Music to My Ears

Chapet Three (I'm Not a Hero)

We pulled up to our crappy little apartment building and Maci opened her way to nice mouth. “You want to come in, Drew?” (Okay, how’d he know where we lived without asking?)

I so badly wanted  to say “no” before he could respond, but he beat me to the punch. Drew took one look at my crossed arms and “don’t you dare” glare and opened his mouth. “Uh. I should probably get back. Wes keeps asking when I’m gonna come practice. Maybe next time?”

There’s gonna be a next time?! Sad face.

Maci frowned. “Well, okay. Thanks for the ride.”

“Any time.” He flashed his Cali grin. Ugh. What a douche.

I dragged my sister out of the car. “Didn’t mom say ‘now,’ Mace?”

“Calm your pits, Lil. I’m coming.” She stumbled out of the car and I shut the door. But she leaned through the window before he could hit the gas. “See you later, Drew. Thanks again for the ride.”

“No problem. S –”

Oh my spoons! Longest. Good bye. Ever! “Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the ride. See you tonight. You’re great. Hit the gas. Buh-bye.”

I started to pull my sister towards our building, but was once again halted by Drew. Gosh, is that getting old. “Tonight? You’re coming to the concert?”

“Maybe. Justin’s trying to get us tickets. Front row. VIP.” I continued dragging my sister away from the – beautiful – car.

“Cool. See you guys later.”

As soon as Drew was out of sight, my sister wheeled around and gave me a stink eye. “Why do you have to be so rude?!”

Seriously? I’m the bad guy? “Maci, when we met him, he was about to punch someone in the face! Then, he was gonna just sit back and watch him die!”

“You don’t even know him, Lil!” Olay, da frack? My sister never actually yells.

“Oh, and you do?!”

“Well, when two people are worried about the same people, they get to talking. He’s not really a jerk. He actually felt really bad about what he said.” I bet he does.

“Oh. I’m sure he told you he doesn’t tap every piece of tush that swishes his way, either!”

“Good gracious, Lil! You’re so –”

Maci was cut off by a familiar voice at the top of the stairs. “Hey, twinsies! What’s the problem? You miss me for the past –”

“Less than a day.” I finished for him and laughed up at Colby.

We met Colby halfway up the stairs. He picked me up and twirled me around to put me back down on the second floor landing but didn’t let me go. I felt him whisper in my ear, “Don’t ever do that to me again, Lili Pad. I was worried sick about you. At least text me.”

I laughed and tugged upstairs to my apartment. We stepped inside and got crushed in a hug by my mom. “Ugh. Mom. You’re cutting off my circulation,” I choked out.

She stepped back and started inspecting us. “Are you two okay? Any bruises? Major injuries?”

I wiped her hand off my face. “Mom, we’re fine.”

“You went to the hospital! That’s not fine, Liliahna Rose! You’re all over the news!” to demonstrate her point, she flipped on the TV which was already tuned to the news.

"If you’re just joining us, we’re outside of the apartment building of 14 year old Liliahna Tchaikovsky,” I checked out the window, listening to the reporter drone on in the background. “She just returned from the hospital where she was recovering from exhaustion.” All in front of our building there were news vans and cameras and reporters. How did that many people appear in the ten minutes I’ve been home? “Last night, she administered CPR to Justin Bieber after he was hit by a car in an alley outside of the Scott Trade Center where –”

The apartment door closed between the end of his sentence and me.

I’m no frogging hero.

I had barely set foot on the stairs when I heard the door open behind me and felt Colby take hold of my arm. I turned around and smirked up at him. “You know, Colby Jack, you keep grabbing me on the stairs, I’m gonna end up falling.”

Colby didn’t even crack a smile. “Not funny. And where do you think you’re going, Lili Pad?”

“Anywhere but here.”

He stepped onto my step and held my hands in his own. “Why?”

“Colby Jack, did you look outside? Watch the news? Goodness sakes, Calby! Our building is surrounded by people who think I’m a hero!”

“And what’s wrong with that? You’re –”

“Selfish. Cold, heartless, and selfish. I didn’t save his life to save his life. I saved his life so I didn’t have to feel guilty. I didn’t slap Drew because he wished Justin dead. I slapped him because I was mad and scared. Because the second he said that, I remembered how, after my dad died, I always wished my mom would die, too, because I couldn’t stand her. I slapped him in the face because I blame myself for my mother getting shot.” I sat down on the stairs, pulling Colby with me. “Because I didn’t stop it from happening.”

Colby wrapped his arms around me, laying my head on his shoulder. “You couldn’t have stopped it.”

“Yes, I could’ve.”

“You were seven, Lil.”

“I could’ve screamed. I could’ve kicked. Anything. Instead, all I did was silently let him carry me away and watch my mother die.”

“You were scared.”

I stood up and looked down at Colby. “I was weak.”

I turned and walked down the stairwell and out the side door, where there was only one person stupid enough to find me.

“Figured you’d hide from the lights.”