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Building the Flames

Chapter 2

Besides my friends, I had work. So it was only my brother and I, who was away for the summer working in Canada, they offered good paying jobs. He sent me some money, which I used to pay the bills, he had to after all, and our parents were dead. It still wasn't enough, so I worked the hard job at a loading dock. Heavy, painful work, but did put food on the table.

Ember was happy to get home after a long morning of loading and unloading trucks with supplies to north end mall in the northern part of New York. She took a quick smell of her armpits and jumped back in a sickening manor.

"I want to make money at a man's job, not smell like them," she said aloud.

She pulled off her sticky uniform and stripped down until she was completely bare. Not caring she walked to the other end of her apartment and got her towels and soaps and then let the shower run until it was her preferred temperature.

When it was she stepped inside and let the hot water rinse over her body and let the soaps take care of the horrible manly stink. She may not have been the girliest of girls, and she did hang out with more guys then girls, but that didn't mean she wanted to smell like them.

After the shampoos, conditioners and soaps were done being rinsed from her body, she turned off the water and dried her body off and went to her room where she dressed herself. It was five PM, and her and her bodies were going out to a club. Ember sighed happily thinking about that, she got to go and see some bands, ones that would help inspire her to try and entertain for others herself.

Pulling on some club wear she did put a little make-up on before she ate a quick meal of noodles and left for Michael's where everyone else was waiting.

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Ember jumped down the stairs to Michael's basement with a clatter when she hit the bottom step. Ember grinned at her friends when they gave her a your-drunk-all-ready-aren't-you look. She hadn't, she always had gotten excited when she was going to a club. Music, dancing, friends, it was what Ember lived for.

"What do you think of my new look?" Ember asked.

She had only put on a teal sleeveless low rising top and black jeans with some punky high-heeled boots. She wore some heavy eyeliner and teal eye shadow, and pale purple-rose lipstick.

"Very fashionable for a simple rock-punk on the town," Candice returned the grin.

Michael nodded; he was usually saving his energy until they got to the club. He spent the rest of his energy trying to get a girl. Chris was always quiet and was never comfortable in bars, but he never once just said, I don't want to go. They always let him sit and to be content with where he was, it was the least they could do.

"Are we going to go or what?" Candice jumped up.

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The small group of friends paid to get in; got there hands stamped and entered the club with amazed expressions. The club was filled with hot flashing lights, a large bubble machine sprinkling bubbles everywhere. The dance floor was full of dancers, most woman trying to get there dates with dance with them.

The bartenders worked hard to try and get good tips, serving and flirting with the somewhat drunk people. They mixed their drinks to the finest to please there highest and lowest class of costumer. There shifts always ending with some large tips that could be used for anything imaginable.

Michael and Candice had already gone ahead to find some sits at a table. Chris stood close to Ember, being the shy little guy he was. Ember laughed at his shyness. She turned to him and took his hand.

"Come on baby-pop," she smiled at him and started to take him towards the direction their friends went.

Of course, if they were in a nicely lit room Ember probably would have noticed Chris's very red cheeks, but the colored lights moving around the room hid that from her very nicely. Soon enough Ember had found where her two friends had found a nice table in the back. A little quieter and nice if you were looking to hear what your friends were saying instead of trying to read lips.

Michael asked his friends what they wanted to drink before he left, that left the two girls alone with Chris. He stared blankly at the table as he usually did. Ember didn't like that, she knew clubs made him feel like a freak, since nearly everyone liked some sort of club, and he didn't even like the science club, him the science geek. She didn't understand why he wouldn't speck up. They were friends, they'd understand.

"Chris?" Candice asked.

"Yes," he said looking up at Candice.

"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind if I asked Ember to go help Michael, I need to talk to you."

Ember looked at Candice strangely. Shouldn't Candice simply be asking her to go? So she gave her answer, "I don't mind. I'll be back soon."

So Ember did go and leave to find Michael at the bar. Knowing him he would have been side tracked with finding a girl. She silently wondered what Candice wanted to talk to Chris about. They weren't like close, not that Ember ever knew of. It confused her, were they talking about her?

Ember pushed her thoughts away and let her eyes do the thinking as she tried to spot the girl crazy Michael. It didn't take her long to do that; all she could see were a few girls running in one direction. She looked in that opposite direction of where the girls were running.

"Gotcha!" she grinned.

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Ember of course had found Michael after the manager had kicked him out. Turned out one of the girls whom he has flirted the wrong way with was the manager's girlfriend. Not good, Ember had to go tell Chris and Candice. They ended up going back to Michael's place, to his distaste

They stopped and got a few beers, and started to drink them back at Michael's, which made Chris much more comfortable. Ember had drank one and a half bottles before she decided that she had enough for the night. She said good-bye and was going to leave until Candice jumped up in detest.

"You can't go home by yourself, not at this time of night."

"I do all the time."

Michael, replied, "I'll take her ho-"

"CHRIS YOU TAKE HER!" Candice said quickly.

"What? I just said I would," Michael glared.

"Me?"

"Yes, you're a strong strapping college boy, you could protect her," Candice said.

"He will?" Michael stared at his friend. "Chris have you ever lifted a weight in your life?"

It was true that Chris wasn't exactly…strong, on the outside. His brain was his power muscle. Ember looked between her cousin and best friend. She didn't know what to do. She looked at Candice who seemed to be just screamed, go with Chris.

"How about I stay here. If you don't mind Mike, it would give you a chance to hear my song. The one I'm going to do at that try out next week."

"Oh, is it a love song about someone special?"

"No…Mike said to try a song about me, to try and introduce myself. So I wrote one about my name."

"Okay then," she smiled at Ember, and then turned to Michael. "Weirdo."

"I'll go get the cot then," Ember said.

"I'll help," Chris jumped up quickly.

Ember looked at him, but then smiled. "Sure."

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Twisted-Writer: Okay, next chapter coming out soon! Review please! I want some real feedback on this!