Chapter 3
Summary: Buffy goes next door. Finds out where Angel and Andrew used to live and where their father is. Kind of harsh. Um this chapter could suck so whatever. Hey people go read 'Resolution' by Angelfirenze. It's really good and everyone should read it.
"Hi Buffy", Linda's warm smile was enough to drag me out of my foul mood. Something about her just screamed 'I want to take care of you!'. I mean she just seemed so nurturing and caring, the complete opposite of my mom. Much to mom's dismay I had abandoned operation tomato plant to come investigate the music drifting from my neighbor's house.
"Hi are Andrew and Angel home?" I asked putting on my best friendly smile. At least I thought it was a friendly smile. It could have just looked like I had to pee really bad.
"They're upstairs. Working on some songs. They both play guitar you know? They were in a band back home", I could hear pride in her voice but also regret. Did she regret that the boys had to leave their band? And where exactly was 'back home'? Peering around the inside of the house I noticed most of the boxes were unpacked and the place looked a lot better. There were a lot of pictures of Angel and Andrew all over the place. I had to smile at one; they looked about 4 or 5. Andrew was sitting on a bike and Angel had his arm wrapped around his shoulder. Lisa must have noticed me examining the pictures because she walked over and picked on up off the end table. It was of Angel, Andrew and two other boys. They were holding up a trophy and smiling.
"They came in second place at the battle of the bands s few months ago" she explained with a small smile. But her voice was still full of regret. Deciding it was none of my business I asked if I could go upstairs.
"Of course", on the stairs I peered over my shoulder and saw that Lisa was still standing there looking at the picture. The music had stopped but I could hear voices coming from one of the three bedrooms. The house was almost identical to mine in structure. The master bedroom was at the end of the hall, than the bathroom and then the two smaller bedrooms, which had a conjoining door inside. I knocked once and heard Angel mumble 'Come in mom'. I pushed the door open but neither was paying attention. Andrew sat cross-legged on the bed and Angel sat in a chair. Andrew had a large acoustic guitar in his arms and Angel held a thick notebook and was writing something.
"Um hi", both heads shot up and stared at me.
"Hey Buffy", Andrew said finally. Angel smiled and nodded in my direction.
"What are you guys doing?" I asked even though I knew. The walls of the room were painted navy blue and there was what I guessed to be Star Trek and Star Wars memorabilia all over. Action figures and posters. Even the bed sheets. I don't know why but I had a feeling this was Andrew's room.
"Working on some songs", Angel said getting up and grabbing a chair from under the desk which sat in the corner and putting it next to his. "Sit down", he said quietly pointing to the chair. I took a seat and looked over at him. He was staring at me. A lump formed in my throat. I wanted to look away but I couldn't. He looked about the same.
"Um hello???" Andrew broke into the conversation waving a hand between us. I could feel the blush work up my neck and into my cheeks.
"Sorry spaced out", Angel mumbled sending his brother a look. I had no idea what it meant but Andrew rolled his eyes and turned to me.
"Me and Angel are in a band back home," he informed.
"Yea your mom told me downstairs. I could hear the music from my yard".
"Sorry about that" Angel apologized quickly shutting his notebook.
"No it sounded awesome. I wanted to hear more". He looked shocked for some reason.
"We can't really play without the other guys. Were going to mail the music to them after we finish songs. We want to be able to pick up where we left off when we go home you know?" Andrew asked with a shrug. I nodded but then caught myself
"What do you mean go home?" I asked. Hopefully I didn't sound like some panicked freak. But what did he mean? He looked at Angel and then back to me
"Philly. That's where we're from. Our home" Angel elaborated. I still didn't understand
"But you said 'go home'. You live here now". Ok I know I sound like an idiot but the first cool people I meet are leaving?
"After we graduate me and Angel are moving back home for the band. Sunnydale is ok but it's not our home. Our band is in Philly". I looked back and forth between the two of them.
"Why can't you start a band here?" They shrugged and Angel turned to look at me
"Because Nick and Billy aren't here. The four of us have been together for two years. It's just.... that's our band you know?". I didn't know. But I guess they had a point. Loyalty or something. Besides they won't be graduating for three years. Who knows what could happen in three years.
"Why'd you guys move here?" I asked out of know where surprising myself. Lisa was a kindergarten teacher. I mean she wouldn't have to move all the way across the country to find a job as a kindergarten teacher. Something told me that this was a touchy subject. Immediately I felt bad but Angel turned to me. He looked pained and uncomfortable but told me anyway.
"Our dad.... our parents were divorced.... he had a lot of problems. Drugs and stuff. He killed himself four weeks ago. We didn't have much money. My uncle gave my mom a loan and told her to move away, start over". Andrew got up and leaned his guitar against the wall. I had no idea what to say. I mean that's harsh. There was nothing I could say to make it seem all right. Angel smiled at me sensing how uncomfortable I was and cocked an eyebrow. It was so cute I almost could have shrieked like a 12-year-old girl at an Nsync concert. But I didn't. Thank God.
"What do you do for fun around here?" he asked. I shrugged
"There isn't much fun.... we could go to the arcade" I suggested. They looked at one another. Have I mentioned how funny it is when they look back and forth at one another like that?
