Tainted: Listening to the Silence (Book 1)

SEVENTEEN

                Fortunately Sal, always knowing right what everyone needed, looked around and noticed we could all use a little break and decided to give Em an ultimatum. I could’ve cried with relief when Em finally accepted. Thank you God. By the time practice was done I all but ran out of Em’s garage. Sal and I made our way to our houses, making plans about how we would organize ourselves for this gig. We remembered all our rush to leave the place to be in time last week and decided it would be best if we avoided the whole thing by just staying at one of our houses. After all if there was no one to walk or bring to his own home, maybe we would have more time to relax a little before leaving?

                Our parents liked the idea, or at least most of them did. Ash was completely and totally against it and I knew it was because she was going to be away for the weekend. She often had to go to the city to order the spare parts she needed for her job, and well she knew Mina would be easier on us than she would. She told me that she would be returning around noon on Sunday and that she wanted me out of her house by then. Sal rolled his eyes and told me to ignore her and that it was just a front, like he always did.

                I went to my house that night extremely tired but wide awake at the same time. I decided that I would kill off some energy with my piano and went to sit on the bench. Oh. The window. Sal had told me the sound filtered to his room when I left it open. I got up and closed it, wanting to let him sleep peacefully. I finally sat down on my bench again and couldn’t help the sigh that pushed out of my body. I closed my eyes and thought of what had happened today. I was angry and frustrated and wanted nothing more than to vent some anger off with a fast paced song.

                I thought about it for a second and the presto in The Summer from the Four Seasons by Vivaldi came to my mind. I laughed, without any humor. It was really ironic of me to play that song on piano. I started playing, the fast tempo just what I needed. The notes came to my mind as quickly as my fingers pressed the piano keys. I continued after that right to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, the Presto Agitato particularly, and so I went. It was hours before I was finally done working everything out of my body and to say I felt a little hollow inside would be an understatement. I got up and collapsed on my bed in the same clothes I had worn all day. I was out like a light.

                The next day I woke up just because there was a little naggy feeling that urged me to check the clock. I did and jerked out of bed almost as soon as my brain processed that I had one hour before I had to be picking Sal up. I got into the shower quickly washing the grit and grime of the past day off my body. I had to admit that I felt better after the session of therapy with my piano. I dressed like it had become usual for me to dress, in ripped t-shirts and ripped jeans. I hadn’t gotten around to adding studs to my clothes but I was sure I was going to do so soon.

                That day I pulled on a white t-shirt that had been with me for years. I didn’t wear it much before because it was a little too big for me, but after ripping out its sleeves it turned out it made a perfect tank top. I put on a pair of jeans next. Sal hadn’t managed to convince me that the skinny jeans looked good on me, so it was just a normal, old pair of jeans I had stopped wearing when they ripped. Now, though, I had taken that rip to my advantage and ripped a few more holes in it. I put on a pair of black chucks and ended it all up with the jacket Sal had made me buy. I had to admit I had come to love the jacket by now.

                I ran a hand through my wet hair and left it like that. I grabbed a duffel bag and pushed in a change of clothes, along with a change of underwear and a pair of sweats. I put in my toothbrush and my phone charger, too. I stopped then to think if I was missing anything. Oh. There was still that. I swallowed and went over to my bed. I pulled the mattress up and pulled out the bag that had a tube of lube and condoms in it. I eyed for a few seconds, wondering, weighing chances. Not that I expected anything. But, you never could be too sure, could you?