to live and let go › all time low fanfic

prologue | when you look down on me

"Jack." I whined, pulling on his arm.

"What Liz? I'm trying to do this test." he whispered, scared of getting caught. Liz was what he always called me, even though everyone else called me Beth. Short for Elizabeth. 

We were in 2nd grade and getting caught by a teacher was a big deal. So we both were whispering and trying not to get be heard in the dead silence of the classroom.

"Hurry up, school's almost over!" I said excitedly, my voice raising slightly.

He finished his test and turned it in just in time for the bell. I didn't want him to have to stay after because I wanted to get back to the house to play.

We walked out of the small elementary school and too Jack's mom's car. All the other kids flooding out of the school along with us.

"How was your day kids?" her voice seemed different as we got in the back of the car and buckled up. Something was off but I couldn't place it and choose to ignore it.

Jack's mom was almost like my second mom, his entire family was like my second family, actually. We had known each other since diapers. His mom always picked me up after school because my parents worked. Just like my dad took Jack and I to school every morning.

"Whats wrong mom?" Jack said happily, obviously noticing something as well.

She didn't awnser as we pulled up in front of Jack's house. My house was right beside his and we were always over at each others. The houses were different in color and shape but looked well next to each other. It's almost like our parents had planned them to look good together.

We got out the car and Jack and I went inside, throwing our back packs down. "Can we go play outside?" Jack asked happily.

"Actually honey, Elizbeth's fathers here. We need to talk." she said quietly. We nodded our heads and followed her into the living room. The air was stiff and it felt weird.

The next few things I saw in a blur. Daddy was crying and mommy wasn't there. Jack had just hugged me as his parents cried too. The tears wouldn't come for me.

 The flashback ended and I woke up. I had that dream so many times it was unreal. But it was real. My mom had died, and Jack had been my best friend, and our families were super close.

That was until my dad moved all the way from Baltimore, Maryland, too Phoenix, Arizona. I was dragged away from Jack when I needed him most and I still don't forgive my dad for that.

Dad drinks now but I moved out and haven't talked to him in a year. Since I'm 24 I don't have to talk to him and I don't. He was never there for me when I stayed up crying about mom, nobody was. I grew up alone and had no friends. I was weird, I didn't talk much, and I pushed everyone away that tried to help.

Everyone thought I was a creep because the only thing I ever cared about was my music. I loved bands like My Chemical Romance, Blink 182, Nirvana, and other types of bands in that genre.

I never tried to get in contact with Jack, I barely remembered him. In my mind it was smarter to stay away from the things that reminded me of my mom because I didn't want to fall back again.

When I lost my mom I had fallen into a deep hole and was severely depressed. I started drinking and harming myself, I stopped the self harm by time I was 18 though and now I just drown my sorrows in alcohol.

I pulled myself out of my thoughts and got out of bed, trudging to the shower. Letting the hot water loosen my muscles and clear my head.

I got out and threw on a basic grey v-neck and black skinny jeans. After doing my makeup and drying my natural curly hair, I walked to the front door and grabbed my phone and keys.

Slipping on black combat boots I left and made my way downtown. LA was crowded, it always was, and I hated it. All the people, it was annoying. But I couldn't afford to move yet, and until I could I was stuck here.

"Hey Beth." I smiled at Harley who was standing behind the counter of the music store I had just walked into.

"Hey Harley." I said quietly, he was one of the few people I talked too since I moved.

"Hurry up and clock in, I have stuff to do and your taking my shift." he joked. I clocked in and he clocked out.

"How are you?" he asked, walking to the outer side of the counter.

"Good. How are you?" I asked back in the same tone.

"I'm great, I have a date." he smirked. 

"What's his name?" I said happily. It was fake happiness but it was fake enough for him to believe it.

"Mark. He's such a sweetheart." he smiled. "Well you better hurry before you end up late." I teased him.

"Okay. I'll text you tomorrow and tell you how it went! Bye Beth!" he hurried out and I smiled at how happy he was.

I sat on the stool, completely bored for a few hours until I decided to play on one of the guitars.

I picked up a red guitar and started strumming the chorus of a few Blink 182 songs. I probably played for around a hour until I heard someone clapping behind me.

I jumped 20 feet in the air before turning around to a guy giggling at me. 

I finally calmed down a bit and spoke up, "Sorry, I work here, I just got bored." I said as I sat the guitar back on the stand and turned back to face him.

"You're really good, were you playing What's My Age Again?" the guy asked. I nodded my head and bit my lip, "Thanks by the way."

I took a minute too take in his appearance. He wore a shirt that said 'Glamour Kills' on it with a cool design and grey skinnies. He had a black beanie pulled over his medium brown hair. He was cute. I saw his brown eyes staring at me a little smirk on his lips.

"So is there anything I can help you with?" I asked, remembering I was on the job and he probably needed something.

"Yeah, I broke my guitar strings and I can't find any. I looked around, but I couldn't." he stated.

"Follow me." I turned and walked around a drum set and by a few stands before turning around.

"These are the strings we have. I have a catalog up front by the desk if you can't find anything and wanted to order something." I pointed to the wall with strings in packs on them.

He nodded his head and started looking at the strings carefully. "Do these break easy?" he picked up a packet of gold strings.

"No, those are super durable. I'm pretty sure Blink uses that brand." I stated.

"They do, I can't believe I forgot that." he stated. "I'll take these."

I smiled and walked him back to the front desk and rung him up. "That'll be $24.00." I smiled.

"Shit, hold on, that idiot has my wallet I think." he looked around as I put the strings in the bag.

"Get over here! I need the money Matt gave you!" he yelled at someone. I didn't really pay attention as I threw in the card for the music store.

"Dude I was looking-Liz?"

A/N: Who do you think it is?