Chapter Four - Aaron
Behind the door stood the full-length mirror, glued there to keep his room spacious. However, the truth was that Aaron's room would have spacious enough if the mirror was placed elsewhere. He had the space to fill an elephant inside, yet he kept it empty most of the time, only filling the white walls with an array of guitars, CDs and clothes to make it his.
Currently, he had Bastille blasting off his speakers as he grabbed his hair gel. He never really used much, nor did he think he needed to, especially when he liked it when his fringe would mess up continuously. Using his hands to slick his hair round his head, he hummed the song in his mind. It was something that kept him up in the morning, like for others it was the birds singing, his was Bastille.
As Aaron's mum called him for breakfast, he grabbed his bag off his bed and obeyed her order. His mum was a lovely person, Aaron believed, yet sometimes he thought that she tried too hard. There was even a phase where she only called him Heathcliff, just to make him feel like she wasn't changing him and secretly, he actually liked it. He just didn't have the guts to tell his dad that when the two of them argued over it.
He walked into the kitchen, automatically hearing the clink of metal. His mum was cooking, as she abnormally decided to do at seven in the morning, whereas his dad was already seated at the table, munching into what had already been made.
"There you are, honey," his mum said as she turned around. "Sit down, sit down. I'm making your father's favourite."
By that, she had meant scrambled eggs and sausages - Aaron's worst nightmare. He was a vegetarian, which was something constantly forgotten by his parents. He couldn't blame them, as they had constantly eaten meat throughout their lives yet Aaron thought that living with them for over twelve years of his life would have made them remember. Looking at his dad's plate, he could see the crinkling outer layer of the sausage staring back at him and it startled him.
"Erm, I think I'll skip breakfast," he told them, heading towards the door. "I'll just pick something up from the shops along the way."
He hated lying to them, yet he didn't want to keep reminding them about being a vegetarian.
"Honey, it's only eggs and sausages!" She cried, just as the front door slammed shut.
It wasn't strange for Aaron to walk out like that, it was more of a daily habit. His mum would usually cook sausages, bacon and even fish at this time. On rare days, she would make things that he could eat, like eggs, pancakes and waffles, yet that was whenever dad was at work or at some conference.
With a sigh, he continued to walk to his school. It wasn't that far, probably a twenty minute walk for him. Henry would usually pick him up on his way to school but lately, Henry seemed a little too busy with his own stuff - school work and his sister. Aaron understood the connection between the two siblings, especially when Henry was the only male being in their household and with his sister being blind. Aaron didn't really blame Henry as it was his duty to look after her. But that didn't mean that he didn't have to be envious of their connection.
He remembered that when Henry had made his decision to temporarily quit the band, they had been given their biggest break - to perform at their local shopping centre. That was why it annoyed Aaron so much because music was his life, something that he wanted to pursue, yet Henry had just come along and became the giant squashing his dream.
Regardless of that, Aaron understood that his mystery singer would be able to put their band back on track. She was perfect, yes, and having a girl in the band would give it a new sound - the new sound that they needed to make themselves unique. He couldn't wait to tell the others, especially Henry, since he was the one who had originally started the band. And as he was the lead singer, he had the most say in who would replace him.
A gentle breeze embraced him as he turned into the road closest to the school. St. Bernard's high school and sixth form was not a massive school, yet it was sufficient enough for the 2,000 of them that attended every school year. Gates engulfed the students upon entering, with the black metal sharpening at the top to prevent anyone from escaping. The school were quite strict when it came to attendance, punctuality and behaviour, especially as a Catholic grammar school. Uniform was also important to them, as other sixth form's tended not to have a uniform whereas his did: a white shirt, black tie, blazer, v-neck jumper and black trousers.
Cars turned from all directions past the school gates and into the parking lot. It was a benefit of being a sixth former, having a car and being able to drive, yet Aaron didn't own one. So far, he was the one out of five that didn't own one, but he had a good reason to.
He heard the snort of laughter coming from in front of him and as he recognised it, he knew it was Henry, along with his sister. All of a sudden, something boiled inside of him, crumbling every nerve inside his body as he gained the courage to walk towards the school, dragging along behind them. Seeing the two of them together, laughing and smiling, made him want to punch something.
"Oi, Henry!" He called, trying to push through the crowd of students. He hoped that Henry would hear him and he did, because he stopped in his tracks and turned to face him.
"Aaron, what's up?" Henry replied, removing his hand from around his sister. As Aaron stopped, he saw a smile appear upon Cat's face, as if excited to see him. Her hair was cut short, dip dyed, which seemed strange to Aaron because she couldn't see her hair, so why would she really care? Although she was blind, he tried to picture the colour of her eyes. He should have really remembered its colours, especially since he had known Henry for years. Maybe they were blue...
Then he remembered that Henry had asked him a question.
"Oh, not much," he lied. The truth was that he had something important to tell him, just not with Cat around.
She stood there, staring into nothing as Aaron had spoken. He had to polite, he thought. He had known her for so long.
"Hey, Cat. How you doing?" He asked, running his hand through his hair. She was a sweet girl, confident and loud if you knew her well enough, yet she preferred to keep to herself.
"Erm, I'm okay," she answered. By the vacant blink of her empty eyes, he could tell that she was startled. He didn't really blame her, as he had rarely spoken to her in the past years.
Aaron's attention was automatically turned back to Henry when he spoke again. He was too eager to tell Henry about his mystery singer, yet he just needed to get him away from Cat.
"Henry, you'll never guess.." He began, until a repetitive scream interrupted him. It screamed Cat's name and as the girl appeared, he realised it was her friend, whose name he was unsure of.
"Come on, let's get away from here." Henry tugged the back of Aaron's blazer as he walked towards their first lesson - History.
As they walked, Aaron contemplated on telling Henry about his mystery singer. Of course, he needed to know but then again, would Henry think he that he was betraying him by not helping him to get back in the band?
"You'll never guess what Cat just said to me earlier," Henry began, wallking in front. He held his dark blue bag on his back, carrying a folder in his free hand. "She came to a conclusion that we were gay."
"What?" That conclusion shocked Aaron, as he had never even considered that before. "Us, gay?
He hadn't really been with a girl before, nor had he ever liked one in that way; he was always too busy in his own world. There was this one time that someone actually liked him, Cat's friend, but he soon realised that she only had an obsession with blonde hair and blue eyes. No girl actually caught his attention - sure, they had the looks, yet that wasn't what he cared about.
Now that Aaron thought about it, maybe he should have considered the possibility of being gay. It would have made sense as to why he never really liked a girl. However, he didn't want to dwell on that thought. The only thing he allowed on his mind was the band and how he would find his mystery singer.
"Cat, perhaps you'll be able to shed some light on the topic," Mr Roberts spoke and for the first time in A2 Literature, Aaron's head shot up. He never knew that Cat was in his class and it made him wonder, as she was at least a year younger than him.
Beside him, Henry's body tensed like a pole. His hand was clenched so hard that Aaron thought that the veins were going to pop out of his skin.
"Does he have to pick on people?" Henry whispered, in an irritated tone. Mr Roberts was known for being a bit rude with some of the students, discriminating them according to their ability. Cat was just unfortunate to be on the lower side of his discrimination, Aaron guessed.
He listened to her answer carefully, waiting for her to pinpoint his wrongdoing. Although he didn't know her that well compared to her brother, being Henry's sister meant that she had to be intelligent in some way and especially if she was in an advanced class. It was logic. However, her answer disappointed his expectation.
Their topic was Heathcliff and the ways in which his treatment of his daughter-in-law could be interpreted. He personally didn't find it that difficult, as he believed that there were many ways for it to be interpreted.
"Anyone want to challenge Cat?" The teacher spoke, moving round the class. He was one of those teachers that just never stood still, always energetic but still ridiculously unlikable.
"Why don't you say anything? Your answer was pretty good last night." Henry spoke as he nudged his friend. His glasses were lopsided along his face, revealing his tiredness from the night before. The dark brown hair that covered his head was no longer neat with the beanie off his head. Now it was lopsided, sitting all over the place. It wasn't a secret to him that Henry struggled with A2 work, especially all the essay writing.
"No, I don't want to," he replied, keeping his voice just as low as his.
Henry didn't listen. Instead of leaving the situation be, he grabbed Aaron's hand and lifted it into the air, giving him no choice but to answer.
"I would," he forcibly spoke.
'Henry, I'm going to kill you,' he thought, glaring at the boy with playful hatred in his eyes.
"Go ahead, Aaron," Mr Roberts told him.
"Well," he began, unsure of what to say. His answer last night had been spontaneous, something he had completely made up. It wasn't something that he would use in class, with Mr Roberts criticising every single word used. "Yes, he's a bully but the reason for it is pretty sad. He was bullied by everyone, including Cathy in the beginning. I believe that either he doesn't know how to treat people correctly or that he's trying to gain revenge on mankind, as Catherine says that no one loves him and he replies by calling him a witch. I think that pretty much sums it up for me."
Unintentionally, his shoulders shrugged. It was a habit, one he should prevent, as Mr Roberts was not exactly fond of it. His teacher paused, glaring at Aaron for a bit, narrowing his eyes so that Aaron could just make out the pupils hidden under the tanned eyelid.
"Golden," he commented. It was a catchphrase he said but usually, he was more excited, shouting the word so that it bounced off the walls. Yet with Aaron, it was muttered through tightened teeth. "As for you, Cat, you have the basis..."
"Dude, he just hates you," Henry whispered, grabbing Aaron's attention away from the lesson. Again, he looked at his teacher, analysing his actions as he spoke to Cat. He had a look in his eyes, the hatred evidently passing through the thin, clear layer covering his eyes.
"And your sister," Aaron concluded. He felt bad for Henry, having to watch Mr Roberts taunt Cat the way he did, yet he didn't know who it was worse for. Cat was unable to see it and maybe it was better like that. Then again, he was only doing that because of her lack of eyesight, so maybe it was better for her to be able to see.
After lesson, Aaron rode to Jesse's house with Henry and Cat. Usually, they would drop Cat off home but he remembered Henry asking her to come with him to band practice. For some reason, it made him nervous. No one had been invited to their band practice before, especially not Henry's sister.
As for Cat, well, she was asked to stay behind after lesson - and that wasn't even the worst part. Tutoring. Mr Roberts wanted Aaron to tutor her. It didn't make sense to Aaron; why would his discriminating teacher ask his most hated students to study together? He couldn't process the thought in his head.
At first, Aaron had protested because it wasn't his duty to teach Cat - it was Mr Roberts'. Also, the superior look on his face annoyed Aaron, causing him to clench his fists throughout the entire conversation just to prevent himself from a massive argument. Mr Roberts only cared for his money and he could only get the extra bonus if all his students passed.
Forcibly, he agreed to tutor her. That was the only way Mr Roberts planned to let them leave, which was ridiculously stupid. Aaron hated that teacher, as much as he loved the subject.
"Sure, wouldn't want to get between your love fest," he heard Cat giggle as the three of them got towards Henry's truck. Her dark brown head just missed the roof of the truck as she got into the back.
"Cat, what are you talking about?" He hopped into the passenger seat, bending inside so that his head also wouldn't hit the roof. Contrary to popular belief, being tall had more disadvantages instead of advantages: increased risk of hitting heads,the constant curses whenever sitting in front of someone in the cinema and even finding trousers long enough to fit. It was quite similar to how children wanted to be adults and vice versa.
All of a sudden, the two siblings began a laughing fit, with Henry's loud, cheerful laugh overpowering Cat's soft giggles.
"Sh-she thinks we're dating!" Henry stuttered, continuing to laugh in between.
Aaron's eyes widened in shock. The two of them were just friends - best friends, in fact - and Cat was fully aware of that, so for her to suddenly suggest that they were dating confused him.
"Just hurry up and drive!" She told him, cutting her brother off from speaking further.
"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled in reply.
Throughout the drive, Aaron and Henry talked about all their important meaningless things in their life, including Cat's suspicion of the two of them dating. Aaron had swelled upon the matter for a while, especially when Henry had mentioned the 'gay' thing earlier. He couldn't help but wonder whether that was why Aaron hadn't fallen in love before - because he was in love with his best friend.
"Y'know when we get to Jesse's that I'm just going to do my work, right?" Henry asked, keeping one hand hand on the wheel and the other on his knee. Aaron believed that Henry was a professional when it came to driving but then again, Henry was like that with everything.
"Seriously, you shouldn't have quit singing," He replied, switching his posture to face Henry slightly.
After a sigh, Henry continued, "I needed to. I'm so behind on English Literature. And I told you, it's only temporary." He flashed a smile at the older boy, showing his pearly whites.
"Come on, we all know it's not temporary," Aaron retorted, the growing anger clear in his voice. On his own knee, his fist was tightened into a ball to keep himself from lashing out - like Heathcliff himself. "You want us to find a new singer."
All of a sudden, Henry glared at him, reminding Aaron of the other passenger in the strangely comfortable truck. He had almost forgotten about Cat completely as she sat silently in the back, with her headphones plugged in (from what he could see in the mirror).
"Speaking of that, have you found anyone yet?" Henry asked, turning towards Jesse's road. Secretly, Henry just wanted to switch topics and Aaron automatically realised it. Henry had attempted it too many times for anyone to forget.
Then Aaron remembered that he hadn't told Henry about his mystery girl.
"Well, yes but stop changing the topic! You're leaving the band for good." Although Aaron didn't want to pressure the boy, it was a serious topic for him. Music was what they had decided upon since they were six and learning how to play the guitar.
Henry's free hand travelled to the beanie on his head, so that he could scratch his hair, yet as he remembered the beanie, he suddenly slammed his hand back down to his knee. Stressed was the word to describe him, Aaron thought.
