"okay get ready we're leaving in five minutes" dad yelled at me.
"but Dad! My room isn't even clean and I don't want to make Aunt Marsha do it all!"
"hurry up" he sighed. My aunt came into my room and smiled at me.
"thanks Marsha, you really are the best" I hugged her, squeezing extra hard for comfort.
"it's what your mom would have wanted for you" she said softly.
"what was she like?" I asked.
"she was very much like you, you are practically a clone of her, in looks and personality." She told me. "she wanted to be a musician like you also. She almost made it too, at least until she met your dad, they fell in and out of love pretty fast," she continued. "it's just a shame she had to go" she shook her head. I could feel more tears coming, but instead I blinked them back.
"thanks auntie M" I smiled laughing at our little joke. I always called her Auntie M. after The Wizard Of Oz.
"be good" she patted my back and helped me clean the rest of the room.
"I'll miss you" I sniffled.
"I'll miss you too" she gave me one last hug and we walked out of the room with my suitcase.
"Dad can't I stay for another day or two?" I pleaded.
"no, that's final!" he said from the front of the door.
"I just want to stay with Auntie M." I gave him my best puppy dog eyes.
"We've got a plane to catch Arena, now let's go!" dad rushed out the door. I reluctantly followed. While I was silently cursing my dad, my aunt drove us to the airport. Our aunt was up from Chicago when she picked us up from Ohio, So really this is my first time flying. I really wanted Will or one of my best friends to be there.
To tell you the truth, I wasn't so crazy about flying anywhere. I mean how am I supposed to believe that a two-ton plane is supposed to stay in the air using only air pressure? Hmm? Please someone explain the sense in that!
I really needed some comfort food. Maybe I’ll go to Bob Evan’s when the guys get back. The thought of hot and toasty pancake and bacon filled my thoughts until we landed and drove back to my tiny town.
I plopped on my bed after I was done packing, anticipating William’s or anyone else’s call. I couldn’t help it. I felt so bad that I had just left them to take care of everything else, while I hopped on a plane. Of course, I was forced, but really I felt like it was my fault. I should’ve called dad. I growled at my own stupidity.
But, Matt, Jesse, and Zac would be home soon,. We’d be a band again, playing local shows. Friends forever. Ugh, how cliché.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I had it on vibrate so my dad wouldn’t know anyone was calling me, especially not anyone from the band, or associated with music. I sighed, stupid father.
The called ID showed up as some weird number. I answered anyway. It could be William!
“Hello?” I asked, the excitement leaked from my voice.
“ARENA!!!” I heard The Butcher yell.
“Hey, Butch!” I laughed at him. Always hyperactive, I guess that’s why he’s the drummer.
“Sorry, Arena. Butcher took the phone from me before I had the chance to talk to you.” I heard Will’s voice next. I smiled to myself, loving the sound of his voice.
“DUDE! I just had…a revelation…” I jumped.
“Yeah. I can’t wait to hear this…” Will laughed.
“You can’t be in a really awesome rock band, if you’re a girl, without two-toned hair. I mean, Hayley Williams has like…five bazillion colors and they have as many fans. I have two-tones and people seem to love us…so…you have to have two colors of hair. OH! And Vicky T. She has tones in her hair…” I ranted.
“That is…DUDE! That’s true!” He realized.
“Yeah, I know I’m genius.” I brushed my sleeve off. I wished they were here. I wanted to talk with Matt, Jesse and Zac. Good thing they were coming home very soon.
“So did Matt, Jesse, and Zac get everything sorted out?” I asked.
“Yes, they boarded a plane and hour ago.” Will reported. He sounded so official; I had to laugh.
“Okay, that’s great. I need to talk to them. I’m thinking about looking for houses and everything so when I turn eighteen we have or at least I have a place to live.” I was rambling again. “I was thinking in Chicago, so I can be by my aunt. Or maybe…” I pondered. I couldn’t think of a better place than Chicago.
“That’s great. Chicago’s near me too.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot about you.” I said truthfully.
“Gee, thanks,” Will said sarcastically.
“I’m sorry!” I gushed, feeling bad that I had forgotten about him. I laughed some more.
