Fugitive (ON HOLD)

III

It's only a fifteen minute drive from my house to Rachel's but Ashton still feels the need to blast his Green Day cd as loud as he can. I really don't understand why he likes the band so much. Not that Green Day isn't a good band, I just like other bands more, bands like Panic! at the Disco. Ashton started playing "21 Guns" once he got onto the road and that took about 5 minutes. After that was "American Idiot" which also happened to be my name in Ashton's contacts.

Now, however, Ashton was blasting "Burnout" and was belting out the lyrics as it played. Luke had taken off his sunglasses earlier and he's giving me this disapproving look the whole time. He and I are thinking the same thing; Will he shut up already? Ashton's singing is loud and obnoxious. I don't understand why he chooses to sing like a dying animal when he has a lovely voice.

"I'm not growin' up! I'm just buuurning out! And I stepped in line to walk amongst the dead!" Ashton sings loudly, grinning widely as he drives. "Apathy has rained on me! Now I'm feelin' like a soggy dream! So close to drowning but I dooon't mind!"

"Give it a rest!" Luke interjects, rolling his eyes before looking down at his phone, texting someone, I assume. I let out a giggle and Ashton turns to glare at Luke. He then reaches out and turns down Billy Joe's voice.

"You just don't appreciate Green Day's style, do you Hemmings?" Ashton questions with a scoff. "I can't believe you."

Luke says nothing but turns to look at me in the back seat, rolling his eyes again and plugging his fingers in his ears. I grin and try not to laugh again. He can be very funny sometimes.
Ashton continues to jam out to Green Day, now replaying his favorite parts of Jesus of Suburbia, as he makes his way to Rachel's house. Once we get there, I'm fascinated by the bright lights dancing around inside the house.

Lights are flashing on and off and there's the muffled sound of music heard. I grin excitedly and get out of Ashton's car, followed by the two boys moments later. The beat of the music pulses so loudly, I feel it down in my feet and I am instantly filled with adrenaline. This is it, the first party I've been to in what seems like forever.

I open the door and am once again surprised. The interior of Rachel's house was semi-dark except for the neon lights shining everywhere. It looked as if no one had forgotten the theme. Splashes of bright yellows, pinks, oranges, and purples in the shapes of humans are all that I see. Moments later, Ashton comes up behind me, his hand on my shoulder.

"Cool right?" He asks loudly, over the music that was playing. I grin and take a panoramic view of the room. Yes, it is in fact, cool. I nod my head as an answer and I turn to face Ashton.

"Where'd Luke go?" I question, my perfectly shaped eyebrow poking up after I speak. Ashton shrugs, licking his lips.

"I dunno. Said he had to go take care of something," he replies rocking back and forth on his heels. He then looks directly behind me and smiles widely. I frown, about to ask who he sees, but I hear a squeal and feel a hand on my arm before I can.

Of course, it was the Birthday Girl herself; Rachel. I smile just as wide as Ashton is and I wrap my arms around her neck in a hug. She giggles and hugs me back just as tightly. She looks great in her hot pink neon t-shirt. Her red hair's styled up in a ponytail and her smile's as bright as ever. She also has a fake neon butterfly tattoo on her left cheek.

"Claire! Ash!" she squeals, wrapping one arm around each of us. I laugh at her enthusiasm. "You two aren't as late as I thought you'd be," she observes, moving away to take in both of our outfits.

Ashton simply shrugs and grins back at Rachel. "What? Did you think I'd get lost on the way? I've been to both of your houses dozens of times."

I listen as Rachel and Ashton laugh back and forth, conversing with each other. I have nothing to add so I leave them, hoping to find something else to occupy my time. Just to see how they'd look, I go to get one of those temporary glow in the dark tattoos Rachel and Ashton were talking about. I get a blue, five petaled flower on the back of my right hand and I stare at it, happily intrigued. I wonder how long they last.