A Gift or A Curse

Chapter 28

"No sign of him?"

Blake shook her head. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying so much, and her mind hay wired. She finally met Leana, the love of Jimmy's life. She was beautiful. No surprise Jimmy would fall in love with her when he was alive. Blake didn't know whether she had the right to feel jealous, or secured because only she can see him now.

"Damn it Jimmy. Where did you go?"

Blake just watched Michelle pacing around the living room, mumbling to herself.

"Maybe he really is gone. May be we should carry on with our lives like he didn't even come back-"

"For the love of God, Blake! Get a grip okay? He hasn't gone, not yet! I can feel it. He's my best friend. Our best friend. He wouldn't leave without saying goodbye!"

Blake flinched when Michelle raised her voice one octave higher. She had never been yelled at by her before, at least not in these past couple of days of their encounter. Blake was a guest, and Michelle had always been attentive and warm. But today, Michelle just lost it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scream at you. I just - I can't bear losing him again. We gotta search for him. Any way we can."

"How?"

Michelle put her arms across her chest and thought deeply.

"Remember when Matt said that he used to find some paranormal people to search for Jimmy? You wanna try that?"

Blake scrunched up her brows together. She was considered as paranormal herself, only she didn't have any ritual of calling a dead person over. After a long thought and silence between them both, she nodded. She'd give anything to find Jimmy back.

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Brian unplugged his Schecter and placed it neatly on its stand. Cracking his neck twice, he went over to Arin who was still wearing his headphones on, drumsticks glued to his hands.

"Kid, call it a night. You need some rest."

Arin yanked his headphones away. "Nah. Just a few more hours. I need to get it right for God Hates Us. Well, yeah, God hates me."

Brian laughed. "Don't say that. You're improving. Lay low on the cymbals though. Couldn't hear a fucking thing when you smash it too hard."

"Sorry."

Brian shook his head. If this was Jimmy, he would never say sorry. He would crash his cymbals even harder just to annoy him. "Don't worry about it, kid. Well, I'm outta here. See you tomorrow."

"Hey, Brian wait. Did they...did they found Jimmy yet?"

Brian took a deep breath and exhaled it heavily. "Not yet. I don't know where else they will search for him."

Arin nodded and rubbed his neck. "If - if Jimmy really stays, will I be - you know, dismissed?"

Brian bulged his eyes at him. "Dude, what crack are you smoking now? Are you fucking kidding me? Jimmy is irreplaceable, I told you so many times. But so are you. Stop kicking yourself over it and kick your bass pedal instead!"

He sighed and went out of the room after saying their goodbyes. Arin was left alone in the studio, Matthew had long gone earlier than the rest of them because he was so worried about his wife, Johnny and Zacky was arguing about small things like always and they headed to the bar to continue fighting there.

Arin always had a weak spot while playing God Hates Us track. He couldn't yet figure out how Jimmy came up with such difficult drumming notations, with such fast pedal kick and cymbals crashing neatly. He'd almost always screwed up at the pre chorus part.