The Devil In The Mirror

XVIII

Three Months Later

"So hello there guys, this is Mike Shay of Alternative Press and today we're here with the amazingly talented Echo Agony who we now know is actually Aracelis."
"Thanks for having me."
"The pleasure is all ours. So, question, do you have a last name or middle name?"
"I do not have a middle name and I do not go by the last name I was given. I don't consider them my family." I reply smoothly. He nods.
"Ah, so it's just Aracelis."
"Yes," I say with a small laugh, "just Aracelis."
"Cool. So, with the recent passing of your bass member Cara Hegarty, what have you as a band been doing. Since you left the Silent Hill tour and took a hiatus."
"As a band, we don't feel complete without our fourth sister with us. I was very close with her out of the entire band and her loss hit me the worst. We took time to gather ourselves together and really settle back down to earth,"
"So I don't think we'll ever come back to making music as Oh Sweet Agony. OSA was four girls reviving our beliefs and our influences and trying to repair the Rock N Roll world. I'm not saying we as individuals won't create music as separated but as a whole, I don't believe we could ever create anything with a piece of us missing. It's not that we'd always greave over her death necessarily, since that time has passed, but it's just we wouldn't be there with it in the same way."
"Does that mean the end of Oh Sweet Agony as a band?"
"Unfortunately, yes. And it has nothing to do with our differences, but more the fact that we lost a sister and you can't complete a puzzle with a missing puzzle piece."
"That's very sad to hear, especially when you as a band have a great influence over the new, younger generation of rock lovers." He comments.
"I wouldn't say that, because we really had no time to develop or become better people than we already are."
"Fair argument, I'll give you that. So are there any new projects coming up?"
"I'm currently writing solo work which might turn into an EP or hopefully an album."
"What's the tone of the work?"
"Very dark. It's a darker and more intimately personal side of me as an individual that I've never expressed before. But the work also has hopeful and lighter sides to it as well."
"Almost like you coming and rising up from a dark and bad period to a more hopeful one."
"That's a good way to describe it, yes."
"I think I speak for all of us when I say we're excited." At this, I laugh.
"Well thanks man, I appreciate it."
"Your very welcome. Well, glad to be able to talk to you for a short bit. Appreciate you taking time out of your day for this short interview."
"No, thank you."
~
"How was it?"
"Went well, Jinxx."
"That's good."
I step into my car and turn on the engine. Switching the phone to my other ear.
"I'll call you later, Jinxx. See you soon."
"Okay Ara. Goodbye."
And with that, I drive back to my apartment. I step inside to the delicious smell of French toast.
"Hey babe." Andy's arms wrap around me as he pecks a quick kiss on my cheek.
"Hey."
He hands me a plate of breakfast and sets a mug of hot chocolate down as I savor each bite.
"It's delicious, thank you Andy."
"You welcome. So how did the interview go?"
"It went well. The interviewer didn't pry too deep and I'm glad. It was hard enough as it is." I frown. He rubs my shoulders and furrows his brows.
"You still miss her don't you?"
"More than ever." I whisper.
"I miss my grandfather more than anything in this world. He was my best friend. But I want to keep his memories alive. Because he'll always forever live in my heart and he'll never full be gone."
I nod and stand up.
"I'm gonna go shower and change." I say. He nods, leaning in and kissing my forehead.
"I'll probably be gone by the time you get ready. I have a meeting in half in hour with the guys." He murmurs, not looking at me.
"Okay. I'll see you later, baby." I call as I race to my bathroom and turn on the shower to hide my sobs. I look in the fogging mirror to see a disgusting and broken Aracelis Hernandez. Hernandez. A last name so vile, I've etched it off of me permanently.
Cara's suicide punched a hole through me too big to heal. And it's going to carve itself forever into my mind.
But I need to stay strong. For me. For everyone.
I quickly shower and change into shorts, shirt, beanie, and black Docs. I add a choker before slapping on my usual makeup and heading out of the room.
Snatching my wallet, sunglasses, and keys, I set off down the sidewalk.
~
"Hey! CC!" I call out as I see the familiar lanky man walking down the street with a cigarette in hand.
"Oh, hey Ara." He smiles.
"Aren't you supposed to be in a meeting?" I laugh.
"Meeting? What meeting?" My smile falls.
"Andy said you all were in a meeting till late tonight." My brow furrows. He shakes his head.
"No, nothing like that. Maybe Andy's doing something special for you and made up a cover so you wouldn't get suspicious. Although, I would have told my friends about it..."
"Maybe..." I murmur.
"Ara baby, don't think like that. Andy wouldn't do that. He really cares about you."
I nod and plaster a smile on my face.
"Want to go grab a bite to eat?"
"Sure." His big, white, toothy grin places itself upon his face.
He points to a Mexican restaurant and away we go.
~
It's eleven and Andy still isn't home. A part of me is jumping to conclusions, so I sleep it off. I wake up with a changing Andy.
"Morning babe." Andy says quickly.
"Going somewhere?"
He nods. I bite my lip and nod. He's lying.
"Another band meeting?" Two can play at this game.
If he lies, he's taken the bait. If he tells the truth then-
"Yes, another meeting babe. Gotta go. Bye."