"I'm not sure. I need time to think about it, okay?" Henry's tone of voice suggested that he didn't want to press further into the topic. Parking the car outside of Jesse's house, he continued, "now, tell me about this singer you've found."
"She's perfect," is all Aaron said before opening the car door.
Bangs and crashes filled the room upon their entrance, as a psychotic laughter bounced off the walls. The sound of a keyboard soon joined in, where it was obvious that random keys were being pressed continuously. There was no melody, no rhythm to the sound - just madness.
As the three of them walked into the garage, Aaron saw what had caused the madness. Jesse, the brooding bad boy, was smashing Mickey's drumsticks on the drum kit and Mickey was doing the same to the keyboard. As for the laugh, it had come from Mickey. The curly hair on his head flopped up and down as he laughed, his eyes crumbling to keep the huge smile on his face.
"Seriously, we're five minutes late and you're already messing around?" Henry asked, shaking his head in disbelief. A cheeky smile grew upon his face, wishing to join in the fun as he settled down the couch with his sister.
Mickey shrugged, as Jesse pushed him off his keyboard. A chuckled escaped Aaron's lips whilst he grabbed his practice guitar off its resting place, feeling the wood against his fingers. He stroked the strings, letting the vibrations tingle against his worrying skin, soothing him down from his emotional pains.
That was how practice always started off: Henry and Aaron being late, Jesse and Mickey messing around and then all of a sudden, they would get into the music. As Aaron continued to strum, the keyboard chimed along in tune. It was something new and they were only messing about yet that was how they got their ideas. Mickey's drums also joined in, first quick then steady, painting an almost perfect picture. The only thing missing was the words.
"I don't need to be bigger, just to say it's wrong," Aaron began to sing, letting the words come to his mind. His best work was always spontaneous, which was why he usually forgot it. "I don't have to be stronger, just to get my point across."
He strapped the guitar round himself, as thoughts of betrayal came to his head - his mum, his foster parents, Henry and even Mr Roberts. They all controlled him somehow, unintentionally or not, he had subconsciously submitted to them.
"I don't need to do what you say
If that's the only way you'll like me
I don't have to be there everyday
Cos giving everything up for you ain't healthy
Yeah, I ain't your shadow
I don't need to hang onto you
Yeah, I ain't your shadow
So don't keep me hanging on, hanging on"
The other boys gave Aaron space for a guitar solo, noticing his sudden rage turning into passion as he swung his arm along the strings. His hair swayed from side to side, covering his face as he slid to the ground, plucking the strings with the pick with a speed that was fast enough to break them if not a professional.
Once the song had ended, everyone was silent, including Cat who was staring at the void in front of her. As Aaron searched their faces, he noticed the vacant expressions replacing their usual cheerful and joking ones.
"What?" He asked, looking directly at Henry. His opinion was the only that he could trust, but he remained silent.
"Dude, we are so entering that talent contest!" Mickey screamed, fist bumping the air and making it was Aaron's turn to blink valiantly at him.
'What contest?' He thought and soon enough, Jesse answered his thoughts.
"Westfield are holding a talent contest, first one ever," he spoke, moving from his place to sit on the stool near the couch. "It would be good for us to get noticed. Simon Cowell and Justin Timberlake are going to be there."
"What?" Cat suddenly intervened. "Justin Timberlake?"
"Sorry, she's a big fan of Justin Timberlake," Henry spoke, with a nervous chuckle. The secret was that Henry also liked Justin Timberlake but Aaron knew he wouldn't admit that.
"You know, if we had a lead singer," Aaron replied, emphasising the last two words, "we could enter and meet Justin Timberlake."
Aaron was conscious of what he was doing, or at least trying to do. As Henry was also a fan of Justin Timberlake, the entire idea of meeting him would (in theory) automatically persuade Henry to rejoin the band. However, he was very much wrong as Henry shook his head.
"You know what we need," he continued, "your mystery girl."
"Mystery girl, eh?" Mickey asked, nudging Aaron's shoulder as he shrugged. He did plan on telling them, yet he had been caught up in rehearsing.
"I overheard a girl singing last night and her voice was beautiful," Aaron narrated. The entire scene replayed in his head, vividly remembering the song she had sung, as he had walked down that road. "It was perfect, just what we needed."
With Henry there, Aaron realised the betrayal lingering in his voice. That was the last thing he wanted, but the girl's voice was melodic, sweet but also harsh and powerful where it needed to be
"Then that's sorted!" Jesse cried. "We find this mystery girl and enter the talent contest!"
Everyone agreed, including Cat. Aaron noticed her silence throughout most of the conversation although that was not what was pulling his blue eyes towards her. It was her hand, outstretched onto her brother's shoulder, comforting him from the backstabber that was his best friend.