I'm so so so sorry it took my so long to update pls forgive me- hope this makes up for it ^.^
*Ella's POV*
I go round to Nudges, Nudge is nice, but I don't know I can't really get on with her.
"Hi Ella" she says and steps back from the door "oh why do you have so much stuff?"
"oh I was going to sleep over, is that not okay?" I ask, looking round into her house.
"oh yeah that's fine, as long as I get to watch doctor who" my head snaps
"doctor who?"
"look I know some people think it's lame but-"
"OH MY GOD! I love doctor who"
"what really? Who's your favourite doctor?"
"um, ohhh. Either fourth, sixth, or tenth"
"i like third and tenth" she says with a smile "come on lets watch it now, o-m-g, o-m-g. But first lets get snacks" I smile, who knew that doctor who could bring people together so easily.
"We could watch the fourth doctor and eat jelly babies" I say, and she laughs. (A/N the fourth doctor loves jelly babies)
*Iggy's POV*
"Is that your hand?" I ask Tess
"yeah" she breathes and squeezes my hand. I know we're by the walls as I can feel the music bouncing off them. I can hear about 4 other conversations around the room and all the music. I don't like it, it's confusing, but with Tess holding my hand it kind of melts away, I feel fine. Well kind of fine, I don't really know.
I try to just listen to the music and dance a little. I'm not really much of a dancer, but hey I can't tell if anyone's staring so who cares right?
*Max's POV*
I feel Rochelles lips move on mine.
"hey, hey" I say and push her back "what-" I look at her face, that is perfectly calm "what was that"
"what I took a shot. No big deal" she shrugs and looks to the stage
"what? No big deal"
"yeah no big deal, no feelings were hurt. We good?"
"um what?" I stare at her "what did you you just bring me here to make a move on me?"
"sorry, I just think you're really nice, sorry I thought you were gay" she doesn't even look my way, she just looks to the stage as if it's nothing.
"what? Um, what!?" I grab her hand and pull her out the room
"changed your mind?" she says raising an eyebrow
"what? No! Why?"
"I've said why, I think you're really nice, and I just took a shot"
"what do you then, like, like me?"
"A bit, but you know, it doesn't matter, we're cool right?"
"what?"
"we're cool, right?"
"I heard you" I swallow and take a deep breath "It's I just, um don't understand what's happening. Did you bring me here as your date? Did you only talk to me to get me on a date? Like are you gay?" she looks at me and laughs.
"You don't need to say gay as if it's a dirty word you know, but no, I'm bi. I think you're pretty cool so I invited you here, but you just kinda looked really nice, so I took a shot. I'm sorry for confusing you Max, I hope you don't resent me or anything" she looked at me with a slight smile. "I am sorry, I just don't think sometimes. As I said before I'm stupid"
"you're not stupid" I sigh, I look at her "I'm just, I was just, I'm just surprised is all, it wasn't what I was expecting" then I remember what she said before, she said she thought I was gay "Why did you think I was gay?"
"huh?
"why do you think I'm gay?"
"oh,well you have this like thing about you"
"A thing?"
"It's hard to explain, you just have a vibe"
"I have a gay vibe?"
"um well when you put it like that-"
"does everyone think I'm gay?"
"um, well no-"
"I'm not gay"
"well I know that now" she looks at the door impatiently "look I'm really sorry Max, it was a dick move. I- I um. I am sorry" I sigh
"It's fine Rochelle"
"Ro"
"What?"
"my friends call me Ro, now come on, I'll buy you another drink to show you I'm properly sorry" she leads me back into the gig room and go to the bar. "two pepsi's please" she says smiling at the bartender, he gives them over and she pays him. We go to stand at the side with Iggy and Tess. "what do you think?" she asks me
"um they're pretty good, quite loud though" I respond
"yeah, this is louder than any small gig I've been to. They really wanted to rock the house down" she laughs. I look at Rochel- I mean Ro, she nonchalantly leans against the wall. I have a feeling that we'll never talk about this again, but I just. I just can't deal with everything right now, dad leaving, having Ro kiss me, Lissa kissing Fang, not seeing Fang for so long, I just want to talk to him so bad. Doesn't matter, he's probably happy with Lissa. I grit my teeth.
"Lets dance again" I say to Ro, she nods and we both go to the middle of the room and enjoy the music.
"Okay, now we've been playing a lot of up beat tunes" Kim says and the crowd cheers "but this is a more serious song" the crowd boo's "now come on give us a chance" she says to the crowd and they stop their booing "This song is called Kate, and it's for my big sister" She smiles and picks up her guitar. Lucille comes back to the microphone and starts to sing.
