I'm Barely Hanging On {Mike Fuentes/girl}

Chapter 1

*Mike's POV*

I stepped off the tour bus, glad to finally be home from overseas. My brother, Vic, our bassist, Jaime, and our guitarist, Tony, followed me off the bus, and soon it was unloaded of all our equipment and traveling bags. 

"You ready to go?" Vic called to me over his shoulder, already stepping into his car. I put my last bag into his trunk, shut it, and walked around to the passenger door. 

"Let's get it," I said, sliding into the car. Vic turned the car on, and as we backed out of the parking lot, we waved to Tony and Jaime. They would be going back to their homes to relax for a while, but Vic and I were off to a cabin to start writing our next album. Once we got onto the interstate, I laid my chair back and said "I'm gonna take a quick nap."

Instantly, Vic was punching me in the arm playfully. "No way, wake up! This is a four hour drive, I'm not making it alone." I laughed but honestly I was upset. I sat my chair back up, but I closed my eyes anyways.  Why do I have to stay up with him when this was his idea in the first place? Who the fuck doesn't get some rest between touring and writing?? 

I don't know how long I was asleep, but I woke up when we pulled into a gas station and the car turned off. Vic laughed, shook his head at me, and ran inside to pay. I decided to follow him in to grab snacks and drinks. I slammed the case of beer and several packs of sour gummy worms on the counter. The man gave me a strange look but scanned the items anyways.

Once I had paid, I carried the stuff out to Vic's car and threw it in the backseat just as he was finishing pumping the gas. I decided to be a good brother before hopping back into my seat. "You want me to finish the drive, man?" I asked over the hood of the car.

Vic closed the gas lid and smiled. "That would rock," he sighed and tossed me the keys. I walked around to his side of the car and slid in. When we got back onto the interstate, Vic dropped his chair back, and I had to laugh.

"You know what, man, I'm not crazy so I'll let you sleep. But because I'm so nice, I'm also going to take us skiing down the mountain before we head up to the cabin. Sound good?" I asked, but he was sitting up and he looked mad. 

"We don't have time for that, Mike," he said, sounding disappointed. I raised an eyebrow at him and he continued. "We need to write a really good album, and that means we need to focus." 

"Okay, and we will," I explained. "But first, we're going to ski!"

*Marianna's POV*

"Mari! Are you ready to go? We will be late!" my father yelled from downstairs. I jumped up out of bed and threw on my backpack. I looked around my room and smiled. This would be my last summer at home and I was so happy to be leaving. Not that my father and brother weren't great, but being on my own had to be better. 

I grabbed my last few pictures off my desk, shoved them into a side pocket of my bag, and bounded down the stairs. "Ready, Papi," I beamed. He stood in the open front doorway beckoning me on. I shrugged and walked out. No one seemed to care that this was the last time I'd be leaving this place as my home, so I wasn't going to make a show of it either. 

I hopped into the front passenger seat and my dad soon slid in beside me. My brother was already in the back, headphones in, ignoring us both. "You're excited for college?" my dad asked as he backed out the driveway.

"It's not just 'college' again, Papi, it's my senior year. I'll be done soon. Like, a real degree, in my hand!" I hated the way my dad acted like this wasn't a big accomplishment. He had wanted me to major in something he would deem useful, like medicine or law. But I chose film. It was my passion and it was my degree, not his. 

"Yes, honey, you will have a degree, but will you have a job? What can a film degree do?" He badgered me with questions as we drove along. I tried to ignore his questions, because, to be honest, I had no answers for him yet, and I tried hard to focus on our destination. We were headed to an annual family ski trip in Oregon before I went back to college and my brother began his junior year of high school. 

Before my mom had died, these trips were a lot more fun. She would take time beforehand to schedule a hundred different activities for us so that no one felt left out of the fun. My dad had never taken the time to notice her efforts, and he believed, like us children, that all of those things came magically. Since her death, these trips have just been aching reminders of how much she did for all of us. 

"Dad, are we nearly there?" Marco asked from the backseat. He had taken one headphone out and was barely looking up from his phone. 

"Why don't you put that thing down and talk with your sister and I?" Dad asked him, ignoring his question altogether. 

"Because what you have to say isn't interesting?" he retorted sarcastically, and I stared straight at my dad. For all my brother's attitude, my dad did not stand backsass. I decided I better jump in now before the yelling began. 

"Oh, but those bands screaming in your ears have important things to say, do they?" I said mockingly. I saw my dad smile and knew I had eased the tension. However, my brother was staring daggers through me. 

"They. Do." was all he said before popping the headphone back in and turned to stare out the window. I sighed and turned back around in my seat. The highway sign we were passing said only 10 more miles to the mountain. 

*Mike's POV*

"C'mon man, just like 30 minutes skiing and then we'll go, I swear!" I begged my brother, who was still sitting in the car. 

"Fine," Vic said finally. "Fine, okay, 30 minutes. That's it!" 

"That's it," I said, hand over my heart. He got out and we headed to the lodge to rent some gear. Inside, a few fans recognized us and we were happy to sign their boards, skis, and helmets. Vic took a few pictures while I finished collecting our gear, and then we were both able to change. We headed back into the snow and towards the ski lift.

On our way up the mountain, I could hear Vic singing Floral & Fading  and I joined in while playing finger drums against the lap bar. We got really into the jamming, and maybe that's why I didn't realize that there was someone standing where I'd need to be when I jumped from the lift.

I yelled as I fell, but it wasn't enough warning. I landed right on top of her, and immediately got up to check on her. "I am so sorry, I didn't see you, I'm so, so sorry!" I kept repeating it and brushing snow off of her coat as she got back to her feet. 

"I'm fine," she laughed. Damn, what a cute laugh. "You should watch where you're going, though," she said as she finished fixing herself and finally looked up at me. 

I couldn't help but smile as I took in her bright blue eyes. She had tan skin and long, dark hair but the bluest eyes I could imagine. I shook my head a bit and tried to seem casual as I said, "yeah, I'll try to do that. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good. But.. I think I recognize you?" she said questioningly.

"I doubt it," I said, and I wasn't sure why. I used my semi-celebrity status to pull tons of chicks, but I had lied about it now for some reason.

"No, I'm sure I do..." she said, looking behind her on both sides. She did this for a while, and I got a bit creeped out, so I started to tell her that I was glad she was okay and leave, when she grabbed my arm and said, "there he is!"

I turned my head and followed her pointed finger to a boy wearing one of my band's tees and no coat. Such a teenage rebel move. I smiled and turned back to her. "Okay, yeah, that's me. Do you know that kid, or you just pay close attention to boys' clothes?" I laughed.

"He's my little brother, you weirdo," she said before skiing away towards him.