I Knew Her As August

twenty: rehearsals

Regretfully, Wyatt did have to get back to his work, but he promised to call Nicki later.  He kissed her on the neck before letting her return downstairs, smelling a strand of her hair.

There was music coming out of the speakers that echoed around the empty room. Conrad stood on the center stage in cheetah-print boy shorts and a black sports bra. Copenhagen sat in a chair below her with his face as white as a ghost and his eyes as wide as the moon, but his smile could have been seen from space.

Conrad knew what she was doing; she knew if she arched her back and bobbed her hips and batted her eyelids in just the right way then Copenhagen would be hypnotized and glued to his seat. A wicked smile flashed on Conrad's face as she watched him drool.

Unintentionally, Nicki had fallen under the spell as well and was frozen in place, watching Conrad spin around the pole with her feet in the air.

"I've always wondered how someone could be that flexible. And in heels, too. I'd bust my ass before the music even came on."

Nicki gasped dramatically and was instantly freed from her trance. She hadn't realized there was another audience member sitting in the chair in front of her. It spun around to reveal someone that was less of a person and more of a creature. His skin was covered in even more tattoos than Wyatt's; like he was trying to rewrite his own skin with ink. His hair was a striking shade of pure ice that clustered together on the center of his forehead like a bird's nest. Two black horns stuck out from the sides of his head; a golden, hooped earring hooked through one of them.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were sitting there," Nicki stammered, taking a step back. Her eyes darted to the stage and back to the man in front of her, not sure which one was the easier one to look at.

The man scanned her up and down as well, his dark green eyes sizing her up. His ears were gauged and a tiny goldfish swam in each lobe, watching Nicki with their bulging glass eyes. He took a quick sniff in her direction, making her flinch.

"You must be the Angel," he stated. Nicki twitched at the word and took another step back.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about," Nicki grunted. The man laughed and stood up, extending his hand that was marked with the devil's face. He was at least a foot taller than Nicki, towering over her like a long and slender tree that would topple over from the slightest breeze.

"I'm Jex Omen," he smiled. Nicki blinked up at him until her brain caught up.

"You're Wyatt's brother," Nicki stated, dumbfounded.

"Yep. Don't let him hear you say that, though," he exclaimed, taking his seat again. He pulled out the chair next to him.

"Have a seat. There's no reason to let a good show go to waste." Jex gestured toward Conrad, who's attention never left the giddy blonde boy sitting on the other side of the stage. Nicki was hesitant but sat down. She tried not to make it too obvious how she couldn't keep her eyes off the stage, but Jex was pretty entertained, as well.

"How did you know I was an angel?" Nicki whispered.

"I can smell it on you. It's like an old lady's house. Plus, my brother told me." Jex explained. Nicki tapped her fingers anxiously on the chair, trying not to make it obvious as she sniffed at her own hair.

"He's never mentioned you," Nicki said.

Jex let out a loud laugh. "I'd be surprised if he did."

Nicki instantly felt bad. "No, I didn't mean-"

Jex held up his hand to stop her apologies.  "It's okay. I'm well aware that I'm the black sheep of the family." He pulled a metal devise out of his pocket and held it between his lips. A thick cloud of smoke spilled out of his mouth and floated around Nicki.