Never The Same
Starting To Love You More
Monday
“Fine, I’ll be ready in a half hour!” Jessica laughed hanging up the phone.
Max kept his promise, and on Sunday came and picked up Jessica taking her to meet his band, and a few others. Which was a great ego booster to Jessica, she was in a new scene, with new friends, finally, and now she honestly had a new perspective on life.
She shuffled through her bags, trying to her find her bathing suit, Max informed her that they were all going to swim. She was nervous, to say the least, she had only met Ronnie, Craig, Robert, Omar, Bryan, and their girlfriends the day before. But she wanted to break out of this mold that had grown around her, and this was the perfect chance. She finally found her blue bathing suit and situated it on her body, before pulling on some short, and a green tank top. Rolling up a towel and shoving it into her beach bag, along with her cell phone, she set it aside. Moving in front of her full length mirror that was placed on the closet door in her bedroom, she pulled a hair tie that was on her wrist off, flipping her hair and pulling it into a messy pony tail. Placing sunglasses on the top of her head, she slipped on some flip flops and grabbed her bag just in time to hear a horn honk outside, singling that he was outside, waiting for her.
Max, being the impatient person he is, honked the horn at least ten more times before Jessica finally made her way outside. She opened the passenger door and threw her stuff in the back, before sliding into the seat.
“Took you long enough!” Max huffed, laughing when she lightly slapped his arm.
“Shut up, Max!” Jessie whined.
“Sure, Ducky, but it’s because you make an adorable face when you whine,” Max smiled, causing Jessica to blush, and giggle as Max started to drive.
Jessica quickly changed the subject, even though she was used to the slightly but constant flirting between the two, she wasn’t ready for a relationship that involved romance. “So your band, how come I haven’t ever heard of you guys?”
“We’re kinda new on the scene, we’ve only played shows on the west coast and all over Nevada, in this general area, we have yet to venture out of the comfort zone,” Max replied, keeping his eyes on the road.
“Oh, I’d like to hear you guys soon. What do you do?” Jess stared at Max waiting for a response.
“Of course, you can come to band practice tomorrow,” Max smiled. “I play bass, and sometimes, I do a little of the screaming here and there, y’know?”
“Sounds interesting. I’ll have to take you with me when I do some photography someday, then, to…repay you,” Jessica nodded, bringing her hand up to move her bangs gently.
“Sounds awesome,” Max quickly looked over to Jessie, before pulling into a somewhat nice looking house. “We’re here! Oh, this is Robert’s house by the way,” Max smiled.
“Okay, I’m gonna need to be reminded of their names, again. I’m just awful with names,” Jessica mumbled, blushing a bit.
“You seem to remember mine fine,” Max grinned, waiting for Jessie to join him on the sidewalk.
“Well, that’s different…now drop it,” Jessica smiled, a very light pink tint still gracing her cheek bones.
“Fine, fine, Miss Pushypants. Now, come on, it’s warm and I wanna get wet!” Max exclaimed, pulling Jessie by the wrist towards the front door.
Without knocking, Max walked into the house, Jessica was about to say something but Max informed her that he pretty much lived at their house, and that their was no point in him knocking. When they first walked in, everyone was seated in the living room, simply kicking it. Talking and nonsense, but stopped when Max announced his presence to the group.
“Robert and Ivee,” Max pointed at them, first before continuing down the line. “Ronnie and Nikole, Bryan and Haylee, Craig and Ayden, Omar and Kaycee.”
“Okay, I think I got it. Test me later, mkay?” Jessica smiled shyly.
“I will, don’t worry about it, Jess,” Max nodded, grabbing Jessica’s hand. “Now, come on! I want to fucking swim!” Max yelled, pulling Jessica, once again, outside to the pool, where he let go of her hand and jumped into the pool.
