I didn’t mean to, but I found myself constantly avoiding ever meeting our new neighbors. No one would tell Choi that I lived here because the neighbors were used to me living here, I was just any other person.
I liked it that way.
I relaxed my legs, letting them stretch out in front of me. The itch on my back was insane, and I regretted immediately that I had hid in a bush. My neck was beginning to cramp and I knew soon I’d be aching all over. Why did I hide in a bush? It didn’t matter if Choi saw me- yet my reflexes had taken over. Now I was stuck here waiting for a time when no one would be looking so that I wasn’t totally insane-seeming.
My phone rung a painfully loud tune. I recognized it to mean that Griffin had texted me. Ah hell, why didn’t I set it on vibrate? I flinched at the sound and slowly crawled out. If anyone asked, I could always say I dropped my phone there.
Arina’s hair was tied messily together, and she wore a t-shirt and basketball shorts. Screw myself, she was standing right there. Her mouth hung open in the shape of an o. I cursed myself and my bad timing. Her eyes widened and no words came out.
“Hey,” I said lamely.
Finally regaining conscience, Choi raised her eyebrows. “So I have a magical bush in my yard that brings forth rock stars.” She stated sarcastically.
“Uh… no. Not really. Just dropped my phone. Under there. Somehow. A total coincidence!...” I trailed off, finding how stupid I must have sounded. I waved my phone in the air, as if it could explain everything. Well, I have to give her credit. Instead of making things more awkward, Choi bought my excuse and went on with it.
“So you live here?” she asked, her head cocked to the side.
“Yeah. Always have.”
She waved a music sheet in front of my face. “Change the ending and the second verse,” Choi practically commanded me.
“Where the hell did you get that?”
“Tony,” she shrugged, as though that were obvious. “It’s amazing how quickly you write songs, then just throw them away.” Choi added. I frowned.
“It’s not that simple,” I protested. “You have the write the song, then fix it up, and then a whole long process which you don’t want to hear,”
“I have time,”
“Well I don’t.”
I brushed off my clothes again to avoid talking for a moment. Before walking off, I snatched the music sheet from Choi’s hand. I noticed that she smiled at this.
“See ya Tye,” she called toward my back. Her voice was teasing, as though she were mocking me.
Why was she so different from all my other fans? At first, Choi was like any other, squealing about Hourglass. I respected the fact that she liked our music more than our looks, but still. After getting to know us more, she treated us- treated me- normally. Not like we were some famous band, not like we were rock stars, not anything like a normal fan.
It was fucking weird.
***
Performance 2nite at a club. Ask bailey.
I sighed and turned off my phone. Club performances were always the creepiest. I mean, technically, we were still underage right?
Normally, those stupid clubs had DJs and stuff like that. Yet they just had to have a live band come on every now and then. Ace was always hyped getting ready for something like this, and I was always the exact opposite.
Tony stopped me at the top of the stairs. “Where are you going?” he asked.
“To shower,” I replied bluntly. Tony pouted.
“I’m not a reporter Tye. I meant, where are you going after you shower, get ready for a performance, go to your apartment and meet up with everyone from Hourglass?” Tony asked slowly. I sighed.
“Club performance,”
“Which club?”
“One that twelve-year-olds can’t go to.”
“I wasn’t planning on going!”
Mom came out from her office. She took one look at the two of us and new right away what was going on. She crossed her arms. “Tony, leave your brother alone. And Tye, you might as well tell me where you’re going. It might not me safe.” She said sternly. Tony snickered and I rolled my eyes at him
“Mom, whether it’s safe or not I’m going. It’s part of being in the band,” I explained for the hundredth time. She gave me this sad, accepting smile. I hated when I had to do that, so I always tried to avoid this subject.
I suck at avoiding anything.
***
“This performance is going to be casual, wear whatever you want,” Bailey told me, waving his hand dismissively. I looked down at what I was wearing, fine enough. I liked keeping things simple, so that people didn’t look at me, just listening to the music I sang.
Behind me, Ken pulled on a navy hoodie. “Where’s Ace and Nico?” he asked me.
“Coming in an hour, I think.” I replied. I propped up my foot so that it rested oddly on the countertop.
“Tye, don’t put your feet, with your shoes on or not, on the table,” Bailey called from where he sat. I quickly retied my shoelaces, keeping my feet on the counter despite what Bailey said.
“Tye, comb your hair man. It’s sticking up like a porcupine!” Griffin swatted my head as he walked by.
“Do you think I care?” I raised my eyebrows. Griffin laughed with a shrug and bounded toward the fridge. He opened it wide and I could feel a cool blast, faint since I was standing a few feet away. I leaned forward to see what was inside. Sadly, it looked empty from where I was. “Anything edible in there?” I asked. Griffin shrugged again.
He looked over his shoulder at me, a smirk on his face. “Edible, yes. Do I want to eat it? No.” I sighed heavily. Very helpful.
“We could always grab something at the club,” Ken suggested. I narrowed my eyes at him. “Just ‘cause it’s at a club, doesn’t mean it’s drugged!” Ken added, speaking my thoughts.
Bailey walked into the kitchen where we all were lounging about. “Are you ready yet? We have to be at the club in about twenty minutes.”
“Almost!” Griffin piped up. Bailey rolled his eyes and stalked back to the TV which was playing some dumb reality show. Our manager muttered something about us seeming like teenage girls. Griffin blinked several times, as though batting his eyelashes, mimicking the way girls do. Of course! he mouthed, releasing a freakishly high pitched giggle. Ken and I laughed at his creepy imitation.
The main door opened, the latch clicking loudly. It would suck if someone tried to break in. They’d get caught pretty quick. Not that there was anything to steal besides the TV and music sheets. Unless they were interesting in our $0.25 tooth brushes and non-designer- on- sale- at- JCPenney- clothing.
“And Ace is here!” Ace all but screamed as he walked in. “Anyone miss me?”
Nico made a beeline for the fridge. With his head stuck inside he said, “No one but an idiot would miss you, Ace,” Ace put on a fake look of hurt.
“Ohh!” Griffin laughed, “Dissed!”
Bailey appeared again in front of us. “Will the five of you please hurry up? We have a performance you know,” he sighed. Bales sounded like a sad old man; stressed from all the work he would have managing every band in AT entertainment. Thank god this was a casual event.
We all looked at each other. And at the same time, all five members of Hourglass said, “We’re ready.”
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Hm :( It seems like Tye is losing his usual grouchy self. No worries, he'll be back and he'll be going back home soon too. I just wanted to write about another performance.
Augh, I have soo much homework, thank god it's almost winter break!!!! But just before the break, I have a whole ton of assignments which oddly, I put off. Now I'm suffering because of it -.- Does anyone know a good way to help me study for my test? I need to memorize all European capitals :/
Hope you enjoyed!