chocolate eyes

2. admittance

People believed I died 5 years ago. I observed the world falling into distress. I concealed my tattoos, hid my face, and spent a lot of the time buried in blankets in my poor apartment. The woman I had fallen so deeply for had moved on, my best friend had a new career and show. I watched my children grow on a shattered phone screen. I awakened in the morgue with an extra take at this life and I blew it. After all, nobody enjoys when the villain of the story fakes their death. Nobody likes the shitty Disney plot twists. Most people forget I existed. I wrote honest lyrics and poured my fucking heart out into an album only for those I thought loved me to turn on me. My other best friend died the one night I didn't have a fucking nightmare. My ankle pained me to the point I wished it to be gone. Yet, they wondered why I fucking did it!

I inhaled sharply and gazed at the ceiling. I needed to get out of here. Especially since I was squatting here. I made sure I was safe before walking down the street. My hoodie engulfed my skinny figure. I wasn't looking and bumped into someone.

It was the petite girl again. The one with the icy blue eyes. Flyers covered the ground that she dropped as she tried to collect them all. I bent down and helped her out, as I did bump into her after all. She looked up at me as realization dawned on her. "I uh..." she finished getting the flyers, able to glance at them for just a minute. "We're having a day for my music students to meet musicians and... I was just wondering if you played any instruments?" She looked up with sparkling, pleading eyes.

I took a flyer, "I'll see if I could come." I smiled softly. I realized my secret would need to be revealed. Maybe because I couldn't resist those stupid eyes. I thanked her and headed on my way, finding a place to call. Would Mike even have my number anymore? He's probably deleted it at this point. However, I decided to try it anyways.

The phone started to ring, and I felt hopeless by the third time. Then I heard a groggy voice on the other end, "Hello? This is Mike Shinoda. You better not be a fan or something because it's like... 7 in the fucking morning," he groaned. Tears sprung in my eyes.

"Mike," I rested my back against the wall.

"Is this one of those AI calls... I hope not..." he grumbled. What was an AI? God, it only took 5 years being disconnected from the world.

"No, Mike, it's Chester. I promise you," tears started to escape my eyes.

"If this is really 'Chester,' then tell me something only Chester would know," he grumbled, sounding annoyed.

"Our last show for the Minutes to Midnight tour you wore pink underwear to cheer me up because I didn't feel well."

"I-" his breath hitched. "Chester?"

"Listen, can you come pick me up? I don't feel well and I don't wanna explain this all over the phone," I sighed.

"Okay. Okay. Whatever you need. Where are you at?"

Mike parked his Mercedes, which was one of our many similarities. We had similar tastes in almost everything. Our main difference was he liked wine and I didn't and he liked milk in his coffee.

He opened the door, not even caring to shut it. To my surprise, I got wrapped in the biggest bear hug of my life. "Oh my God you're alive! You're alive!"

"Mike you're gonna kill me again," I squeaked. He released me from the hug and looked at me.

"I need to get you home. You look terrible," he took my hand and lead me to the passenger seat of his car. "You... died. I saw your ashes and everything."

"Correct," I nodded.

"Then how... how are you here?" He asked.

"I'd died, saw God, and spent a bit in heaven before he ultimately said my time isn't over. I woke up in the morgue with nothing but my phone and these clothes. I was too scared to face you. I thought you'd be angry thinking I faked my death..." I looked down.

"And why would I be angry with you. Chester it's been 5 years of you being all alone living on the streets. What made you decide to come back?" Mike turned his blinker on to head towards Palos Verdes.

"Well... I met this girl. She must only be a few years younger than me. She... had a very bad day and sat down beside me to rest. It's like we had some sort of connection. And then today I bumped into her again and she asked if I could play an instrument as her music students are doing a meet a musician day," I looked down.

"And you said no, right?"

I stayed silent.

"And... you said no... right?" He voice got a little more desperate.

"If you knew her eyes, man. It's like I couldn't refuse! I had to call you! I don't know what to do!"

"Well, shit, Chester," he chuckled awkwardly. My eyes looked up at him and he took my hand.

I shivered a little bit, waiting on his ultimate response.

"I guess we gotta call a band meeting. Emergency band meeting."

Mike tapped on his phone at the red light, adding me to the band group chat again. It felt so safe near him.

'Emergency band meeting at 5, my studio'

'Band meeting? Mike quit playing w us.'

'Joe I think hes srs."

"Quit blowing up my phone or it's not gonna be funny."

"Rob there's a band meeting, put your fucking readers on. It's important."

"Language, Brad"

"Whatever, cocksucker."

I chuckled as this unfolded, seeing Mike turning into his driveway. It was currently 11 am. I'd have time to shower and everything before the meeting.

"Anna, before you think you're going insane or I'm going insane, someone called me this morning."