Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
In the middle of practice, with a defeated sigh, Chris says, "My mom thinks we should bond. Because we don't know each other very well."
It's our seventh practice, and we're still trying to fall in sync with each other. Cody's drums are an eighth of a second off beat, and our harmonies keep going off key. Partially my fault. I'm not used to singing in front of anyone other than Claire, Dani, and on occasion, my grandma.
We only have a week and a half until the showcase, and we aren't at the best we can be.
"We basically grew up with each other, though," Cody exclaims, setting his drum sticks down in his lap, his legs spread so they dig into his drum set. He runs his hand through his hair to get it out of his eyes. Cody actually has really nice eyes when his hair isn't hiding them.
Chris puts his guitar on the stand and slinks down, his back dragging against the wall, creating a shuffling noise. He sits down and takes in a deep breath. "Yeah, but we don't really know each other. Like, we haven't even said more than a few words to each other before this month."
"Not entirely true," Alex says, his eyes flitting to Dani.
"Yeah," Cody adds into the conversation. "I had a project last year in AP World with Claire."
She rolls her eyes at the memory, and pipes up, "In which I did mostly all of the work."
He looks her dead in the eyes and, with a steel icy tone, says, "I signed my name."
My face contorts into an odd expression, and I can't help the little, "Um," that escapes my mouth.
Claire groans in annoyance, obviously fed up with Cody. "You're a dumbass."
"What his mom is saying is that there's obvious tension between some people," Will says, trying the mediate the growing argument. He shifts on the bench by his keyboard. I've sat on it a few times, both uncomfortable. It's hard, and when I sit on there too long, it feels like my butt's about to cave in or create an indent of the shape of the seat.
"Well then what should we do to bond?" Dani asks.
"My mom said a beach trip. We have a boat over at the Marina. We'd have to call to get it cleaned first, we haven't used it since last year."
I got so accustomed to his house that I forgot he had a lot of money. His plush couches and always-clean-bathrooms have become a normalcy. I spend more time at his house and at school than I do at my own home.
Lately, at the end of the day when I'm done with everything, I've just been sinking into my bed, imagining my organs and everything inside of me melting into my mattress. My legs and arms ache from exhaustion, and my head pounds so much it feels like it has a heartbeat.
With all the final projects, final exams, practice, and homework, I manage to find time in between the tight-knit schedule to sleep. I don't even dream, I sleep that hard.