Tuesday
Jessica trampled over boxes trying to find one of her favorite blue tops, when she finally found it she threw it on the bed next to her shoes, now trying to find her white skinny jeans. At this point she decided that she needed to take a day to herself and unpack everything. When she found her jeans, she slipped them on with ease, and then walked to her bed in her bra and jeans, throwing the shirt of her head. She, then, went to get her camera, and laid it on the bed and her bag. She walked through the small apartment, to the bathroom where she checked her flat iron, making sure it was warm enough. Picking up the hot utensil, she combed it through her hair, section by section, leaving a straight product after the steam had touched it. Walking back into her room, she pulled on white socks, and slipped her converse on and tied them up. She placed her phone and camera in her bag, placed the bag over her shoulder, checked her appearance one last time, before walking out of her apartment and down the stairs to the street below, waiting for Max to show up.
· · ·
“Max, you guys are amazing! I’m sure so many labels would sign you if you just got out there!” Jessica couldn’t help but yell, as they made their way back to his car so they could go somewhere for Jessica to take photos.
“Awh, you’re so sweet Jessie, but like I said, it’s the whole comfort zone thing,” Max mumbled.
“I don’t think you understand, Maxie. I’m pretty sure you could rule the world if you came out of your comfort zone. I mean, look at me, I’m almost out of my comfort zone, and I feel a lot better about myself,” Jessica smiled, she was so close to shedding her shy shell, it was such an amazing feeling.
“I’ve noticed that, Ducky,” Jessie felt a tingle in her tummy when he called her Ducky. “I’m proud of you, aren’t you and Ayden going shopping tomorrow?” Ayden had taken quite the liking to Jessica, Jessica didn’t really understand, she felt like was stand offish during the get together the day before, but somehow Ayden saw through the mask.
“Yeah, I’m really excited. She’s awesome,” Jessica smiled, and all fell silent for a while and it wasn’t a bad silence, it was comfortable. Max and Jessica just enjoying the other’s company, they had easily become the best of friends since they met Saturday night, and spent all day Sunday getting to know each other, as well as Max introducing her to new people.
“Max, right there!” Jessica pointed out the window. “I wanna take pictures right there.”
“Jess, that tree is dead…” Max trailed off.
“You’re obviously not that artistic, otherwise you’d see the beauty in it,” Jessica smiled at him, before getting out of the car, grabbing her camera and standing about four feet in front of the tree. She bent down, and was sitting on her right knee, her left knee bent up, holding her left elbow as she position the camera just right before she began to click away.
After what seemed to be five or so clicks, she changed her angle, and began to snap pictures again. She let out a content sigh when she felt she was done, she smiled and stood, in the process of standing, she almost fell. Max moved so quick, it was almost as though you didn’t see him, grabbing her just before she hit the ground. Jessica let out a squeal, as she fell, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
“Be careful, Ducky, there is only one of you out there,” Max smiled, setting her up right. “Now let me see these pictures!”
Jessica laughed, handing over her camera. “I’m assuming you know how to work one of these, and be careful, that camera is pretty much my life,” Jessie smiled at Max.
Max nodded, and thumbed through the pictures, ohhing and awhhing. “Jess, these are amazing!”
“But Max! I thought it was just a dead tree!” Jessica laughed out, sarcastically.
“Shuddup, Jessie.”
“Whatever you say, Maxie,” Jessica grinned.
Wednesday
Today was the first day since Jessica and Max met that they would be spending the day together. Wearing just some brightly colored skinny jeans, a white tank top, flip flops, and her favorite messenger beg, she climbed into Ayden’s car.
“Jessie, can I call you that, or is it too soon?” Ayden asked, softly.
“Yeah, you can call me that,” Jessica smiled, over at Ayden.
“Cool beans, you can call me Den, or Dee, whichever,” Ayden laughed. “So, today, we are going shopping, on Friday, we’re having a get together, and you have an amazing sense of style, so I want you to help me find something to wear,” Ayden gushed.
“Of course, I love to shop, and it’ll be the first time for me shopping out here,” Jessica giggled.
“You’re in for a treat, my dear!” Ayden yelled out. “Here, I heard you took a liking to Escape the Fate, so I shuffled around and put together a CD for you,” Ayden smiled, pushing the CD into the console thing.
