Just a warning for everyone. If you haven't read the changed version of Chapter Seventeen, go back and read it first. Thank you :)
Chapter Eighteen - Aaron
With everything that seemed to be happening, it was difficult for Aaron and Henry to even spend any time together. Besides school, the only time the two ever met up was to study and that was usually at the library, away from everything that seemed to aggravate him.
"Memorising these quotes is a nightmare," Henry groaned, snapping the flashcards to the table. A few curses soon followed, along with the sound of a head banging against the wood.
Aaron peeked up from his book, removing an ear bud in confusion. He surely sympathised with the younger boy - memorising quotes for three different books was a nightmare, almost impossible - except, Aaron wasn't nearly as stressed. Other things were on his mind, such as the song choices for the competition.
"Calm down," he retorted, slamming the book shut, "being stressed out isn't going to do you any good. It's February, the exam is in June."
Guitars and drums whispered in his covered ear, while he left his eyes rolling at his best friend. Even in the previous years, Henry was the same. There was always to be stressed about when it came to his studies, yet Aaron couldn't help but think that it was slightly exaggerated at times. Not for attention, yet maybe for reassurance and comfort.
Finally, the head banging stopped.
"It feels like yesterday was November and I quit the band." Aaron smirked at that. Time had flown by so quickly and it was already almost time for the competition. So much had happened during the few months and somehow, he liked the fact that Henry quit. It was strange how such a tiny event sparked many others.
"It worked out best in the end, right?" Shrugging his shoulders, he set his ear bud back in place, only to have Henry to pull it right back out again.
"Best? So you think Cat is much better than me?" He asked, dumbfounded. The hand that pulled out the ear bud was grabbed onto it, refusing to give it back. Aaron soon realised his mistake, quickly trying to grab back the ear buds until Henry had put it in his own ear.
Cat's voice still continued to play, yet this time, it was a new song. Its beat began with Jesse's keyboard - he kept switching between that and the bass - where Aaron's acoustic guitar quickly joined in. Like the other songs, Cat and Aaron switched vocals from time to time.
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"Jesse, calm down!"
The banging of drums shattered the walls, along with Aaron's eardrums. Objects were thrown to and fro, and as Aaron got Jesse in his view, he had to dodge a book. It wasn't even a paperback - it was a hardback. He didn't even know Jesse owned those.
Mickey was the piggy in the middle, getting in between Jesse and his beloved instruments. It didn't work much; Jesse was headed for the keyboard. If he wasn't stopped soon, he was bound to break it.
"Woah! That's enough!" He held Jesse from behind, pulling him as he fought against the other. It was struggle to hold him, especially as he was more built, but with Mickey's help, they managed to prevent his rampage.
Soon enough, anger turned to sorrow and Aaron felt Jesse slump to ground. Soft sobs escaped as his hands covered his lips, evidently in shock from what he was about to do. When a hand came crashing against the ground, Aaron jolted backwards. He didn't know what to do - did heartbreak feel like that? If it was, he certainly didn't want to experience it.
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"You guys are doing this song at the audition, right?" Henry's voice snapped Aaron away from the memory.
