You're Feeling Numb, from All That Has Become, It Leaves Your Gums, Slips Down Your Tongue and Travels Fast Down Towards Your Lungs

I was following my grandmother around the large grocery store known as Costco. She was going on and on about some salad she was supposed to be making or something of the nature, but I was hardly paying attention. I continued to trail behind her, thinking to myself. This was supposed to be My day for my birthday that was in three days. I was turning seventeen this year. Most people would be excited but I could care less, honestly I didn't want to make a big deal about it. We had already gone to Micheal's Craft Store and she bought me some new colored pencils for my birthday. You see I like to draw in my spare time so they weren't ordinary pencils, they were quite pricey actually. We also went to a small BBQ restraunt where we ate pulled pork sandwhiches, that was the most I had eaten all week. I wasn't paying attention when I accidently bumbed into some guy holding a big microphone, standing nex to another guy holding a camera on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry" I muttered out, about to catch up with my grandmother who hadn't even noticed that I was no longer following her as she babbled on to herself. The guy whom I had bumbed into was looking at me, taking in my appearence I am assuming. I was wearing black skinny jeans, an Avenged Sevenfold band-tee and black vans. Before I could walk away he asked me, "Do you listen to Escape the Fate?" I was baffled as to why he would ask me that. Of course I love them, they are awesome. "Yeah , they're one of my favorites, why?" He ignored my question and asked "Can you sing?" Now he was really confusing me, but I felt bad for bumping into him,so I just went along and answered his question. "Um I like to sing, but I dunno if I'm good at it?" I said. He looked at the guy with the camera and nodded at him. "Would you like to participate in a little contest we are holding?" "Um what do I have to do exactly?" I asked a little unsure. He smiled " All you have to do is sing the song Situations by Escape the Fate, we'll play the background music and give you the lyrics all you have to do is walk around the store while your singing and make sure to look towards the camera." I thought about it for a minute. "Will this be on TV?" he frowned. "Sadly, no we need the video to show the 'judges' " He said smiling. I normally would never do this sort of thing. I hated drawing attention to myself, I was perfectly fine with being invisible, it was harder to get hurt that way. However, today I was in a spontanious mood, and anything to get away from my boring grandma for a little while; besides I had that song stuck in my head all day. The guy waited anxiously for me to reply. "Sure, why not? But hold up a sec. I gotta go tell my grandma before she notices that shes been talking to herself for the past five minutes" He laughed a little and waved me off. I told my grandma that I was participating in a contest and told her I'd catch up with her in a while at the cash register.

I walked back over to the camera guy whom I learned to be named Steven and his camera man John. Steven handed me the microphone and lyrics and then he went over and pulled a remote out of his bag pressing some buttons. He looked towards me and asked "Ready?" I nodded "on the count of three .....3.....2......1.....sing" He said as he turned the music on and he gestured for me to follow John. I began singing stressing some of the words like Ronnie did in the song.

Situations are irrelevant now.
She loves the way that I tease,
I love the way that she breathes

I touched her ooh, she touched my ahhh, it was the craziest thing.
I love the girls who hate to love because they're just like me.
A certain girl she took my hand and ran it up her thigh.
She licked her lips and pulled my hair, I fall in love for a night

I started getting really into the song dancing a little, following John down the aisle as some people looked at me like I had some kind of disease while the younger teenage shoppers clapped and smiled.

She can't behave and I'm just a slave,
don’t worry I'll be gone when the morning comes.

Darling what is going on?
Honestly that never happened
Lying is your favorite passion.
Leave me, go where you belong
Higher heels and lipstick napkins
dying is your latest fashion.

The frustration it's a regular thing
I hate the ones who love to hate because they're just like me.
A certain girl she took her hand and put it in my lap
"It's way too full," she said
"Once you have me you'll always come back."

She can't behave and I'm just a slave,
don’t worry I'll be gone when the morning comes.

Darling what is going on?
Honestly that never happened
Lying is your favorite passion.
Leave me, go where you belong
Higher heels and lipstick napkins
dying is your latest fashion.

