I stared at the two of them, completely shocked. Then I glanced at Evan who was also staring at me. I threw my arms to the ceiling again and spoke, "Me and Bridget was not fighting over Evan."
Dexter smirked and titled his head, "Are you sure?"
"I'm bloody positive. I was paying her back for what happened on the bus." I stated dryly. Ryan's eyes widened.
"What happened on the bus? Dang, I wish I stayed to see this stuff go done. Evan, what happened on the bus?"
Now all eyes turned to Evan who blinked slowly as if trying to remember what exactly had happened. "Her and Bridget were arguing."
"And? Why were they?" Dexter insisted.
I couldn't let Evan explain it so I interrupted and said my side of the story.
"I was sitting next to the window when Evan decided to pop down next to me. Then his fake Barbie stalker decided that she wanted to sit next to him. So she told me to move out my damn seat. I told her ass it was a freaking free country and I was going to sit wherever I pleased. And she got all bitchy because she was desperate as hell to sit next to Evan. After treating her the stupid son of a bitch poured her juice on me. So I paid her back when we were in the hallway by treating her again. Point blank. I wasn't fighting about Evan neither was I fighting for him. I was fight for my goddamn self."
Dexter stared at me and then looked at Evan. "Why did you sit next to Kylie?"
Evan rolled his eyes and said, "I didn't know who she was. She looked like a boy."
"Really, I don't see it." The redhead boy said, looking me up and down. I squirmed a little in my seat and glared at him. He stopped instantly and looked back at Evan.
"She had on a big hoodie with her hood on. I thought she was a boy." Evan said, proving his point.
Dexter nodded and said, "You girls really do like fighting over guys don't you?"
I blew out a long and annoyed sign, my hunger making me get extremely cranky. I was going to snap if he didn't shut up. Right now.
"I wasn't fighting over Evan. I just met the dude, for Christ's sake."
"That doesn't mean anything." Dexter said with a smirk.
I simply shook my head; too hungry to even waste my time using my voice. As if one cue the waiter was at our table, placing a salad and Pepsi in front of me and for Evan a steak with macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes. For Ryan was a slice of cheese pizza with French fries. The waiter had even brought out something for Dexter, a plate with corn and a hamburger with fries.
Dexter looked at my plate and said; "Don't tell me your one of those girls that's always talking about how many calories are in what we're eating."
I rolled my eyes. "Whom do you take me for? No, I'm not."
He titled his head at my plate and said, "You are eating a salad. That's what those types of girls eat."
I shook my head and said, "I'm a vegetarian."
The three boys looked at me in shock. Evan stopped cutting a piece of his steak off, Ryan stopped eating on his fries, and Dexter's smile had dropped a little.
"How do you live?" Ryan asked in a whisper, as if he was afraid to speak it out loud.
"I live." I stated as I poured Ranch sauce on my salad.
"You live in fucking America. How the hell can you possibly be a vegetarian? You can't live." Dexter said, shaking his head at the same time.
I mixed my salad up to get the Ranch sauce on every piece of lettuce while I replied, "There's a lot of choices out there for me."
Silence as everyone began to eat. I was the first one done, looking around the room as I sipped on my Pepsi. Halfway through eating the waiter had brought everyone else his or her drinks. Ryan, a coke. Dexter, orange pop. Evan, Sprite. I got a refill on my Pepsi when the waiter had come and taken my plate.
It took another while before the boy's finished after getting seconds. They acted as if it was a competition. That's when I felt something coming up my throat and then it happened. I burped.
Now, I hope your not thinking I burped like a lady, all small and giggling in embarrassment. No I think I burped so loud the whole club had heard me.
I patted my chest and said, "Excuse me."
Then I casually sipped on my Pepsi some more. Evan surprised me by speaking first.
"Do you always do that?"
I shrugged and stopped sipping, putting my cup down. I pushed another burp up from my stomach, a little quieter than the last but still loud.
"Does that answer your question?"
"It certainly does." Evan said, sipping on his Sprite. A few seconds later, he burped, louder than my first one. I wrinkled my nose.
"You didn't say 'Excuse me'." I said taking a long sip of my Pepsi as I watched him take sips from his Sprite. I glared at him and he stared at me. I saw full amusement in his usually dead eye as he rolled his eyes.
