The Direction of Zadie

Chapter 1 - Drummer Boy

All right, this was it. One more drum solo, and I swear I was going deaf.

Ricky grinned at me from his seat behind the decked out drum kit, raising his sticks teasingly. I groaned and jumped from my spot on the beanbag chairs spread out lazily around the storage room.

 “You do it, and I swear I’ll walk out of this room.” I warn him. He sighs dramatically, but the smile is evident on his face as he throws down his drumsticks.

  I grin at him, falling backwards onto the plush bags, kicking my feet outwards and looking around the room.

   It wasn’t much, just a small, unfinished storage room in the basement of the boys’ house. They’d needed a space to put their instruments, and there wasn’t enough space upstairs, where all their audio equipment was. I’d suggested converting the shed out back into a recording studio, but they’d shot it down, saying it wasn’t ‘badass’ enough for what they were going for.

  Ricky, David, and Jose had been playing for as long as I could remember. Which was pretty long ago, since we’d all been friends since our moms took pregnancy classes way back when. We’d grown up together; Ricky, David, Jose, Chloe, Erin and I. Well, technically Chloe and I had ACTUALLY grown up together, her being my twin sister and all. But metaphorically, I don’t remember a day that Erin or the boys weren’t a part of.

 19 years later, I sit in the boys messy basement, different pieces of musical instruments scattered around the room, “King the Kid” merchandise hanging from every wall, anything it could hang from. Ricky even had one of their shirts on.

  “So Saturday, we’re playing in Chicago.” Ricky tells me casually. I jump up from my lounging position, shocked.

 “Wait, what? CHICAGO? Are you serious?” I squeal excitedly.

  “Yeah, I guess Ricky hooked it up. Some place called Fitz’.” he shrugs, but I can see the excitement on his face.

 "Holy shit Ricky! This is amazing!" I freak, pulling him in for a congradulatory hug.

  I pull away from him with a grin on my face. Ricky, David and Jose had started a band back in high school. It sounded pretty cliché at the time, three boys trying to start a band. But they’d actually ended up being pretty good. Ricky was an amazing drummer, Jose a talented guitarist, and all of them had a natural knack for singing, especially David. He sang lead for their band, “King the Kid”. It’d taken them a long time to come up with a name, “King the Kid” was almost “Blood Monkeys”. After a ton of laughing from Chloe, Erin and I, they’d changed it, thankfully.

   “Isn’t it?” he happily said. “You’re coming, right?”

 I roll my eyes but my grin is still firmly in place. “Of course.” Chloe, Erin and I hadn’t missed one of their gigs, and I didn’t plan on stopping the tradition now, especially when it was such a big step for them.

 “Good. I’ve dibbed you as our good luck charm. So that means you have to go.” he shakes some of his messy black hair from his forehead.

  “Good luck now, am I? You probably shouldn’t give me so much power.” I tell him.

  Ricky and I had always been particularly close. Don’t get me wrong, I loved all the boys, but I would probably say that Ricky was my best friend. He had an over the top sense of humor, he was sarcastic, had an intense love for the drums, and really just was always positive. I wouldn’t say I’m his opposite, I have a good sense of humor - or at least I hope – and I generally was a happy person. But Ricky was ALWAYS happy; I’d only seen him upset a few times, but for good reason.

  Like 4 years ago, when his Mom died. He’d been with my family in Michigan when he’d gotten the call she’d had an accident. Shivers shoot down my spine as I remember that weekend.

 Ricky circled around the drums and offered a callused hand down to me. I grabbed it, and he pulled me up, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

  “I’m starving, and nobody wants to do the shopping, so we have no god damn food.” he complains, and I laugh at his attitude.

  “Poor thing. I knew you guys moving in together was a bad idea.” The guys had all bought a small house close to Chloe, Erin and I’s college. Originally, they’d planned to stay in Amwoods, our hometown in the Chicago suburbs, but once we’d all gotten accepted into Damien University further south, they’d found a 3 bedroom big enough for three 19-year-old boys and their guitars.

 Walking into the kitchen, the first thing I noticed was the pile of dishes stacked in and near the sink. Point proven. I raised my eyebrows at Ricky questionably.

  “What? It’s Jose’s turn for dishes.” he chuckles, opening the fridge and peering inside.

  “Fuck, David, you need to go shopping.” Ricky tells a wet-haired David as he walks into the room. His dark hair is slicked back on his head, reminding me of when he went through his “flow” phase back in high school, where he didn’t cut his hair for months, or maybe all year.

  “I told you man, I’m not shopping for shit. We’d end up with no food either way.” he grumbles as he pulls out his phone, oblivious to whatever Ricky says back to him.

 “Oh my god you guys, it’s really not that hard.” I laugh at their argument. How it was such a hardship for one of them to spend 20 minutes at a grocery store, I had no idea.

  “Well maybe you should do it for us then, Zade?” Ricky questions, a smirk forming on his face.

 “Ha, funny, Rick. Trust me, you don’t want me shopping for you.” Ricky opens his mouth to reply, but he’s interrupted by banging on the back door. Erin swings it open obnoxiously, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Jose just told me about Chicago! Congrats, guys!” she shouts happily, moving to give David and Ricky hugs. She leans her hip against the counter and looks to each one of us. “So why was I the last one to hear about it?” she accuses.

  David laughs at the pout on her lips and slips his phone into the back pocket of his teal skinny jeans. “I dunno, I didn’t think any of you knew. It’s still being finalized.”

 “Well it damn well better be happening, because I canceled what could’ve been one hell of a date for this.” Erin retorts, a mischievous grin slipping onto her lips.

  David furrows his eyebrows, and in a flash I notice a look cross his face, before it disappears and he shakes his head, smile back in place. I decide to shrug it off, and grab Ricky’s hand.

 “C’mon, drummer boy, let’s go shopping.”

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(A/N): FIRST CHAPTER! So exciting!!!

So does anybody have any good books they've read recently on wattpad? I'm looking for some new ones!!(: