One More Troubled Soul

Four- The Torture of Small Talk

Andy's P.O.V.

As soon as we stepped into the cover of the trees, Joe turned to me and said, "Adira looks very familiar. I know we haven't seen her before, but she reminds me of someone and I can't put my finger on it."

I nodded slowly. "She does look oddly familiar. But I don't think I can help you. Maybe ask Pete." I kicked at a pebble, sending it flying into a bush. A bird let out a warning call as it took off.

Joe sighed in frustration. "I'm sure she thinks I'm some creep. I can't stop staring at her. It's driving me crazy, not knowing who she reminds me of."

I laughed and shook my head, staring up at the branches as they cut the glassy blue sky. "I think you're fine. She probably hasn't noticed. But she did notice when you finished that verse she had been singing."

Joe blushed a tad and grew defensive, stuttering but never saying any actual words.

I chuckled and held up a hand. "You don't have to explain yourself. I'm just saying I saw the look she gave you, and you weren't very nice back."

"Well, I couldn't say anything to her. We were about to meet that Charlie guy. I would've asked her why she was singing it after, but she ran off."

I felt my heart turn cold and my smile fall. My fist clenched when I thought of the tears she had tried to hide, as well as the red rings around her wrists. "What do you suppose made him hurt her like that?" My voice was expressionless.

Joe gave me a worried glance. "I'm not sure. But are you okay? You sound like you're about to murder someone."

I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. "I'm fine. I'm just really angry about that. No one should hurt others when they do something wrong." The bus came into view, with Pete sitting on the grass in front tuning his base.

He looked up when we approached, an easy smile splitting his face. But I could see he was far from happy with the worry in his eyes. "How'd it go?"

I shrugged. "Alright. The guy, Charlie, wants us to practice with Adira and her band. There's a cabin we're gonna use. Just bring your base and picks and whatever else you'll think you'll need."

Pete nodded, then froze. "Wait, now?" He asked.

Joe entered the bus, calling, "Yes, now. I'll get Patrick."

The worry I had noticed in his eyes was more prominent when Patrick was mentioned. I sat beside Pete and watched his fingers work fitting a new string in. Drawing my knees up and resting my head on them, I questioned softly, "How's Patrick?"

I could only see his hands, not his face, but I knew a frown accompanied the quiet sigh as his fingers went slack. "I don't know what's wrong with him. Did you notice the way he kept jumping when Adira was around?"

I nodded. "I did. Joe and I think she looks like someone we've met before, but we can't remember." I lifted my head to look at Pete's questioning gaze. "We were wondering if you thought the same."

His gaze grew distant and he stared off into the forest. The sun filtering through the leaves left a dappled pattern across the ground. A squirrel chattered in a nearby tree and a ladybug skittered across the strings of the base. "She is very familiar." Pete said, turning back to me. "And now that I really think about it, she reminds me of..." he trailed off, as if scared of what he was saying. He cleared his throat and tried again.

"She reminds me of Patrick."

Patrick's P.O.V.

"She reminds me of Patrick."