"I don't need to." He replied after finishing off his drink. I sipped until I was done, my stomach bubbling like it was boiling.
I pushed all off it up, all the stupid gas and let out the loudest burp I've ever have in my life. I heard a lady scream something like, "That's disgusting" and an old lady was saying something of the sort, "Kids are so disgraceful. To do that at a public Club."
I ignored them and smirked at Evan. "I don't need to either."
Finally, I saw Evan's lip twitch until there was smirk on his face, his eyes gleaming with amusement. I was stroke at how hot he looked. With his defined jaw and his cute cheeks. I noticed a dimple forming as he smirked a little harder. That hot bastard. Then he burped, it wasn't as loud as mines though.
"I win." I said, throwing my arms to the ceiling.
"What, no victory dance?" Evan said, sarcastically.
I rolled my eyes. "I'll do it later, so I can rub it in at the right time."
He rolled his eyes and that's when I finally heard Ryan and Dexter laughing their ass off. Evan noticing the fact too, dropped all emotions on his face, back to the emotionless and dead look again.
"What's so funny?" He asked them, his voice back flat. I felt a bit of disappointment settle but I pushed it away.
Dexter shook his head, "You guys did not just have a burping competition."
Ryan laughed harder.
I honestly didn't get it but I didn't push it and neither did Evan. We gave each other a look; it was like we were both asking each other, 'what's going on?' I shrugged and he repeated the act. Then that faraway look got into his eyes, telling me he was gone from planet Earth again.
I signed, so much as getting him to break out of his shell. That's when I realized that the lights were dimming down a little.
"What's going on?" I asked, staring at the ceiling as the lights began to fade.
Ryan and Dexter stopped laughing and looked around.
"It's show time." Dexter said, standing up and tapping Evan's shoulder. "Let's make sure the instruments are fixed right."
Evan nodded and the pair went towards the stage. I was watching them play around with the notes of the guitars, turning the little knobs at the end when it didn't produce the sound they needed them too. Ryan cleared his throat and I looked at him. I was surprised to see such a serious look on his young looking face, it made him seem a little older.
"Yes?" I started off the conversation.
"I've never seen Evan like this before." Ryan stated, staring at me as he leaned forward in his seat. He closed in on the borderline of my personal space but I didn't move. Ryan didn't make me feel uncomfortable, not with that child looking face, and it was like I was talking to a concerned big brother.
"I don't really understand." I replied.
His voice turned down to a whisper, causing me to lean forward a little to hear him speaking.
"Evan's never asked so many questions that's about someone's life or their interests. Like in the car and helping you. I've never seen him like this. Ever since... that day, he's turned as cold as Ice Age. He doesn't talk to many people anymore and he fell off track, getting caught up in some dangerous stuff. Dexter, and me we've known him since we were little, so we tried to help him out, getting tangled up into his dangerous business as well. But ever since you and Evan met, he's been changing. I don't know how else to explain this."
I stared at him, whispering back. "Well, I don't know either. I'm just being myself."
Ryan nodded and furrowed his brow. His words caused a shiver to go down my spine. What had made Evan the way he was today? It really wasn't any of my business but I couldn't help being a little curious as to what was going on with him. This dangerous stuff was also crawling underneath my skin.
Ryan snapped out of his own little trance and he smiled at me, all the seriousness gone. He grabbed my good hand and gently pulled my out of my seat. My stomach throbbed lightly but I wasn't bothered by it.
He pulled me towards the stage and I shook my head at him. "I can't play." I whispered furiously. Ryan ignored me and pulled me up onto the stage.
The lights had dimmed all the way off by now and there a set of lights above the stage that flicked on, brightening up the whole thing. I blinked a few times, waiting on my eyes to adjust to the new bright lightening. People clapped and some were saying the word, "Pink" and "Girl".
Great now I'm attracting even more attention. I glared at Ryan who went up to the microphone.
"Hello ladies and gentleman's. Raging High will be performing with a new drummer today. Kylie Smith." He gestured at me and then winked.
I gave him the death glare. As soon as we got off this damn stage I was going to kill his ass. I shook my head and was walking past Evan who had the electric guitar strap on, holding his fingers in an awkward position on the strings.
Evan stared at me and whispered. "You going to play?"
