Destined to Explode (Adopted by All Time Low)

Chapter 3

I go around the mall and get everything I need or want with my own money, including some food so I could make meals. I also buy everything I need to make CDs. I obtained a ton of money from the settlement, nearly $10,000,000, but I don't want to tell them that quite yet because then I'll have to reveal just how bad it was.

I get everything into my car and text Alex. I have a few stops to make between the mall and home. Can I head out? I get a response quickly. Sure. Be safe. I drive home, stopping at Guitar Center. I get a Schecter E-1 Apocalypse as well as a Squier Affinity Bass Guitar.

I also get some riding gear. I know Alex would have enough, but I'm very particular so I want my own. I get home and they're not back yet. I bring the food inside and I text Alex. I'm making dinner. Do you guys all eat chicken?

I get a response from him quickly. You don't have to. I reply back. I want to. Finally, he gives me the response I want. Yeah, we do. Thank you, honey. I begin making King's Ranch Chicken Enchiladas.

I have to triple the recipe since there are 10 of us. I wanted one as a spare. I make all three of them as well as creamed corn. I hear the door open eventually and someone comes upstairs.

"This smells good." I take it out of the oven. "Can you bring it downstairs?" He helps me taking everything downstairs. I eat with them, only taking about half a serving.

Alex signs to me. You good? I nod. "This is amazing, Rachel. You're just as good a cook as Alex." "It's a lot more comfortable to be cooking with electric appliances than gas, especially when you have a fear of fire."

"So what did you get with the money?" "A guitar and a bass." "What did you buy in the mall and how?" "Again, the state gave me a large compensation." He nods. I'm glad he is not pushing it.

"Do you have access to all the money?" "4/5 of it." He nods. The next morning, I get up early. My knee is still hurting, but nothing more than it has for a few years. I take a pain killer. I go into the room, leaving the door open, and begin editing the drum tracks.

I hear my bedroom door open and someone comes back. I see Reggie. He has his bass. "You wanna record?" He nods. I write a note. Recording. Reggie's with me. Text if needed. I go in with him and close the door.

We record and he watches as I edit his parts, adding them on top of Kenny's. He continues to watch as I record my guitar parts and edit them on top. I look at the time. "Let's go downstairs. It's nearly noon." He nods. We both travel downstairs.

"Hey, you guys are up late." I yawn. Reggie laughs. "We were recording since like 5 am." Kyra and Kenny look curious. Jack hands me two Eggo waffles. I eat them and feel kind of nauseous when I finish. I lead them upstairs. I hand Kyra the headphones.

After recording her and editing I take off the headphones and let the instrumentals play out loud. They finish and we all smile. "When do you plan on laying vocals over it?" "Tomorrow. I want to see if Alex'll let me go riding."

I go downstairs. "Alex, Alex, Alex!" "What, what, what?" I giggle. "Can I go riding?" "Horseback?" I nod. "Sure, I'll come with you if you don't mind." "Anyone can come, I don't mind." Everyone ends up coming.

"If you want, we could make one of the horses "your horse"?" "Really?" He nods. "I would love that." I look at Alex. "I have riding gear. I'm really particular about my things. I bought grooming things as well." I take them out of the car and he helps me.

He take me over to a dapple-gray horse. "This is our youngest horse, Stella. She is one. She is de-spooked pretty well. She hasn't been ridden before, but she's been trained up to that part pretty well. You'll be able to train her, Lisa and I'll help as much or as little as you want."

I put my hand out to her and pet her. "She is beautiful." Alex smiles. "I'll be outside when you are ready. I need to teach some of them how to ride." I nod. "You could go over there." I nod. I lead Stella over there and connect her to the tree. I groom her and then tack her up.

I walk her a little and take a breath. "Are you ready, girl?" Her ears twitch. I mount her. I walk a few times and then try to move into a trot. She goes into a full gallop. I lose my balance quickly and go tumbling off her.

I hear Jack. "Oh god, Rachel, are you okay?" "Yeah." I get up and get the gravel off my arms. It's bleeding some because it reopened a few cuts. I manage to catch her and I mount her again.

I give her a small kick as well as the voice command which gets her to stay in a trot. I get her to stop near Jack. "Your arm is bleeding." "I know. I'm fine." He leads me over to the others.

Alex looks concerned. "What happened?" "I'm used to riding an old horse that you had to use a lot of force to get to go into a trot. She went into a full gallop, I lost my balance, and fell." He rolls his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I think I hurt my knee, but I'll be fine." I see Reggie dismount and he comes over to me. He helps me down. "Alex, as much as she is going to hate it, she needs to go to the doctor's. Her knee is misshapen."

I feel some immediate panic. "I-I don't want to. Please don't make me." Lisa and Alex both dismount. Alex comes over to me. "Can I pick you up?" I think about it and give him a small nod.

"Do you remember where my anxiety meds are? I'll probably need one when we get back." He nods. I feel him pick me up and I try to focus on his breathing. I'm still panicked when we get home, on the verge of a panic attack.

He hands me a pill and I swallow it dry. "You know, that is dangerous." I shrug. He picks me up again and begins driving.