"Let's go".
Summary: Buffy goes next door. Finds out where Angel and Andrew used to live and where their father is. Kind of harsh. Um this chapter could suck so whatever. Hey people go read 'Resolution' by Angelfirenze. It's really good and everyone should read it.
"Hi Buffy", Linda's warm smile was enough to drag me out of my foul mood. Something about her just screamed 'I want to take care of you!'. I mean she just seemed so nurturing and caring, the complete opposite of my mom. Much to mom's dismay I had abandoned operation tomato plant to come investigate the music drifting from my neighbor's house.
"Hi are Andrew and Angel home?" I asked putting on my best friendly smile. At least I thought it was a friendly smile. It could have just looked like I had to pee really bad.
"They're upstairs. Working on some songs. They both play guitar you know? They were in a band back home", I could hear pride in her voice but also regret. Did she regret that the boys had to leave their band? And where exactly was 'back home'? Peering around the inside of the house I noticed most of the boxes were unpacked and the place looked a lot better. There were a lot of pictures of Angel and Andrew all over the place. I had to smile at one; they looked about 4 or 5. Andrew was sitting on a bike and Angel had his arm wrapped around his shoulder. Lisa must have noticed me examining the pictures because she walked over and picked on up off the end table. It was of Angel, Andrew and two other boys. They were holding up a trophy and smiling.
"They came in second place at the battle of the bands s few months ago" she explained with a small smile. But her voice was still full of regret. Deciding it was none of my business I asked if I could go upstairs.
"Of course", on the stairs I peered over my shoulder and saw that Lisa was still standing there looking at the picture. The music had stopped but I could hear voices coming from one of the three bedrooms. The house was almost identical to mine in structure. The master bedroom was at the end of the hall, than the bathroom and then the two smaller bedrooms, which had a conjoining door inside. I knocked once and heard Angel mumble 'Come in mom'. I pushed the door open but neither was paying attention. Andrew sat cross-legged on the bed and Angel sat in a chair. Andrew had a large acoustic guitar in his arms and Angel held a thick notebook and was writing something.
"Um hi", both heads shot up and stared at me.
"Hey Buffy", Andrew said finally. Angel smiled and nodded in my direction.
"What are you guys doing?" I asked even though I knew. The walls of the room were painted navy blue and there was what I guessed to be Star Trek and Star Wars memorabilia all over. Action figures and posters. Even the bed sheets. I don't know why but I had a feeling this was Andrew's room.
"Working on some songs", Angel said getting up and grabbing a chair from under the desk which sat in the corner and putting it next to his. "Sit down", he said quietly pointing to the chair. I took a seat and looked over at him. He was staring at me. A lump formed in my throat. I wanted to look away but I couldn't. He looked about the same.
"Um hello???" Andrew broke into the conversation waving a hand between us. I could feel the blush work up my neck and into my cheeks.
"Sorry spaced out", Angel mumbled sending his brother a look. I had no idea what it meant but Andrew rolled his eyes and turned to me.
"Me and Angel are in a band back home," he informed.
"Yea your mom told me downstairs. I could hear the music from my yard".
"Sorry about that" Angel apologized quickly shutting his notebook.
"No it sounded awesome. I wanted to hear more". He looked shocked for some reason.
"We can't really play without the other guys. Were going to mail the music to them after we finish songs. We want to be able to pick up where we left off when we go home you know?" Andrew asked with a shrug. I nodded but then caught myself
"What do you mean go home?" I asked. Hopefully I didn't sound like some panicked freak. But what did he mean? He looked at Angel and then back to me
"Philly. That's where we're from. Our home" Angel elaborated. I still didn't understand
"But you said 'go home'. You live here now". Ok I know I sound like an idiot but the first cool people I meet are leaving?
"After we graduate me and Angel are moving back home for the band. Sunnydale is ok but it's not our home. Our band is in Philly". I looked back and forth between the two of them.
"Why can't you start a band here?" They shrugged and Angel turned to look at me
"Because Nick and Billy aren't here. The four of us have been together for two years. It's just.... that's our band you know?". I didn't know. But I guess they had a point. Loyalty or something. Besides they won't be graduating for three years. Who knows what could happen in three years.
"Why'd you guys move here?" I asked out of know where surprising myself. Lisa was a kindergarten teacher. I mean she wouldn't have to move all the way across the country to find a job as a kindergarten teacher. Something told me that this was a touchy subject. Immediately I felt bad but Angel turned to me. He looked pained and uncomfortable but told me anyway.
"Our dad.... our parents were divorced.... he had a lot of problems. Drugs and stuff. He killed himself four weeks ago. We didn't have much money. My uncle gave my mom a loan and told her to move away, start over". Andrew got up and leaned his guitar against the wall. I had no idea what to say. I mean that's harsh. There was nothing I could say to make it seem all right. Angel smiled at me sensing how uncomfortable I was and cocked an eyebrow. It was so cute I almost could have shrieked like a 12-year-old girl at an Nsync concert. But I didn't. Thank God.
"What do you do for fun around here?" he asked. I shrugged
"There isn't much fun.... we could go to the arcade" I suggested. They looked at one another. Have I mentioned how funny it is when they look back and forth at one another like that?
"Let's go".