Tragedy

   I could see the scarlet curve of her lips and the glimmer of her pearly white teeth as she smiled at me, her glossy blonde hair swirling past her shoulders in rolling curls. Her white dress was plain, but I couldn’t help but notice the way it highlighted her ivory skin, the plush layer that it was . . . she looked magnificent. I couldn’t ignore the tinge of envy that coated my thoughts as I glanced over at her, as I swept the parking lot for a place to rest my car.

   “Here we are,” I announced, looking away from her, as I noticed the parking spot opening up before me. Before anyone else could steal it, I gracefully slid my car into position.

   “I’ll be quick,” she promised, throwing me another one of her winning smiles. “Anything you’d like specifically?”

   “The usual,” I confirmed.

   She laughed. “Of course. What else would you want?”

   I removed my hand from the wheel, flashing her my middle finger and the point of my tongue. “Just go.”

   “Be right back,” she told me, smirking, as she left the car in a transition of utter perfection, shutting the door quietly behind her.

   It was just supposed to be a quick drop in at the local coffee shop. Olivia was fetching a couple of coffees before we headed over to the guy’s house, ready to celebrate our confirmed acceptance into the next round of the National Battle of the Bands. Then it would be back to business, since the stakes had just been raised.

   My cell phone rang, its shrill cry nothing like the music I dreamed of making. With a roll of my eyes at the sound, I granted the phone the meek offering my ears. “Carter speaking.”

   “Oh, so I get to speak to the queen herself?”

   “Gabriel.” I almost dropped the phone. I could feel my lips falling open, wide and gaping as my eyes must have been, more than merely surprised to hear that rough tone buzzing in my ear once more. But I couldn’t let him get to me, I couldn’t. I managed to keep my tone level when I spoke, exuding courage which I didn’t posses. “I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

   “So now you’re going to play all nice, after everything that has happened? I think you forgot to put the devil on your back,” he spat.

   “Real mature,” I told him, sarcastically, unable to stop the sarcastic remark from fleeing my lips.

   “You want to talk about maturity?” He demanded, before a laugh echoed through the phone. There was no humor, just a darkness of the worst kind tantalizing his voice. “Who are you, Carter; can you recognize yourself in the mirror still? Can you still remember the girl, shirt stained red as she changed her hair to match her fiery spirit, who worshipped music like a religion, like a-”

   “What do you want?” I snapped, interrupting him. Nostalgia awoke within me, rising like a beast out of the shadows, ready to challenge the world.

   “You have changed,” he confirmed, but his sword had collapsed into a brittle knife. “You’re gone, aren’t you?”

   “What. Do. You. Want. From. Me?” I demanded again, unable to help the hiss that escaped me, as I separated each mere syllable.

   “I expected you to gloat,” he murmured.

   “Gloat?” I asked, confusion blanketing my anger. “Gabe, I have no idea wha- oh, Gabe, no. No. I’m not . . . you don’t really think I would-”

   “You won, didn’t you?” He added.”You were right, I shouldn’t have put Lacey in my band, okay? Does that make you happy? Well, baby, I hope all of your wildest fucking dreams come true. I hope you enjoy performing on that awesome stage with your awesome band and your awesome fans and your fucking awesome life. In fact, I hope you win it all.”