Lie Like You Mean It

Fucking worthless. Eight inches of snow. It was possibly the worst time for it too.

“Nicolas. Come on, we’ll be late.” Mom called to me. I rolled my eyes. As if I wanted to go anywhere; I wanted to lock myself up in my room and play video games. There wasn’t anything wrong with that, was there? Besides, I was tired and my mood was acidic. I couldn’t understand why the woman would want to be anywhere near me.

I shoved the ear buds of my mp3 player into my ear and blasted a song by Thirteen. Heavy metal calmed me. Or death metal; I wasn’t picky about genre names. As long as it was loud and was obviously scream-filled. Mom thought it should have the opposite effect and enrage me. As for Dad; he was a complete metal head. His best friend was a tattoo artist downtown and did most of my dad’s for him. At a discount of course. He had Anya labeled on his right shoulder over a star instead of a heart because Mom argued that was terribly clichéd. My name was just below hers with a vine of thorns wrapping around it. He liked that I was a son since he didn’t have to get something girly tattooed there in its place.
After a few seconds of the song, I ripped the headphones from my ear as mom started to speak again. Probably saying something along the lines of, ‘Turn that down, I can hear it all the way over here.’ I’m surprised she hasn’t learned all the lines to the songs since I play it so loud all the time.

“What’s wrong, Shrimp? Not coming to my gig?” Dad asked from behind me, instantly wrapping his arm around my neck in a headlock.

God, my dad was a hulking giant compared to me. I hated that I was so incredibly short. Dad teased me all the time since I was so tiny. I suppose I took after Mom in the height area since I obviously didn’t take after Dad. In fact, people didn’t believe I was my father’s son at all. Since I was like a mini-version of my mom. Unruly black hair framed my face. But I had the strangest eyes I’d ever seen. One was a light cinnamon brown and the other was a light green. The green eye was virtually the only thing my father and I shared – considering outer appearances anyways.

I supposed if you talked to me, you’d be able to tell I was my dad’s son. Dad had the heart of a rocker, and so did I. The difference was – I didn’t have to talent for it so I listened.

But, Jesus was I shy. I hated attention, I truly did. That’s what was going to make the next few weeks difficult for me. What did you expect? New kids have the tendency to attract some form of attention from their new peers. Mom was really the bread-winner in the family so when she was dismissed (I say dismissed because she wasn’t actually fired, they just had a lack of income and couldn’t pay the employees anymore) when had to move to Michigan. All the way at the very tip of the state too, at the coldest possible climate.

It wasn’t like we had to move, but one of Dad’s bandmates were moving to Australia. And his son and daughter were staying with us – as a favor to him. I never met Dad’s bandmates outside of his gigs (which were always local bars and outdoor get-togethers) so I didn’t know the guy’s kids.

Dad and the rest of the band had agreed to get together for the first time in a long time in their hometown as a type of nostalgia.

So the things happened like this: Mom lost her job, Dad gets a phone call from an old bandmate saying he’s moving to Australia, but then there’s a catch; he wants his kids to keep going to their high school. Talk about perfect timing; just as Mom lost her job, so we were available to move. So we moved to Michigan to Dad’s hometown for a reunion/parting (can you say oxymoron?) gig before meeting my new housemates (I say housemates because at this point, I don’t know what else to call them).

“Now don’t be being a punk to them.” Dad told me once we were in the car. I scowled at him. But he caught me in the mirror. “Don’t give me that face Nicolas. I know you’re gonna be a punk anyways.“ He grinned at me in the rearview mirror. I rolled my eyes at him playfully.

By ‘punk’ he meant that I would probably ignore them. I wasn’t ignoring them – I was just impossibly shy. Maybe if things go alright, I’ll be left out of the mayhem that is having siblings. If that’s what you’d like to call it. Though I preferred the term, semi-permanent houseguests. Yeah, it was a lengthy title, but it got the point across. But the fact still stood that it had been decided that I was going to share a room with the son.

“Don’t pout, Sweetie, I heard that Zero is in the same grade as you.” Mom said, twisting in her seat to face me. “So is Mina. I think Cole said they were twins, right?”

“Yep, fraternal twins.” Dad answered, keeping his eyes on the road.

“Wait, his name’s Zero? That’s a fucking number. Not a name.” I let my volatile side get the best of me and even swore in front of Mom. Dad was okay with my cussing, in fact, he encouraged it. Mom wasn’t so fond of the thought of her only son becoming an adult and using those oh-so-scary words around her.

“Nicolas!”

“Well, it’s true.“ I stated, maybe to matter-of-factly for my mom.

“Anya, the boy’s seventeen – let him swear if he wants.” Dad said as he turned into the parking lot for the bar he was playing at. She sighed in defeat, letting this one go.

My dad gave my mom a quick peck on the cheek and heading off to where the band was setting up on stage. I stood in the bar, still shivering from the cold. I admit, I had a very low tolerance for the cold.

“Damn, you’re short.” Someone from behind me called. I was fairly sure it was me they were referring to since I was only around five foot three or so. I turned to face a guy that was almost a foot taller than me, but around my age. Dark hair cascaded around his face unevenly and choppily as it was parted down the right side. “Nicolas, right?”