"I don't have a choice now." I whispered back angrily.
Evan's mouth lifted into a smirk until dropped as quickly as it came. I was about to continue walking when he said, "Wait a minute."
I watched as he reached his hand out slowly, like I was a wild beast that might attack him at some moments. His warm hand landed on my head and he ranked his hand through the front and back of my head.
"The purpose of that was?" I asked confused after he replaced his fingers back on the strings of his guitar.
"Your hair has been sticking up for a while now." He said amusement in his eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I snapped but continued to walk, not allowing him to see the huge smile on my face. It fell though as I sat down at the drums, the whole thing looking complicated. Three drums, one large bass, two snare drums, and two cymbals. I placed my foot on the latch that banged a round soft yet hard thing against the bass to make that loud sound. My other foot went on one of the cymbals latch that when you pressed down, made the one cymbal stand with two on it, clash together to make it's sound.
I picked up the drumsticks that rested on the snare and noticed that the boys were looking at me.
I stared back until Evan mouthed, 'Count it off' or I think that's what he said. Before I could start though,
Ryan asked in the microphone. "Can we get another microphone stand up here?"
Someone yelled, "Yeah, sure!"
Then Ryan walked over to me and asked, "What's songs do you know on drums?"
I shrugged, my brain struggling to come up with an answer. Evan spoke for me, "She was drumming to Green Day and All Time Low."
"We know American Idiot and I Feel Like Dancing." Ryan said, looking at me for confirmation.
I nodded. "I think I could do both."
Ryan nodded and smiled before going over to Dexter and tapping him, telling him in the two song choices.
I signed in relief and looked at Evan who had placed his fingers in a new position and was staring at the guy who brought up another microphone on it's stand. He placed it in front of Evan, who adjusted it to his height. He tapped it to check if it worked and the tap radiated into the air.
"Thanks." I said.
He didn't respond, but I could tell he heard me from the slight way his head was going in my direction before it moved back straight. Ryan announced to the crowd that today they would be performing two covers, first was American Idiot.
As soon as he finished talking he looked back at me. My heart pounded in my ears as I held my arms halfway up, a stick in each hand. My stomach curled with nervousness and already sweat was coming down the sides of my forehead. Could I remember how to play?
I counted it off, banging the sticks together three times. Off slide Evan's fingers on the guitar, the sound radiating from it like the real thing of Green Day. He was extremely good, his fingers flying up and down the neck of the guitar so fast it was a blur.
Then Dexter kicked in with the bass, just as well as Evan, his head titled back in his own little world as he played. I had to start soon too. I forced myself to calm down and listen to them; I had to make my beat similar.
The music flowed into my ears and I sucked it into my brain, trying to analyze the counts and the beats. Finally the notes began to appear like magic and my body jumped with so much excitement I think I was going to jump out of my skin, literally.
The music made get pumped, made me want to scream in joy. And then my hands began to fly as my foot pushed quickly down on the latches of the bass and cymbals. Crash cymbal 1. Crash cymbal 2. Hit drum in middle. Hit drum to the left. Hit snare drum. Hit drum that's lowered more the ground than the others. Bass drum. Repeat as quickly as possible.
Soon, I found the whole stage, everything being blocked out. It was just the drums and I, my arms shaking from the vibrations of the instruments, and the sound of my beats filling my ears. That's when I started to hear Evan's voice singing the chorus, and I made my beats a little quieter so the people could hear him.
But now just like them, I wanted to hear him too. I jumped out of my world, the sound of the crowd cheering, some even yelling out the lyrics, and the guitar's awesome notes, it all hit me and I was truly happy. Ryan was singing background for Evan and I listened to his deep voice yell out lyrics and I brought my eyes to him.
His fingers were still flying on that guitar, his foot tapping hard against the stage, and he had to lean into the microphone to actually be heard properly. His voice was amazing, it almost made me forget to hit the snare drum, and I fumbled back onto track. I couldn't listen to hard or I'll lose myself in his quick notes and fast singing.
I had the urge to sing along with them. Evan finished his chorus and started doing back up for Ryan, who nodding his head with the music that came from the instruments.
