Before The Bell Rings - Spencer White

episode III

"Oi Am, wait up!"

"Oh, hi JJ! So do you have by any chance a 100 bucks on ya?"

"Are you crazy?! Can't even afford a new phone. I'm stuck with my IPhone 7."

"Yeah I thought so." She laughed. Her smile faded, and I could see how much it meant to go to that concert. I hadn't realized it before.

"Hey, how about we just snuck in. What's the worse that could happen huh?" I proposed, Amerie's face lit up. She stopped walking.

"Yes. That's actually a brilliant plan!"

"Okay, now take it down a notch. You don't want to scare Dusty, let's be... chill. I'll text Quinni and Darren, and we'll meet up at mine. I'll drive."

She smiled.

"Oh what did I do to deserve a JJ in my life." She said throwing her arm around my shoulders.

"An incest map, I guess."

We both laughed, happy to have find one another.

[...]

"Okay so you guys remember the plan?" Amerie asked to Darren and I. Quinni would meet us later since she had a date with Sasha. We both nodded in agreement. "Let's go get some!" She shouted.

"Oh honey, only you will." Darren exclaimed.

We walked up to this gigantic and beautiful white house, Dusty's dad was loaded. I mean, he had a bouncer and a guest list. Only rich people have that when they throw some party.

"Harper McLean?" Amerie said to the big scary guy. He nodded, moving to make us way to enter the villa. When Darren and I were almost there, he took Amerie by the arm and checked his list.

"Sorry Map Lady, no can do."

Darren and I both took the opportunity to enter. Darren texted Amerie to meet us in the back, we would unlock the door. The concert didn't start for about an hour but the house was already full of people from school.

"Go to the backdoor and I'll meet you guys with some drinks." I said while moving towards the kitchen.

I looked around the counter. Vodka, no. Tequila, not after the cemetery. Gin it will be. I took three cups out of the pile and pour some Gin in each. I knew Darren didn't like anything straight so I filled the rest of their cup with orange soda. After putting down the two liters of soda, I went to pick up the three drinks when I noticed one was missing.

"Oi that's mine!" I shouted, annoyed.

"You getting shitfaced tonight eh?" He said after chugging my drink. "Hello to you JJ."

"Cheers Spider."

I rolled my eyes and left. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer to him. I could smell the fresh Gin on his breath.

"I don't recall giving you a bracelet! Where's your new friend so I can kick out all of you at the same time?"

"Aren't you tired of always sucking the joy out everywhere you are?"

He scoffed but kept his gaze on me. I felt that tingling feeling built up inside me. That same intensity. That same burning around my heart that made me want to scream all of my feeling out loud. Probably for the first time in Spider's life, he didn't respond with a mean or sarcastic or disgusting comment. He just stand there, looking at me. Me looking at him.

"I'll make you a drink." He finally said, cutting the tension with his words.

He started doing just that but I didn't move. I stand still, arms crossed and following his body's every motion.

"Here, enjoy the drink and the show."

He handed me the red cup and left towards the stage in the living room. He, Dusty and the other all went up to the stage and started prepping their instruments. I lifted the cup to my lips and took a sip. Tequila. Oh, he was good.

"Sorry girly, we had a tiny bathroom emergency." Darren exclaimed out of nowhere. I turned my head to see they were with Quinni.

"You okay babe?"

"I am now!" Quinni smiled. I hugged her.

"Oh, here are you guys drinks!" I exclaimed, putting my cup down and giving them theirs.

"Where's Am?" I questioned the pair, looking around us to spot her. Darren spoke up.

"Well, to make it short. She didn't got my text. She fell in the pool trying to climb the wall. We went to the bathroom to blow dry her hair but after that, she disappeared."

And as if it was arranged, Amerie popped in the room with rosy cheeks and stars in her eyes. We all knew what she had been doing or should I say who. The microphone's feedback echoed in the room.

"I'm a fark!" Spider yelled in the mic, busting my ears.

We all rolled our eyes. Idiot.

"Hello. Um, thank you all for coming out tonight. We are in support of the Global Women's Project." Dusty said and all of the girls started cheering for the band.

"Fake ass woke feminists." I whispered to Darren.

"Damn right."

"Anyway, we're Renaissance Titties, and, um, I just want to give a shoutout to someone special in the audience. Um... there she is. Hey Harper. This song is for Harper McLean. It called My Life Is Nothing Without The Warm Embrace Of Your Sweet Left Cheek."

Darren, Quinni and I both looked at Amerie. Amerie looked at Harper. She had tearful eyes, the betrayal of her ex-best friend hitting her right in the face. The band's music faded in our ears and we all followed Amerie outside of the house. We will support her no matter what, because that's what friends do. I, for one, was furious.