Chapter Three

Andy's POV

Some guy named Question Mark started off the show that Lily recommended. It wasn't half bad…they could stand to play a bit more My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy.

I finished my homework during the show then sat on my bed and stared at the door. Lily had said something about my bed facing my door being bad Zen or something but I hadn't paid it much attention.

Lily came home about half an hour after the show and practically skipped into the room. I fought down the urge to punch her when she sat down and practically gushed, "Hey there!"

"Hi," I said in an expressionless voice.

"Did you listen to RFR?" she asked.

"Yeah…it was interesting. That song Shady Lane played sounded oddly familiar though," I said.

Lily went sort of pale and said, "Did it?"

"Yeah…it may have just been my imagination thought," I said. This nagging feeling told me otherwise, but I told it to shut up.

"So, did you want to come with me to Mickey's? It's this popular hang out and my band No Man's Land is playing tonight," Lily offered.

I resisted the urge to tell her that I'd rather pull out my finger nails with my bare hands and agreed.

"Great!" she said in an almost giddy voice that made me want to puke. "We'll leave in an hour."

She glided out of my room and after she shut the door I threw one of my textbooks at it.

I was thinking of a way to ditch school tomorrow without my dear cousin finding out when someone knocked on my door.

"Enter!" I called. My aunt came in and sat on my bed. I resisted the urge to push her off and said, "Yes?"

"Lily says you're going out with her and her friends tonight. That's great," she smiled.

"Yeah, there's nothing I'd rather do than go hang out with my cousin," I said. "Except maybe chewing off my own arm!'

"It's good you're getting out. Losing your parents must be hard on you and-"

"Look, I'd rather not have an after school special heart-to-heart," I cut her off.

"Honey, it's best to talk about these things," she said.

"I don't talk about this sort of stuff, alright? You can't possibly relate to me, so don't even bother trying!" I snapped.

She looked shocked, maybe even a bit hurt. But she just looked at me for a moment before leaving my room, closing the door behind her.

'I'm not going to feel guilty about that! It's her own fault for trying to pry into my life!'

I figured that if I had to go out into public with Lily I could have a little fun by dressing more like myself. When I got here I had planned to tone down my look, let the family ease into it. Well nuts to that plan!

I pulled a fitted white t-shirt with a black and red star on the front, a black and red plaid skirt, and white and red knee socks from my closet. Before I got dressed I went to the bathroom and washed out the temporary black hair dye I had used to cover my bright red hair with lime green flames in the front. They'd have to get used to the way I look sooner or later.

I dried my hair and got dressed. I put on a black studded belt with silver chains with red, black, and white stars hanging on it. I laced my black converse and went downstairs where everyone was watching TV. No one looked up so I coughed.

"Andrea! What did you do to your hair?" my uncle exclaimed. My aunt looked like she was about to pass out.

"Andy! I did this before my parents died. I used temporary hair dye to make it look like I hadn't touched it and I was going to ease you into my real look, but I thought it'd be better if I just showed you the real me now," I explained.

After more questioning of what else I had done to myself that I hadn't shown them (navel piercing, two tattoos and I told them that I'd put my tongue bolt and nose stud in later) Lily said that she was going to get her guitar and we'd leave.

We both went upstairs to get ourselves together. It hurt a bit putting the nose stud in because I had taken it out after I found who I was staying with so the hole wouldn't be too visible, but I finally looked and felt more like myself.

Lily was waiting by the front door when I went downstairs. She watched me with a shocked look on her face. Her parents came into the hall to say goodbye and nearly passed out when they saw the ruby stud in my nose.

Lily made some comment about it and I stuck out my tongue at her revealing the silver spiked bolt. My aunt gasped and I smirked and walked out the door.

I drew attention on the street and Lily seemed completely embarrassed. We walked into Mickey's and every head turned. I tossed my hair and sat down with Lily and her friends.

