"Can you play something?" I asked as I sat on his bed after he showed me his bass. It was black with a silver design. He put the strap over his shoulder and played, his fingers moving quickly over the strings. He was good, really good. He finished playing and sat the bass on the bed. "That was incredible."
"Thanks, I practice a lot," he said in embarrassment. "Now you play something." I took his bass from him and started playing 'Hit the Lights' by Metallica. "Are you playing Metallica?" I nodded. I finished the song but continued to pluck the strings aimlessly.
"I'm trying to be friendly. I truly am. It doesn't look like it, but I am. It's hard for me." I said. "I know I act like a bitch and I'm a complete asshole."
"But?"
"Oh, there are no buts." He laughed a bit. "I'm serious, though. If I stay quiet sometimes it's because I'm probably angry and I'm trying to not yell at someone." He sat next to me and I set the bass down beside me. "I guess that's what happens when you have so much buried deep inside."
"You're so calm around me. Gerard said you were an asshole before."
"To both times when we were alone, I was angry." I paused a bit. "Something about you, it reminds me of me. Or at least how I used to be."
"You can change," he whispered.
"I'm trying...I don't like it. People will start taking advantage of me."
"We won't let that happen to you. We all look after each other." I shrugged.
"Hey, Iris," Gerard said from the doorway. I'm sure he was listening, but I didn't care right now. "Frank doesn't believe us that you're an amazing artist."
"There is no way you can be great in academics, writing, sports, play bass and guitar, and be able to paint and draw," he pointed out. "What else can you do?"
"I speak Latin almost fluently and I can dance," I said.
"Show us some of your art work," Frank demanded.
"I don't have any with me."
"What about in your house?" Gerard asked.
"Yeah."
"Can we go see it?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because it's in my house and I'm currently here and walking over there is so much work." They exchanged looks.
"So you don't want to walk over there?" Gerard asked. I nodded in response. In an instance, Mikey picked me up.
"No! Put me down! This isn't what I meant!"
"But you're going to show us your art, right?" Gerard asked. Mikey started walking down the stairs. He stumbled a bit, but Gerard held him from falling. "This isn't the time to be clumsy, Mikey." I kicked my feet around and hit Frank.
"Oww!" he whined. "What was that for?"
"For mentioning my art." We were outside now.
"Now that we're here, do we knock or just walk in?" Gerard asked me. I glared at them, but I actually wanted to laugh. "We're walking in. Frank, open the door."
"What?! Why me?" Frank exclaimed.
"Just do it," Ray said. Frank opened my front door. We all walked in quietly.
"Where is it?" Frank whispered.
"I don't freaking know!" Gerard whispered back.
"I was talking to Iris, you idiot."
