Lionblaze Lost the Lightning

Chapter 3: Wrong Number

"So what are we doing?" Hollyleaf asked nervously, taking into account that Firestar had an open beer in the cup holder beside him. "And um… I don't think you should be drinking and driving."

"Chill, Hollyleaf," Firestar grinned, looking over at her as he pulled out of her driveway. Hollyleaf winced as he banged the side of his car on her mailbox. By the look on Firestars face, he either didn't notice or didn't care.

"I don't want to get in an accident," Hollyleaf snapped, clicking off her seat belt so she could reach forward and grab the can. "You can have this back once we get to wherever we're going."

"It's not even beer," Firestar rolled his eyes.

"Oh, then what is it-" Hollyleaf paused to take a sip. She nearly spat it back out all over the top of Graystripes head. "FIRESTAR, THIS IS STRAIGHT VODKA!"

"Told you it wasn't beer," Firestar snickered.

"CAN WE PLEASE STOP ARGUING?" Lionblaze cried out, looking very upset. "I HATE FIGHTING."

"It's all good, buddy," Firestar smiled and looked over at Lionblaze. "What's that in that bag? Is that a grilled cheese?"

"Can you keep your eyes on the road please?" Hollyleaf asked, getting very concerned for her safety. I'm having a hard time remembering why this was a good idea… we've barely left the driveway and I'm already regretting getting in the car.

"Hollyleaf, will you calm down?" Firestar sighed twice as loud as necessary. "You're being a buzz kill."

"Sorry," Hollyleaf mumbled. She slumped down in her seat and looked out the window, trying to not focus on Firestar and his bad antics.

"So where's your brother at?" Graystripe asked suddenly, looking behind the seat at her.

"He's at Scourge's house," Lionblaze replied before Hollyleaf could say anything.

"Oh really," Firestar snickered to himself. At once Hollyleaf got defensive.

"What do you mean, oh really?" she asked, wondering what was up with his sarcastic tone.

"Nothing," Firestar shrugged. "I just used to know Scourge, that's all. It's funny how Jayfeathers hanging out with him all of the sudden."

"He seems nice to me," Lionblaze said, trying to be helpful. Hollyleaf sighed as she realized he had eaten half the sandwich he had made for Firestar.

"Of course he seems nice," Firestar replied, shooting a glance over at Graystripe. "That's how he reels you in."

Hollyleaf didn't know what to say, so she didn't respond. Firestars words had troubled her, but she didn't know why. Her thoughts were taken back to one of the parties they had had, when Scourge had hung out with Jayfeather all night.

He had texted her after, saying that he wanted to hang out with her alone.

And to top it off, he put a winky face at the end of the text! Hollyleaf thought, feeling slightly strange about things. He was probably just drunk, but I don't know…

Why is Firestar being so vague and weird about him?

"Don't worry about it," Brambleclaw whispered into her ear. "Firestars just being stupid. He won't let go of things that happened like, a zillion years ago."

"What happened like a zillion years ago?" Hollyleaf whispered back. Brambleclaw gave her an apologetic look. "It's awkward to talk about," he replied.

"How the heck are we gonna fit any more people in here?" Longtail asked suddenly, distracting Hollyleaf. "We're squished enough back here as it is."

"Hollyleaf can sit on my lap," Firestar said with a sneaky smile on his face.

"No," Hollyleaf said at once.

"I'll get in the trunk," Longtail shrugged. "I wanted to take a nap in there anyway."

You wanted to take a nap in the trunk? Ugh, whatever. I'm not even gonna comment on that one.

"Kay, Longtail, you can get in there now," Firestar said as he pulled into someone's driveway. Hollyleaf figured it must be Scourges.

"How did you know where he lived?" Hollyleaf asked. I didn't even know where Scourge lived. "Did you used to be friends?"
"Sure," Firestar mumbled.

"What's that tone for?" Hollyleaf cried, getting very annoyed at all the secrecy.

"WHY DO YOU KEEP FIGHTING WITH HIM?" Lionblaze cried out. "THIS IS MAKING ME SAD! AND I WAS SAD ENOUGH BEFORE CAUSE I ACCIDENTALLY ATE THE GRILLED CHEESE I MADE FOR FIRESTAR!"

"Aw, what?" Firestar whined. "I was looking forward to that."

"SEE?" Lionblaze said loudly, looking on the verge of tears. "I FEEL TERRIBLE."

"Firestar, don't make him feel bad," Hollyleaf snapped, tired of Firestars insensitivity. "He didn't have to make you a sandwich at all." Her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket, and she pulled it out to see who had messaged her.

Txt from: Jayfeather

Why are you and Firestars band of idiots parked in Scourges driveway?

Hollyleaf forgot her irritation, and laughed. Oh my god, I forgot to tell him that we were picking him up!

"Jayfeathers looking at us through the window," Lionblaze announced. "He looks confused."

"I forgot to tell him we were coming to get him," Hollyleaf giggled, for some reason this was extremely funny to her. Firestar looked behind him and smiled, he found it funny too. Hollyleaf suddenly felt bad for being so rude to him. Firestars Firestar. He is who he is, and I'm the one who called him so I just need to deal with it.

She typed a message back, knowing that Jayfeather was going to be annoyed that they made plans with him without asking. He can deal with it too!

We're going out tonight, she wrote. Get in the car

Lionblaze sipped at his can of coke, trying to get in the spirit of things. They were partying at Longtails house, and it was in full swing. The cops had already made an appearance and it wasn't even midnight yet.

"Lionblaze, come take some shots with us!" Hollyleaf asked in a very happy tone, standing in front of him.

"I've got a drink right here," Lionblaze explained, holding up his coke can.