Kate, don't fall behind
I just want you to always be by my side
It's not hard, but it won't be easy
It's not real, but it's not fake
I see you lying really still
my heart it starting to crack and break
Then Kim picks up a microphone and starts to sing as well
ohhh, please don't go
take all I give, please you can make it I know
when you sit up and smile
honey you're you for a while
you'll fight through... Kate
Kim puts down her microphone and plays her guitar again, with her head down. Lucille continues to sing.
Hit down with cinder blocks
I hold you to my chest
I have no inspiration but you
I swear it, I'll bear it
but I just don't want this to be true
Kim picks up the microphone again
ohhh, please don't go
take all I give, please you can make it I know
when you sit up and smile
honey you're you for a while
you'll fight through... Kate
Lucille stops singing, and Kim says the last line.
Your love runs forever, I see you in verse, I'll take you to sights away from this nurse. My sight is not wearing, you have so many more beats, at nights I am turning... look down... I see your bare feet
you'll... fight through... Kate
The whole room erupts in applause. Kim stands there smiling, her white teeth shining out against the contrast of her dark skin and the band quickly take jump off the stage and rush to the bar. Red comes round to us with a tall glass of a fizzy clear liquid- lemonade?
"hey guys" he says, as a few people behind him pat him on the shoulder, making him spill his drink a little. "oh my god, I'm so thirsty" he gulps down his drink "what did you think?"
"it was cool" I say "the last song was amazing"
"eyah, Kim is amazing at writing songs. She wrote it about her sister, she's been in hospital for almost a year, but Kim won't say why" We all looked down, not wanting to speak.
"I see you mastered spinning you drumsticks round" Rochelle says, quickly averting the topic.
"um, yeah. Well kind of" he looks up. "Been practising quite a lot, soon I'll be an expert" he then looks to me "hey you're friends with Nick, right? I sit next to him in maths and he ain't been there like all week. Is he alright?"
"He's not too well" I say, not giving out any specifics
"ah, sorry to hear, hope he's well soon. He don't speak much does he?"
"nah"
"you don't either" he says raising his eyebrows
"oh you shut up Red, if you ask me, you talk too much" Ro says
"ah yes, are you two having a nice time?" he says and he wiggles his eyebrows at Ro, which I don't think I was supposed to see. Ro rolls her eyes.
"Yes. Me and my straight friend Max are having a lovely time" she says to Red, who then turns a shade of red "Now stop being a dick for gods sake" Red looks away and mumbles something
"do you want to come with us, there's a party at Jeans house" Red asks, I look at the time and see it's already 10pm
"I think I should probably go home" I say
"awh come on Max, it will be great, come on it's a Friday night, text your folks, you can sleep over at mine" Ro said smiling at me
"um I don't know, Iggy might-"
"Iggy can come too" Ro said smiling "Come on it's going to be great" I pick up my phone and text my dad.
"about twenty people sitting on the floor, leaning against walls and sat at some sofas at the side, there's a empty sofa at two o'clock" I whipser into Iggy's ear as we go to Jeans house for the party. The room is packed, so Iggy stays close to me with Tess following.
"Cool, I'll just sit down for now" he says stretching his hand out so I can direct him to a seat. "I have to check my messages anyway. He takes out his iphone and it tells him he has a missed message from Fang. What why's Fang only talking to Iggy? Iggy presses a button and lifts it to his ear, he laughs and puts the phone back into his pocket.
"What did he say?" I ask, eager to know what's going on with Fang
"oh doesn't matter" Iggy replies
"what? Why doesn't it matter"
"it really just doesn't matter, it's nothing" Fang hasn't sent me a single text. I stand up.
"excuse me" I say and walk into the kitchen
"Max, Max" Ro yells, pulling me over to the corner "so this is Jean, and Lucille. They've been dating how cute is that they're like perfect for each other" I tilt my head to the side, Rochelle seems a bit too excited. My eye quickly detects a few drinks on the side cabinet.
"Wait you didn't say this was a drinking party" I say looking at Rochelle.
"oh chill, you don't have to drink anything" Ro replies "It's just these guys are 16 and their parents buy drinks for them. Pretty cool huh?" Lucille raises an eyebrow at Jean who shakes his head and looks back to Rochelle, he leans forward to me
"take care of her, hey?" he whispers, I nod.
"so how long have you been dating?" I ask Jean,
"a few months" he smiles at Lucille who gives him a kiss on the cheek. I let a smile go, they are pretty cute.