Suddenly the bass sounded louder for some reason and then I saw the famous Max Green round the corner playing bass. My face lit up and I thought I was going to faint. I looked to steven whom stood next to John and he signaled with his hands for me to continue and I did as he said. I glanced at Max's face and he seemed surpirsed, maybe because I hadn't pumbled him like most fans would do, but I knew he wouldn't like that so I just let it go and continued getting into the song, I was truly having fun and the smile on my face was genuine for the first time in what seems like forever.

I know you love to resist
and all it takes is a kiss
and you just love to hate me.

You know you love all the lies
so don’t act surprised
that I just love to hate you.

I kissed your lips you pulled my hair it was the craziest thing.
I love the girls who love to hate. [Breathing]

(Whoa) Darling what is going on?
Honestly that never happened
Lying is your favorite passion.
Leave me, go where you belong
Higher heels and lipstick napkins,
dying is your latest fashion

Darling (leave me) what is going on?
Honestly that never happened
Lying is your favorite passion
Leave me (darling) go where you belong
Higher heels and lipstick napkins,
dying is your favorite passion

I finished and John shut off the camera. By the time I had finished we were in the middle of the store and many people were clapping and shouting praise at me, including Steven, John, and even Max was clapping. Some of the teenagers in the store caught site of Max and trampled over to him and I felt bad. He was crowded by all these teens and his face looked distressed, so I thought of a plan on the spot. I walked over to the growing group of crazed fans and shouted "Oh My God! Look it's Craig Mabbit" They all looked around frantically as I grabbed Max's wrist and dragged him away from the group sneeking down and hiding in a random aisle. He looked at me with a questioning look. "What?" I asked. "Why did you do that? I mean I thank you for that, but why aren't you attacking me like the rest of the crazed fans?" "Who said I was a fan?" I asked. His face fell. I laughed "Kidding I love your band" he still looked at me with confusion in his eyes. "I'm sure you get enough people attacking you, you're a person and have feelings too, I am sure." I said calmly. "Wow' was all he said. I looked up the tall sturdy shelves that stored huge boxes and glance at a spot where a box had surely just been moved and climbed up a ladder that said staff only on it, but I didn't care. Max watched me and when I was halfways up he asked "What are you doing?" curiousity sounding in his voice."Hm well let me think" I said putting a finger to my chin, and continued "Well there is a group of at least twenty crazed teenage fangirls that will probably kill me for 'stealing' you from them" I laughed "So Imma hide up here till the coast is clear. ANd I really don't wanna face my grandmother right now, she's probably pissed for the song i just sang, she's from the south where everything has to be proper and I really don't think she thought that was proper for a young lady like myself to be singing" I laughed as I climbed the rest of the way. He chuckled and followed me up the ladder. "And what do you think you're doing?" i questioned with a smirk. "There are at least twenty crazed teenage fangirls" he mimicked me and continued" who will attack me, and they're probably pissed cause they found out that Craig's not here" he chuckled as he reached the top where I was seated resting my back against side of some other box. He sat next to me. "I'm sorry but I never did catch your name" he said "My name's Elli Mae, but most people just call me Elli" "Cool name" he replied. "thanks.." I looked at him and pouted in mock sadness. "what?" He asked a little concerned. "You're not gonna tell me your name?" I asked a smile tugging at the side of my lips. He looked at me like I was crazy. I bursted out laughing. "Kidding..." I said between laughing. He shoved me lightly and mock pouted. "Aww did I make you cry?" I said in a baby voice. He went along with it and pretended to wipe his eyes and sniffed. I laughed. "You're cruel!" "why?" I asked "Because you laugh when you make people cry" I frowned "I'm sorry" I said and he smiled. We were talking when we were interupted by '~We will fight (we will fight) Or we will fall (we will fall) Till the angels save us all' sang my ringtone. I groaned and mumbled "Damn..." "You don't have an ETF ringtone?" He pouted. "Situations is my text ringer, but I change my tones almost constantly."

