The True Kings || kellic

Chap. 3 || Punk Rock, Grunge, and Acoustic Guitars

Vic's P.O.V.

After another lunch with Tony, Mike, and Jaime, I hurried down the halls to music class, definitely my favorite. After my first day here when we "formed" a band, I've come to become very close friends with Tony and Jaime. Even though Mike is my younger brother, he's been my best friend since forever, and now we've just added Tony and Jaime. We actually did form a band. Still a garage and basement unknown, though.

Also, I spotted the new boy in the cafeteria. We made eye contact for just a second before he sat alone for all of lunch. The only thing I was thinking was, "Just invite him over, Vic. Ask him if he wants to sit with you." But no. My inability to be confident has failed me yet again.

While Mike and Tony were talking about what they usually talk about (if Tony actually speaks), Harry Potter vs. Star Wars, my glance kept searching the crowd of chattering teenagers. To be honest, they're clashing arguments bore me to death. Jaime finds them very amusing. Watching Mike start randomly naming spells and getting worked up about how adorable Ron and Hermione's relationship is, or to see Tony go on and on about how epic Han Solo is and just be utterly shocked at the plot twist that Luke and Princess Leia are actually brother and sister (spoilers!).

Whenever I scanned the crowds, my eyes always fell on the new boy, with his head kept down and his raven black hair surrounding his face. "Uh, Vic, man, what are you looking at?" Jaime asked, noticing me staring off in the direction of the new boy. I realized Mike and Tony stopped arguing and were both looking at me expectantly, too. "Oh! Nothing, it's nothing. So how's the drum line coming for the new song, Mike? I think I have a good name for it. Bulls in the Bronx. Do you think that's a good name? I thought of it in third period," I rambled on, trying to change the subject.

"Were you checking that boy out?" Jaime questioned, fully aware that yes, I am gay, but no, I am not looking for a relationship, yet he still tries to find me someone.

"Oh my god! Who is he?" Jaime basically squealed, flailing his arms and giggling like the pubescent drama queen he really is.

"He just moved here. He's in my English class, alright? I don't even know his name..." I replied, completely done with them trying to get me into a relationship of any sort.

"Let's invite him over to sit with us," Tony suggested.

"That is a very bad idea," I said.

"I think it is a grand idea!" Jaime exclaimed, "This turtle-like man has a point! I will invite him over myself. OH NEW BO-" I cut Jaime off before he could finish by slapping my hand over his mouth. Luckily, the new boy's head didn't even move from staring intently at the face of the table. "Are you crazy?! You can't just do that!" I whispered-yelled at him, my hand still over his mouth. He tried to reply, but it came out muffled so I removed my hand and he repeated what he said, "You know, Vic, sometimes you can be a tad bit melodramatic, you that right?" The topic was dropped after that.

~~~

I reached the music room fifteen minutes before class started. The room was empty, the teacher, Mr. Iero, always did arrive two minutes before the second bell rang, so I would have some time to myself. I grabbed one of the acoustic guitars they had supplied in the room and tuned it to the right key.

I pulled the crumpled piece of lined paper out of my skinny jeans pocket, smoothing it out on the table next to me. Finally, I strummed out the riffs that were stuck in my head all day. It sounded perfect for this song I wrote. Just as I started to play the opening chords, I heard footsteps entering the classroom.

Quickly, I set the guitar on the ground and shoved the already wrinkly piece of paper back into my pocket. As the person approached me, I could see who it was. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," Andy, the kid that walked in on me playing stated as he came closer. I let out a sigh of relief. Andy was just a kid in my class, no one that could do any damage. "Nah, man. It's cool," I assured him, so he took a seat at a desk in the front of the room and pulled out a book.

I returned the guitar to its stand while pulling out my headphones. Some Nirvana will clear my mind. Before I even realized it, class was starting and I had almost gone through half of "Nevermind". Mr. Iero rushed in with a crooked tie and his black hair askew just as the bell rang, and then class started just like that. You could spot tattoos peeking out from the collar of Mr. Iero's shirt and under the sleeves, and sometimes he still wears a nose and lip ring.

Whenever we question him on it, he just dismisses it with a "I was young like you, I was into rock music, it had an influence on me, but it's all behind me now," which we could tell was a lie from his Iron Maiden ringtone set on his phone. Music class was the usual, find a song you like and show it to us anyway you like to, just display music you're passionate about.

It went by slowly, everyone searching through YouTube to find the most popular music video at the moment. I sat in the back, peacefully strumming "Good Riddance" by Green Day on the same guitar I was playing in the beginning of class. No one disturbed me, no one even glanced at me.

Since none of my friends are in my class, there was no reason for anyone to speak to me. Soon, class was over, and I was sauntering out the door, Green Day playing through my mind mixing with Nirvana.