Vienna's P.O.V
The second the van came to a screeching halt in the Kiszka's driveway, I allowed myself to follow the boys as they made their way into their dimly lit garage, listening in as they made conversation, with some light bickering mixed in, which made me smile to myself.
As I continued to observe the four boys who had gotten started on setting up all of their equipment, my father's words were relentlessly brought back into my exhausted conscious, causing my mood to completely shift from a version of some sort of contentment, to a deep rooted sadness as well as a longing for something I had never gotten the chance to experience.
The thoughts took me back, pushing me onto the couch, attempting to ruin my day, but I pushed them down as far as they would go as Jake started playing something to see if the amp was working, which it definitely was because it pierced my ears.
"Sorry about that!" Jake called out to me, most likely knowing the three other boys were expecting it. He then swiftly made his way over to the worn out amplifier, turning the volume tab down. After a second of fiddling with it, Jake sighed, going back to his spot on the right of Josh. "Alright, I'm ready." And with that, they were quickly off playing in their own little worlds, not a care in sight as they all moved to the rhythm.
After multiple songs, the music died down and Josh looked at me, smiling, coming down from his high, even if it was just a practice. "We're gonna clean everything up, but after that, I'll be all yours."
My nose scrunched up immediately, a pit forming in my stomach, "Don't say it like that."
He rolled his eyes, "You know what I meant, Vienna. Chill."
I tore my eyes away from him, deciding to get my notebook and laptop out, wanting to get the long research part over with.
I was a bit too far into the internet hole when Josh finally made his full presence known by flopping onto the soft couch beside me. I didn't look up at him, not wanting to lose my precious spot in the article I had spent entirely too long reading, knowing that if I drew my attention away, I would have to go through all of it again.
"Some interesting stuff in there?" Josh questioned.
"Hmm."
There was a few minutes of silence as Josh pondered something unknown.
"I think we should do something. Get the creative juices flowing."
My obsessiveness over my spot in the worthless article quickly dissipated as I shot my eyes up at him.
"I am doing something."
A smile played on his face as he shook his head, "But reading an endless article isn't fun."
I directed my attention back to the darkened computer screen. "Well, sometimes you have to do things even when they're not fun."
"Oh, c'mon! Just this once and I promise you, tomorrow I'll be the best at reading any articles you throw at me."
My eyes went back to the boy sitting beside me, as I reluctantly sighed, "You're not going to give up until I say yes, are you?"
His smile grew, "Obviously not... so, that's a yes?"
"Whatever."
He jumped up happily, "Good thing because I'm not going to lie, I am not in the mood for this today."
"I can tell."
He laughed slightly, "Let me go tell my mom I'm taking the van, I'll be right back."
I watched as he jogged ever so slightly to the door that leads into their house, opening it and disappearing just as quick.
Within a few minutes, he erupted from the behind the door with a jacket laid upon his shoulders. He grabbed the keys from the spot he had laid them down earlier, and quickly walked up to me.
"You ready?"
"I guess."
"Alright, let's go!" He waved his hand as he started walking towards the van, gesturing for me to follow, which I reluctantly obliged.
Once I got to the door, I swung the heavy metal open and climbed inside, putting on my seatbelt instantaneously.
Josh smirked at me, "Sam is rubbing off on you a little too much."
He put the keys into the ignition, making the old vehicle shake as it turned on.
I kept my eyes on the floorboards, "No, I think it's just enough."
He lightly scoffed in response as his hand found the back of my seat, turning his body to see the back windshield.
My hands gripped the ragged seat covering as we backed out of the driveway, way too fast for my liking.
"Alright, alright. We're fine. You can breath." Josh said with a slight laugh.
I looked up as the car started moving forward and his hand left the headrest, meeting the steering wheel.
"Wanna listen to some music?"
I sighed, "Definitely."
He switched on the radio, tuning it so a channel he liked would come through.
"Don't you have an aux cord?"
"Yeah. I just like to listen to the radio sometimes, you know? Then maybe I'm listening to the music I like with other people, without even knowing it."
I nodded, somehow understanding as Victoria by The Kinks started ringing out through the van.
Josh quickly started singing along as he rolled the window down slightly, letting the wind blow through his hair.
The words twirled around us as we drove through the quiet town, not quite sure where we were going, but nonetheless, continuing on.