A thundering of instruments sounded from the speakers, Ronnie’s voice followed soon after, sending vibrant chills down Jessica’s spine. “They are so good!” Jessica whined.
“Oh, I know. I heard you keep hounding Max to open his horizons, maybe with all the girls plus you, we could actually do it,” Ayden ginned.
They spent the rest of the day terrorizing the almost never silent city of Las Vegas, and talking about clothes.
Thursday
Today everyone was gonna hang out, they were going to just walk around the streets of Vegas. Jessica was walking next to Max, and behind Ayden, wearing short, almost olive green, shorts. A darker than cream colored shirt, with a pinkish looking tank top under it, with converse, and sunglasses shading her eyes. Her Puma drawstring bag, hanging loosely from her shoulders. Everyone in the group was carrying on quiet conversations, trying not to disturb people walking by.
It wasn’t long before they found themselves being seated at a diner, getting ready to order foods to please their grumbling stomachs. Everyone decided to get something different, and then they’d all share, this being Jessica’s idea, as it was something she’d used to do with her friends in Illinois.
Her phone started buzzing, Marie flashed on the screen, after ignoring her calls for almost a week, she decided she’d actually pick it up. “I have to take it, I’ll be back guys,” she excused herself, answering the phone. “Yeah?”
“Why the hell have you not been answering your fucking phone?!” Ann Marie seethed.
“I had better things to do?” Jessica shrugged her shoulders, even Marie couldn’t see it.
“Yeah, like what?” Marie growled. “If I remember correctly, you’re a social hermit.”
“Ducky, we’re gonna get yours to go, okay? We have to pick up shit for the party tomorrow,” Max called, before going back inside, after Jessica nodded.
“Things change, Ann Marie,” Jessica finally snapped back.
“So you’re completely forgetting about me, because of a boy, Ducky?” Marie spat her new nickname.
“No, I decided to take your advice, I went out, got drunk, and made a new group of friends! They are absolutely amazing, too, by the way,” Jessie gushed. “Now, I have to go, talk to you later!” Jessica snickered, hanging up the phone. It was then that Jessica knew that she would never be the same.
“Fine, I’ll be ready in a half hour!” Jessica laughed hanging up the phone.
Max kept his promise, and on Sunday came and picked up Jessica taking her to meet his band, and a few others. Which was a great ego booster to Jessica, she was in a new scene, with new friends, finally, and now she honestly had a new perspective on life.
She shuffled through her bags, trying to her find her bathing suit, Max informed her that they were all going to swim. She was nervous, to say the least, she had only met Ronnie, Craig, Robert, Omar, Bryan, and their girlfriends the day before. But she wanted to break out of this mold that had grown around her, and this was the perfect chance. She finally found her blue bathing suit and situated it on her body, before pulling on some short, and a green tank top. Rolling up a towel and shoving it into her beach bag, along with her cell phone, she set it aside. Moving in front of her full length mirror that was placed on the closet door in her bedroom, she pulled a hair tie that was on her wrist off, flipping her hair and pulling it into a messy pony tail. Placing sunglasses on the top of her head, she slipped on some flip flops and grabbed her bag just in time to hear a horn honk outside, singling that he was outside, waiting for her.
Max, being the impatient person he is, honked the horn at least ten more times before Jessica finally made her way outside. She opened the passenger door and threw her stuff in the back, before sliding into the seat.
“Took you long enough!” Max huffed, laughing when she lightly slapped his arm.
“Shut up, Max!” Jessie whined.
“Sure, Ducky, but it’s because you make an adorable face when you whine,” Max smiled, causing Jessica to blush, and giggle as Max started to drive.
Jessica quickly changed the subject, even though she was used to the slightly but constant flirting between the two, she wasn’t ready for a relationship that involved romance. “So your band, how come I haven’t ever heard of you guys?”
“We’re kinda new on the scene, we’ve only played shows on the west coast and all over Nevada, in this general area, we have yet to venture out of the comfort zone,” Max replied, keeping his eyes on the road.
“Oh, I’d like to hear you guys soon. What do you do?” Jess stared at Max waiting for a response.