He held out a hand, but I ended up stumbling backwards, blushing. Damn my shyness. In the darkness of the bar, I could barely make out his hazel eyes. “Man, don’t be such a wimp. It’s just a handshake.” He said. I bit my lip at him.

“Shut up Zero. Not everyone’s as outgoing as you.” To my surprise, there had been a girl behind his tall, lanky frame. “I’m Mina, and this is my brother, Zero. Don’t mind him, he’s a pest sometimes.”

I just nodded to her, suddenly feeling even tinier than I was – if that was possible. She had blond hair and the same hazel eyes as her twin. He must have dyed his hair then. “Between you and me, he doesn’t really like much of anyone.”

Great. He sounds like a fun person. But I didn’t dare voice those thoughts. Something dangerous in his eyes warned me not to.

“You say that as if I can’t hear you.” He mumbled and then stalked away.

“He’s moody too.” She grinned playfully at him as he walked off. She seemed nice enough, but part of me wanted to talk to her brother.

She led me over to one of the barstools. The actual bar itself was closed since there’d be minors in its presence. “Sorry my dad’s kinda forcing this on you guys.” She started. “It’s just, he doesn’t want us to have to reinvent ourselves when we only have a few years of high school left.”

I just nodded and then looked around for my mom since Dad was already singing onstage singing a Thirteen song that I’d asked him to learn for me. But his voice was deeper than the lead singer’s so it came off a little different but it was still good nonetheless.

“So, how old are you?” She asked. I didn’t meet her eyes and instead played with my hands.
“Seventeen.” I answered. Why was it that I was looking for her brother? It must have been because it seemed like he’d be more interested in the things I like more than her.

“Oh good, you two found each other.” Mom’s voice pulled my face to her. I jumped off the stool to walk over to her, hoping to get out of the air of awkwardness encircling us. I shivered again from a gust of cold air and then pulled the scarf around my neck a little tighter to my skin.

“Yeah, Nick here is quite the talker.” She said in a playful sarcasm. But I still scowled at the nickname. I much better preferred my full name. I don’t know why, but I was never very fond of ‘Nick’.

“It’s Nicolas.” I corrected her. Mina smiled at me in a sisterly way.

Mom and Mina went on to talk to each other while I took the chance to escape, retreating outside since one of the amps were squealing uncontrollably. I’d come back in when they fixed it.

I shuddered at the cold and wrapped my arms around myself. Fuck the winter, I hated it. I could still just barely hear the screeching from inside the bar. I walked around the corner to get away from it and ran right into an amorphous bundle of black.

“S… Sorry…” I whispered as I slowly looked up to see Zero standing in front of me. Then I frowned at the cigarette in his hand. What can I say; I’m as innocent as they come when it comes to smoking and drinking.

“You got a problem with this?” He asked harshly, referring to the lit cigarette in his hand. I flinched slightly but nodded at him. Then I realized I was still on the ground and lifted myself up to my feet. I still only came up to his chest. “Fuck, you’re tiny.” He said, taking another drag of the cigarette in his hand. I looked away, knowing it was the truth.

I shoved my hands into my pockets in attempts to keep them warm. I bit my lip as he threw the cigarette on the ground and stomped on it. “Guess you won’t have to worry about that. Promised my old man I’d stop while I was here.”

“Th-that’s good.” I mumbled through chattering teeth. “S-smoking’s a t-terrible ha-habit.“

“Yeah… I guess so.” He said before turning the corner and brushing past me, letting himself back into the building.

“Hey, Zero told me you were out here, Shrimp.” Dad’s voice rang through the winter air not too much later after Zero. “I thought you hated the cold.”

“Your amp was hurting my ears.” I stated matter-of-factly.

“Yeah, yeah, well, it’s fixed so get back in there.” He ushered me back over to where my mom and Mina were sitting, still chatting as they had been before I left. But now Zero had joined them. He had his eyes closed while they spoke – like he was thinking about something. Then again, I supposed he could be asleep while he was standing up.

He must’ve felt like he was being pushed into this whole thing by his parents – like me.

“Lighten up, Zero. I’m sure you and Nicolas will be good friends.” I perked up at the sound of my name being used by none other than Mina, who was still perched up on the bar stool.

“Mmm…” He mumbled, letting it seem like he agreed with her. But he probably didn’t, it wasn’t like I was such a fun person to be around.

Mom’s eyes trailed away from Mina and landed on the stage where Dad and the rest of his band were packing up and saying their goodbyes to Zero and Mina’s father.

The night was planned so that their dad would be leaving right after the concert, so I supposed Mina and Zero had brought their suitcases with them.

“Alright you guys, time to go. We’ll load up your stuff while you say goodbye.” Mom said ushering my father and I out to the car, where we transferred luggage from the beat up van Zero’s father drove to our SUV.

I caught a glimpse of the twins standing by the exit with their father. Mina was wiping tears from her eyes and Zero just… stood there. Indifference was plastered on his pale face as his dad placed a goodbye kiss on each of their heads and gave them a hug goodbye.

I wondered what could’ve possessed a father to leave his kids like that. My mom comforted Mina by cradling her in her arms; Mina was obviously the most upset here.