The Brains and the Bad Boy <Editing>

Second to Last

I was starting to like these parties a bit, they were actually kind of fun. I was talking to Selina currently about random stuff, not able to keep one thought for more than a minute. I blame the volume since I couldn't hear myself think over the yells and blaring music. Keith caught me, "hey, we go up in a minute."
"Can't wait." He snuck a quick kiss before disappearing again.
"That Vance guy he's buddies with won't quit bugging me, he's a horrible flirt." Selina told me with a loud laugh.
"There is way worse, Myron is worse at it. He's is the biggest prick out of all of them." I wrinkled my nose. She only met Myron once and he didn't say much, for once. I took a sip of my mix of... Something, all I know is that it's Vodka and something that Brooke's parents had in a high cabinet that was taken out. I felt a bit tipsy but not too bad, I didn't want to ever get drunk anyway. The music from the iPhone speakers was lowered as Keith and the guys took the stage. "Who's in the mood for some Fall Out Boys tonight?" Ty smirked as he spoke into the mic. 90% of the crowd shouted and wooed. To my surprise, Keith assumed the roll as singer this time.

"My song knows what you did in the da-ar-ark. So light'em up, up, up. Light'em up, up, up. Light'em up, up, up. I'm on firee!' My all time favorite FOB song ever right here. My phone interrupted my enjoyment and horrible dancing with Sel. I stepped outside and picked up the phone. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? NOT PICKING UP YOUR PHONE, PHILLIS SALAWAY HASN'T A CLUE WHERE YOU ARE NOR DOES YOUR FATHER!" I held the phone away from my ear as I heard Aunt Diane shout at me. "Relax, I'm..." Think of a lie, think of a lie! "I'm at an overnight college convention in LA for school..." Score.
"Phew, I was worried you'd-" police sirens sounded and chaos broke out as everyone tried to leave as fast as they could. "What was that?"
"California State was just showing some school spirit, got to go!" Really, Al? Sirens for school spirit? I hung up quickly as I felt Keith grab my arm. We escaped though Sabrina and Paisley, as well as some school jocks, we're not as lucky. "Home free." He chuckled as we drove.
We pulled into the parking lot around the same time as Ty and the other guys. We walked upstairs, I tripped a bit but I decided to blame the wedges that Lauren had me wear today. "Remind to shake that fucker down for the money he owes us." Ty sneered and we nodded absently. We opened the door and I went to the bathroom to shower and get into comfy clothes. Once I did so, I joined everyone else on the couch for some TV. It was around 5AM when a shout erupted, "Go to bed!" Steven shouted from the bedroom and we rolled our eyes. I wasn't nearly tired yet, I was going to put for that later.

       I woke up to a nice, sunny and way too hot Saturday mor- afternoon?! It was 3PM, Vance and Jace were on the floor and Erik was on the coffee table. Ty wasn't here anymore nor was Dean or Jackson, not that anyone would've noticed anyway since Dean and Jack are basically mutes. Hess was slung over the back of one of the armchairs. I picked up my head from off Keith's chest and rubbed my eyes. "Keith, wake up." I nudged his shoulder lazily.
"Shhhhh..." He hushed me in almost a drunken slur even though he hasn't drank a drop. I cracked a smile and went to plan B. I kissed his hard in the lips and he jumped awake and kissed me back with the same strength. "Ugh, gross!" Erik coughed as he woke up to a lot of PDA. I had to break the kiss so I could laugh. Jace and Erik slowly work up, groaning and complaining about their backs. Vance woke up as well without so much as a complaint.
      I had two cups of heavily caffeinated coffee and felt a lot better. "I want food..." Some of them complained.
"Go get some then." I scoffed.
"Why can't you do it? You're already in the kitchen!" Keith whined.
"If you want your food to be edible, you'll do it yourself." I told them matter-of-factly, I'm a horrible cook. Yes, I cooked for my dad but it was mainly inedible and gave his stomach viruses constantly. Finally, he got up and got a piece of toast. Lazy ass. I went and got dressed in a simple black Tshirt and shorts and put my hair back into a neat ponytail.
       Lauren and Zack joined us a litter later on, she just got into California State and went on a second tour of it to be sure she wanted to go. "It's so nice there, not too many frat houses and everyone was pretty nice." She went on and on, then paused, and went on again. Jace was too fascinated with... Everything below her chin to but it bluntly. They eventually all left, going home to sleep some more. Keith and I were watching TV when there was a knock on the door. I answered it to see my Aunt Diane, oh boy. "Hi Dar- what are you wearing?" She questioned with faint disgust in her voice. Keith was next to me, leaning on the door. "Um, a Tshirt? Some shorts?"
"Those garments you call shorts are way too short! Well I don't mean to offend but it looks downright slutty!" My jaw was on the floor, did she seriously just call me a slut?! "Would you rather a mini skirt and a tube top?" Keith smirked.
     An argument soon erupted between her and Keith. I only took the obvious side. Keith's. "It's 100°, I can wear shorts and a Tshirt. A tank top would be even better than this." I argued and she shot me a glare. I shrugged her off. "I'd don't think I should be wasting my time arguing with a hoodlum like you. Now, Alice, go change and we can check your bags to make sure you have everything." She ordered me and I crossed my arms. She's got to be kidding. "No way, I happen to like this outfit and I don't plan on going out today."
"What would your father think?"
"He. Does not. Careeee!" I dragged out the last syllable and she snarled. Ms. Salaway finally was able to intervene and convince her
That everything was in order and stuff. "We leave tomorrow, 11 o'clock sharp." She told me with an accusing finger that said 'don't be late'

