Hidden Melodies

Chapter Eight

Copyright Joelle Blue ©

Ozzie

            If Pinto stops whining, it'll be a miracle. "Come on, Oz, I wanna party with my friend!"

            "I'm literally getting ready, Pinto, but if you don't shut up, I'll get unready."

            "Okay, okay. By the way, love the outfit. I'm gonna be pushing all them dogs off you," he says as he checks me out. It makes me blush, but I ignore it.

            I'm wearing a fitted black skirt that goes to my feet, but the bottom six inches or so is fringe. I paired it with some black Doc Martens and a flowy orange top that's tucked in a little in the front and hangs off my shoulder. I've got my hair in a top knot and took an everything shower earlier, so I'm feeling pretty good, but I still scoff.

            "I doubt it," I mutter. I'm loving all my new clothes that are actually my style, but it'll take time for my insecurities to weaken. This outfit makes me feel edgy and cute, but I know my ass is big. I know my tummy is soft. But I also know I'm strong. I have stamina and muscle definition that comes only from what I do hours a day playing the instruments I do. And not to toot my own horn, but I'm really fucking good.

            Toot toot!

            Scarlet walks in from the bathroom and approves of my outfit, too. "Babe, Diesel is going to lose his mind with both of us there. You look hella hot."

            "What do you mean? He doesn't need to worry about me."

            "He loves you like a sister, Oz. He won't want anyone messing with you."

            I don't respond because they'll hear the emotion in my voice. I think of him like a big brother, too.

            No crying.

            "Well, if it's going to stress him out, I don't have to go," I hedge.

            "Uh uh, he'll be fine. And Pinto will be there, too. It'll be fun, everyone is going to love you! Ooooh, maybe you could do karaoke!" She offers as she finishes up her makeup.

            "Actually, yeah, that could be really fun," I respond as I get out my phone to scroll through social media and I realize it's almost nine. "Wait, when did it start? And when does it end? Have we already missed half of it?" I panic.

            "Precious, it's barely started at this point, and it'll go all night. No worries, babe," Pinto soothes.

            I nod, relieved, and continue to look at my phone until I see that Charlie was tagged in a photo.

            Tagged by Brandi. In a photo with her. Of them kissing.

            I physically feel my heart break, like it's burning and wanting to jump out of my chest.

            Scarlet must realize something is wrong, so she walks up behind me, and she sees what I see.

            "That mother fucker! What the hell is he thinking?" She practically yells. "That fucking bitch Brandi. One of these days, her and I will go rounds babe, rounds!"

            Pinto grabs my phone and looks at the photo and looks back up to me. "I'm assuming this is the guy you were talking about the other day, that needed to figure his shit out?" I nod as he hands me back the phone and I put it in my purse. He puts his hands on his hips and just looks at me, but all I can think about is Charlie.