My Little Decoy

♪ I've Seen Love Die ♪ {10}

"Cause I've seen love die,
Way too many times
When it deserved to be alive." -Emergency

I clutched the packet in my hands, afraid to open it. This parchment held my future, my entire fate. It had all the answers I was looking for.

The warning bell shrilled loudly in the background, making me glance up at the wall clock and squint at the time. Four minutes left to get to class.

I was in one of the numerous hallways of Weston High, trying to navigate my way through the large swarm of students without getting shoved aside into the opposing traffic.

Bright red lockers decorated the walkway like airplane markers leading the way for take off. I bumped into a tall, Hispanic dude and he glared at me. I glared right back and shoved roughly past him into a small clearing from the crowd.

My feet tuned into auto-pilot, having memorized the path to my next class which was Music Theory. My mind though, was in the clouds.

After Tilted Reality had finished handing out all their packets, they decided to close the assembly with a song. I had gotten excited only to find myself disappointed.

Blake counted them in to one of their own songs from their album Psychopath, and as soon as Vanessa screamed, I knew this wasn't the same Tilted Reality from Lakeside Park.

The guitars were too loud; Vanessa and Zeke's melodies were clashing. Katerina's bass couldn't be heard over the intense drumming Blake was doing.

None of them looked like they were enjoying. It was if they put on a fake smile and played according to what they were forced to do.

Again, I had tuned in to Blake's drumming but frowned when my ears adjusted. He was playing magnificently, if not better than at the park, but the rhythms and counts were all rigid and forced. He played like a robot, programmed into doing what he was created to do.

He had a smile on his face but it didn't reach his eyes, and by the creases on his forehead, I knew he was either concentrating hard or not into the music. Probably the latter.

Dismayed, I realized that the passion I heard before was gone.

Off to the side, the man in the expensive suit was grinning, but it didn't look comforting. He obviously knew something I didn't, and he nodded approvingly to their song selection.

The crowd on the other hand was ecstatic, screaming along the words to the hardcore/alternative metal band's lyrics. The Twins and Olivia were having a battle between who could sing the loudest, Carter was pretending to play the tabs to the electric guitar part, and Xander was bobbing his head to the beat.

I just sat back and closed my eyes, blocking out their music. Imagining their playing from the park, I looked up at the blank expressions of each of the members and heard their voices sing, "You gotta let me be me."

--

Ring! The bell made me jump, startling me. Glancing around, I frowned when I realized that I was one of the only people left in the hallways besides a few stragglers. I need to stop thinking.

Rolling up the packet, I shoved it into my other combat boot and fast-walked to Music Theory.

By the time I got there, I was panting a bit from the physical excercise. My hand rested on the doorknob and I was about to turn it when a soft melody playing fromnthe other side of the door stopped me.

I paused, listening to the beautiful notes being played and I found myself starting to relax just by listening to it. The tune was sweet and calming; I could tell that the instrument being played was none other than the acoustic guitar.

Curious, I slowly pushed the door open and peered through the crack.

"Xander?" My voice came out strangled, confused. I mean, I knew he was in this class but he never told me he played the guitar.

Or that he was freaking amazing at it.

Immediately his fingers stopped plucking the strings and he nearly dropped his guitar in surprise.

"Lacey? What are you doing in here?" He asked, setting the body of the beautiful red acoustic on the ground as he clutched its neck.

"What do you mean, idiot? This is Music Theory. We both have it." I scoffed.

"Yeah, but the sign on the door said to meet at the library." He stated, pointing to the door with his free hand.

Arching one eyebrow, I stuck my head back out into the hallway, glancing at the door and making an irritated noise when I realized that Xander was right.

Period 7 Music Theory class, please meet at the library. We will be researching the history of the music scale today.

-Mr. Hampton

Huh, I never noticed that there.

Popping my head into the room again, I said, "Whatever- wait. Then why are you still here?"

Xander gave me a sheepish look, "I skipped class. I wanted to practice instead."

As I walked into the room, I closed the door behind me and went over to pull up a chair beside him.

"Since when did you play guitar?"

"I started when I was eight." He replied easily, pulling the guitar back up into his lap.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You never asked." Xander smirked, cracking his knuckles. I flicked him between the eyes.

"You know," I started slowly, reaching out and stroking the body of the instrument. The wood felt sleak and smooth under my fingers and I almost smiled. "You're pretty good."

"Really?" Xander grinned, strumming a chord that my perfect pitch instantly recognized as a G Major chord.

"I'm not repeating myself."

