Chapter 6
After we met up with the rest, we hurried to the museum. Inside, we took as many pictures as possible, so it would look like I spent the whole day there. I grabbed a few fliers. I was home fifteen minutes later. Unfortunately, my new neighbor happened to be standing in his garden.
"Hey." he nodded at me. He was watering the plants. I didn't know he like gardening.
"Bye." I said, walking right past him.
"Didn't you leave in jeans?" I frowned. He had to bring that up.
"Stalker much?" I said, avoiding the question.
"Why is your hair so wet? Did you go swimming?"
"You could say that." I replied, liking the excuse. "I'm going now."
"Wait. How's everyone back home? You didn't fill me in. How's school?"
"Brilliant." I said, dryly. "We had a spring fest before I came here.
"Oh cool. Who did you go with?"
"Julie and Tasha. "
"The goth chick? And the blonde with pink highlights?" he asked, his mouth hanging open in shock.
"Don't call them that!" I snapped. "They're my friends. And if they weren't with me, I'd be sitting there by myself. Unlike some people, they know how to care for their friends. They would never desert me." He winced. Good. Now he remembers. And then I left, leaving him standing with the hose.
I ran up to my room and changed into track pants and a comfy top. My parents came home for dinner and I showed them my hastily taken pictures. They were so distracted, they didn't even realize that most of them were from one exhibit. I was starting to feel tired, so I went to bed early. I slipped on my earphones and lay down, listening to a Blink 182 song. When I woke up, I realized it was too dark outside. Sweat was running down my forehead, but I was feeling really cold.
My throat was sore. After checking my temperature (Yes, I had a fever), I woke my parents up because I had no idea where the medicines were kept. They gave me a dubious amount of syrup, which made me sleepy.
Next morning, I still felt crappy. I would have to cancel today's plans. I grabbed my phone and texted Liam, telling him I was sick and couldn't come because of yesterday's stupid antics. He replied back saying he was sorry and that he would try calling later to remind me of tomorrow's plans (If I was up to it). I sent a quick O.K and then switched on the T.V.
Reruns of The Voice were on. Perfect. I sat down to watch the auditions. I gasped when the model who ruined Hey There Delilah got selected. And I was screaming when David Dunn wasn't. "He deserved a spot if she did!"
"Lexa? Are you watching The Voice again?" Jake yelled from somewhere in the house.
"No." I lied and turned the volume down. I was still angry about the decisions of the judges though. The second season was so disappointing. It couldn't match up to the first. After five minutes or so, the bell rang. Jake opened the door. I wasn't really paying attention to the sound of conversation, so I was dumbfounded when Jake walked up to my room with Liam and everyone else.
"Your friends are here." he announced, very obviously.
"Hey." Liam grinned.
"Um... Ah... Hi?" I said, wondering what the heck the band was doing in my house, looking at me while I was in tracks and a baggy shirt.
"Ooh, The Voice is on." Zach commented and flopped down in front of the screen.
"Have fun." My brother said casually and left.
"How come you guys came here?" I asked straight away.
"To give you company." Jasper said, and if we were ten, I bet he would have added a 'duh'.
"What if my parents had been here?"
"We waited outside for some time and even checked your garage." Zach said, acting if that was a perfectly normal thing to do.
"You didn't tell me you had a cute elder brother." Scarlett smiled.
"What? That would be creepy. And I think he looks just like me. A ginger."
Everyone fell silent for some reason and I realized it was because Nathan was staring at us from his window. It wasn't even just looking. He was almost pressed up against the window. I pulled my drapes shut to block out my disturbing family friend.
"Who's that?" Jasper had his eyes on the next performer but was clearly talking to me.
"Nobody. I think he's a bit unbalanced, if you get what I mean." The topic ended there and everybody settled down comfortably.
"Did you see David Dunn? That was just injustice." Scarlett commented. I nodded at her and Liam pulled his phone out to make me listen to David's self released single, Ready To Be Myself. For the next hour or so, we played board games, listened to more music and laughed at jokes that wouldn't make sense to anyone else. Strangely, the band fit perfectly in this house. And Jake accepted them as well, even though they looked... dangerous.
Liam was wearing black clothes and boots. His piercing didn't help. But his smile was enough to assure that he was a really nice guy. Scarlett had that mean girl aura. At least I knew it was some kind of front. Jasper and Zach were actually looking like the smart ones in the group. I had a silent laugh at that. They were more or less our comic relief.
"So... How's life?" I asked, bored and hanging upside down from the beanbag.
Scarlett made some amused, grunting sound. Jasper said "Just fine." Zach and Liam remained silent.
"Well...?" I poked Liam.
"My mother contacted me the other day." He clearly looked uncomfortable. I sat up. This was a serious matter.
"And?" I tried to be gentle.
"She wanted me to talk to her. About my future. I told her I had already decided what it was when they shoved me out the door." he replied, shrugging.
There was a silence. Unable to bear it, I got up and went "Want a cookie?"
Liam stared at me.Then he cracked up. "You really are a piece of work Lexa. Your answer to Life's problems is to eat cookies?" He was actually holding his stomach and trying not to fall over. Zach and Jasper were grinning. I shrugged.
"It helps. Back home, me and my friends invented a slogan. Life's not fair. Have a cookie."
That made them laugh harder. I rolled my eyes and went down to get the chocolate chip ones I bought a few days back. I piled a plate full of them and headed up. I probably shouldn't have left them alone because they were now sitting in a circle and looking at me expectantly.
"Sit down." Zach said solemnly.
"Why?" I was confused.
"We're playing Truth or Dare."
I sat down. Someone spun the bottle and it was my turn. "Truth." I said without thinking. I almost never chose Dare. But I had forgotten that I was new here and should not reveal a lot about my embarrassing life. Before I could change it, Jasper asked a question.
"Who was your first kiss?"
I groaned. This was going to be a long game.
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Hmm. What do you think the answer is? :)
My exams are starting from tomorrow, so an updates may come slower. I'm sorry guys. But loads of love and hopefully, I'll be able to come back soon.
There wasn't much music in this, but this chapter is just to spread the news bout someone talented.
