Once they left, it was an awkward placement between this kid and I.
Oh.
Isn't this Johnny?
"You can sit with me if you have no one to sit with." I said.
"Okay." He shortly replied as he followed me outside.
"I'm Talia, by the way."
"Johnny."
So I was right.
"What grade are you in?"
"I'm a freshman." He replied as he leaned back.
"I'm a sophomore. I don't understand why random juniors who think they're like, the coolest guys ever want to hang out with a sophomore girl and a freshman boy." I said as I took a bite out of my sandwich.
"I know," he sat up, "but all I DO know is that they are desperate for a bassist so..."
"Like I said, they're using you." I huffed.
"Eh, whatever. Even if they do get a record deal I'll be in it, I guess."
I looked at the boy.
"So why do you think they want me there?"
"No idea. I don't even know them that well. The only way I do know them is because they always torment me."
"...how?"
"Call me stupid names like short shit or I dont even know...just random stuff they can think of. One time they took my bag and let it soak in the toilet. That was in middle school but whatever."
"Johnny, why do you let them do that to you?"
"I don't LET them," he shook his head, "I try to defend myself but it's like, four against one, ya know? I try not to piss them off because if they get big one day then...well..."
"You wanna be big too, don't you?"
"Yes. Both height and fame." He chuckled as I grinned back.
-----------
Johnny and I walked to the cafeteria after he met me at my locker after school.
And like they said, they were there waiting.
"Hey Talia, hey short shit." They said as we made our way out of the school.
"Oh come on, don't call him that." I said.
"Why not? It's funny!" Jimmy laughed with Brian as I shook my head.
Johnny nudged me and shook his head as if telling me it was okay.
We eventually made it back to Matt's house and we entered the same music room where they played.
"So," Matt said, "song number four." He grinned at me.
"Yeah, what about it?"
He took a short rapid breath before he asked me.
"Can you scream?"
I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Like that? On the song?" I laughed.
He nodded at me.
"No way in hell can I fucking growl and scream." I shook my head.
"No," he said, "come here," he grabbed my wrist and walked me to the microphone.
"These lyrics here," he handed me a slip of paper with four lines written on it, "the ones in red will be yours, and-"
"Wait what?" I looked at him.
