The Rockstar and The Graduate//L.A. Guns •Kelly Nickels•

Lighter

My mom smiled and my dad looked between the two of us. Kelly held out his hand for them to shake. My dad didn't, my mom on the other hand did though.

"It's nice meeting you Kelly...would you like to join us for dinner?" My mom offered to him, my dad giving Kelly, myself and my mom a look.

Kelly smiled a small smile. "I would like that." He responded. My dad rolled his eyes. Eventually it was time for everyone to leave and celebrate.

I told my parents that I'd get a ride from Kelly.

It was just us two on the track and football field now. He and I had been lying there for an hour or so.

"Can I ask something?" Kelly questioned.

I looked at him and smiled, "of course you can.

He sat up and looked at me. I did the same and he smiled. "I never want to go through that shit again, I mean I'm glad in some fucking weird way that I went through that shit with you, but can we please never fucking go through that shit again?" He questioned.

My smile grew bigger. "Yes, I never want to go through that shit again either." I told him truthfully. I do in fact never want to go through that.

Kelly kept smiling and kissed me. I kissed him too and eventually we pulled away. "We should
Probably go to my house now, so my parents don't get the wrong idea." I told him.

I didn't think my mom would get the wrong idea, but with recent events and arguments, I know for sure that my dad would.

Kelly and I walked to his bike and he got on first, me after him. He started it and we started our way to my house.

When we got there, Kelly parked his bike on the side of the street.

We got off and I grabbed his hand, walking to the front door. I opened it and we walked in.

My mom smiled from her place at the dining room table and Kelly and I sat down. I sat down closer to my dad so Kelly wouldn't be uncomfortable.

We were having steak, as graduation dinner.

"So Kelly, what do you do for living?" My mom questioned. I was hoping he'd lie, because him being in a band was 100% not going to sit right with my dad.

"I'd lie and say I'm a mechanic or a law student, but I'm not, and I hate lying." He replied. Honestly good answer though. "I'm in a band." He said.

My mom and dad both stared at him. "We've got a record deal." Kelly said clearing his throat. My eyes went wide and I turned my head to look at him. "When the hell did that happen!?" I asked genuinely shocked.

He could of mentioned it earlier. He turned to look at me too. "When we we got into that stupid fight and didn't talk or see each other for weeks." He told me. My shocked expression subsided.

"Oh." Is all I said. He shook his head, picking up the mood it put me in. "It's okay though because we're okay." He told me with a sweet smile of reassurance.

I mentally thanked him. We were broken out of he and I's little moment by my dad clearing his throat. "Did you graduate high school?" My dad questioned.

Kelly nodded. "I did." He said with a small nod towards my dad. "How did your parents come up with the name Kelly if you were a boy? Your last name is also unique." My mother questioned with a smile, saving him from the death grip stare of my dad.

Kelly turned his head and looked at my mom with a smile. "My names not actually Kelly Nickels. It's Henri Perret. I just started going by Kelly Nickels when I started getting into bands." He explained.

"It sounds French." My mother stated. I couldn't argue with that, his actual name did
in fact sound French. "I'm from France. My mom and I moved to America when I was two." He told my mom.

I didn't know that, but its honestly cool learning more about him.

"Are you going to be in a band all your life?" My dad questioned, clearly not hiding his distain for Kelly. Kelly turned his attention towards my dad and shook his head.

"No. L.A. Guns is what's happening now. As for years or a year or month from now I have no idea if I'll still be doing that. Life's short, but it's still long enough try some things out." He told my dad.

The philosophy of Kelly was respectable. Now I probably wouldn't of said that when he and I first met; given the fact that all he and I did at the beginning of whatever this was is argue and kiss.

My dad then smiled and held out his hand for Kelly to shake, which surprised the hell out of me. Kelly took it.

They shook hands and I couldn't help myself when I smiled. My parents continued to make small talk with Kelly as we ate dinner.

I'm glad my dad wasn't being a bitch anymore.

Eventually dinner was winding down and Kelly had to get home. He and the band had to go the studio tomorrow morning.

I was happy for him.

He and my parents said goodbye, my mom telling him that he should come over again some time. My dad agreed.

I walked Kelly outside and he leaned against his bike. "That was nice." He said. I shook my head. "Good thing too. I think my dad finally doesn't hate you." I told him contently.

He smiled. "I know." He then abruptly grabbed my waist and pulled me towards him. He didn't try anything and he didn't kiss me.

He just hugged me. I liked that.

With Tod is was anything but this.

He then stopped and I stepped back, smiling at him. He stopped looking at me as he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled something out of it. He held out his hand towards me and opened it.

I smiled at was in his hand. "I want you to have it." He said as I picked it up. The cool metal of it brushed my hands in familiarity.

It was his lighter, the lighter.

I closed my hand around it and quickly hugged Kelly again.

He told me he wished he could of stayed longer, but the band.

I told him I understood and as we hugged we kissed goodbye.

I stepped away from his bike as he got on and started it.

"I'll call you." He said with a smile. I nodded as I smiled back. He then left.

I stood their for a moment even though he was gone.

After all the shit that he and I have fucking been through, that shit felt like concrete blocks weighing on my chest. But now?

When I'm with Kelly I feel lighter.

I feel better

(A/N: finally another chapter, it's one of my favs. Just wanted y'all to know that after this story and my Jani Lane story, |Right Down Cherry Lane| is finished, I am going to publish a story about Anthony whose from the Netflix show Bridgerton. Happy reading!)