"Wow, Andy, you look…" Travis' voice trailed off.

"Like a complete freak?" Lily muttered as that brown haired girl…Parker smirked.

"Actually, I admire your uniqueness," Travis smiled.

"Thanks," I said glaring at Lily. The three guys got up to talk to people and Lily and her band went to go set up so I was left at the table by myself.

It was actually kind of nice being alone for a bit. Unfortunately it didn't last very long because some guy sat down across from me.

Lily's POV

I couldn't believe how embarrassing my cousin was! She's probably doing it purposely just to annoy me!

I was trying not to look at her, maybe it was all just a dream. But then I saw Jake McKendrick (AKA the hottest guy in school!) get up from the table where he was sitting with his friends and start walking across the room. I watched him walk and then I felt this horrifying feeling when he sat down across from her.

What was she doing with him?

I went over and said, "Jake! Hey!"

He looked at me and said, "Oh, hi um…Donna."

"It's Lily. What's new?" I asked sitting down.

"Well, I was just introducing myself to Andy here," he said.

I was about to talk when Parker appeared at my side saying that we had to warm up. I would have argued if she hadn't grabbed my arm and dragged me away.

"What's your issue Randy?" she asked.

"My cousin! She's so weird! She acts like a goth but dresses like a cross between a punk and a raver!" I complained.

"Lily, you shouldn't judge people like that," Meagan piped up.

"Well she has no business talking to Jake!" I said.

"Randy, he barely knows your name. You should try and go for a guy who actually does," Parker said.

"Well if Andy's going to be staying around here, she'd better learn to stay away from him!"

Andy's POV

This Jake guy didn't seem half bad. It seemed to annoy Lily that I was talking to him, which was a bonus.

"So I heard that you moved in with your cousin because you lost you parents," he said.

Oh, he's going to play that huh?

"Yeah, and I'm sorry if this sounds rude but I don't want to talk about it with some random guy who I don't even know," I said.

"You're right, you should know me. I'm Todd McKendrick; I'm sixteen, turning seventeen in two weeks and in grade eleven. I like skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, and Christian rock. I lost my parents six years ago to a car accident. I now live with my older brother and his girlfriend, who couldn't care less about me or my parents," Jake said. He paused for a moment, smiled a little and said, "Your turn."

"I'm Andy Jenkins; I'm fifteen and in grade nine. I like skateboarding, punk rock, classic rock, and Christian rock. I lost my parents three weeks ago to a car accident and now I'm living with my aunt, uncle, and cousin who don't have a clue," I replied. "A drunk driver hit my parents. My dad was killed on impact but my mom lived for two hours in the hospital."

"My parents were driving home from a new year's party and were hit by a drunk driver too. Their car slid into a ditch and they both died in the ambulance," Jake said his eyes dark from the memory.

I had known Jake for like ten minutes and I already felt really close to him. He knew exactly what I was going through because he had already been there.

We talked through half of No Man's Land's set before he picked up on how tired I was and offered to walk me home. We got up and I caught Lily's eye. She stared daggers at me as Jake led me out the door.

Jake and I walked in silence. We were about half way to the house when he took my hand in his. I surprised myself by not pulling away and he smiled.

When we reached my front door I got ready to kick him if he tried anything but all he did was say goodnight and kiss my hand. I was shocked as he left me standing there, but I felt oddly pleased.

It was a few hours before Lily came home. When she did I was laying on the floor of my room with my headphones on.

She burst in with out knocking, her face bright red.

"Stay away from him!" she hissed.

"What?"

"Stay away from Jake McKendrick!" she shouted.

"Lily, he called you Donna! He doesn't even know your name!" I said, trying to stay calm.

"You're only here because my parents felt sorry for you! That's probably the only reason why Jake went to talk to you! You don't belong here you stupid little b-"

She didn't have time to call me a name because at that point I had sprung up and punched her in the face. The next thing I knew we were on the ground wrestling.