This Is the World We Left for Dreamers and Believers

IMPORTANT!
In the main description it says set in June of ‘08 I want to change this. Its set in 2009- June. Not to fast forward time or anything but me personally I want Winter over and done with. It’s been cold for far too long. Hmph.
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Plink, plink plink
I sat up my bed, half asleep starring at the window.
Plink. Plink, plink.
My heart started to pound. I slid out of bed and walked over to the window. I could just barely make out three tall, lanky shapes on my lawn, one with their arm above their head about to throw another rock at my window. I quickly shoved the curtain aside and opened the window.

“What the hell?” I said, staring down at the boys. I didn’t need light to know I’d yet again been graced with the presence of The Maine boys.

Hey it’s John, Pat and Jared. Let us in?” I quickly identified the speaker as none other than Jared.

“Don’t you have your own homes?”

“None that don’t have parents unlike you.” I sighed and closed the window and grabbed my jacket off the back of my computer chair. Something tells me once your friends with these guys that your friends forever. Fuck me unconscious. I opened the door and stared at them, John was being supported by Jared and Pat. I stepped aside letting them in.

“What the hell?” I asked when they finally got him settled on the couch.

“Party.” Pat said shrugging as if it was nothing.

“John REALLY likes to party. Mind if we crash here tonight?” Jared asked, his eyes almost pleading with mine.

“No. I let you into my empty house at 2:30 after you scared the living hell out of me just to throw you and your very inebriated friends back onto the street. Be serious.” He laughed.

“Where?” Pat asked looking around. I pointed to the living room and went to a box, dumping the air bags on the floor.

“There’s two in each. Have fun.” The two boys groaned. I sighed and pulled the caps off, throwing them in the hall desk drawer and pulling them out. The smell of our old house enveloping me. I pulled the first one; a purple blanket with sequined butterflies on it to my nose. It still smelled of sea salt and Mom’s favorite cinnamon scented candles. I handed them to the guys and watched them both collapse onto the floor shoes and all. I laughed quietly and walked over to them, removing dead weight Pat and Jared’s shoes, moving onto John, he stirred, sitting up just as I slipped off the first white and brown Vans.

“Hi.” He said wiping his eyes.

“Hey. You should go back to sleep. Your still in pretty bad shape.” I said taking off the other one and standing up, I turned my back to him and walked out of the room when John’s voice stopped me.

“Where are Kennedy and Garret?” I walked back in and stared at him.

“Uhm their not here.”

“They were with us. In the car. Go look.” I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. Six days. I’ve known them six days and their already using my living room and I’m retrieving drunken guys from back seats. God they’re lucky their cute. I slid on my shoes and walked out to the black car that sat in my drive way, where indeed both boys sat in the back dead to the world.

“Fuck my life.” I murmured opening the door and tapping them both on the shoulder. They sat up, bleary eyed. “Come on.” I said, staring at them. They both got out, smiling.

“We’re not drunk hun.” Garret clarified noticing my disappointed face. I shrugged playing with the sleeve of my hoodie that read ’Drop Out’ on the front.

“It’s not any of my business what you do. Your grown men. You can make your own decisions….no matter how stupid they are.” I said walking back into the house, the two boys following close behind. I pointed to the living room and walked upstairs. I sank into the bed, the covers jerked over my head.

“Hey Annabel?” I groaned and sat up. Garret was standing in the doorway.

“Hmm?”

“Where can I find a blanket?” He asked smiling, glasses now rested on his nose.

“I didn’t know you wore contacts.” I said smiling and following him downstairs where I pulled out two more blankets, he shrugged.

“I’m cold!” Kennedy whined, staring at me from over the recliner he was in. I smiled shaking my head and threw the ugly camo blanket at him. He made a face and then turned around settling in.

“You can have the black one. I hate that blanket.” I whispered handing him the soft fleece blanket. He chuckled and waved, settling into the loveseat. I shook my head. You think with their ‘fame’ they’d have a hotel or 50 other people they could go to but if course me….why me?
*&*&*&*&*&*
“Annabel!! Wakeeeee up!” I groaned and peeked over the cover. Pat and Jared were both jumping up and down in the doorway.

