Beauty From Ashes

Chapter 10

Author's note: so there is one thing I've been forgetting to address and I'm not entirely sure why it's taken me this long to even consider mentioning it.
So as it's been established, the stuff that's been happening in this part of the story takes place 5 ½ years before the events of the prologue and the interviews. This is currently in October of 2020, while the interview is in May of 2026. So we're actually quite a long way away from those moments. But throughout the previous 9 chapters, I've jumped around through a timeline of two months rather quickly, and throughout the rest of this story, when we get to certain points I will be continuing to skip around through time as I DO intend to fit the core parts of the rest of the 5 to 6-year gap into this whole story. Most of the time it'll be skipping ahead by about a few weeks or months, but then at one point, we might even jump forward a year or two.
So yeah, I'm not sure why I haven't really thought about addressing this until now, figured I might as well make a point of it.

Albert packs his guitar and pedalboard cases into a friend's car trunk.
Slam. "Thanks, Isaac! See you up on the stage tonight!" he said. stepping back and waving to his friend.

"You too buddy," spoke a man with long brown hair down to his shoulders peeking out his window. He drives away.

Looks like Albert had time to pack up his gear for the youth group while I was explaining all of that. 😜

Cheyenne's POV:
Today is Thursday, October 15th, and I have been living with Albert and the Johnson's for about 4 days so far.
It's going pretty well. Jillian and Leanne, the mother, were very gracious when they took me shopping. Now I have a bunch of new clothes and most of them are perfect for hiding some of my.....'features,' which I'll definitely need to be doing a lot more of now. Mainly a lot of new scarves and sweaters. I'm kind of a fashion whore, so I have a number of random accessories, like fur jackets, necklaces, and tunics. I could only get cheaper ones according to the two ladies.
Leanne, the mother, has been very welcoming, latching onto me instantaneously. Super sweet and helpful. Isaiah, the father, is pretty silent for the most part, but not in a creepy way where he spies on me in silence.

I didn't get anything too fancy for the bedroom, generally standard blankets and pillows, as well as a new crocodile skinned purse for myself. I was FINALLY able to obtain a new iPhone, and Albert and Wes were kind enough to help me set it up and complete some of my new social accounts.

Getting to know Albert and his friends has been interesting. But fun.
I'm so used to boys being completely horny over me, used to waiting to see how they'd try to flirt with me. In some ways, they can't because Wes, Vinnie, and Johnathan all have girlfriends, and Albert apparently has certain beliefs and standards when it comes to dating. I haven't had a chance to actually- make friends with other guys in the same way I've been with them.

For Albert and I, it was like we instantly bonded and grew close. He's nearly a complete contrast to myself, except for the fact that we have a similar level of awkwardness. He's keenly intelligent and erudite with his skills, which doesn't surprise me because he wears nerd-style glasses and is slightly skinny, not giving the impression of being a physically active person. His passion for music and his faith are always present and it is easy for him to spiel about both. But there's something about the enthusiasm that he has for them that just- keeps them from being boring to me. I can't remember too many people who are THIS excited about being a Christian.
His wardrobe is neither cliche nor strict since it doesn't always match his outward nerd appearance, or even my conventional image of a Christian appearance, wearing a variety.

Vinnie is pretty similar to Albert, which certainly explains why they're best friends. Slightly awkward, but also honest, kind, respectful, and good-natured. These four guys tend to be goofballs but Vinnie seems to be the most mature of the group. Pretty much a moderator for the others.