Pandora is a punk seventeen year old who loves the band Skillet, even though she's not a Christian. When she meets Axel, a eighteen year old who is amazing at playing acoustic songs by Skillet, what happens?
Pandora sat on her window sill, her headphones on listening to Rob Zombie's Dragula. It was sunny outside but not too warm, since it was fall in southern Wyoming. Her house was a dark grey-brown craftsman with a bay window bedroom on the second floor- her bedroom.
"Dead I am the rat, feast upon the cat!" One of her huskies-the brother, Maximillion- looked at her as his sister put her forepaws on Pandora's lap. "Maverick, down!"
Maverick got off of her and sulked in the corner. Maximillion started whining.
"Outside?" Maximillion looked at her as if saying, No, pack-sister, I'm whining for the fun of it! I have to go, genius!
"Maximillion, sit," Pandora hooked the leash to Maximillion's collar. "Maverick!" Maverick trotted up to her. "Sit," Pandora hooked another leash to her. They walked to the park across the street. It was fenced in, so she let them go free and off leash. Then she heard awesome acoustic music playing a song she knew. And a soft, yet gravelly voice softly singing to the music.
"It's just another war," the voice sang-male. "Just another family torn."
"Falling from my faith today," Pandora's high-pitched voice cut in.
"Ahh!" The voice yelled. "Who are you," it demanded. She brushed her black hair out of her face and took a deep breath. Now or never, and she stepped out from behind the tree.
"Hi," Pandora said to the guy sitting on the bench in front of her. He had layered dyed hair-blonde on top, then blue, then darker blue, and so on. He was wearing a black jacket that was slightly unzipped, and solid green casual military pants tucked into charcoal combat boots.
His dark brown eyes scanned her up and down- from her punk wedge ankle boots, her black leggings, her short red and black plaid skirt, her very tight bandeau, her grey leather jacket- and settled on her bright amber eyes.
"Hiya. The name's Axel," he said.
"Pandora," she replied. "I like your acoustics. Skillet's an awesome band," she smiled.
"Don't hear that from many girls around here. Then again, most girls around here don't look or dress like you," he looked lost in thought.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Pandora raised an eyebrow.
"Well, simple. Girls around here are preppy, loud, obnoxious, always dressed in slutty pink outfits, and are overall dreadful," he countered.
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" she smiled. He shrugged. "You're not like most guys either. County's the thing around here- country and pop. And most guys don't wear military pants and combat boots. Jock is in, evidently." He smiled at that.
"Well, you'll find that I'm not like most guys."
"Same with me and other girls. In fact, I hate pink." Pandora whistled for her two year old huskies. Maverick came first, then Maximillion walked up. "Time to go guys."
"Wait," Axel said. "Why don't you sing backup? Just one song." He flashed her an oddly charming smile.
"Alright, one song. Hero, Skillet." she gave in. What harm could it be, singing with a stranger?
Axel began playing, then singing, "I'm just a step away I'm just a breath away Losin' my faith today"
"Fallin' off the edge today." Pandora smiled. They were pretty good together if she did say so herself- and she did.
"I am just a man Not superhuman."
"I'm not superhuman!"
"Someone save me from the hate
It's just another war Just another family torn."
"Fallin' from my faith today!" Damn, they were good.
"Just a step from the edge Just another day in the world we live." He continued playing as they sang their hearts out, and doing quite well.
"A hero's gonna save me just in time!" Axel finished, both of them smiling.
"That was fun!" Pandora said, and the huskies barked. "Looks like Maximillion and Maverick agree," she laughed.
"We should do that again sometime." Axel smiled. He handed Pandora a piece of paper with ten numbers on it. Pandora nodded.
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It had been two years since Pandora met Axel. Just under two years since they started their band. A year and a half since they had gotten together. But it had only been two weeks since they bought their own house.
Though, one thing was certain- she hated moving with a passion.
"Baby, did you get all your things packed." Axel came up behind her and hugged her. She smiled at him, then frowned.
"All except for the things I'll need immediately for myself, Maximillion, and Maverick. And the rest of my clothes." Pandora flinched as he backed away.
"Anne... you knew we had to get everything packed."
"It'll only take an hour tops to get them in boxes and over here. Relax." Maverick barked. "Maverick agreed with me."
"Just please hurry."
"I'll be back before you know it," Pandora smiled as she and her dogs got into her Dodge Ram.
"Tell your mom I said 'hi'," Axel called.
"Will do."
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Ty didn't know why she was here or how she even got an invitation to this weird wedding. But she knew it wasn't your average wedding. The bride wore a charcoal grey dress that went down to her knees, and punk wedge ankle boots. Her black hair was tied back and a small section in the front of her wavy hair was closely shaved.
The groom wore a leather jacket and combat boots instead of a tux. And the weirdest thing of all- the bride walked down the aisle to an acoustic version of Hero, by Skillet. But it sounded as if it was being sung by two... teens?
And as the groom leaned in to kiss his bride, Ty saw him almost silently say, "I'm just a step away."
And the bride told her groom, "I'm fallin' off the edge today."
And they both told each other, "A hero's gonna save me just in time.
