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Chapter 9 Meetings

Lennon's pov

"They come in today Len," Dad winks at me as he serves me a plate of waffles. Yes, on the weekend I eat breakfast with my family. "Mom and I need to make sure everything is ready for when they get here but the painter is coming for this bathroom and the electrician for Julian's apartment. Could you make up the rooms?"

"Sure," I mumble through a mouthful of waffles. "which rooms?"

"Rowan, Oak, and Birch," Mom calls from the bathroom where she is cleaning before the painters come and make a mess of it.

"How long do I have?" I look at Julian who is usually in charge of the desk.

"Between four and six hours," he answers.

"Do you want any help?" Bea asks.

"You're cleaning your room and then taking out the trash," Mom calls and Bea groans.

"It's fine Bea," I laugh. "I can clean a few rooms."

I finish my waffles and clean my dishes before heading to the floor the rooms are on. There's a closet on each floor with cleaning supplies and I grab the container with my usual supplies.

I walk into the Birch room and start the routine. First, I dust everywhere, then, I Pledge the wood surfaces. Vacuuming is my least favorite part but you gotta do what you gotta do I guess. I clean the windows and mirrors then clean the bathroom one last time and Febreeze everywhere. This takes about an hour and a half tops.

I have my iPod and start jamming out, singing and dancing around the rooms as I clean. I hardly notice as time passes until I'm febreezing in the last room, the Rowan Room. I'm singing "By the Sea" from Sweeny Todd and dancing around when I hear someone singing along behind me. I turn around and drop the Febreeze.

Andy Biersack is standing in the doorway. A suitcase in each hand and a smile spread wide across his face.

I'm still frozen in shock as Andy drops his bags on the bed and hugs me. Its not a n extremely tight hug but it's not hesitant either. He smells like cigarettes and cologne and slightly whiskey and his chest is hard against my cheek.

"Hey Lenny," he breathes into my hair.

"Hi," I mumble awkwardly.

He pulls away and smiles at me. "It's great to see you again."

"It's great to see you too," I answer, trying to regain my composure. "Sorry about not exactly finishing your room though."

"It's fine," he laughs. "Your singing was great, by the way. We should really sing together some time."

"We have an open mic night on Fridays if you're serious," I grin at him.

He grins. "Of corse."

"Well," I step around him, "I better get going so you can settle in. I'll see you at dinner or something," I turn and knock into another hard-chested male. "Shit, sorry."

"No problem," Ashly Purdy smirks down at me. "You're Lenny right?"

"Yeah," I stammer. "So cool to meet you."

"My pleasure," he winks at me. "So where are you off to?"

I blush. "I'm gonna go make sure dinner is all set up before you guys come down and enjoy the show."

"And what show is that?" Andy speaks up from behind me.

"A surprise show," I tease as I sidestep Ashley. "that will be very entertaining."

"It better be," Andy laughs while at the same time Ashley says,

"As long as you're in it I'll be entertained"

I roll my eyes at them before waving and walking back down to the kitchen.

Andy's pov

Lenny walks out of the room and Ashley follows her lustily with his eyes.

"She's hotter in person."

I shove him, laughing, "Leave my girl alone!"

"A bet is a bet," he grins back. "She's not your girl until you can prove it."

"Let the games begin then," I growl, getting serious.

"Let them begin," Ash laughs and walks out the door. "Bring your A game buddy."

I unpack a clean set of clothes before taking a shower and heading to the dinning room. Ash is already there, lounging at a table directly in front of a platform with a chair and mic stand on it.

"Where's everyone else?" I ask, sitting down in the chair to his right.

"Not sure, I'll text them to get them going," he answers as he begins typing on his phone. A moment later he looks up at me, "They're on their way."

"Cool," I look around the room. A couple sit at a table near ours, chatting and holding hands over the table. A family with four children sit farther away, the mother trying to settle down the fight that has broken out between the three of the children. An elderly couple sit a few tables from the family laughing over the newspaper.

CC walks over to the table, followed closely behind by Jake and Jinxx. Once we're all seated a teenaged girl with green bangs fading into white tips.

"Hi, I'm Bea, I'll be taking your order today," she smiles at us.

We all order and Bea writes down our orders and heads to take the orders of the other guests. In no less than ten minuets food is being brought to our table by Bea and two boys. About twenty minuets into the meal Lenny appears on the stage with her ukulele.

"Hey, everybody," she smiles. "For those of you who don't know, I'm Lennon Balakwe and I'll be entertaining you this evening. As always, does anyone have any requests?"

The little kids request some pop songs, including something by One Direction. The elderly couple request Fly Me to the Moon and the young couple ask for A Thousand Years. She plays some Ed Sheeran and then plays an original song called Fall Risk. I haven't heard it before and it's really good. It seems like she's finished but she grins and begins speaking.

"So, to finish off my little show, I'll play a little number in honor of our guests of honor," she smiles at us and winks.

"In the end, as my soul's laid to rest, what is left of my body?

Or am I just a shell?

I have fought, and with flesh and blood I commanded an army,

Through it all, I have given my heart for a moment of glory!"

I've heard her cover of our song In the End before, but it's even better in person. The rest of the guys seem just as taken with her and when she finishes we giver her a standing ovation.

She waves at us, blushing, and heads back into the kitchen. I'm so enthrall end that I have to stop myself from following her. Ash seems to be going through the same thought process.

"This bet is getting even better," Ash looks over at me.

"Don't even think about it. She is mine," I grin back.

"Well, both of you are still all in the bet so she is no one's until the proof is shown," CC laughs.

"It won't be long before that," Ash winks and heads toward the door. "Who wants to go clubbing?"