After sometime, we finally pulled into a small parking lot, that looked a little too scary for me.
"Don't worry, it's a normal store."
I nodded, following his lead as he got out of the van.
We were soon walking side by side into an unknown store, which was a bit odd because I've lived here all my life, and I've somehow never seen this place before.
Josh pulled me out of my thoughts as he opened the door to reveal a small music store with tons of vinyls, CDs, amps, and more instruments than I probably even knew existed.
He smiled at me as my face lit up, "How have I never known this place existed? I've of course gone into the other vinyl store across town, but never this one." I spoke as I wandered around.
"Probably because it looks sketchy as hell."
I laughed, "Maybe."
He continued rambling on about how they've been coming here since they were little and some other things that soon faded away as I turned to a row of vinyls, filtering through them, going into my own little world.
After a good period of time, I came back to reality as Josh came up to my side.
"Are your creative juices flowing?"
"I mean, sure, but how is this going to help with our project about love."
He shrugged, "Musicians know a great deal about love, so I guess we could listen to some songs."
I rolled my eyes, mumbling, "Sure they do."
"What?"
"Nothing, are you ready to go?" I asked, quickly changing the subject.
He looked at me questionably, "I- uh, sure. Don't you want anything?"
I noticed the couple of vinyls under his arm, but I shook my head.
"No, it's alright."
"C'mon, Vienna. I insist."
I shook my head, "I'm fine, Josh. Let's just get going."
He sighed, "Fine, but know I really tried to get you to let me buy you something."
"Oh, I know."
He smirked, causing my eyebrows to furrow as he walked up to the cashier.
"Hey, Joshua! My boy! How's it been hanging?" The man with a long gray haired ponytail, asked him as he rang up the three vinyls Josh had accumulated.
"Really great! How about you, John?"
The man smiled, "Oh, you know. Same old same old. How's the band?"
"We've been doing really good, usually playing a bar or two on the weekends. You've gotta come out the next time we play!"
John nodded with a smile, "I'll make sure to do that. Just have your mom send me over the date."
Josh nodded as he handed the man his card, "Oh, this is Vienna, by the way."
John looked at me, a surprised look on his face, "Does Joshua finally have a girlfriend?"
Before I could roughly deny it, John continued, "I remember when he was little and he was terrified of girls, it was the most hila-"
"Alright, alright, John. I think that's enough. And she's not my girlfriend. She's an acquaintance."
I nodded my head at the label Josh gave me as John handed him the bag with his new vinyls inside.
"Well, either way, the story still is still funny as shit!"
Josh rolled his eyes with a laugh, "Alright, I'll see you later, John."
He nodded with a smile, waving at us as we made our way out.
I grinned, "I like him." Which happened to be the the first sentence that escaped me as we walked back to the van.
He laughed, "I'm sure you do."
We both climbed back into the van, Josh sitting his vinyls down onto the back seat, quickly turning back around, flipping on the radio once again.
An unfamiliar song started playing as I closed my eyes, feeling the rhythm and also the feeling of the van starting to move forward.
"I'm dropping you off at your place, right?"
I shot open my eyes after only a few seconds of having them closed, realizing my things are still laying on his couch. "I left my stuff at your house on accident."
"Oh, alright."
I nodded, closing my eyes again.
When I opened them back up, we were in their driveway and Josh had just turned the ignition off.
"Let me drive you h-"
"I wanna walk." Not because I was mad at him or anything, but because I wanted to clear my mind before going back into the chaos.
"Vienna, it's almost dark. I can't let you do that again."
"It's alright. I'll be fine."
"Then let me walk with you."
He would have to walk up to my front porch, possibly hearing something that he shouldn't.
"Josh, I said I'm fine. Let it be."
"Vienna."
I groaned, "Fine, you can drive me. Just let me get my stuff."
He smiled, "Thank you."
"Whatever, Joshua." I said while I subconsciously rolled my eyes.
I quickly left him alone in the van as I got out, walking into the garage and grabbing my things.
Just as fast as I had left, I was soon standing on my front porch, a pit sitting in my stomach.
I looked back as Josh was looking at me, most likely waiting for me to walk inside, but it took me what felt like ten years to unlock the door and walk into the silent home.
A wave of relief washed over me as I realized they were both gone and I would be able to have a peaceful night to myself, hopefully.