Ava Cobalt; This Isn't Over Yet [Book 3]

Part 15, Depression

[Sam's House]

Nova was laying on her bed, playing some punk-pop, rock-ish angst stuff. She didn't know what to call the music she listened to. Well... What she and Ava would listen to. Ava did love Fall Out Boy, Andy Black, and a few Black Veil Brides, ya know. That kinda stuff. But, Ava liked some weird stuff. Her top three favorite artists had practically nothing in common. Fall Out Boy, BTS, and Alan Walker.

Nova, muttering: That kid was always weird.

Right now, Nova had just clicked the first song that appeared on her Spotify. And that happened to be "We Don't Have to Dance" by Andy Black. She hummed along to it. Her voice wasn't bad, but Ava's was much better.

Most people would think Nova was jealous of Ava, but it was just that Nova was far too analytical for her good. She knew that, Nick knew that, and Ava knew that. Nova just analyzed and gave the facts. But that didn't mean Nova was a person who didn't have fun. For God's sake, she shot Matt in the beard and rolled with laughter just two hours ago.

But... That Nova had kinda died a little. Her brother had his best friend ripped away from him, for the second time. And he was blaming himself again. Everyone else was fractured. And whenever the team cracked, Ava would force glue in, and put them back together again. Nova didn't know how to do that. And.. Nova needed Ava too.

Ava kept so many, so many memories at bay. Stuff that was creeping into Nova's mind and ripping at her soul. If Nova was being truthful, they all needed Ava for something in their lives. Matt and Amanda, and Ava just made their lives better overall. Woods needed a second pair of eyes to keep him from impaling himself with a screwdriver. Sam needed someone to joke with and tease about their work. Nate needed someone to drag him out of his shell. Nick needed someone to hold him together.

As much as she wanted to just push it aside as he wanted, she couldn't ignore the fact her brother had been so badly beaten, in more ways than one. And Ava held his shattered pieces together. More than the others, and he, thought. Ava kept herself together too. That one had Nova stumped. It was like, Ava was there for everyone, and for herself too. It was so confusing.

But, something Nova was sure of; Ava was gone. The person who could hold them together, when falling apart at the seams herself, was gone. And.. with all of Nova's knowledge of Syntec's testing, all of the stuff, everything that she knew, had been for nothing. Nova, like everyone else, had been helpless to do anything. And that pissed her off.

Nova growled, and scrolled through, trying to find something a lot harder than just wanting to ignore everyone. A song that was a little angrier. But, she saw something else. Something softer, more depressed.

"The Kids Aren't Alright", by Fall Out Boy.

Perfect.

She began to sing along to it, softly at first.

Nova: ~Stuck in the jet wash, Bad trip I couldn't get off, And maybe I bit off more than I could chew, And overhead of the aqua blue, Fall to your knees bring on the rapture, Blessed be the boys time can't capture, On film or between the sheets, I always fall from your window, To the pitch-black streets, And with the black banners raised, As the crooked smiles fade, Former heroes who quit too late, Who just wanna fill up the trophy case again, And in the end, I'd do it all again, I think you're my best friend, Don't you know that the kids aren't al-, kids aren't alright?, I'll be yours, When it rains it pours, Stay thirsty like before, Don't you know that the kids aren't al-, kids aren't alright?~

As the song continued, her singing got louder. Her voice wasn't soft and soprano like Ava's. Nova's voice was a little louder, a little rougher, and more alto. It was perfect for this song.