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Laila looked around as she entered his room. She had never been inside and she could only see so much through the window. She turned and jumped slightly as she came face to face with a smirking Joker, complete with a bloody handprint and ‘Why So Serious’ dripping down in blood.
“That’s the creepiest poster I’ve ever seen.” She kept her eyes on it as she backed away, half scared it would come to life and stab her. The entire room was a bit intimidating, actually.
“What do you want?” Jace deadpanned. She turned to see him lounged across a mini couch on the other side of the room. She hesitated for a moment, not sure where to go. “Just sit somewhere.” He said impatiently.
She sat on the nearest surface, which happened to be the stool behind his drum set. She finally looked at him to see his eyes surveying her as he waited. “Are you in Distression?”
“What?” He started laughing as he leaned back in his seat. “Why would you ask such a stupid question?”
“Because I think you’re the lead guitarist.” She was getting a bit less intimidated and more confident now. “You’re eighteen, you’re italian, you play guitar like a professional, you play drums ridiculously good too,” She listed it off, adding a finger for each match.
“And why are you giving me a biography on my life?” He asked curiously.
“Because it’s the same as his!” She exclaimed. “You’re both from the UK. They haven’t put anything new out or done any new shows since you left.”
“I still don’t see the connection.” He smirked at her growing frustration.
“And I saw his tattoo.” She added smugly. He knew she had him there.
“Why would I care about his bloody tattoo?”
“Because you have the same fucking one! Do you really think I’m that stupid?” She already knew he did, but he couldn’t think she was that stupid.
He chuckled and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. “All your friends are. Everyone is, actually. You’re the first to figure it out.”
“I knew it!” She exclaimed, her voice raising in her excitement. “I knew it! Oh my god, this means you’re famous.”
“Not really.” He said nonchalantly.
“Yeah, you are. You guys went on a tour of Europe right before you left! And people over here keep talking about you. Even my mom knows who you are. You guys are all over the internet and you have a pretty big fan base. You’re not signed to a label though, are you?”
“No.” He made a face at the mere suggestion. “We’ve had offers but we turn them all down.”
“How come?” She tilted her head in confusion. Wasn’t it every band’s dream to get signed?
“Why the fuck would I want people telling me what to do? I hate authority.”
Her mouth dropped in disbelief. “Are you serious? That’s the dumbest reason I’ve ever heard. You guys could make it so big if you got over that and just got a record deal.”
“No.” He leaned back and grabbed a drumstick from atop the amp beside him.
“Ew wait,” Laila scrunched her nose in distaste as a thought hit her, “Does that mean your whole band feels like that?” He nodded. “That means they all must be just like you. That’s horrible.”
“I’m the most talented and good looking.” He smiled cockily as he expertly twirled the stick in his hand.
“You’re ridiculous.” Laila muttered. He laughed as his green eyes caught hers.
“Like you’re not?”
“I’m not!” She said indignantly. “I’m normal.”
“You’re obsessed with being on Broadway by the time you’re twenty three and you dress like a rainbow flashlight.” He stated.
“Just because I like bright happy colors doesn’t make me a flashlight,” She defended, “And how did you know I wanna be on Broadway before I’m twenty three? I never told you that.” She was about ninety nine percent sure that particular goal had never come up.
“You don’t have to tell me, I know everything.”
“Oh wait!” She ignored his conceited comment, having just remembered something else she read. “So you can sing.”
“Who said that?”
“Wikipedia.”
“You looked me up on wikipedia?” He looked mildly interested now.
“Maybe,” She replied coyly, inwardly cursing herself for coming off so eager. “I was just.. wondering.”
“I guess you’ll never know.”
“You suck.” She complained, crossing her arms.
“No, but you’re welcome to anytime you want.” He offered. He waited for her to catch on, late as usual.
“Stop doing that! I will not-” She cut herself off, not even wanting to say it.
“You’re so virginal,” Jace mused, “I’d love to fix that for you.”
“Oh my god! Stop!” She was getting flustered now, and he was definitely enjoying it. “So does Rose know?” She randomly asked, more to distract him than anything.
“That I’m in Distression?” He looked at her like she had lost her mind when she nodded. “No.”
“Oh,” She paused thoughtfully, “Can I tell my mom?” She asked hopefully. It never hurt to try.
“No.”
“Aw,” She pouted, “What about Caleb?”
“No.”
“What about Mandy?”
“God no, I’d rather shoot myself in the face.”
