Swallow

Chapter 1.4:

(Previously published in Drowning as Bonus Chapter 1- Sorry guys, had to add this in to this story to make it flow)

3 months later:

This was all wrong.

Fuck, I would have to spend the rest of the night changing the song.

Aiden was standing at the microphone, singing lazily. He was a pretty good singer but a little sloppy during band practices. At least he could stay on key, even if he was barely trying his best. It irritated the shit out of me that I was the only person even trying to make us sound good tonight.

Anna, JD's girlfriend, was in the corner screaming into her phone like she was the only one in the room. She was doing her best to ruin the practice. I hated when guys brought their girlfriends to band practice. JD was as bad as they came about that. I was surprised when Anna didn't climb between him and his bass when he tried to play. They were that sickening weird couple that always moved in sync. I hated watching couples like that.

That, we are so in love bullshit, was a lie people told themselves when they liked to fuck each other. In my world, girls were only good for one thing. Well, they were good for a couple of things, but that needy relationship crap wasn't one of them.

I was never going to be that guy. The relationship type of guy.

I watched the shit storm my mom went through at the hands of my father and knew how bad things could get when people got so wrapped up in each other that the rest of the world didn't exist. I was the bastard son of that hell created by the man who was supposed to raise me. That sick fuck broke down the only woman I ever cared about until there was nothing left of her. He was a terrible man who ruined everything he touched. As I got older, I slowly came to realize that the same parts of him that hurt the people in his life existed inside of me too. That was why I avoided ever getting too close to anyone.

It was easier that way.

I slid my hand down the neck of the guitar. This was my favorite part of the song that Aiden and I wrote together. I moved my fingers over the quick rhythmic changes, plucking out the undertone that gave it a dirty feel. Fuck, playing this rhythm felt like sex. It was the sound I was going for and I was pretty sure I nailed it.

Speaking of sex, I should probably call that one girl I met at the store today and have her stop by after practice. She was throwing herself at me and looked like she would be a sure thing. I couldn't remember her name, but that didn't matter to me. If I couldn't have the drugs my body was craving right now, then I would have to find my high other ways tonight. I traded one vice for the other when I was trying to stay sober. Well, off the drugs anyway. I still drank almost every night to cope.

"Hey guys, can one of you go help Riley outside?" Anna screamed over the music.

Who the fuck is Riley?

At the mention of the name, Aiden's face lit up. The guy's eyes were twinkling with little hearts in them. I guess that meant Riley was a girl or else Aiden had been holding out some secrets on me.

"I'll help her." He said and didn't even hesitate to dash up the stairs.

Definitely a girl.

I was annoyed with him for ditching practice to go make eyes at some little tart who probably had a butter face. Aiden didn't bring many girls back to the house, so I was slightly intrigued by his reaction. Aiden must have had a thing for this one.

JD motioned to switch songs and Mark started wailing away in the back to a different beat. I picked up the new melody and started changing up the notes trying to find a better blend. Sweat was pouring down my face as we played one of our faster, harder songs. The basement had gotten a little warm too fast.