Queen of the Headphone Zombies

Decresendo

My face is neutral as she's speaking, but my heart is pounding out of my chest. I've felt that pull, too. But I've ignored it, denied it, rationalized it as something else. But if Chelsea feels it too, how much longer can I pretend it's not there? Now that Chelsea voices it out loud she is not going to let this go.  I cringe at the thought of how many times she is going to go on about how "e-lec-tric" the two of us are singing together.

"And BTW, I'm in. All in. I want Dylan out as much as you or Em does." There's a twinkle in her eye as she speaks. She's always hated Dylan, but I have to give her credit, she's never once said, "I told you so." Even though she had totally told me so many, many times.

However, her little speech inspires my first demand. "Start by never calling him Em again." The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

Chelsea twists her head, one eyebrow rising. "Oh, really. And what, pray tell, would you prefer I call him? Guy Who Plays the Fuck Out of the Drums? Guy Who Zoe Might Set the World on Fire With?"

Okay, shit I now regret that first demand. "Funny." I get off the bed, heading to the door to escape from Chelsea. I stop in my tracks and spin back to face her as I remember the words she spoke when she barged in. "Dragon Lady is on a rampage? About what?"

Chelsea turns pale, freaking me out. Then she leans forward and whispers. "She tried to get me to drink one of her brown concoctions. I took a sip, I had no choice, she cornered me. But all that is holy, omg, that was the worst. It TLS. What the hell does she put in that slop? I wouldn't be surprised if she was trying to poison me."

Ah. Dragon Lady hasn't had anyone to torment with those shakes in a long time. She stopped trying to get me to drink them when I poured one directly over her rabbit food a few years ago. Maybe I should have Chelsea come over more often. Dragon Lady might get off my back and hop right onto Chelsea's.

"It's not good, but it isn't poison. She just wants a health buddy so she can get your testimonial for her marketing strategy." Dragon Lady runs a marketing and consulting company, which she also owns. All of her clients are into image; make up, diet, hair products. Everything that makes the outside of a person look like something new and shiny. Her whole job is all about making the outside shiny, who cares about the inside? Who cares about the person, all we are supposed to care about it how they look. DL gets a lot of free stuff, a lot of free products in her job, but I refuse to touch any of the samples she tries to pass my way. All that crap does not make you happy. Because she uses it all and she can't even enjoy the fact that she works from home. She can't be like some normal person and lounge in her pajamas all day. On no, not her. She must always dress for success, no matter when or where. No matter if a single person sets eyes on her during the day. Dress for success. That's her entire life summed up in a fortune cookie.

Make it count, because this is it. That's mine. And I intend to make my mark. Forget DF and his new GF. Forget heartbreak and loneliness. It is time I stepped up and made this life count.

"Come on," I say to Chelsea. "I have your next task all figured out."

Chelsea jumps up and grabs the bag she tossed when she rushed into my room. "Whatever you need or want me to do, just name it."

I have to admit I like this side of Chelsea, the Chelsea who is now working so hard to get back into my good graces. "I need a change, and you're about to get your hands green."

"Oh man, this does not sound good. Green?" Her voice is hesitant, but she's still following me out the door.

We make our way stealth like through the house and past the kitchen where Dragon lady is whipping up another shake. And we finally find ourselves outside at my car.

"Green." I liked the part where Chelsea said singing with New Guy turns DF green. It gave me an idea. It's time for a change and I was getting tired of the blue tips on my hair. The blue tips were DF's idea. Green tips will really annoy the hell out of Dylan because green is his least favorite color. It's about time my outside reflected my inside, too.

I'm about to start a new chapter in my life and a little peroxide and some dye, and I'll get myself a new look. New look, new attitude. I'm no longer putting up with anyone's crap. I'm not longer going to be a doormat. I'm not going to quit the band. Hear that Dylan! Not quitting the band! Watch out Dylan this new and improved Zoe is coming after you!

Zoe doesn't seem as convinced about her newest alliance as she did earlier. And, whoops! Her little nickname slip could come back to haunt her! Probably not.

But yeah, most likely. Chelsea has a long road ahead of her before Zoe let's her off the hook, and that's only if she doesn't go cray cray again. I think we all can predict how that might play out.

I have to speak about this song choice. A friend on Wattpad sent me a link to this guy a couple of years ago. I thought it was just okay. But I started hearing it all over the place, thinking there's that bone guy again! This song has grown on me. And it's about messing up, which Chelsea is owning right now.