“What do you two monsters want?!” I asked sitting up.

“Your mommy called, she left a message to call her back.” Jared said dropping the phone on the bed at my feet. I stared at them expectantly. Neither of them budged.

“I can’t call her with you two around. Close my door. No doubt yall are down there destroying my poor house.” Jared laughed and walked away. Pat smiled and shut the door, sticking his tongue out the whole time. I laughed shaking my head. Wow.
>>FF after call. Too lazy to write.

I walked downstairs and looked at the four guys who lounged around my living room. They each had a bowl in their hands, nearly over flowing with milk and Captain Crunch. John walked out of the kitchen with a spatula in his hand.

“Can someone- Oh there you are. You want your eggs scrambled or easy over?”

“Easy.”

“Who’s easy?” Pat asked staring at us, obviously missing out on the whole conversation 30 seconds before.

“John here. Tell him he has a nice ass and pretty eyes and you’ve got yourself one nice little easy fuck.” I said smirking. Everyone laughed except John who was glaring at me.

“You promised to never tell!” He said stomping his foot. I giggled. Giggling? Ugh. I’ve become what I hate.

“I had my fingers crossed. Sorry. Anyway you guys can stay here until next Monday. They’ve decided that they need a vacation. Even though we just drove from Ocala to here and moved in six days before they left. Whatever. I’m chill.” I said huffing and sitting down on the small space of couch that was left.

“Did you just give us permission to have a slumber party in your living room?!” Kennedy asked. I nodded, yelping as five pairs of arms encircled me, it was kinda unpleasant to be honest. Too many bodies.

“Yeah just don’t eat all the food please? They left me a whopping twenty dollars for the week. I could get a pizza and starve the rest of week.”

“Pshh, we got this covered!” Pat said pulling out his wallet and showing me the black MasterCard. I smiled at him.

“Your not gonna have to pay unless of course I go to sleep and wake up and you’ve eaten everything in the house Jared.” Jared looked up guiltily trying to hide the can of Pringles in his hand. He finally stopped and shrugged shoving another of the cheese Pringles in his mouth.

“Hey don’t we have a meeting today?” Garret asked. The rest of the guys stopped talking for a moment and then a series of ‘fucks’ and ‘shit’ rained down upon my poor ears.

“Where’s John at? I’m hungry.”

“I don’t know. He’s probably poisoning your food now.” Garret said. I laughed walking into the kitchen.

“Johnny boy what are you doing?” I asked. He was sitting on the counter, my camera in his hand. He looked up.

“Not talking to you.” He said still looking at the camera.

“Your not gonna kill it are you?” He looked up, his signature half smile replacing the pout.

“I wouldn’t go that far. Maybe crack the screen or erase every picture on here.” My eyes grew wide.

“You wouldn’t!”

“I would. You know what you have to do.” My head dropped.

“I hate you so much right now. All I did for you and your going to make me beg? Ugh. John, dear, I’m sorry. Now return the hostage and no one gets hurt.” He jumped off the counter and stared at me.

“What can you do?” I smiled and walked over to him, he held the camera above his head.

“Well John baby I can’t do much….but there is this.” I said, my hand slowly traced his side, sliding down his leg, my eyes never left his. His breath caught in his throat. His hand came down sitting the camera on the counter. I smiled and grabbed the camera. “And that hun, is called the nervous game. Wow. It’s more fun to play with someone who has no idea what’s going on.” I said skipping back into the living room, leaving him in the kitchen, his mouth hanging open. The guys were staring at me expectantly.
“So, the nervous game? With John? Alone. How was that?” Jared asked smiling.

“Quite fun actually. In my defense. He took my baby. Drastic times call for desperate measures.” I said snapping a picture of the unsuspecting Kennedy. His face scrunched up and then relaxed. It was how we spent most of the day up until John and Garret and tried to make cupcakes for the band meeting and almost burned the house down.

“Are you coming with us?” Pat asked standing in the doorway.

“I didn’t know I was allowed to?”

“Yes! You can come! We’re abusing your living room, can we really deny you a day out?” I shrugged. They all walked out to the van, I was sitting in the floor putting on my shoes when John walked by almost missing me entirely. I can’t be that lucky.

