Ecstasy

Chapter 62

Tyson:

5 weeks later...

The music was rushing through my body and onto the strings. It was all I could focus on at that moment. Just the consistent unfailing beat of Jarrah's drums, the constant thrum of Nate's bass and the melody flying off my fingers.

I wanted to sing. To scream. To die in this moment of complete and total concentration. With nothing else on my mind. But then the song ended.

"Nice." Sean cleared his throat, his Adam's apple bobbed. "Jarrah, don't bash the shit out of the drums on that last chorus. I couldn't even hear myself think."

I frowned. "Sounded fine to me." He was getting on my nerves. All throughout practice, 'do this, do that'.

He turned to me. He was already agitated – Lilly hadn't turned up for rehearsal again. "I don't remember asking for your opinion?"

I shook my head, my fist squeezing the neck of my guitar. I swallowed my tongue. I didn't have the energy to fight with him again today. "Forget it."

I packed up my guitar in silence and Sean stalked upstairs.

"What are you doing?" Nate asked.

"What does it look like?" I snapped. I zipped shut the cheap felt case, the only thing I could afford after the expense the mahogany and maple guitar was.

"But–" Nate stuttered. I stood up and adjusted the strap over my shoulder. The look on his face was of confusion and disbelief. He knew I never took my guitar out of Sean's basement except for gigs.

"Where are you going?" Jarrah asked.

I shrugged. "I dunno. But I'm not coming back here."

I slammed the front door after me and started off down the street. I pulled out my phone to check the time. A car pulled it's horn when I stepped out from the sidewalk. I jogged across the road.

It was already quarter to four. I punched in her number that I knew by heart, and listened for the dial tone. It rang out.

"Dammit." I muttered under my breath.

I tried again. I got voice mail.

"Hi, you've reached Calla, leave a message after the tone and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

I hung up. I hadn't been able to get through this week. I couldn't survive without hearing her voice. I was living phone call to phone call every week. Friday was the day we had decided to talk.

It was now Sunday. I tried a few more times.

When I turned off the main street I finally looked up and I realised I had completely missed the turn off to Thomas's apartment. I stopped and looked back the way I had came. The street looked familiar but I couldn't place it. It was only when I caught sight of the massive white granosited house I knew where my wanderings had taken me. Sam was on the driveway, a basketball in his hands. The hoop was still mounted above the garage door. His little brother jumped but was too short to reach Sam's hands.

"Score!" Sam shouted gleefully as he expertly shot a reverse lay–up.

"Come on! That's not fair. You cheated." His brother whined.

"No I didn't. You just need to try harder."

Sam took an offensive stance, "Come on, come get the ball off me."

Their game turned into roughhousing when he tried to grab the ball. Sam used his height to hold it above his head.

I was finally at the curb. "Come now boys. Play fair."

Sam looked up at my voice for just a moment, but it was long enough for his brother to get the ball and shoot his own pro jump shot. He may have been shorter but he wasn't any less skilled. The sporting gene ran in the family.

"Yes!" He shouted and fist pumped the air, rubbing Sam's face in it.

"Hey man," Sam nodded in my direction after he picked up the ball. "Yeah, Yeah, shut up pipsqueak." Sam warned. His brother just poked his tongue out at him. Sam playfully clipped him over the ear. "Don't be rude."

He stood on Sam's foot, slipped out from under his arm, grabbed the ball and shot another three pointer. He flipped us the finger before running inside.

"Wow." I muttered.

"Sorry." Sam smiled.

"How old is he now?" I asked.

"Charlie? Only just fourteen. But you should see Rosie, she's twelve."

"Well, everyone's grown up."

Sam found the ball again. "Yep. Wanna come inside?"

"Sure."

I followed him inside the house. I couldn't recognise the inside. Sam's party was edging on four and a half months ago, even then I spent the whole night outside with Calla. I swallowed hard.

We made our way into the kitchen.

"Want some?"

I looked up and he was pouring himself a bowl of cereal.

I smiled. "Yeah, sure." He got another bowl out.

As we sat and ate cereal in the middle of the afternoon I wondered why we weren't friends anymore.

***

The bell rang out across the clambering of feet in the hallway and books being stacked up. A stampede of teenagers desperate to finish school for the day, blocked the doors to the classroom. My head hurt. I was done for the day.

I opened the door to my locker, not remembering how I made it there, and grabbed my bag. I didn't feel up to going home. I thought about catching a bus to Sarah's, but I didn't want be intrusive. She had moved in with her boyfriend, and hadn't spent much time over at our house for a while. I missed her cooking.

I had made it to the school gate without realising and almost ran straight into Lilly.

"Hey." She said softly.

"What are you doing here?"

She smiled her reckless smile. "Came to see you."

I didn't smile back. I started walking down the footpath, "Why?"

She skipped after me. "Nate said you've quit the band."

"So?" I couldn't look at her.

"So? We miss you."

I scoffed. "Don't lie."

"I miss you." She paused. "Sean's become a real dick. We want you to come back."

I shook my head.

"Please Sonny. Mikey may have been put away, but he's still dealing."

"That's not my problem."

"I know, but he doesn't know what he's doing. He's getting in too deep. You're the only one that I know who could help. Please–" she stopped walking and fell behind me.
"Tyson?"

I paused. She rarely called me that. I looked back at her.

"I need your help."

I stared at her. I couldn't decide if she was manipulating me or telling the truth.

"I'm sorry. I can't help you." I turned and began to walk again.

"But Tyson please. I need you, I miss you. Sean's so busy all the time." She grabbed my arm to stop me. I turned.

She pouted. I used to think that was sexy on her. "I'm lonely. We were always better together you and I." She almost looked tearful. "I'm sorry about all that has happened before. I – I love you."

I almost believed her. She was always a good actress. I pulled my arm out of her grasp. "No, you don't. You're just bored of Sean."

Her mouth was open and her eyes were wet. I turned away from her. "Goodbye Lilly."