Mr Hood (Calum Hood AU)

Part Six - Car Rides and Thoughts of Summer

As I drive down the road from the school we all kind of sit in silence.  It feels normal, but slightly awkward at the same time.  I turn on the stereo that plays my iPod.  Therapy by All Time Low comes on straight away and I feel better.  I love this song.  I would usually start to sing but I don’t since Summer is in the car with us.  I can see that she is smiling out of the corner of my eye and it immediately makes me feel better.  She starts to sing and she is so good, it is impressive.  Her voice is something I could listen to whenever.  It is not an annoying poppy voice, it is strong and soulful.  There is so much emotion in her singing. 

When she had finished I wanted to clap, I actually wanted to clap.  It was so good.  “You know All Time Low?”  Luke asks her from the backseat, making her turn around to face him.  He seems surprised at her voice and her knowledge of one of his favourite bands.  “Yeah, they are one of my favourite bands.  Like ever.”  She grins at him.  “That’s weird.”  I say under my breath.  But only because she doesn’t really seem like the type.  Not really her, but high-school girls don’t really tend to like good music.  And the fact All Time Low, and this song in particular are from years ago. 

I think she heard me because she goes quiet, she probably didn’t take what I had said very well, but it is only because she doesn’t understand what I mean.  “What other music do you like?”  Luke enquires again.  She chuckles at his interest but I am rather intrigued also, because I want to see if All Time Low are an exception to her music tastes.  “I like a lot of music, loads of variety and stuff.”  “Shoot, I won’t judge.”  I can see him smiling at her in the rear view mirror.  She lets out a little chuckle.  “Okay then. I really like All Time Low, You Me at Six, Fall Out Boy and some Linkin Park and Green Day.  I couldn’t live without Boulevard of Broken Dreams.  But I like Drake, Chris Brown, Eminem.  And then, One Direction, Justin Bieber, the Vamps and Jack and Jack.  And Halsey, is bae.  There are also people on YouTube that are like amazing.”  She tells us all of these artists and I actually like a lot of them as well.  I am not too sure about The Vamps or Justin Bieber, but the rest seem pretty good.  “That is a lot of variety.  I agree with some of them.”  Luke chuckles.  Does he like love her or something!?  Why is he being so flirty?  “Thanks.  Most people hate my music, they feel like if you like One Direction you can’t like All Time Low and Green Day.  It pisses me off.”  She says with so much emotion.  I can really tell that she is passionate about music. 

I start to wonder who the people from YouTube are that she likes and I f I had heard of them at all.  If not I might check them out to see if I like them.  “Who do you like from YouTube?”  I ask her.  “Like, Lennon and Maisy, Conor Maynard – I know he is kind of famous but I like his covers better.”  She tells me.  I thought I had heard that name.  I didn’t really like the music he had released bt if she says his covers are better I will check him out.  “Then Alex Goot, Boyce Avenue, and just loads of people.  There are so many amazing people on there that could definitely get signed.  I remember my dad was going to sign a band a few years ago but then he got the emo that they had decided to stop pursuing music.”  She says and I start to think.  That actually sucks.  Somebody’s dreams were going to come true but they gave up just before their big break came. 

“That sucks.  Wait- your dad is a music producer?”  Luke asks shocked.  “Yeah, well he was.”  She says and I have a strange feeling that I should stop talking but I can’t.  “Did he get another job?”  I ask.  I turn to glance at her and I can see her eyes glaze over.  Shit.  Something bad happened.  I should have stopped talking.  “He died a few years ago.”  She says very quietly, as if she was embarrassed about it.  “Shit, Summer I am so sorry!”  I say to her.  I cannot believe I just asked her that.  This should not have had to have been admitted in a car ride home from school on the first day we met.  “So, it’s just you and your mum?”  Luke asks and I want to hit him.  “No, erm, she died in the crash as well.”  She admits and I want to cry for her.  This poor girl has no parents left.  “Fuck.  Luke stop talking!”  I shout at him, but not loud enough to hurt her head since she was right next to me.  She turns and looks out the window, with the only noise being from the stereo and the car engine.