"Are you sure it's him?"
Lily had come over directly after I called her. I reluctantly played the message again, watching Lily's face the entire time.
"I'd never forget his voice."
"But maybe he's just trying to scare you."
I gave her a doubtful look. "Do you remember what he said when he got taken away?"
"Okay, fine, Liz, I was just---"
"He said I would regret it! And when he came for me, no one...." I stopped, ready to burst into sobs.
Lily wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "It'll be okay. We'll just call the police---"
"The police?" I laughed bitterly. "They can't do anything, Lily. They couldn't hold him for four years!"
"What, you think that he broke out of prison?" Lily's eyes were wide.
I shook my head. "He's not that dumb."
"So....they let him off early?"
"I don't know!" I snapped hysterical.
"Okay, okay." Lily sighed. "Liz, I don't know what to do...."
"I'm sorry," I rasped. "I'm just...." I didn't want to admit how scared I was, even though if you can't be vulnerable with your friends, you can't really be vulnerable with anybody.
Lily stood up, yanking me to my feet playfully. "Then we'll do nothing for now."
"But, Lily---" I started, but she began dragging me toward the kitchen.
"I brought over cookie dough ice cream, Dr Pepper, pretzels, whip cream, a ton of your favourite movies...." Lily went on, talking about how she was going to wash my worries away with food, movies, and pedicures.
I played along, acting like I was having fun---in normal circumstances, I would have had fun---but deep down I was in hysterics. It had only been three years....The worst years of my entire life....But I wasn't going to think about that. I couldn't. If I did, I'd fall apart. And as much as I knew Lily would do her best to comfort me the best way she could, it was the last thing I needed.
I fell apart the last time I had to deal with this guy. I wouldn't do it again. I would be strong, or at least act like it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I really wanted to skip school. I mean, with....him still hanging around, I didn't want to take any chances. But I did. And I went Thursday, too; patiently waiting to go to band practice. I was really psyched about the gig, but that phone call ruined everything. I was still going to do it, but with a very watchful eye. However, I walked through school with my head held high and Greta and Lily by my side the entire day ( and Isabelle, too, but only because she was with Greta).
My day was going fairly well before someone caught my arm. It was the end of the school day, Greta and Lily had gone home. They had offered me a ride, but I had brought my own car and I had to be slow in getting my stuff around. So, like an idiot, I told them to go home after me.
There were a few people in the parking lot, maybe two other cars besides mine. Just as well, I nearly screamed when I felt my arm being grabbed. I spun around, ready to swing at the person and then settled, only slightly, when I realized it was Damon.
I let my breath come out in a whoosh. "Damon, my God, there's a better way to get someone's attention---"
"Are you okay?"
I paused, startled. For the first time, I looked at Damon. His eyes were narrowed, like he was angry, but they were also full of....concern....I blinked, confused. Now why would he care? And how would he know that I wasn't okay? I had tried so hard to put on an emotionless mask....I must have faltered somewhere along the road.
With those eyes staring at me like that, I almost fell apart and confessed everything. But I didn't. "Just tired. Why?"
Damon gripped my arm tighter, pulling me into him. He continued to stare at me, looking into my eyes. God, I couldn't do this. I was too emotional right now. I just could not handle Dear Old Salvatore today.
"Let go of me," I demanded, my jaw clenched.
He stared at me still, but, slowly, loosened his grip until I could pull away. "What's your problem?" I nearly screamed. "Just leave me alone."
"Hey---" Damon reached for my arm again but I backed away quickly. He smirked. "You're so stubborn."
"Oh, what was I s'posed to faint when you touched me like a love struck fan girl? Get over yourself!" I started back to my car, unlocking the door hastily.
"What's the rush?"
"I have band practice. Shit," I dropped my keys. Before my hands even brushed them, Damon snatched them up. "Hey!"
He held them high, out of my reach. "What's your position in the band?"
Oh, God. I remembered what he did to get my name. I was not about to take another spin in the Ferrari. "Lead singer," I reached for the keys but he held them back.
"Lead singer, huh? For what band?"
That's it I'd had enough. "Why don't you ask Elena? Since you two seem to be so close."