Xander stuck his tongue out at me, hesitantly playing C, D, and E minor chords, as if he was afraid his playing wasn't good enough for my ears.

"Play something for me." I blurted out without thinking, staring at the beautiful instrument.

Xander looked surprised at my sudden demand and shrugged, "Whatever you say."

His fingers moved to the middle of the neck, making a seift barred chord with his long fingers. I watched as a small bead of sweat trickled down from his spikey, blue hair and down his almond-shaped face. His brown eyes looked a little nervous as he hesitated.

"Go on." I said, making a shooing gesture with my hand.

With a tiny nod, his right hand came down the the strings, starting up the song.

I watched as his left hand created the chords in perfect time and in perfect ease, as his right kept up the swift movement of strumming in patterns. The song I instantly recognized as A Daydream Away by All Time Low.

After the introduction, he let the last chord ring as he turned to me, muttering, "I'm not very good at singing but I'll try."

Nodding, I motioned for him to continue. He sighed and repeated the last bar before going with the song and singing softly, "Wish you could see your face right now. Cause you're grinning like a fool..."

I closed my eyes and focused on his playing and singing. His voice wasn't the best but it was soft and smooth, giving out a calming vibe. When I opened my eyes, I caught him staring at me and he quickly looked away before starting the refrain. There was a light blush on his face and I frowned, instead focusing on the lyrics.

"Cause right now could last forever, just as long as I'm with you.

But you're just a daydream away, I wouldn't know what to say if I had you. And I'll keep you a daydream away, just watch from a safe place so I'll never have to lose."

Oh, no.

He sent me a small smile which I answered with a tiny twitch of my own lips.

Xander finished the rest of the song, strumming the last chord. He let it ring throughout the room, filling the awkward silence that we were now in. He gave me a hopeful look.

"That was great." I finally said, patting him on the knee.

Deflating a little as if he was hoping for a better reaction, Xander gave me a shrug and placed a grin back on his face.

"Come on, let's get to the library. That way, we can get away with a detention rather than an in-school suspension." He yawned, putting his guitar back in its case and propping it up on the wall.

"Too late for that." I muttered, thinking of my own suspension that started in just two days.

Xande gave me a pointed look, making a face. "Oh, yeah. I almost forgot you were a delinquent."

Punching him in the arm, I stalked off towards the door and walked out into the hallway.

Xander quickly followed, closing it and grabbing my hand to keep me from walking off without him. Wincing a little, I shook off his grip and started off.

"Lacey, I was just kidding. Quit being so touchy."

"Leave me alone, you're annoying."

"Am not! Can't you take a joke?"

"Oh, I can. It was so funny, I forgot to laugh."

Xander opened his mouth to retort when a loud thud stopped him. We were almost to the library and I scowled, wondering what the heck that noise was.

The soft thud returned along with a male voice yelling, "We can just enter with the three of us!"

Xander narrowed his eyes, locating that the arguing came from the closet just across from us. He pointed to the door and I slunk across the hallway to the door, placing my ear on the wood.

Who said eavesdropping was wrong?

Feeling a presence behind me, I think Xander was doing the same thing.

"You know that we can't just enter with the three of us! Drake can't play both lead and rhythm. It's not possible." Another male voice interjected, cutting off the first voice's protest.

"Zac's right," A different male voice gave his input, and I assumed it was Drake. "And you know we need a drummer."

"I told you guys I can play drums and sing at the same time!" The first voice insisted.

"No, you can't. You're our lead vocalist and your voice will just get lost behind the set. You know we need another guitarist and drummer to enter Infinite's contest." Zac hissed and there was a muted thump. I assumed someone punched a wall.

My eyes widened a fraction of an inch and I glanced up at Xander who glanced back at me.

This was it! Whoever these guys were; they needed a drummer. I felt another surge of hope run through my veins. I could audition and they'll have to let me in if they're desperate enough.

Today was just a day of opprotunities.

I shuffled closer to hear better but my foot accidentally hit the bottom of the door, making me and Xander freeze like deer in headlights.

"What was that?" Drake exclaimed, and I heard the shuffling of feet from within the janitor's closet.

"I'll go check," The first voice said, and before I could yell at Xander to start running, the door pulled open so suddenly that Xander and I immediately fell forwards onto the floor in the room.

Coughing at the dust, I waved away dust mites before glancing up at the three shocked gazes of three guys. But the only face I recognized was the unnamed voice in the middle. It was Gabriel.

Oh, shit.

--

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Isabelle