"No, we will not play a Sum 41 song, Violet. You always want to play a stupid song by them. It's not going to happen", Mere speaks.
"Then what do you want to play? Some used up Pop songs?", I fire back, as she just glares at me.
It's just a few minutes after the audition and we're currently discussing what songs we're going to play at Mere's party. Justin and Niall didn't say a word yet. I'll seriously stab someone, if we don't start deciding what we want to play. I really want to get home. It's been a long school day.
"How about we play some Green Day? You can really dance and party to some of their music, especially "American Idiot" and "Holiday". Do you guys know those?", Niall asks.
Mere just glares at him. Man, the thing on the 4th of July must've really gotten to her. I just look at Justin, who's now starting to do the talking. Mere is behaving like a little kid right now.
"I think Green Day songs are great to cover. We played Sum 41 quite often, no offence, Vio. I really think those two songs could make a party great. I mean, you can always rock out to a Green Day song at a party", Justin explains.
I look back at Mere, who still looks like she could kill someone.
"Green Day sounds good to me", I answer.
Mere just nods. She's so stubborn. I hate when she behaves like a little child that doesn't get what they want.
"Good, so we'll play "Holiday" and "Jesus of Suburbia" and "American Idiot"? I really don't think we need to play more. It's enough songs since "Jesus of Suburbia" is quite long", Niall suggests.
"Does everyone know the songs?", I ask.
Mere and Justin agree and so does Niall. I know the songs aswell. We should just play through them once or twice.
"So, how about we try them out?", Justin suggests, reading my thoughts.
I nod, standing up to get my bass. It was a pain in the ass bringing my e-guitar and my bass here. They're both really heavy. I take my bass out of its cover. Niall, Mere and Justin also get themselves ready. I just play a few tunes.
"Okay, "American Idiot" on four. One, two, three, four!", Justin shouts, making us all start playing.
This might be quite an eventful year with this band constellation. I hope we stay together and Mere and Niall can get their shit together. Mere can't be mad at him forever and he has to realize that he can't fuck around school forever. He has to settle sometime and stop go around breaking hearts. It's not cool and might even make the band get a bad image.
After we play through all songs a couple of times, we agree on quitting for today. We all pack up and the fastest to be finished is Mere, who doesn't even say goodbye to any of us.
"What crept up her ass?", Niall asks, as soon as Justin is also gone.
I roll my eyes and lock the case of my bass. I will not answer him. He's already getting on my last nerve enough for today. I need a break from him.
"Oh, so the silent treatment? Did something creep up your ass? You seem so tense today, babygirl. Do you need a massage?", Niall asks.
I feel him walking up a few steps towards me from behind. I decide to just ignore it. Suddenly a hand lays on my waist. I turn around so quick, that Niall stubbles back and bumps into a chair. It catches him off-guard but he collects himself quickly after, coming right back to me. His body is so close to mine. I try to push him off but he stays right where he is.
"I know how much you want me, babygirl. You show me often, playing all innocent and angel like", he whispers, as he comes to my ear with his lips.
It tickles me, as his breath goes through my tunnel and hits the skin behind my ear. I try to push him away again but he stays still like before. His lip suddenly comes in contact with my neck. I groan out in annoyance but also pleasure. I swear, I don't know what my body is doing but it's enjoying this. My hands find their way towards Niall's abs over his shirt.
"How's the hickey coming along?", he asks, lightly moving to the other side of my neck, pulling my shirt down a little to see the now just lightly red and green mark he left.
His hickeys look a lot worse than mine. I might have done a too good job. The only good thing is that no one except the people that played "Truth or Dare" with us know who did it and Niall actually kept this secret.
"Well, it's going away, sadly. I liked it. It showed who you really belong to", he smirks.
I push him away a bit, finally.
"I don't belong to anyone except myself, duche", I say, turning furious.
I cross my arms in front of my body. I also glare at him lightly. Niall takes my waist in his hands, looking directly down into my eyes. He licks his lips, biting the bottom one after.
"You know, your Da-"
"He hated you because you made Wesley become what he is today, a guy who drinks, takes drugs and fucks every girl he can find. You made him like this and my Dad hated you. He talked so bad of you around me, I don't even know what to think of you", I spit.
It's true. Dad used to talk to me about Niall quite often after he left our house after hanging out with Wes. Of course, Dad noticed what changed in Wesley but never told him. Where does Niall even think this conversation will lead?
"Your Dad liked me. I liked him, too. Too bad he left so early. I bet he would've wanted to see what his little girl was up to with that Tobias guy. I surely know your father hated him. Wesley and your Dad talked about him one time I was at your place. You weren't at home and Wesley got suspicious of Tobias and you, so he told his Dad. You know, rumors do happen."
"You know nothing about my father or my family, Niall. You should mind your own fucking business. Just to let you know: We only picked you because you seem to be the best man for the band. If it were for Meredith and I, we'd both just let you pass. Now let me go and never speak about my father again", I growl.
"You're really hot when you're mad at me", he smirks, just barely a whisper.
"Fuck you, just stay out of my life as much as you can. I dislike you on so many levels", I say.
"Oh, we'll see about that, babygirl", he smiles cockily.