"Well, I have a drink too," Hollyleaf said drunkenly, holding up her glass of amber whatever. When she lifted it up, it sloshed on the carpet but she didn't seem to notice.

"Come on, Lionblaze! You've been sitting over here all night," Hollyleaf whined, stomping her foot on the ground like a two year old would do. "Are you even drunk?"

"Yeah," Lionblaze lied. For some reason, I just can't drink tonight. But it's not like a bunch of drunk people would understand that.

He looked down at his phone for what felt like the hundredth time, sighing when he realized Dovewing still hadn't messaged him. I didn't think she'd get mad at me for going out, he thought miserably. She said everything was fine… but I don't believe her.

Lionblaze put his phone back in his pocket and looked at the scene in front of him. Hollyleaf was slamming back shots with Firestar and Brambleclaw, while Longtail sat a few feet away smoking something that wasn't a cigarette. Graystripe was dancing around the living room with a few of Firestars friends that Lionblaze didn't recognize, while Jayfeather was talking to Scourge on one of the couches, holding an entire bottle of who knows what. The music was on full blast, some kind of foreign techno that Lionblaze usually enjoyed.

Tonight, however, it just gave him a headache.

He got up and set his warm half drank coke on the coffee table, grabbing Hollyleafs coat that was draped over a chair. He reached in the pocket and pulled out everything, which consisted of a half empty pack of smokes, a lighter, a ten dollar bill and her car keys.

I'll just borrow her keys for a bit, Lionblaze thought to himself. I'll go spend the night at Dovewings. I miss her. I don't need to be out at some stupid Firestar party when I could be hanging out with her. He immediately felt bad after using the word 'stupid' and 'Firestar in the same thought. Firestar, you are not stupid. I love you and you know I'd usually be in the middle of this drunken chaos.

But tonight I just can't! And I'm leaving!

Lionblaze put the keys in his pocket and shoved the rest of the stuff back in Hollyleafs jacket. He stood there for a moment, thinking. After a few seconds of afterthought he reached back in her pocket and grabbed the cigarettes and lighter. I'm gonna borrow these too. He started to walk away but turned around after a few moments, and he hastily reached into her jacket pocket for the third time. He grabbed the ten dollar bill and stuffed it in his pocket with the rest of her stuff. I'm gonna wanna some chicken nuggets later and I'm flat broke. Hollyleaf will probably just lose it so in a way I'm doing her a favor.

He zipped up his sweater and walked out of Longtails house, not bothering to say goodbye. When he got to Hollyleafs red car, he suddenly felt very uneasy.

I only have my learner's license, he thought to himself as he lit up a smoke. I really hope I don't get pulled over!

Hollyleaf danced around the living room, holding hands with Firestar and a girl she didn't know. She laughed and screamed along with the music even though it was in a different language and she didn't know the song.

"I'm so happy right now!" she yelled over the bass. "This was such a good idea!"

"Told you so," Firestar smiled at her, his face and lips were bright red from all the drinking. Hollyleaf pulled away from the girl she was holding hands with and hugged Firestar, squeezing him tightly.

"I love you," she said into his shirt.

"I love you too!" Firestar said, eyes lighting up. "Let's get married!"

"Do you mean it?" Hollyleaf gasped, too drunk to care about what they were saying.

"Yes," Firestar nodded his head one too many times. "Right now."

"We can't right now, silly!" Hollyleaf laughed. "It's like, two in the morning!"

"Guess who's getting kicked out as of tomorrow!" Longtail suddenly called out, holding up his phone with a huge grin on his face. "ME!"

Everyone laughed, and Hollyleaf wondered briefly what Longtail was going to say about that when he was sober tomorrow.

Who cares about tomorrow, Hollyleaf thought dreamily. I don't, that's for sure! I want this night to go on forever!

"Where's Lionblaze?" Firestar asked, looking around. "I haven't seen him in a while."

"I'll call him," Hollyleaf slurred, figuring that that would be easier than searching around. She pulled out her phone, but didn't dial his number. The notification light distracted her, and Hollyleaf realized suddenly that she had a text message.

"Who's texting me at two in the morning?" Hollyleaf said in a silly voice. "Am I popular or what?"

"Who is it?" Firestar asked, looking incredibly jealous. Hollyleaf opened it and squinted her eyes to read the dim lit screen.

Txt from: 990-864-0135

"I don't know the number," Hollyleaf said slowly as she opened the message. "Weird!"

Hey, Hollyleaf. I got your number off the schedule at work. I know it's late, but I had a feeling that you might be awake. It's Ashfur, by the way :)

After Hollyleaf read the message she sat down at once on the floor, too shaky to find a couch or chair. Why is Ashfur texting me? She thought to herself, heart beating way out of control. Hi Ashfr, she sent back quickly, realizing after she hit the send button the she spelled his name wrong. Shit! Why!

"Why are you sitting on the floor?" Firestar cried out, grabbing her by the arms and lifting her up. "This is no time to be sitting!"

"I got a message from someone that I wasn't expecting to get a message from," Hollyleaf slurred, glad that Firestar was holding her up. I feel too weak to stand anymore

"Who was it from?" Firestar asked, looking very concerned. "Tell me, Hollyleaf!"

Hollyleaf stared up into his green eyes, which were redder than the devil from whatever drugs he took. But he didn't look too messed up, and the concern in his eyes was real.

But something in Hollyleaf held her back from saying Ashfurs name.

What if he knows Squirrelflight?

What if he questions why her husband's texting me at two in the morning?

"Who texted you?" Firestar repeated.

"I don't know," Hollyleaf lied. "They got the wrong number."

It was after this moment Hollyleaf knew her life had changed.