Memories That DON'T Fade like Photographs(ALL TIME LOW)

Chapter 9

sorry it's boring and sucky

--------------

“You start working tomorrow, see ya then!” the manager to a music store said to me while waving as I walked out of the building. I had just gotten my first job. It has pretty good pay but I think it’d be better to get a second job, just to be safe.

I started my walk home. I had walked here straight from school remembering that the last time I was in town the store had a ‘help wanted’ sign in the window, and it still did. I lucked out there.

The inside of the store was pretty decent, had a lot of mainstream albums but some good Alternative and punk in there too, Like Blink-182 and New Found Glory and Green Day, otherwise I would’ve just turned around and walked out of that store.

Now I was going to be working at that store every day after school from 4 to 7 and on weekends at the same time. What? This girl needs money.

Maybe I could get another job to go right after that? It’s not like I do anything in the afternoons anyway, I go home, and do whatever homework is needed then fall asleep on the bed. It’s the same routine over and over. It’s making me depressed.

Now all I wanted to do was go home and sleep, this bag was getting heavy on my back and school had been full of taunting as usual. Today Alex wasn’t at school so I wasn’t able to explain why I wasn’t at the gig for him.

I still don’t get why I really want to explain myself to him. Why do I care so much?

I could go to their next gig; I’ll just need to figure out when that is. I really wanted to see them play; I wanted to see if they were good.

The wind picked up and zipped up my jacket and stuff my hands in the jackets pockets. I kept my head down slightly wishing I was just home already. But I’d have to get used to this, I’d be walking this path just about every day for now on. I would be walking to another job too, I’d be walking everywhere. No one can drive me and I don’t have a license.

Even if I did have a license I wouldn’t have a car. I don’t have money for a car.

I ran suddenly ran into something hard but soft and bounced off falling on my ass. I blinked and shook my head staring at the concrete till my eyes stopped spinning. “Hey! Girl with good music taste, um Jayden!”

I looked up to see none other than skunk hair. I mean Jack. I plastered a small awkward smile and toke the hand he held out to me. He pulled me to my feet and randomly brushed off my shoulders.

“I haven’t seen you in forever! Come here!” Jack pulled me into a tight hug. It had only been about a week.  To say I was a little freaked out was an understatement. Don’t get me wrong, Jack was nice and funny but…

“Yeah I know” I replied as he let go of me and I backed up slightly. I looked at our surroundings and saw him holding onto the handlebar of a bike, a chain in the other, looking like he had locked his bike to the pole that was beside me.

Can I be anywhere else but here in this awkward situation? I’m not good at talking to people, or guys.

“Hey I heard you were supposed to come to the gig the other day. You never showed up, what happened?” He pouted jokingly. I knew this was gonna happen. I just shrugged my shoulders. “Some family shit. I’ll try to come to the next gig if I can”  

If I had eyes inside I swear they would’ve budged out of my head.

How is it getting easier for me to talk to these guys? I haven’t known them long, but it’s just not complicated. The words just flow out and it feels somewhat natural. “I’ll make sure to tell Alex, he’ll tell you when the next gig is.” Jack replied.

Silence.

I looked at my feet. “Well I’m just gonna go” my awkward stage kicking in again and I pointed my thumb over my shoulder, backing in the way I was originally running. “Yeah see ya” Jack waved with a goofy grin on his face.

I giggled slightly at his expression then turned around and walked away.

We could be possible friends in the future………. Right?

-------------

Finally reaching my block around 15 minutes later I through my hands up happily but dropped them quickly afraid someone would see me and think I was crazy. But I am crazy. I yawned even though it was going on 5.

Then I saw the van. There was a strange van in my drive way. Who was mom renting the house out to now? I sighed and walked up my driveway examining the van to make sure it was a ‘safe’ van. It wasn’t white, or black, it was red and you could see in the windows.

The van was empty inside with 3 rows of seats and a very large back filled with a drum set? What is this? Kyle. That fucker is home and he brought his drum set. Idiot.

I stopped looking in the van and turned to walk up my door when he back end kicked open and a somewhat lanky guy with long brown hair and a red bandana wrapped around his forehead stumbled out falling on his face.

“Shit” he muttered standing up and brushing himself off. I held my hand to where my heart should be in surprise and backed up. This guy looked oddly familiar. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.

The guy looked up at me confused too. Then a smile broke on his face. “Jayden Burns, boy have you grown up” the boy who looked 30 years old said. My eyes widened and I backed up slightly scared.

“It’s me Austin Bello! Remember, Kyle’s band” so this was a man child. He looks 30 yet he’s 17. Creeeeeepppppy. I kept backing up. “Hi” I blurted and then turned around and walked to my door.

He brought a band mate back with him?!

I walked up to the door and walked inside to find not just Kyle in the living room but 2 other men. I dropped my bag and my mouth parted slightly. Should I just go upstairs and ignore them or should I go in and say hi? Maybe go in and scream at Kyle?

He brought his stupid band home with him! He brought the reason I hate his guts back with him. Great.

My feet stayed glued to the floor and I looked to see my mother walking out of the kitchen towards me crying again. “Honey!” she grabbed me in a hug and the 3 guys turned their heads to look at me.

The door opened and Austin slipped in passed me going to where the others were sitting.

“Mom, why are you crying again?” I asked rubbing her back. Did she get more bills? “Those 4 men are saints.” She pointed at them and I looked at them and scowled. I didn’t want any of them to be here.

“What do you mean?” I asked. Mom backed up a bit. “They gave me all the money they raised from there last few gigs. That’s why Kyle was gone.” My eyes widened as my mom pulled out the check, and then my jaw dropped.

I shook my head. “What are they doing here then?” I asked. “They want play a few gigs up here. They’re going to be here for the month then come back up in the summer.” My mother answered and I groaned.

What they did was really nice but I wouldn’t be able to live with 4 men inside my house. I looked to the boys. “Thanks for the money, stay out of my room and my way” I pointed my finger at them then trudged upstairs.

“She’s usually very nice” my mother explained to the group of boys and Kyle snorted. I rolled my eyes and through open my door and crashed on the bed wanting to just sleep.

Life just seemed to be getting harder and harder and it was horrible. 

---------

i hope you know who Forever The Sickest Kids are!