“Of course, you can come to band practice tomorrow,” Max smiled. “I play bass, and sometimes, I do a little of the screaming here and there, y’know?”
“Sounds interesting. I’ll have to take you with me when I do some photography someday, then, to…repay you,” Jessica nodded, bringing her hand up to move her bangs gently.
“Sounds awesome,” Max quickly looked over to Jessie, before pulling into a somewhat nice looking house. “We’re here! Oh, this is Robert’s house by the way,” Max smiled.
“Okay, I’m gonna need to be reminded of their names, again. I’m just awful with names,” Jessica mumbled, blushing a bit.
“You seem to remember mine fine,” Max grinned, waiting for Jessie to join him on the sidewalk.
“Well, that’s different…now drop it,” Jessica smiled, a very light pink tint still gracing her cheek bones.
“Fine, fine, Miss Pushypants. Now, come on, it’s warm and I wanna get wet!” Max exclaimed, pulling Jessie by the wrist towards the front door.
Without knocking, Max walked into the house, Jessica was about to say something but Max informed her that he pretty much lived at their house, and that their was no point in him knocking. When they first walked in, everyone was seated in the living room, simply kicking it. Talking and nonsense, but stopped when Max announced his presence to the group.
“Robert and Ivee,” Max pointed at them, first before continuing down the line. “Ronnie and Nikole, Bryan and Haylee, Craig and Ayden, Omar and Kaycee.”
“Okay, I think I got it. Test me later, mkay?” Jessica smiled shyly.
“I will, don’t worry about it, Jess,” Max nodded, grabbing Jessica’s hand. “Now, come on! I want to fucking swim!” Max yelled, pulling Jessica, once again, outside to the pool, where he let go of her hand and jumped into the pool.
Tuesday
Jessica trampled over boxes trying to find one of her favorite blue tops, when she finally found it she threw it on the bed next to her shoes, now trying to find her white skinny jeans. At this point she decided that she needed to take a day to herself and unpack everything. When she found her jeans, she slipped them on with ease, and then walked to her bed in her bra and jeans, throwing the shirt of her head. She, then, went to get her camera, and laid it on the bed and her bag. She walked through the small apartment, to the bathroom where she checked her flat iron, making sure it was warm enough. Picking up the hot utensil, she combed it through her hair, section by section, leaving a straight product after the steam had touched it. Walking back into her room, she pulled on white socks, and slipped her converse on and tied them up. She placed her phone and camera in her bag, placed the bag over her shoulder, checked her appearance one last time, before walking out of her apartment and down the stairs to the street below, waiting for Max to show up.
· · ·
“Max, you guys are amazing! I’m sure so many labels would sign you if you just got out there!” Jessica couldn’t help but yell, as they made their way back to his car so they could go somewhere for Jessica to take photos.
“Awh, you’re so sweet Jessie, but like I said, it’s the whole comfort zone thing,” Max mumbled.
“I don’t think you understand, Maxie. I’m pretty sure you could rule the world if you came out of your comfort zone. I mean, look at me, I’m almost out of my comfort zone, and I feel a lot better about myself,” Jessica smiled, she was so close to shedding her shy shell, it was such an amazing feeling.
“I’ve noticed that, Ducky,” Jessie felt a tingle in her tummy when he called her Ducky. “I’m proud of you, aren’t you and Ayden going shopping tomorrow?” Ayden had taken quite the liking to Jessica, Jessica didn’t really understand, she felt like was stand offish during the get together the day before, but somehow Ayden saw through the mask.
“Yeah, I’m really excited. She’s awesome,” Jessica smiled, and all fell silent for a while and it wasn’t a bad silence, it was comfortable. Max and Jessica just enjoying the other’s company, they had easily become the best of friends since they met Saturday night, and spent all day Sunday getting to know each other, as well as Max introducing her to new people.
“Max, right there!” Jessica pointed out the window. “I wanna take pictures right there.”
“Jess, that tree is dead…” Max trailed off.
