Amnesia - a Jared Leto FanFiction

Chapter Eight

It seemed to go down hill from there; Tomo ignored Shannon from that day on in till the point where he was there at all. About a week after their argument he packed his bags and left saying he was going to spend more time with Vicky, his wife. Well that’s what he told Jared at least.

Jared continued to show improvement but it was only little things such as finally convincing his brother that he could still remember how to drive yet he never used the car.

He never left the bus.

Shannon thought this was because he was still scarred from what had happened last time he was out yet Jared also seemed to avoid him just like Tomo did. He spent most of his time in his room, with the door shut completely and when Shannon opened the door Jared would give him this look like a hare caught in headlights, Shannon would wonder what he had done wrong or was Jared hiding something. It didn’t help that Shannon had to leave the bus frequently either, whenever he went to get groceries he would about Jared continuously yet when he rushed back he will always find him in the same spot he left him, which sometimes worried him more.

“Jared just popping out to get dinner will only be 10 to 15 minutes...”

Shannon called to his younger brother as he was putting on his jacket; he looked through the hallway that leads to the back lounge. The door was open so he could clearly see Jared sitting on one of the sofas with his legs crossed reading a book, he didn’t look up when he replied,

“Ok.”

Shannon sighed; he dragged his hand through his hair as he took one last glance at his younger brother before he grabbed his keys and opened the door.

“I should really cut my hair...” he thought as he shut the door behind him.

Hearing the door close Jared’s eyes lit up instantly. He discarded the book he was hardly reading on the coffee table in front of him as he jumped up from the sofa. He then jogged over to the white board of songs. His finger first tapped his bottom lip but then it soon hovered over the many titles all over the board as his eyes joined it scanning each word. His finger soon stopped over an unusual title,

“Vox Pop-u-lie?” he guessed the pronunciation as he read the lyrics underneath. After reading a couple of lines a small smile crept onto his face, “Perfect”

He reached into the back pocket in his jeans and took out the piece of paper and pen that he had snuck in there earlier. He then scribbled the lyrics down and put it back in his pocket before jogging out of the room and quickly into the bunk room. Entering the room with speed he ran straight to the end of the room where Tomo used to sleep, it was basically deserted yet not completely.

“What about this?” Jared asked pulling a box from under the bed.

He was helping Tomo pack his things for when he left, Shannon had gone out and Tomo seemed like he needed help so he volunteered.

Tomo finished putting some clothes in a bag then he looked round at what Jared was holding.

“Ah! That’s just sheet music I won’t be needing that anymore...” he replied sounding sad as he said the last few words. He then turned away and continued packing his clothes as Jared placed the box where he found it.

Jared crouched down by Tomo’s empty bed and dragged the box back out. He opened it with caution and then grabbed a handful of papers. He skimmed through them like did with the whiteboard, in a matter of seconds he found the one he was looking for.

“Vox Populi” he said again with more confidence as he folded the sheet music up and placed it in his back pocket with the paper full of lyrics. He then grabbed Tomo’s acoustic guitar, he also left that behind for the same reason. He finally walked back to the back lounge and sat back in his seat. He studied the guitar with depth; he dragged his finger over each individual string listening to each individual sound, his eyebrows furrowed, had he done this before. Then without further a do he took the pieces of paper out of his back pocket and placed on the table with his earlier discarded book side by side. Resting the guitar on his lap, his eyes flashed from the sheet music and then the neck of the guitar where his fingers rested oddly, “This is going to take some time...” he thought as he attempted to strum hearing an un tasteful tune. He decided use the part of the sheet music labelled ‘Tab’ as it seemed easier than the symbols which he swore he knew but didn’t. His fingertips mimicked the diagram slowly and inaccurately at first but sooner than later his fingertips danced over the strings like it was second nature, his teeth suddenly appeared between his lips in till he heard a car park out side the bus.

He suddenly placed the guitar on the floor and kicked it lightly under the sofa before grabbing the papers and stuffed them into his back pocket again with speed, he finally picked his book up just as the front door opened.

“I’m back! Everything ok?” his brother’s voice rang throughout the bus, he soon came into view, his deep brown eyes slightly concerned and a number of carrier bags in his grasps.

“Yeah...” Jared replied monotone, he’s eyes glued to the book.

Shannon sighed once more; “I’m going to start on dinner...” he spoke not expecting an answer, which he didn’t get. He stood there in silence for a second before he gave up and walked away to the kitchen.

“I thought he stopped reading books upside down...” he mumbled to himself.