“You’re so mean!” Will laughed with me.
“Yeah, people tell me that all the time.”
“I don’t think you could hurt a fly.”
“I do when they fly all over me.” I contradicted.
“They do that because you’re smelly.” Will taunted.
“Now whose the mean one?” I called him out.
“I’m sorry.” Will I could tell that he was smiling.
I heard my dad’s feet on the steps. He was coming to check on me. I was supposed to be studying.
“I’m sorry, Will I have to go. My dad’s coming. I’m supposed to be studying.” I excused. “Talk to you later. Bye.”
I waited for his reply before flipping the phone closed and hiding it in the drawer. I opened one of the law books on the desk to a random page. I sighed when my dad knocked on the door.
“Yes?” I called, trying to sound formal.
“How are you doing?” He said sternly. I bet he suspected that I wasn’t actually studying. I rambled off random legal facts so that he’d think I was actually studying, and he left.
I banged my head on the desk, quietly so he wouldn’t hear. Goodness! All this stress was going to give me an ulcer.
“Just two more months…” I murmured to myself over and over.
I sat at the desk for a while, then got bored to I got my laptop out that Marsha gave me. I set it on the desk and tried to figure out how to hook it up.
I gave up quickly on that, I wasn’t a technical person. But Zac was, he’d do it when he got back. They mostly just hung out at mine, or Jesse’s house.
~X~
A while later, I heard my phone ring in the drawer. I pulled it out, Zacster the ID read. I smiled.
“Hey!!!!” I cheered, not too loud though. (Stupid dad!)
“What’s up!?” They all yelled.
“Speakerboxx!!!” I yelled, holding out the O. I was on speaker. “Are you guys here already?” I asked.
“Yeah. We’ll wait for you at the McDonald’s across the street from the airport.” Jesse said.
“What if I don’t wanna?” I asked, defiant.
“Just do it.” Matt said.
“You guys are lucky I love you. I’m under major lockdown so this is going to take some skill.” I sighed. “Wish me luck.”
“Good Luck!” They yelled. I hung up the phone, and took a deep breath. I walked out to the living room where my dad was sitting, reading a rather large book.
“Hey… dad. I was wondering…” I started. My father looked up, his glasses at the tip of his nose. I tried not to laugh. “I need to go get a book repaired. Can I possibly go? It’s one of my favorite law books. I would hate to have to go without it.” I hate lying. It makes my mouth taste funny. I put on my best innocent face, without being too obvious.
“Where are you going to get it repaired?” He asked.
“There’s this really great book store in Columbus that does the best restorations. I figured I would go there…. maybe shop around for more books.” I explained. I sincerely hated lying. But I was good at it. And I only did it so my dad would get off my back. “I’ll probably be gone all day. You know how I get with books” I smiled.
“Oh. Okay. Sure,” He nodded. “But don’t be gone too late.” He warned. I congratulated myself inwardly and walked calmly out the door. Shouting my thanks.
I drove to the place they said they’d be, blasting Taking Back Sunday and singing at the top of my lungs. The best part about being the singer: nobody yelled at you for being off-key. I smirked to myself.
“Arena! You’re like the best person ever!” Matt yelled. I pondered on the double meaning of that statement, but then sat next to them. I ordered a drink, still feeling a little sick over my plane ride.
“I don’t get how you guys can ride on those planes…” I shuddered. They’ve been on planes before.
“Well, it’s just something you get used to.” Zac shrugged.
“Stupid boys,” I muttered. I sipped my Dr. Pepper. After a while I remembered what I was going to tell them.
“I was thinking about getting a apartment next to my Aunt in Chicago…” I started. “In two months I’m free from my prison.”
“Sweet!” They chorused.
We sat and made plans. I figured Will or someone could help us find some apartments near my Aunt. I was happy. Genuinely happy, for the first time since my father started all this lawyer crap. It looked like things were going to get better.
But wait…didn’t that one Less Than Jake song advise me that “It gets worse before it’s all over.”?
Maybe that’s true in most cases…. Whatever.
I actually did go to the bookstore. I actually did repair the book. So it technically wasn’t a lie. Whatever to make me feel better….
