fucking around, I saw. It was Ell. I caught him the other night here on the bus. I guess he didn't realize I was here?"

"Oh course he would have known, you sleep at the back of the bus."

Her head sunk straight into her knees.

"I was trying to sleep in your berth, with the curtain almost closed. Elliot didn't think to look there." I was trying to keep an angry look but I'm sure it came out surprised.

"Why were you in my be—"

"Just don't ask ok." She shook her head.

"Please Ana, lets make up and be like the old days. I had a lapse in concentration and thought I would try something different. Any ways how is the now eighteen and one day old." I winked.

"Fine." She rolled her eyes, and I was tempted to say how rude it was but I bite my tongue. "There's plenty of room on the couch… move over you big toosh Eth." She grumbled to Ethan.

I wasn't about to turn the invitation down. Sending Ethan a smug grin, which he rolled his eyes at, I sat on the other end of the couch. Once I was comfortable, I did something that I had wanted to do all day. I pulled her away from Ethan, tucked her into my side, and kissed her forehead. "Happy birthday, Baby Girl. I've missed you."

…..

I woke with a warm weight on my chest. Something soft brushed across my cheek, and I blinked open my eyes to find Ana sleeping soundly on top of me. Ok she was partially on me, but I can dream.

My body grew harder, because yeah, I had woken with my usual hard-on after dreaming of this beautiful girl. Her sweet smelling hair caressed my face, tickling me a little, and I just barely bit back a groan. With a soft sigh, she shifted, not disturbed by my slight movements. She had fallen asleep with one or the other of us over the last few years so this was nothing new to her. For me, however, it was a mixture of heaven and hell. But I chose to enjoy this moment rather than let it make me miserable.

The last thing I remembered was Ethan turning in for the night around three o'clock. The bus was about to leave, and Elliot and Luke had been in bed for more than an hour by then. With both of us getting tired but not ready to head off to bed just yet, I had turned on another movie and stretched out on the long couch. Ana hadn't even asked before lying down beside me. As tiny as she was she didn't take up much room, and I had held onto her tight as the bus had pulled out into traffic and the opening credits started.

The movie hadn't been over before I had drifted off, still holding her close. She must have done the same, and then rolled on top of me in her sleep. Content for the moment, I ran my fingers over the soft skin of her bare arm, loving how silky it was. Goosebumps popped up as I continued the slow caress.

Knowing that, at least in her sleep, she liked my touch thrilled me on a dark level, and I hated myself all over again. I couldn't do this. She trusted me, loved me as a friend and nothing more. She deserved better than what I could ever give her. I knew how hard it was to keep a meaningful relationship going when you were a rocker. I had watched the friends I had made over the years go through one horrible breakup after another.

Any stupid ideas that I might have harbored the day before were just that—stupid. Besides, I was sure that she didn't want the same thing. She hadn't so much as hinted that she even liked me as more than a friend.

Deflated, I moved so she was lying beside of me on the couch instead of on top of me. Ana's deep blue eyes snapped open and she frowned up at me. "Okay?"

My lips lifted in a half smile. "Yeah, just thinking." I pulled her close, tucking her head under my chin.

"Hopefully not about Lizzie."

"Never again."

I was actually thinking about my so called longest ever fucking girlfriend lasted close to three months. Where my longest ever secret is now creeping towards fourteen years.

I'm so fucked.


AN:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - NOFX 2007. I changed a few lyrics in the chapter. Please take a minute to listen to this version of Happy Birthday. Found here - youtube dot com /watch?v=lD7LpAWJ9tg

Don't forget three updates this week THURSDAY, SUNDAY and TUESDAY.

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Thanks for reading. Please favorite, follow, review and PM any questions or concerns. See you on Thursday for "Chapter 11 - Tripping, Spinning, Falling." (APOV: Shit hits the fan at Burning Embers final concert before their vacay.)

missmusicteach