Damon, to my surprise, smirked. "Sounds like you're a little jealous."
Jealous? Oh my God, was he serious?! Why would I be jealous? I can't believe he pulled that out of what I said! "Oh, well, I guess then you guys aren't as close as you used to be, huh?" I said ignoring his last words.
Damon's eyes narrowed. "And just what are you trying to say?"
I decided to go home with this one, whether or not my assumption was right. God, I hoped it was. "You and Elena," I said leisurely. "You used to be together, right? Is that why you never talk about your brother? Because I can see why she chose Stefan over you. I mean, not just looks, but he has got to have a hell of a lot more couth than you."
This time, Damon's eyes became dark with anger. I should have just kept my big mouth shut. Finally, he said with a low and dangerous voice, "You don't know anything about Elena and Stefan." With that he tossed me my keys and stalked off.
I stared at him, speechless. "I'm such a jerk," I muttered, getting into my car.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*
"Up for some more David Bowie?" Ashley teased.
"Not really," I muttered, tying my shoelace.
"Oh, c'mon, we gotta do at least one Bowie song for the gig."
I have been teased---but complimented---on my David Bowie shirt this practice as well. I would forever be known as the Bowie lover, which isn't a bad title in itself.
"Well what do you suggest? Fame didn't exactly work out," I laughed. Ashley had gotten better at her Bowie singing, but the song choice today---Fame---was not the right one.
Ashley shrugged. "Changes? We can speed it up and rock it out."
Benjamin yelled. "That's perfect! It would sound great. Let's try."
"Well, I got an idea," Ashley said, a smile playing on her lips. "Let me start and just follow my lead."
Confused, everyone hung back.
Ashley grabbed Abby's guitar and started strumming slowly. "I still don't know what I was waiting for,
And my time was running wild a million dead streets end.
Every time I thought I got it made it seemed the taste was not so sweet.
So I turned myself to face me,
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker.
I'm much too fast to take the test."
Everyone started playing fast and Ashley smiled, nodding to me.
"Ch-ch-ch-changes," I sang.
"Turn and face the strange," Ashley picked up.
"Ch-ch-changes."
"Don't wanna be a richer man!"
"Ch-ch-ch-changes!"
"Turn and face the strange," Abby sang with Ashley.
"Ch-ch-changes."
"Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me."
All three of us sang, "But I can't trace time."
Ashley motioned for everyone to stop. "Think we can do that? Only in the second verse, we'd still go fast."
I nodded. "Sounds good."
"So we're doing My Immortal, Broken---" Ashley was singing Seether's part and I was singing Amy Lee's. "Changes, and what else?"
"Hold on there, babe," Ashley chuckled, wrapping an arm around Abby's waist. "We still gotta work on Changes."
Abby seemed annoyed and not fooled by her affections. "Right, but we gotta have one more song."
"Ideas anyone?" Ashley asked.
I never requested a song before, but I was sure of which one I wanted to sing. "How 'bout Fully Alive by Flyleaf?"
Ashley turned to me, grinning. "Let's try it."
I cleared my throat and started singing in my best Flyleaf voice. To me, I could have sounded better, but the rest of the band....
"Oh my God, Liz, you are amazing!" Benjamin screamed.
"We so gotta do that for our gig!" Abby said.
"Okay," I agreed, blushing slightly.
"Right, so we're singing My Immortal, Broken, Changes, and Fully Alive," Abby concluded. "This is great! So, at the Pandemonium Saturday, set up at ten, sound check right after, performance ten thirty. Everyone got that?"
We all nodded.
"Okay," Abby said breathlessly, clasping her hands. "Then I'll see you guys Saturday. It's gonna be great!"
I smiled, trying to control the butterflies in my stomach. "See you guys." Then I fled to my car, hearing Abby screaming that I would do fine. I put my Evanescence CD in, to My Immortal. I needed to be perfect. If I cost F.I.R.E the gig, I would feel horrible. But the gig would go fine, what was I worried about?
I was thinking Damon would ruin it. Even though he didn't know the name of the band, it wouldn't be too hard to figure it out....