The next song was even more upbeat than the one before and by the time we finished, my ears were ringing and my breathing was quick. My stomach ached like hell but I ignored it completely. My body was excited, my heart pounded for escape and my blood raced through my veins so fast I think it was going to go somewhere wrong. I stood up, placing the drumsticks back where I found them and walked with the boys out of the door.
People yelled compliments at everyone and told me to "Keep it up". I smiled and waved. Outside I signed in relief as the group of us made our way to the car. I got into the backseat like before, but this time, Evan got in the back with me. Dexter took the front seat and Ryan was behind the wheel again. I yawned, my body exhausted and stinging with a thousand needles.
"That was awesome, man." Dexter said, smiling out the window.
"I agree. With the added beats of the drumming, it really makes it more exciting." Ryan said, looking at me through the rear view mirror.
I shook my head but a small grin was on my face all the same. I leaned my head against the door of the window and stared at the passing images. I was tried, my arms already feel sore from the hard pounded I hadn't done in so long.
I tried to rub some feeling back into them but it only helped to ache more. I signed. Forget it, I thought, dropping my hands lazily into my lap.
Ryan and Dexter started having a conversation about the different songs they could do. Talking about making a new song, trying to chose a topic. The backseat felt more cramped then it had before with Evan in it. He was sitting a little close, his warmth radiating off of him.
The outside of the car made it seem extremely big but the inside proved wrong. That's when I felt his hands on my arm, his fingers kneading right into the spots that ached. At first it hurt, but slowly the soreness in my arm became less of a hustle.
Once he was done he whispered, "For playing with us."
I nodded and closed my eyelids, the coolness of the window feeling nice on my hot and excited skin. The feeling of the car moving rocked me into something like sleep. But memories of my past appeared to haunt me in my dreams and I opened my eyes quickly, shocked.
The image that had popped up, it was one I shouldn't be able to remember because I had blocked it out completely. Why had I seen that?
I stared at my lap with wide eyes. I wasn't supposed to be seeing that, not now and not ever. Suddenly, I felt extremely cold, an ice shiver going down my spine. Get a grip on yourself, Kylie. Drop it. I breathed in a shaky breath and pressed my now cold hand against my forehead, closing my eyes tightly.
That pale hand reached out towards me
I opened my eyes quickly and stared out the window, turning my face completely so no one would see. We were driving into my neighborhood. It must be around the time for kids to go home now.
Slowly, we stopped in front of my house and I wondered what my father would think. Was I being a bad kid already before even staying for more than a week? I was about to open the car door when it opened for me, Evan standing there, staring at me. I looked at him but my mind was elsewhere as I grabbed my skateboard and quickly walked towards the gates and up the stairs to the front door.
Evan was next to me all the way up to this point. He leaned against the door, stopping me from opening to door. He stared at me and I stared back, my insides jumping and moving around crazily.
Why was this memory trying to come back? I hated it. What had happened after my mother had left me there, in so much pain. I blinked furiously as the memory tried to appear, I had to make it go away. What did I usually do when this happened? I couldn't say because it never happened. I had blocked it out of my head, out of my memory, refusing to think even a little about it.
And to this day, all I remember was getting beaten by her first boyfriend, Carl, and then laying there in pain. Afterwards I saw myself going to school like usually. The time in between I couldn't remember because I had blocked it out.
Now though, it was appearing. The images...
The lights flashing off before I could blink. That pale hand reaching for me in the darkness...
I swallowed my eyes wide, before I regained myself, pushing everything down. Stop thinking, period.
I spoke flatly, "Move, Evan."
"No." He responded.
"I'm for real, I have to go, right now." I said, trying to keep my voice controlled.
He shook his head. "You're lying."
"I don't care! Just move!" I yelled at him, trying to get to my room and taking a shower. I had to do something to distract myself.
He stared at me blankly. "What's wrong?"
"It's none of your damn business, now move." My voice shaking a little.
He looked at me and then looked away. I spoke coldly, "You don't tell me anything about yourself, why should I? Now move, Evan."
That got him, his eyes narrowed and his eyes went deader than I've ever seen them. A coldness in them that made me want to take a step back.
"Fine." His voice sharp as he walked past me and jumped into the truck.
I bit on my bottom lip as I opened the front door and stormed inside, closing and locking it behind me. Whatever. It was only fair. And plus I wasn't ready to tell anyone.