“Whatcha doing?”

“Coming.”

“Who said I was going to drive you anywhere after earlier? That was just cruel.”

“It was funny though. You take my camera, you face the consequences. It’s the way it works. Learn that rules or die.” He smiled, pushing his brown hair out of his face and lending a hand to help me up.

“Thanks. So band meeting? This can’t be good.” I said following him out to the van. He shrugged, his phone in his hand.

“It’s probably nothing. Corporate bull shit. Daray! How nice to see you!” He said climbing into the drivers seat, I climbed in the back where Daray sat nuzzled up to Jared who was smiling widely. A habit he seemed to save only for her.

“Yo John Oh! Move your ass. We have stuff to do here!”

“TMI!” Garret yelled, covering his ears. I smiled.

“Hey.” I said waving. She waved back.

“Thanks for taking them in last night…and the rest of the week. Stupid couch bouncers. All this money and their living in a vandalized van and assorted couches.”

“Hey! I live with my parents!”

“And Justin! Occasionally Pat’s parents house.” She retorted, he stuck his tongue out. The Fray greeted our ears and John’s hand shot for the cup holder. Isn’t driving and txting illegal? This can’t be safe.

“Is anyone watching the busy road?” I asked, watching the line of stopped cars grow ever closer. He dropped the phone taking a sharp right into the building parking lot. I groaned as the van jolted forwards bringing me and the seat belt forward.

“We’re homme!” Garret said climbing out. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. PopTarts are not a good throw up food.

“And this is why Jared usually drives.” Daray said sliding past me and getting out, Jared smiled sympathetically at me following her. Kennedy stood outside the door waiting.

“Best friend you waited!” I yelled jumping down, he laughed.

“I couldn’t leave you! I need you! You complete my life!” He said dramatically. I stared at him a moment before following the rest.

“Kennedy’s passion is to be an actor not your dopey guitar player. Haha!” I said sitting in one of the ugly flowered chairs.

“Totally! And Annabel’s is to let me steal her camera!” Kennedy said grabbing the camera from me.

“Kenny!! No! Give it back!” I whined. Garret and Kennedy studied the pictures occasionally looking at each other.

“Guys you coming?” We looked up at a proffesional guy who was holding a manila folder. It reminded me strangley of the doctors office. We followed, Kennedy and Garret’s head still bent looking at the pictures. 8GB memory card for the win! We walked into a room that had a table with a couple of chairs around it, everyone sat down. Official guy cleared his throat and smiled.

“So guys lets get straight to it. Summer mini tour. Four bands running along the U.S from the first week of July to the last week of August?” There were whoops from the guys. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“What bands?” Daray asked, he pulled a sheet out of the folder and handed her the paper. It made its way around the table, I grabbed the paper from Kennedy and read it. A Rocket To The Moon, The Maine, Racing Kites and Hit The Lights. The line up was amazing. Lucky bastards.

“Dude. Shouldn’t we get like a photographer or something for this little tour?” Garret asked. I was barely paying attention, the only who didn’t catch onto where he was going. I was too busy planning how lonely I could be until Marcus came through with the band.

“You guys are getting pretty big and Pat needs to learn to put the damn Buzznet phone down. I guess. You have anyone in mind?”

“As a matter of fact. Yes. Annabel here is pretty amazing.” I looked up like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Band boy say what?”

“You want to come on tour with us as our photographer?” I stared, speechless.

“Well?” John asked.

“Uhm…hell yeah!” I said, a smile pulled at the corners of my mouth. The official whatever handed me a paper.

“Minor. Get it signed.” I stared at the permission slip. Damn.

“Can we skip this part?”

“Nope. Pat has to get one too.” He said handing the slip to Pat, who groaned.

“I’m 18 man!”

“The company rules not mine.”
“What about Garret?!”

“He’s 19.”

“Fuck.” I laughed and folded up the paper, sticking it in my back pocket. I was buzzing. Tour? As a photographer?! With a band that was big? It was the start of my career. It was my dream. Arizona was a blessing in disguise after all.