"anyway, we'll get out of your hair" I say and pull Ro away seeing they want to be left alone.
I take her to a seat in the living room, opposite from Iggy and Tess, who are looking pretty comfortable together. I close my eyes and see a flash of red hair, it covers over Fang in his hospital bed, then a figure from beneath the hair appears and holds onto Fang. I open my eyes.
"Why are you crying?" Ro asks, I look to her and touch my cheeks feeling that they're wet.
"um, I'm quite sensitive to dust... can I have something to drink?" I ask, Ro nods and darts off into the kitchen. I lay back on the sofa and look at the pattern on the ceiling. Somebody switches on some music and everybody gets off the over sofas and the floor and starts to dance, the room is packed and I can see Iggy from the other side of the room to check he's okay. Whatever, he's fine in normal situations, so he should be fine in noisy situations when he's just sitting down and with Tess.
"Hello" Ro says and sits down, handing me a drink. I take a sip and feel my face recoil as I feel a burning sensation down the back of my throat.
"What is this?" I ask and she laughs
"I dunno, a bit of this a bit of that. I like it" she smiles at me and puts her drink down. I look at mine and have another sip, it tastes a bit better this time. I drink until I see that it's almost empty. "oh I love this song lets dance" Ro says and pulls me up to dance, I feel a rush of air going past my head as I'm pulled up. My arms feel floppy and my head is heavy. I let go of the hand Ro is holding.
"I'm just going to make a phone call" I say and dart off into the other room. I look through my contacts, ah Fang. I press his name and the phone starts to dial.
"Hello" I hear
"Hi Fang-"
"I'm not here, ring later" then there's a beep, ah I can leave a message
"uh Fang, Do you hate me? I don't hate you, I love you. Fang? I love you. Bye" I put down the phone, that will solve things. I lean against the wall, ah this is cool. Anyway what was I doing here?
*3rd person*
Max stays on the floor clutching her mobile.
"Hey Max, you okay?" Rochelle slurs "what are you doing on the floor, who did you ring?" Max looks at the phone, unable to recall the conversation she just had.
"what? Um I think I was just checking my messages" Max replies and walks back into the sitting room where everyone's dancing. Rochelle mixes another two drinks, she opens a can of cider and fills each of the glasses a quarter full, adds some cranberry juice, a little bit of peach schnapps and then fills the rest of the glass with vodka. She passes a glass to Max who shakes her head at the glass.
"No thanks Ro, I just want-" she looks away "on second thoughts, I could have a sip" she smiles as Rochelle passes her the drink. Max winces as the burning sensation in her throat meets her, this drink is stronger than the last one. "I hope you didn't mix drinks" Max says to Rochelle "My mum says that's what makes you feel ill" she finishes off her drink in a gulp and instantly regrets it as she feels her throat burn.
"um a little" Rochelle says "but you'll be fine. Lets dance"
Not used to having alcohol in her blood Max clumsily stood and let herself be guided to the middle of the room to dance. Max took Rochelles hands and they jumped up and down to the beat of the music, the packed room leaves very little breathing space. Max carefully places her hands upon Rochelles shoulders who looks at Max.
"What are you-" Rochelle starts, but is unable to complete her sentence.
*Max's POV*
"Hey Max, you okay?" I look up and see Ro looking down at me "What are you doing on the floor, who did you ring?" I look at the phone in my hand. I don't think I rang anyone, did I? No I didn't I was just checking my texts, yeah that's it.
"what? Um I think I was just checking my messages" I reply and stand up, I go sit down on the sofa and see Ro dart into the kitchen, she comes back with two drinks. I don't- I don't want more drinks. I want- I want. I just want to talk to-
"No thanks Ro, I just want-" I look at the dance floor. I just want to see Fang, my memory flickers to when Ro found me on the floor, did I ring him. I don't know, maybe I should stop thinking about it. "on second thoughts, I could have a sip" I say and smile to Ro, she gives me a small smile as she passes me the drink. Blergh this drink is even worse than the last one, I feel myself wince. I feel number. "I hope you didn't mix drinks" I say looking to Rochelle "My mum says that's what makes you feel ill" I remember my mum telling me that when she was really ill one morning. I looked at the dark drink in front of me and finish it off. Uh I wish I didn't do that my throat feels like it's on fire. I looked to Rochelle and she said something, then before I knew it shoe pulled me up and we were dancing together. My mind wobbles, thinking of everything. I don't have anyone, Fang has Lissa, well I have Iggy- well I don't, he's with Tess. What if they date them, then who will I have- no one, no friends. I look into the eyes of the person opposite me. I have Rochelle.
