I Met You in The Rain

Ivy- Chapter Two

I first met Chloe in year 8. She wasn't really 'my type' but she looked pretty nice. You know, as a friend.  She was sitting in the library reading. I had gone in there to download some music 'cause the internet was down back at home. Courtesy of my brother...  After I had finished, I walked over to the vinyl collection to browse through some AC/DC. We kept on bumping into each other after that and finally talked to each other on school camp. 

Drama rehearsals were really great. Our grunge version of Alice really rocks. I would have prefered the role of the queen but hey! I got Alice. She's pretty cool. After rehearsals I said goodbye to Chloe and Ave and went on to practice with the band in my garage. I'm lead guitarist and my brother Axl is on drums. My ex, Gabrielle, is lead singer and Max plays base. 

After practice Axl and I went to this awesome new Pizza parlour down this alleyway near our place. It's pretty hipster and has great music. I texted Chloe and she told me she was having curry for dinner. Ethan is such a great cook I was almost jealous. After dinner, Ax and I hit the skatepark for some evening recreation. 

I came out as gay to my parents when I was in year 7. I wasn't nervous at all. I knew they'd be cool about it. That was an understatement.

My mum screamed and hugged me and insisted on baking me a rainbow cake and having a party. God, she's a treasure! Ha. It was a great party. We blasted harcore rock and ate homemade pizza. We danced and jumped into the pool fully dressed. It was a wonderful night. A week later was Mardi Gras so I went with my cousin Mark. He was a good teacher for the whole gay-pride scene. He went as Harley Quinn and introduced me to all his drag queen friends. It was really great.

On the one year anniversary of that party I had my nose and eyebrow pierced and got blue highlights. Chloe and Avery had become my friends in that year. We are all very different. Chloe is the sarcastic-sweetheart and secluded rebel and optimist. On the other hand, Avery is a gorgeous, talented and very academic girl who is really creative and scarily into black-humour. And me? I'm the punk-rock rebel feminist/lesbian who loves vinyls and guitar. 

I lay down on my bed with Bandit, my cat, and listened to some Jimi Hendrix. I texted Ave for a while and then fell asleep.

Breakfast is always served at 7:30 at my house. For the most chaotic family in the world to have a schedule is crazy, I know. Today was toast with pesto and cheese. I slipped into some black skinny jeans and and a Nirvana t-shirt that I found on my floor. I ran out the door and caught the bus to Chloe's house and together, with Ave, we walked to school.

I had Music first up- my favourite, with Mr Roksbrough. We were learning the history of rock- very much my scene. I basically knew everything already but hey! who cares? it's better than pop...

I walked over to Ax in the cafeteria and talked to him about band. A few of his friends came and did the 'bro-greeting'.  

I've always been a tomboy. Literally always. I've always loved to get dirty and hardly ever brushed my hair. Chloe and Avery are pretty much my first 'friends' who are girls. You know, just friends. I was always comfortable with the whole guy-scene thing. Axl's friends just treat me as one of the guys and that's just the way I like it. 
We were discussing new topics for songwriting when I saw the girls. I waved them over and continued with 'band talk'. 

I started high-school a term and a half later than everyone else. I wasn't nervous at all, which was really surprising. I just put on my lucky leather jacket paired with some silver hoop earrings and walked straight down the middle of the corridor in my studded platform wedges and sat down in history class next to the prettiest girl I could see. 

Chloe and Avery had just had English together and were stressing over an assignment.

"This is the worst day of my life." Avery was complaining.

"No it's really not." I joked. "Remember that time..."

"Shut up!" She knew what I was going to say.

"Ok ladies, I do have some methods in my madness." I wrote on a torn piece of paper. "Go to the library, borrow these- they're absolute classics- and I guarantee all your stress will fly out the window."

Axl joined in."Yeah, and if you listen too long your sanity will follow." He said, motioning at me with his head. He winked.

I whacked him on the upper arm and he fake-pouted.

"Be like everyone else and don't listen to him. Okay?"

Chloe scanned the list. "So this is what you do?"

"AC/DC, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, U2, Kiss...." Avery listed. "And this works how?"

I leaned over. "It just does.... Oh! hang on. Radiohead, Blur, Linkin park and.... Arctic Monkeys. Trust me okay!" 

"That doesn't get their work done Ive!" It was Brandon, Axl's mate. 

"Well they didn't ask me for that did they?"

The bell went and I made my way to my next class.