Fall Out Boy saved me

Feeling Normal

(What? Two updates in one night?)

Eli's POV:
I zip up my jacket and grab my guitar case before heading down the stairs of Mr.Marcus' (or should I say Glenn's) apartment. I've been staying here for a little over a month and things have been going really well for me. My once black eyes are now a faded purple and my nose is a little straighter than it once was. Samuel and Jamie knew the Jacob guy who threw the beer can and they keyed the hell out of his black Camaro that is always parked by the soccer field. I've never seen someone cry so hard over a car before.

Tammy says I don't owe them anything, but I buy their groceries when they're running low on things and I clean their house when they leave in a hurry in the mornings. It's the least I can do since their lives are busy with Glenn being a teacher and Tammy being a secretary for some jerk CEO at Banks resort (Who I'm pretty sure is Trevor's dad).

I'm a little sad that I left all my band merch at my house. It took me a while and a lot of money to have a collection of shirts and posters. The only one I have with me is a black tank top that says "I love the things you hate about yourself." So for now I wear it under plaid button up shirts from Walmart... Not the most fashionable thing, it will do for now.

I step into the kitchen to see the place is a mess. There's rice on the floor making it feel gritty when you take a step and the counter has open containers of seasoning which have spilled. Not to mention is smells like burnt toast in here. Tammy has been trying to learn how to cook ever since I made dinner for them one night. Honestly, spaghetti and garlic bread isn't that hard to make but she was so amazed I made dinner, that she actually bought ingredients to make chicken and Mexican rice tonight.

"Are you going to play at farmer's market again Eli?" she asks turning around. I laugh when I see there's pieces of orange rice sticking to her hair. "Yeah Tammy I was, but I can stay here to help you cook instead," I say giggling.

"Sweetheart if your mane is hungry I can make it some meatloaf," Mr.Marcus says entering the kitchen then placing his messenger bag down on the counter. He moves towards Tammy and kisses her cheek before picking out a piece of rice from her curly black hair.

"I burned the rice a little bit, but I'm pretty sure the chicken is almost done," she sighs.

"I'll check on it," I offer going towards the oven. When I open it, no heat came out and there were 3 raw, seasoned chicken thighs on a tray. "Uh Tammy I think you forgot to turn the oven on," I say pointing at the knob that says OFF.

Tammy has a shocked look on her face which quickly turns into disappointment. She really wanted to surprise her husband with a homemade dinner for once. It hurt me just looking at her until Mr.Marcus bends down to engulf her in his arms. He kisses the top of her hair while she moves closer into his chest. "I'll just order Chinese tonight sweetheart," he says resting his chin on top of her head.

"Can we get spring rolls?" she pipes up with her face still buried into his sweater. "Yes sweetie whatever you want," he says laughing softly. "Plus I don't think it would have tasted good anyway," he adds. She pushes him backwards with a mad smile on her face and tries to punch him but he holds her wrists with his hands and kisses her lips. They stay like that until she drops her fists to put her hands around his neck deepening their kiss.

"Uh, er, I-ah I'm just gonna go now," I stutter turning to leave the kitchen. "I'll be back by 9ish."Mr.Marcus looks up at me without taking his lips of of his wife and winks at me. I scrunch my face in disgust and head out the front door.

I can't help but remember the times my mom didn't cook a perfect meal for my dad; he would tell her what a worthless wife she was until she was practically sobbing for forgiveness. I shudder from the memory as I drive downtown to farmer's market that happens every Thursday.