I feel clumsy, but move in time with the music, I hold onto Ro's hand and we jump together. She's smiling at me and I feel myself smile back. I feel myself get close to her and don't feel so alone, I just need someone. I place my hands on her shoulders, she cocks her head to one side
"What are you-" Rochelle starts, as I lean forward and kiss her. This kiss feels better, like less clumsy, more expected, nice. I move my lips, but Rochelle doesn't kiss me back. I pull back.
"Max, you're not gay" she said looking my square in the eyes
"but-" I start "You like me, I want to kiss you so-"
"I'm not some type of experiment, or some type of toy. You can't just kiss me for fun, when a girl kisses me it's real for me"
"but-"
"you're not gay, or bi so this means nothing to you, but I am bi so it means something to me. You can't just do this" I look at Ro's face, it's all blurry, I feel the room start to spin and Ro's face suddenly looks concerned. Her mouth moves, but no words come out. I put my hand onto my eye and feel it getting hit with tear. I feel Ro drag me outside the house and props me up.
All I can hear is ringing in my ears as I see Ro's mouth move.
"MAX" my eyes dart to Ro. Oh thank god I can hear her.
"what"
"Max, you're crying" I look at her and become aware of the tears running down my face. "Why are you crying?" and in that single second it hits me
"I want to see Fang, but I can't" I see confusion on her face "Fang is my nickname for Nick. I just-" I pause when I release what the end of that sentence is and it hits me like a tonne of bricks.
"It's okay. It's okay" Ro says and hugs me "You're not in a good state, we'll go home, I'll take care of you yes? Jeff and Tess are coming back to mine too, we'll all be there for you" I nod and stay clutched to her.
*Iggy's POV*
"You're really cute" Tess says to me giggling, I feel her head rest on my shoulder and take a deep breath in and put my arm around her. Phew. I feel her hair prickling my neck, it smells nice.
"You're cuter" I say and I feel her sit up
"but you can't see me" she says, I chuckle
"doesn't make it not true" I smile "um Tess?"
"Yes?" I feel a whoosh of air as I feel her turn towards me, and her hair flick over the arm that's around her
"would it be alright if- if I kissed you?" I heard a small gasp escape her lips
"Yes" she replied and felt her slowly move closer to me.
"oh thank go you're here" I heard Rochelle say and felt her sit down next to me, she sounded different- she sounded drunk. "We need to go, Max is in a right state, we can't stay here"
"Igs!" I heard Max say, then felt a head lean on my legs, she must be sitting on the floor. I feel her hug my leg "why doesn't Fang want to talk to me? Does he not like me anymore?"
"oh course he likes you, you're best friends" I hear he sigh
"Jeff-"
"Call me Iggy"
"-um okay Iggy, we need to take her home before she starts crying again"
"What, why was she crying?" I take my arm from around Tess and I slip myself onto the floor next to Max "You okay?" I hear her shake her head.
"Not really" I lean forward and hug her "It's going to be okay" I feel her shake. "come on lets go back" I hear Rochelle pick Max up and then feel a kiss on my cheek.
"I owed you a kiss" Tess said and pulled me up, then lead me out the room.
*Fangs POV*
I switch the lights off, I don't feel like any TV, but on the bright side I can go home tomorrow morning. I lay down and close my eyes, then hear a faint buzzing. I sit up and look at my bed side table and see my phone ringing. Mum got me a new phone- well it's from 2008, but it's my new phone. I don't feel like talking so I let it ring out.
"wake up" My eyes open and I see my nurse
"Hey, come on Nick your mum will be here any sec, get changed and stuff" he walks out. Huh, pretty brief encounter, must be in a rush to get to work, or just wants to get out my room. I wouldn't blame him it's not that nice in here.
I pull the curtains around my bed for some privacy. I take off my blue pyjamas and put on a pair of black jeans. I look to see which shirts I have in my bag and pick up a deep green one, then put my big dark blue denim jacket on top. I walk through the curtains and out the door to the bathroom. I look in the mirror. My hair is all greasy and gross, eurgh, my skins kind of looks sickly. I hate hospitals so much. I take a deep breath in a smell the pang of disinfectant. I quickly get out of there and back to my room.
"FANG" I hear Nudge shout as I come back to my room, Nudge and Dad- I mean Ian are there waiting for me.
"Hey Nick" Ian says smiling, he's holding my bag "oh dear you're not looking so good, are you sure it's okay for you to come home" I nod
"please get me out of here" I say, Ian gives a small smile and we walk out. We stop at the nurses desk and my nurse hands me a piece of paper.
"This is just for pain medication, don't do any strenuous exercise for about two weeks"
"does skateboarding count?" I ask
"I'll say no skateboarding just to be careful. Take care"
"You too" I say and we walk to the prescription counter and hand in the sheet of paper. We take a big orange bottle and then go to the car. Nudge chats away the whole ride home about this drawing she's done.
"Here it is" Nudge shouts as she pulls me into the sitting room to her canvas "look Ella and I did it together"
"Ella?" I ask, I thought those guys hated each other, at best they could take a short conversation together
"yeah, she slept over we watched doctor who all night, it was so cool we had lots of snacks and painted this picture of the fourth doctor. See look here he is, and then Sarah Jane has tied him up in his scarf and Ella drew his jelly babies all over the floor and oh my god it was so much fun" Nudge beams to me and I smile "I also drew this picture of you it's not finished, but it's alright. I mean I've done your hair and head, but no face so it looks a bit creepy at the moment" she hands me a piece of paper, and oh my god, it looks really good. The hair looks just like mine and I recognise my pointy chin.
"This is really good" I say holding the picture up "like seriously good" I look back to Nudge who is smiling
"Thank you, and I know. I know that kind of sounds like I'm really full of myself, but I just know it's good and I love it, I can be proud of my work. And thank you again. Hey what if I draw this of you and you draw one of me and then we trade?"
"Deal" I say and she smiles at me "But first I'm going to sleep for about 10 hours" Then I drag myself up stairs to go sleep. I lay down on the bed and relax. It's so comfy, I'm not connected to any tubes, I'm not going to start hyperventilating or anything. I close my eyes and drift to sleep.
*Max's POV*
My head feels so heavy, but Ro gave me some medicine before I went to sleep to stop me from barfing. Bleh I feel so gross. It was fun last night, I danced with Ro and, um I kissed her. Oh shit, and she didn't like it. I just remember being really lonely and she was there. Oh god.
What other shitty stuff did I do, I remember being angry at Fang, I rang him. I did ring him, but what did I say?
"MAX!" I sit up and turn to Ro "Do you want bacon or not?" I nod and she hands me a plate of two slices of toast and some rashers of bacon.
"Thank you" I say and her she nods her head. Tess passes me some orange juice and I pour myself a glass.
"How are you this morning?" Iggy asks as he comes back from the bathroom, don't ask me how he managed to find his way there and back, without walking into things- because I don't know.
"You know, kind of dead" I'm never drinking AGAIN. Iggy chuckles, then sits down next to Tess and smiles at me. I smile, but then look away. He's getting pretty close to Tess, it makes me feel weird. Not a good weird.
"Would it be cheeky if I asked for a lift home" Iggy asks me, hopefully.
"Sorry man, I'm getting the bus"
"cool if I tag along?"
"sure go crazy"
"oh I'm getting the bus too" Tess chimes in "bus buddies" she smiles, and Iggy smiles back at her, they look to me. I'm not in a smiling mood so I just get down to something I'm always in the mood for: food.
"Hi Ella" I say as I walk through the door, she's sitting on the stair case playing on her ipad "How was it with Nudge?"
"great" she replies, I raise my eye at her "what, we watched doctor who, it was great" ah, so they have something in common at last. "oh!" she puts down her ipad "Nudge said Fang was coming home today, I had to go cause her and her dad had to go pick him up"
"What? Really?"
"yeah, but if I were you I'd have a shower first" I roll my eyes "No seriously Max. Have a shower" I furrow my eyebrows, but I have to admit after last night I probably don't look that hot.
*Fang's POV*
I open my eyes to my bedroom, I don't know how long I had a nap for. I take my phone put to check the time and a notification pops up for a missed call, I dial the number of my mail box to hear who it's from.
"Message received today. at. twelve. O. nine. am" The automated voice says, who would ring me at midnight, I stay online to find out. I hear a voice which is recognisably Max's, but it sounds different.
" uh Fang, Do you hate me? I don't hate you, I love you. Fang? I love you. Bye" she says. I drop the phone on the bed. Max loves me? No, no it can't be true.
I hear a knock on my door. "hey, dude can I come in?" I hear Max's voice say, I stay still. "I'm coming in so be ready" her message repeats itself in my head as the door knob turns. What should I say to her?
bebop
hope you enjoyed it, pls let me know what you thought- love you guys
-Jess x