Laila stared at him in a mixture of surprise and amusement. She knew he didn’t like her, but she had no idea the feeling was that extreme. “Are you gonna tell Wes? That’s the last question, promise.” She could tell he was getting annoyed.
“No.”
“So I’m the only one who knows.” She concluded. As much as she hated to admit it, it kind of made her feel a bit special.
“Don’t get excited,” Jace said quickly, as if he had picked up on the feeling. “If you tell anyone I’ll hand out the nude pictures I have of you.”
“What?” Her eyes widened in panic. “What the hell, Jace! When the fuck did you take pictures of me! Oh my god, where are they? Lemme see! I’m gonna burn them if you don’t get rid of them.” She ranted, but she stopped when he started laughing. And then a realization hit her. “Wait, I haven’t been naked in my room since you got here. I’ve been changing in my bathroom or my closet.”
“You’re such an idiot.” He smiled as she found the nearest thing, which happened to be an empty Pepsi can, and threw it at him. He somehow caught it and dropped it on the floor. “You should really stop throwing things at me.”
“Or what? You’ll send around pictures you don’t have?” She sniped. She had been alright around him so far, but the irritation he always caused her was dangerously close to resurfacing.
“Really, how did it take you so long to notice that?” He continued, chuckling as she scowled. She picked up something else to throw at him but stopped when she saw what it was.
“This is for this thing, right?” She asked curiously, holding the drumstick up.
“The drumstick is for the drum set.” He said, looking at her like she was the definition of slow. “You’re such a girl.”
“You’re fucking sexist, shutup.” She looked at the way his hand gripped the drumstick he was still twirling. She adjusted the way she was holding hers, trying to replicate what he was doing. “Can I hit this.. drum set?” She asked, smiling happily as she got it right. She really didn’t know anything about any instrument besides her keyboard.
“Don’t break it.” He warned. She didn’t bother to ask what he would do if she broke it. He would most likely murder her, which she definitely wanted to avoid.
“Okay.” She agreed. She held the stick up, then gently tapped the surface of the nearest drum. She frowned at the resulting lack of noise.
“You have to do it harder than that.” Jace stood up and walked to her. “Hold it tighter.” He directed. She tightened her hold on the thing and waited for the next step. “Just hit it. It’s not that hard.” His tone was rude even though his words were helpful.
She lifted her arm and hit the drum with more force, but this time it bounced back and hit her in the face. “Ow!” She dropped the offending stick to rub her face as Jace burst out laughing.
“That was lovely, you should take this up professionally.” He continued to laugh as she glared at the violent thing on the floor.
“You knew it was gonna do that!” She accused.
“How was I supposed to know you’d be that incredibly bad?” He smirked and grabbed the stick off the floor before handing it back to her. “You should do it again, that was even better than making fun of your pathetic virginity.”
“This is why I don’t like you.” She stood and shoved the stick in his hand.
“And this is why I like you.” He smiled as she looked at him in confusion.
“You actually like me?”
“No, but I like messing with you.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed. I’m leaving.”
“Finally.”
“I still don’t like you.” She told him.
“You can stop telling me what you like and don’t like. I doubt I’ll ever care.” He said cooly.
“You’re so mean.” She pulled the door open and haughtily walked out.
“Still don’t care.”
She heard the door close but she couldn’t quite say she cared. She continued downstairs and through the living room, only to be stopped as Rose came practically skipping from the kitchen to meet her at the door.
“Did you have fun?” She held out one of the two chocolate chip cookies in her hand. “Cookie?”
“No thanks, I can’t.” Laila replied, purposely ignoring the first question.
“They’re the vegan ones you got me into.” Rose offered, waving the extra cookie enticingly. “One cookie won’t hurt you.”
“Thanks.” Laila smiled happily as she took the cookie. Vegan chocolate had always been her weakness.
“I called your mom and told her you’ve been up in James’ room for the past half hour. You guys must’ve been having fun!” She winked playfully as Laila groaned.
“I’m going home.” She took a bite of the cookie and pulled the door open.
“Don’t deny your feelings, it’s okay.” Rose teased, laughing giddily as Laila quickly escaped outside. “Bye Laily!”
“See you tomorrow!” Laila shut the door as Rose waved from just inside. “I swear they’re younger than me.” She murmured, walking down the front steps and crossing the lawn to her own house. She was dreading her mom’s reaction, which she already knew would be the exact same as Rose’s.