Rising Star: Book 3 of The Orion Series

Snot Nosed Little Brat

Like guns all around us

You were too kind

I was too blind

Always on the hunt

With piercing precision

Looking for more time

You're a surgeon

Slashing with your scalpel

Lick my cynical mind

Do I taste like murder?

Took a head full of muck

Sold it for a buck

Say my name

Like you can't get enough

I've gotten under your skin

A rash that won't leave

Back when we couldn't conceive

This horror

Like guns all around

You were frantic

And I was panicked

When the world gets too much

We can slow down, no rush

You were too kind

I was too blind

Like guns all around

We never made a sound

--The song Static Weapons, lyrics by Orion Bauwens

"You're a snot nosed, entitled, little fucking brat!"

"And you're a crotchety old man! Blow me!"

"No!"

Orion slams the door to our studio, the larger one where we perform and record as a group. I like this room, with it's blue acoustic walls and the various instruments strewn everywhere. The floor is tiled white linoleum, and comfortable black chairs are scattered about. Music stands are littered around, reminding me of small metal trees.

Ben and I freeze, gawking at him. Orion is fuming. We don't say anything as he paces back and forth, occasionally growling (literally), face bright red. When he finally sits, I raise my eyebrows.

"Was that Paul?"

"Yeah."

"So that's not a thing anymore?" Ben asks.

"I'd imagine not," Orion tells Ben, glaring at nothing.

"Uh," I say, "that sounded intense--"

"Yeah, it was, and I don't wanna talk about it."

"No offense, but I think half of EMI heard you two..."

Orion glares. So I drop the subject and shrug. "Whatever. It freaked me out because he was way older than you, anyway."

"That's why I was with him." He glares. "He was experienced."

"Okay, I did not need to know any of that," Ben says, shuddering dramatically, "Let's just not talk about this anymore, okay? Let's talk about OUR SOLD OUT SHOW TONIGHT!"

"Dude," I say, grinning and shaking Orion, "with the money from this, we'll have enough to buy our own tour bus for when we go on tour!"

Orion smiles faintly, so I continue to shake him. "Come on! We won't have to rent one like we had planned!"