I zipped up the duffel bag I was borrowing from Keith and put it by his closet. I smoothed my hair in the long mirror on the wall. I checked over my outfit, my shorts look a lot shorter than they were when I put them on. I tried pulling it down to see if it'd help and surely it didn't. "You look fine." Keith told me, appearing behind me and kissing my jaw.
"My mind is playing tricks on me." I wrinkled my nose. He chuckled at me and left a few more kisses before kissing my neck a bit. "I'm going shopping with Lauren and Zack, be back in about 2 hours!" We heard a shout and replied with a distracted OK.
"Well isn't that timing perfect." He smirked and I laughed before turning around and kissing him.

      Bastard went all vampire on my neck, meaning I would surely have bruising tomorrow. In all fairness, I scratched his back by accident. I was reading To Kill a Mockingbird on the balcony as Keith was taking a nap on the opposite chair. I wasn't kidding when I said it was 100° outside, I had to change into a tank top and Keith took off his shirt, exposing his tattoos. I was fighting so hard to avoid scratching my hummingbirds, it was hurting and it was insanely itchy! "Why did I put myself through this again?" I asked as I frustratedly glared at my beautifully annoying tattoo.
         I ended up falling asleep minutes later from exhaustion. My mind was pretty blank, no dreams which was pretty rare for me. That moment soon faded and I was greeted with my mom in a time lapse.
The Christmas Tree stood in the living room with the prettiest ornaments. I toddled over by it and grabbed he first present I saw. "Merry Christmas, sweetheart." My dad beamed at me with her arm tight around Mom in a loving embrace. I opened it and found my Mom's favorite necklace. I squealed, it was my favorite also and now it would be mine.
     We opened more, it was a year flashed forward now. I was 5 and I unwrapped a bunch books, I loved to read and have been since I was 3. Mom was pale and said she had a bad cold. She stood up to hand me my stocking when she fell. "Honey?" My dad said suddenly more alert, dropping his used up cigarette. She was out of breath and couldn't form words. "Mommy!" I screamed, dropping everything.
     Next year's Christmas was at the hospital. She's been diagnosed with lung cancer. Her pretty red hair was gone, shaved off. We were all joking around and laughing as if nothing was wrong until her heart monitor went flat.
      I stood in a funeral home, I couldn't stop crying.
    I was at my first day of First Grade, I met Lindsey. We did everything together.
    I was my 7th birthday, I was excited for the first time in forever. I jumped onto my dad's bed to wake him up. It was 10:32AM on a Saturday, I remember it precise. He gave me a back-handed smack, knocking me off the bed. I was too shocked to cry.
     I woke up silently, I shook off the dream. I counted from 1 to 10 in my head like Mom always had me do when I was upset. "You ok?" Keith asked me and I rubbed the sleep from my face. I nodded, it was a lie but he didn't have to know that. "Jesus, you are burned to hell." Keith cringed and I checked my phone, I was sunburnt to the extreme. "FUCK!" I cursed, the pain was most definitely setting in.

      We moved inside, still tired, when Ms. Salaway came home. "Keith, Mr. Gomez from
The Auto Body down the street wants to talk to you today or tomorrow." She told him.
"Why?" He asked curiously.
"Job offer."
"Money?"
"Yes, Keith, jobs have to pay compensation."
"Sweet, I'll see tomorrow." He smirked. I reminded him that he couldn't take the cars for joyrides. "Well damn." He mumbled and I laughed. Aunt Diane called three more times just to be sure I was all packed for the day I was dreading. "Why did my mother have to be friends with such a uptight hard ass?" I whined.