Of Pain | COMPLETED

Chapter 31

Even Mitch has one.

‘And what is up with you?’ I asked him and folded my arms in front of my chest as my frown turned to a scowl. ‘You’re acting all weird and shit man. How in the first place did you find me here?’

He rolled his eyes at me. ‘I’ve been working on a song,’ he said. ‘And I want your opinion on it. I’ve laid down the drums part earlier in the morning and the two boys are in the studio currently messing around with the guitar chords. I need you back in there ASAP.’

‘But we’re not supposed to have practice today!’ I wailed at him and didn’t care that I sounded like a child right now. Or probably attracting other people’s attention. ‘You’re being mean! Rip is a big meanie!’

He looked amused. ‘You know Rip isn’t my real name,’ he pointed out to me thoughtfully, pursing his lip as he did so. ‘I don’t care if I’m being a big meanie to you but I really want this song in your album. So let’s go.’

‘Well obviously that isn’t your real name, what do you take me for man?’ I told him with a flat look. ‘And no I am not going to the recording studio. I want to skate goddamnit. It’s been a month since I got back here. Come back again tomorrow Rip.’

He lets out a loud sigh and ran a hand through his long hair as he did. ‘I knew your bestfriend wasn’t joking when he said that you’d be like this,’ he muttered aloud and sent me a condescending look, making his dark eyes glint dangerously under the bright lights.

‘Mitchie told me where I was?! I hate that idiot,’ I exclaimed beseechingly and my mind suddenly went blank when I felt myself being moved forwards slightly. Letting out a gasp, I felt a strong hand on my arm and I looked up to see Rip grasping me tightly. ‘What the hell are you doing?!’

‘I’m going to pull you from where you’re standing and I’m going to carry you out of the skating rink if it’s the last thing I do,’ he told me flatly. ‘I don’t care if you scream or shout or threaten to kill me, I will so do it. Now god help me, get out of the rink before I force you to!’

‘Fucking hell,’ I muttered under my breath and shook my head before skating my way out of the rink, pulling myself off the iced ground to put my blades on the soft padding they have placed on the ground. Walking quite awkwardly towards the seat where my bag was, I muttered curses under my breath as I switched my skates with shoes.

I’m beginning to really hate that idiot.

He came nearer to me while I sat tying up my shoelaces and made an impatient noise at the back of his throat as I purposely tied slowly, wanting to rile him up a little. ‘Hurry up will you?’ he hissed at me and I shot up from my seat in anger, glaring at him before shoving my heavy bag onto his stomach hard, making him grunt in pain.

‘Asshole.’

…

‘Hey baby sister who’s from another mother!’

I spat my drink out inelegantly, coughing loudly as I saw Seth and the other three boys crowding around behind him. My eyes widen and my jaw dropped wide open as I saw them standing in front of me. ‘What the hell are you guys doing here?!’ I shouted at them in surprise.

Both Darren and Seth had their guitars slung across their backs while Connor had stuffed his drum sticks into his back pockets. Rip was hovering between them with a flat expression on his face as he looked around the cafeteria they were in. thanks to their abrupt entrance, the whole room had gone silent.

Mitch and I exchanged bewildered looks before I frowned at my band. ‘We’re here to perform since Mr Jones wants us to have a free performance,’ Seth told me with an easy smile. ‘Henry said it was fine if we go to your school for this performance.’