Chapter 4

"What the hell was that all about?" Serj bitched at Zelda as they left the store.

"I don't like that guy," she said coldly.

"Why? What's wrong with him? He just offered a position in one of the major bands around here. Oh, wait, excuse me… a FREE position," Serj grieved, his voice becoming angry.

"And I'm happy for you, but I just don't like him. He's got that "I'm oh so good and everyone else is lower than me" attitude. He didn't even notice me!" she snarled as Serj pulled out of the parking lot towards their home

"Well maybe if you hadn't stood behind those amps moping like a fucking hermit he would have!" Serj snapped, growing louder and more sarcastic with every second.

"I'm sorry ok! I just don't like the guy. And then, to top the whole damn thing off, he was like drooling over me when he turned around," Zelda continued, fueling Serj's irritation.

"You're just pissed off because I've already made a start for myself here and you are going to have to do the same without me. I don't care if you don't like him. I do! And I don't want to hear you fucking bitchin' about him ALL the time like you are known to do. So just drop it," Serj growled in a low tone.

Zelda rolled her eyes and her lip curled back in anger, but she knew not to say anything. She would only be throwing rocks at the angered beast as it was, and it was best to let sleeping dogs lie. But was he right? Was she just afraid of to do something on her own without big brother there to help here very step of the way? No, hell no. That was just a damn good comeback, right? Only a comeback…

Link was fairly pleased when he made his way up to the steps to the apartment complex. He had been searching for a rhythm guitar player that could hang with him for some time now, and he finally found the answer. This guy Serj knew his stuff, and executed it well.

Although, the sister, Zelda.

"What a smug little bitch… what the hell did I do to her?" Link thought to himself as he opened the door.

Whatever. Just a dumb little girl who he would hardly have to deal with. Rock was the true sign of revulsion, but it wasn't often that he ran into someone that just straight up did not like him like that. He shook it off as he began to loosen the nuts on his guitar with the nearby Allen wrench.

As he pulled the old strings off his Ibanez baby, he called up his drummer, Mido. Mido had grown a lot in the days of late, now breaking the height of 5'9. Nobody thought he would ever grow, but I guess some people just take longer.

"Yeah?" came Mido's voice over the phone.

"Hey man, it's Link."

"Whatsup?"

"I picked up a rhythm guitarist today man," Link bragged.

"No way! Hell yes," Mido shouted in a relieved voice.

"Yeah, he's going to come and practice with us tomorrow man. But yeah, I just wanted to let you know that. I'll talk to you later dude," Link finished.

"Ight. Laterz."

Link wasted no time in dialing his bassist and also his current closest friend, Kafei. Their vocalist had dropped out just a few days ago, which ended up not being as big of a deal as they had thought. Link was a better singer than he was, even though they didn't know that at the time. He could easily do both… IF he had a rhythm guitar player. Luckily, he did.

"Hello?"

"Kafei, it's Link. Good news buddy," he began as he tightened the A-string on his guitar.

"Bitch, don't keep me in suspense!"

"I picked up a rhythm guitar player."

"Thank god," Kafei said in the same tone as Mido.

"Yeah, he'll be out there tomorrow. He's pretty solid, so we should just be able to throw our stuff at him and he should be able to pick it all up with not too many problems."

"Nice, nice. Well, I'll love to chat, but I've got to run man."

With that, Kafei just hung up. Link shrugged and tossed the phone off to the side to concentrate on his guitar a bit more. He noticed that he had put two of the strings backwards. Cursing under his breath, he undid the strings and went back to work.

Zelda sat in her room, finding herself staring at the window. She was deeply enthralled in thought about… that guy. Link… What was oh so special about this jerk off, and not to mention, why was he on her mind? Why did she dislike him so much, when all he was doing was helping out Serj to carry out his dreams?

Zelda couldn't figure it out, and instead of trying just pushed it in the back of her mind for the time. She smiled however as she heard the soft acoustic playing of Serj's guitar. He was playing Closer to the Heart, one of her favorite songs. Falling onto her bed and still looking out her window, she listened to the chords and watched the sun set. She was happy for her brother… wasn't she?

The next day brought a invigorated Serj, which Zelda was always happy to see. He had already settled into the new atmosphere of San Demas, which she credited to Link, however much she disliked him. Serj called Link that day to set up the exact time, but was rather surprised when he was told to be there in one hour.

Through all of Serj's excited words, Zelda managed to pick out the fact that he was meeting with Link at the music store and from there he would follow him out to where Prototype practiced. Zelda was again, left alone as her brother left the house in an eager state.

Her father took the bus to work everyday in order to leave them the car. The company was paying him very well it seemed. She never imagined he would be making 21 dollars an hour and another hundred per day just for showing up to work, starting! But then again, the company was a little biased, not to mention the fact the their family desperately needed this, though Zelda would never let herself admit it.

She went back upstairs to her room and threw herself on the bed in a messy lump. School was four days from now… Serj was already in with one of the cool guys in the school, playing in the best band around. And she was still just Zelda, the good for nothing misfit who would have to desperately try to fit in somehow.

Serj returned some four or five hours later loaded with things to tell his sister. It had apparently gone very well for him, which Zelda was both angry and glad about. Serj continued to leave each and every day following day for the band, and repeatedly leaving her alone. Through the long and boring days, Sunday finally crept around: the day before school. Oh how she dreaded the day the ensued.