"Kat-- Kylie!" My father's voice boomed down the hallway. I had to be brace myself for this; I knew it was going to be terrible. I was betting that the school had called him and told him the lie I had given them.
I walked into the kitchen where he and his wife sat. She looked worried and concerned while my father looked plain angry. "Yes?" I asked, all my thoughts being pushed away for this newfound distraction and talk.
He shook his head. "First day back to school I hear you got into a fight and hurt yourself badly. When you first got here, you starting riding and got injured. And then you did that -waved at my head- to your hair. Can you explain to me why your behavior has gotten so out of hand? And to make matters worst, you don't come straight home; you leave the high school with some boys and don't come back until school actually ends. I called you so many times, Katherine. You just would not answer my calls."
I hadn't known he was calling. "My phone was on silent."
My father banged his hand down on the table making his wife and I startled. "Are you acting this way because what happened with your mother? Because if you are its childish. You need to put that past you and act like you've got some sense. I'm not going to let you continue like this under my roof, not with that behavior." He snapped at me coldly, glaring at me.
I felt anger crawling up my throat and I snapped back, "You don't even know me! You weren't there when she went crazy and brought nut jobs home."
My father leaned back in his seat, a disgusted look on his face. "Your right. I don't and I can't even imagine what it was like, but you have to move on."
I was about to interrupt him but he held up his hand, silencing me. "That's precisely why I'm making you do therapy after school sessions for six months."
It felt like someone had splashed cold water on my face. "You think... I need therapy?"
He nodded and said, "Your the one struggling with the past and not being able to move on. This behavior of yours is helping to prove my case even more."
Therapy? My insides swirled until they stopped, nothing. I couldn't tell how I felt until the anger in my jetted open and soared through my veins.
My father pushed a sheet of paper across the table with an address across it and with big letters the damn thing said, "Therapy for Teens". I grabbed the paper, almost crumbling it up.
He continued to speak, "If you don't go to one of those sessions, I will move you into a boarding school. Your ten minutes late and I'm grounding you. Do you understand?"
I spoke through gritted teeth. "I understand perfectly." I turned on my heel and ran up the stairs, making sure to slam the door behind me. I threw the stupid paper on the ground, but it floated until it landed making me even madder. I jumped into my bed and pounded against it, letting my anger out on the damn bed like a fucking child.
Then I sat up, grabbing some grey track shorts with a red sports bra. It was hot outside and I didn't plan on staying out long. I hurriedly went to the shower and pulled my pants off, not bending my stomach. Then I closed my eyes, lifted off my tank top.
"Don't look, Kylie. Just whatever you do don't look. I'm serious, Kylie." Evan's words floated into my mind and I stepped into the shower.
Adjusting the temperature until it was warm. I began to wash myself with soap, not bending too much for the throbbing to become like a stinging fire. Soon, I was finished with the slow process; I walked out the shower and stopped in front of the mirror.
And then I looked. And I looked. And I looked.
Swirls of colors were on my stomach. Black, purple, and even yellow. I winced at the colors, all in different spots but it was all on my stomach. I yanked a hand through my damp hair and put on my red sports bra, along with the track pants. I walked out the bathroom barefoot, and hurriedly went into my room, closing the door behind me.
I grabbed the bottle of cream that was in my pants, it was medium sized. I squirted a little of it out, rubbing it together on my hands before I rubbed it gently on my stomach. There was the coolness of the cream on the bruises, making the throbbing stop for a good minute. Then I put on a red hoodie before grabbing my iPhone and my headphones.
I shoved the headphones into my ear and started blasting some music. I stuffed my phone into the pocket of my hoodie. Then I started down the stairs, going quickly. My father saw me past and I saw his mouth moving so I took a headphone out and backtracked.
"Yes?"
"Where do you think your going?" My father asked.
"To the park. I need to think." I replied with narrowed eyes.
When he didn't respond I took it as a yes, sticking the headphone back into my ear, grabbing my skateboard from where it was leaning next to the front door. I left out, leaving the door unlocked. I wondered if I could skate with my stomach like this, I just couldn't bend my stomach too much. I decided to jump on anyways, pushing foot against the cement of the sidewalk. I lifted my leg off the ground, coasting in the direction of the skate park.