Tragic Magic

Chapter One

"Hey Julie, can you bring me a beer?" Max calls from across the patio.

"Get it yourself, asshole." I reply, laying back in my lounge chair.

"God, you've become such a bitch since Ronnie left," he mutters as he pulls a beer out of the cooler, "sometimes I wish he would come back and take you off our hands."

"Oh, so now I'm the bad guy?" I pull my sunglasses off and glare at him, "you think I'm hanging out with you guys because I can't stand to be on my own? Oh, please. I'm doing you a favor."

"Yeah? And what favor might that be?" Max gives me the dirtiest look.

"Just look at her," I hear the voice of Craig behind me, "she sure is a cutie." He sits on the lounger next to me.

I roll my eyes and pull a towel over me, feeling self-conscience. "You know I don't have anyone else," I turn on my side, facing away from everyone.

"Well you got us for now. Radke is not going to be happy if he knows you're still chilling with ETF though," Craig settles into his lounger, "Max, be nice. We are all she's got."

Max grunts and walks into the house.

Max was Ronnie's close friend before he went to prison. His best friend is Craig though, so they recruited him shortly after Ronnie's departure. They had a falling out when Max left him alone at his trial. Craig is the asshole who took Ronnie's role in Escape The Fate when they kicked Ronnie out.

Being new to Nevada, I don't know anyone. I moved here to be closer to Ronnie after we met during a Broadway show back in New York. We've been together for about two years before he was arrested.

I never had the chance to make any other friends besides his band and a few others associated with his band. So I'm stuck with these assholes until Ronnie gets out.

"I think I should go before things get heated. I don't know what's wrong with Max, but he's really treating me like shit," I pick up my bag and start to head inside.

"Wait," Craig catches my wrist, "look, why don't we go do something without the rest of the band?"

I give him a glare, "I don't like you that much, Craig. You stole my boyfriends job and you talk quite a lot of shit about him."

"Oh, so now it's my fault pretty boy killed a child?"

I shove him back, "You shut the fuck up right now."

"Just face the music, Juliet. He's a murderer," Craig says.

I storm out of the house pissed. I don't think I want to go back there anytime soon. Max's house is beautiful, but I am not putting up with that bullshit anymore.

Back in the old glory days, Ronnie was into some crazy shit. Things went down and people were injured. This guy, only eighteen years old, was shot and killed in a fight.

Of course Ronnie wasn't the one holding the gun, but he was charged with battery. After refusing to visit with his probation officer, a warrant was sent out for his arrest and he is now facing time in High Desert State Prison, but you'll learn more about that later on.

I get into my black mustang and drive myself back to my apartment, shaking with anger.

I punch in the gate pin and drive into the apartment complex, quickly greeted by my perky neighbor. I roll down my window to talk to her.

"Hey Julie!" Belle shouts at me. I groan, "Belle, darling. I love you, but please do not yell when I'm two feet away from you."

"Oh sorry," she lowers her voice, "Hey, do you want to come over for some coffee later tonight? My boyfriend is out of town on a business trip and I'm feeling lonely." She looks down at the ground.

I think about it for a minute before agreeing to visit her. I could use a friendly conversation with a decent human. I park my car underneath the shade and walk up the stairs to my apartment.

I'm the type of person who can't live underneath someone so of course, I have the apartment on the third floor, above everyone else.

I live in a complex called Coppertone. There are two apartments on each floor and there are three floors in each building. We have over fifteen buildings though.

As I walk up to my apartment, I'm greeted by my next door neighbor, Brad. "What's up Jewles?" He takes his keys out to unlock his apartment.

"That name never get old," I shake my head and laugh while trying to find my keys in my purse.

"Hey, that's my nickname for you," he smirks, "you definitely are a jewel."

"Whatever," I stick my tongue out at him. "You're just jealous of my fabulous name," I finally find my keys and unlock my door.

"Haha see you around Jewels," he says as we both walk into our apartments.

I throw my bag onto the couch as I'm greeted by my cat, Vivian. I walk into the kitchen and get myself a soda from out of the fridge. I sit on the counter and drink it, feeling empty inside.

It's been about two years without Ronnie. In all honestly, I can't remember much about him anymore. I've been spending most of my time at Max's house chilling with the band and working.

I've been working for Alternative Press for a few months now, and I really enjoy it. Interviewing bands all day is pretty great.

I still remember the day Ronnie left. We were at his house, enjoying the weekend. I was sitting on the island in the kitchen, because I fucking sit on counters all the time, and he was standing next to me, drinking a beer.

Multiple cops showed up and took him away. I didn't know what to do, of course. I was so shocked, I didn't even know what happened until it was all over.

He was gone and I was alone.