Niall just chuckles, letting go of my waist before just packing his things up completely and leaving without another word. That boy makes me feel some kind of way.
*****
"So, how did the auditions go? Who made it?", Wesley asks the second I enter the house with my two guitar cases.
"It ended up just like you and your friends wanted", I say in a monotone voice while slipping out of my shoes.
I walk past Wes towards the stairs with a slightly annoyed look on my face. I'm still mad at Niall for touching me like that and talking about my father.
"Nice, so do you need any help?", he questions, as he sees me struggle with the two guitars in my hands.
"No."
As soon as I enter my room, I set my guitar and bass back on their places and whip out my acoustic guitar from its stand in the corner of my room where my guitars, my amplifiers and my soundsystem stand. Quickly, I sit down on my bed and play some random chord before just playing and singing.
"Hello there, the angel from my nightmare, the shadow in the background of the morgue, the unsuspecting victim of darkness in the valley. We can live like Jack and Sally if we want, where you can always find me and we'll have Halloween on Christmas and in the night we'll wish this never ends, we'll wish this never ends. I miss you, I miss you", I sing, closing my eyes.
Dad used to listen to this song in the car a lot. I learned it a few years back and got to play it at his funeral. Blink-182 was my Dad's favorite band afterall. My Mom hates the song since my Dad's gone. It reminds her too much of what happened. We all barely got over his death. It's just not easy to overcome something like losing one of your parents. Mom's overworking herself at the hospital. She doesn't have to work that much. Wes works at a diner on Sundays and helps out whenever he can. I could work too but my Mom thinks that she and Wesley bring us enough money. I've been thinking about taking a job at Dan's tattoo shop. I could just sit at the front desk, make appointments and maybe even help clients, if they're unsure of things. It's an easy job. I could also help Dan clean the shop.
"Violet? Mom's making dinner. She called me. Uhm, just make sure you're downstairs at 7:00pm. Mom has to tell us something", Wesley says after knocking on the door.
"Yeah, I'll come", I smile, wiping my eyes.
I didn't realize that I started to cry earlier while singing. It still kind of overwhelmes me sometimes. Dad loved the band. He loved how I finally found a hobby that actually interested me enough to start something up.
"Were you crying? Is everything okay?", Wes asks, looking at me from my door.
The guitar next to me on my bed makes a slight sound, as I change my seating position from my legs crossed under my body to me just laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. My bed sinks a little, as someone sits down next to me.
"Is this about Dad?", he asks.
I nod and wipe a tear away. My eyes stay on my firefly tattoo on my wrist after wiping the tears from my face. Niall actually really hurt my feelings just mentioning my Dad. It's not that he really said bad things, it's just the way he talked to me. It was so disrespectful.
"Do you want to play some Rainbow Six with me?", Wes asks.
I shrug and turn my body away from him. He gets up from my bed to leave me there to cry. I really miss our Dad. Wesley closes the door behind himself before I roll back to face it. I grab my phone from my pocket and see several notifications. I haven't looked at it since this morning.
Niall: I took some more pictures. I'll send them to you by e-mail. Can we meet sometime again to take pictures? I'd like to get this done as soon as possible.
I stare at the screen for a couple of seconds, trying to find out what to answer.
Violet: I think we should work on the project separately and then combine it to one, so Mr Melroy knows who did what. Just send me all of your pictures when you're done and I'll put them together in a portfolio and shit.
I send that off, not being in the mood to deal with this. Next I see a message from Mere pop up.
Mere: Can you bring me some guitar strings for electic guitars to school? I don't have any and you said you have a stash. I'll explain it tomorrow.
I just write back that I'll do that. I check the time, seeing it's 5:30pm. It's still one and a half hours until Mom dinner and the thing Mom wants to tell us. I'm scared of what she has to tell us. She hasn't been in a relationship since Day died and overworked herself. If she finds a new boyfriend, she might let down with the working hours. I wouldn't like my mother seeing someone else than my Dad. It's just wrong. They were in love and I can't believe you can fall in love twice. You have the one true person and my parents found each other at a café where my father was doing a summer job after high school. They didn't go to high school together but lived a few cities apart and met when my Mom was out to get breakfast with her friends after a party. She told me all about it before the funeral and at the funeral she gave a speech about his life and I cried so much, that I had to leave the church and didn't come back until they levered him down. It was really bad. I had to sleep in Wesley's bed for days but then he started to change and I distanced myself. I miss my father. He brought a lot of happiness into my life. I'm still happy but somehow a piece of me died with him.
"Violet, Wesley, I'm home! Come down", Mom suddenly shouts upstairs.
I quickly wipe some more tears from my face and go down the stairs. Wesley has his hand on my shoulder as we walk down the stairs to the kitchen. Mom stands in her nurse attire, as she pulls out stuff from the fridge.
"Hey, Mom", Wes speaks up.
She turns around, smiling at us both.
"Sit down, I have something nice to tell you guys", she smiles.
Wes and I both take a place at the dining table. She continues with setting up things to cook.
"Well, at the hospital I met someone and he's asked me on a dinner date on Friday, so you guys can go over to Meredith's party", Mom explains.
I look over at Wes, seeing he's carrying a smile on his face. Happiness. That's what I wish my mother and my brother.