“You’re obviously not that artistic, otherwise you’d see the beauty in it,” Jessica smiled at him, before getting out of the car, grabbing her camera and standing about four feet in front of the tree. She bent down, and was sitting on her right knee, her left knee bent up, holding her left elbow as she position the camera just right before she began to click away.
After what seemed to be five or so clicks, she changed her angle, and began to snap pictures again. She let out a content sigh when she felt she was done, she smiled and stood, in the process of standing, she almost fell. Max moved so quick, it was almost as though you didn’t see him, grabbing her just before she hit the ground. Jessica let out a squeal, as she fell, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
“Be careful, Ducky, there is only one of you out there,” Max smiled, setting her up right. “Now let me see these pictures!”
Jessica laughed, handing over her camera. “I’m assuming you know how to work one of these, and be careful, that camera is pretty much my life,” Jessie smiled at Max.
Max nodded, and thumbed through the pictures, ohhing and awhhing. “Jess, these are amazing!”
“But Max! I thought it was just a dead tree!” Jessica laughed out, sarcastically.
“Shuddup, Jessie.”
“Whatever you say, Maxie,” Jessica grinned.
Wednesday
Today was the first day since Jessica and Max met that they would be spending the day together. Wearing just some brightly colored skinny jeans, a white tank top, flip flops, and her favorite messenger beg, she climbed into Ayden’s car.
“Jessie, can I call you that, or is it too soon?” Ayden asked, softly.
“Yeah, you can call me that,” Jessica smiled, over at Ayden.
“Cool beans, you can call me Den, or Dee, whichever,” Ayden laughed. “So, today, we are going shopping, on Friday, we’re having a get together, and you have an amazing sense of style, so I want you to help me find something to wear,” Ayden gushed.
“Of course, I love to shop, and it’ll be the first time for me shopping out here,” Jessica giggled.
“You’re in for a treat, my dear!” Ayden yelled out. “Here, I heard you took a liking to Escape the Fate, so I shuffled around and put together a CD for you,” Ayden smiled, pushing the CD into the console thing.
A thundering of instruments sounded from the speakers, Ronnie’s voice followed soon after, sending vibrant chills down Jessica’s spine. “They are so good!” Jessica whined.
“Oh, I know. I heard you keep hounding Max to open his horizons, maybe with all the girls plus you, we could actually do it,” Ayden ginned.
They spent the rest of the day terrorizing the almost never silent city of Las Vegas, and talking about clothes.
Thursday
Today everyone was gonna hang out, they were going to just walk around the streets of Vegas. Jessica was walking next to Max, and behind Ayden, wearing short, almost olive green, shorts. A darker than cream colored shirt, with a pinkish looking tank top under it, with converse, and sunglasses shading her eyes. Her Puma drawstring bag, hanging loosely from her shoulders. Everyone in the group was carrying on quiet conversations, trying not to disturb people walking by.
It wasn’t long before they found themselves being seated at a diner, getting ready to order foods to please their grumbling stomachs. Everyone decided to get something different, and then they’d all share, this being Jessica’s idea, as it was something she’d used to do with her friends in Illinois.
Her phone started buzzing, Marie flashed on the screen, after ignoring her calls for almost a week, she decided she’d actually pick it up. “I have to take it, I’ll be back guys,” she excused herself, answering the phone. “Yeah?”
“Why the hell have you not been answering your fucking phone?!” Ann Marie seethed.
“I had better things to do?” Jessica shrugged her shoulders, even Marie couldn’t see it.
“Yeah, like what?” Marie growled. “If I remember correctly, you’re a social hermit.”
“Ducky, we’re gonna get yours to go, okay? We have to pick up shit for the party tomorrow,” Max called, before going back inside, after Jessica nodded.
“Things change, Ann Marie,” Jessica finally snapped back.
“So you’re completely forgetting about me, because of a boy, Ducky?” Marie spat her new nickname.
“No, I decided to take your advice, I went out, got drunk, and made a new group of friends! They are absolutely amazing, too, by the way,” Jessie gushed. “Now, I have to go, talk to you later!” Jessica snickered, hanging up the phone. It was then that Jessica knew that she would never be the same.