I chuckled and then sighed answering the phone. "Hello?" I asked. "ELLI MAE!! WHERE ARE YOU AND WHAT WAS THAT SONG YOU WERE SINGING?!?! I AM VERY DISAPOINTED IN YOU MISSY!!!" "UHM LAST TIME I CHECKED YOU WEREN'T MY MOTHER AND I CAN SING WHATEVER I WANT!!" I retort I looked at Max and he seemed amused. "HOW DARE YOU YELL AT YOUR ELDER LIKE THAT!!!!YOU KNOW IF I DID THAT AT YOUR AGE I WOULD GET SLAPPED!!" "I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY AND SLAP ME!!!" Max's eyes went wide and he leaned in straining his ears to here what my granmother was saying, which wasn't hard since she was yelling so damned loud. "THAT'S IT YOUNG LADY MEET ME AT THE CAR RIGHT NOW YOU ARE GROUNDED, I CAN'T BELIEV YOU HAVE EMBARRESSED ME SO MUCH!!!" "OH WOW I'M JUST AN EMBARASSEMENT TO YOU! WOW LOVE YOU TOO GRANDMA. AND SORRY TO TELL YOU BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THE ATHORITY TO GROUND ME!!!" "OH YES I DO!!! I WILL TELL YOUR DAD TO GROUND YOU!!" I love how she didn't even respond or deny that I was just an embarrassement to her. "OH YEAH MY DAD IS TOTALLY GONNA GROUND ME FOR SINGING THE KIND OF MUSIC THAT HE LISTENS TO!!" "GET YOUR ASS TO THE CAR RIGHT NOW!!" she screamed into the phone. I held the phone away from my mouth and giggled, and said to myself "Miss old-fashion-proper said 'ass' " Max half laughed at that, but was still shocked at my conversation. "I'M SORRY GRANDMOTHER BUT I REFUSE TO GET IN A CAR WITH YOU!! I'LL WALK HOME IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES!!-" the line went dead. "she hung up on me" I said and Max stared at me wide eyed. "Me and my grandmother don't see eye to eye." I explained but his look didn't go away. I dialed my dad's number and called him. He answered "Your grandma just called" he stated, but I couldn't figure out his emotion. "Dad she got mad at me because I participated in some singing competition thing and she said what I was singing wasn't proper for a young lady to be singing and that I was an embarressment to her." "How'd you do in the competition" I smirked and this is why I loved my dad. " I did really well, I think, well everyone was clapping at the end so I guess I did a good job." "Awesome sweetie." "Thanks, uhm so can you pick me up" "Shit, my cars broke I'm working on it right now..." "Is Laura home?" I asked hopefull that my dad's girfriend would be home. "No she's at her friends" my dad said. "shit" I mumbled low enough that my dad would not hear. "Do you need a ride?Cause I could give you one." "Hold on one sec Dad" I said into the phone. "What are you sure? No I couldn't possibly ask that of you. Besides I live up in Hangtown about a half hour a way from here." I said. " I owe you, you saved my life" he exagerated. "And I have to meet the band up in Tahoe tommorow for a cd signing I was planning on going up the mountain a little bit and findin' a hotel in one of the towns to crash for the night. And I'm not done talking to you." I smiled "Are you sure?" I asked reluctantly "I don't wanna be a burden. "Like I said, I'm not done talking to you" "Thank you" I gave him a quick hug, like a friend would do to another friend. I picked up the phone. "Dad?" 'Yeah sweetie?" He questioned. "I met a friend here and they said that they could drive me home, they're headed that way anyways." "I don't know sweetie, are you sure you can trust them I mean you just meet them?" "No they're totally trustable" I assured him. "Alright..." He said reluctantly. "Call if you need anything" "Thanks dad will do" I made it a point not to let my dad know that my 'friend' was a guy. "How come you didn't tell him I was a guy" "Are you kidding me, he'd freak" I said chuckling to myself. "Overprotective?" Max questioned. "Very' I said. "but he's cool, he let's me do pretty much whatever I want to do." I said "That's cool, what about your mom?" he questioned "She can be quite the bitch, I live with her in the bay area, but I'm staying at my dad's for a few days." I answered truthfully. "Wow, I see the love" "Don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but she just gets on my nerves and always takes her stress out on me by being all bitchy to me." I said "Oh..You wanna go now?" He questioned. "Hmm.. do you think the coast is clear?" I asked and he smirked and said. "I dunno, I'll just sacrifice you and throw you out there, scream if they're out there so I know not to come down yet." My brows furrowed as I stared at him in disbelief. He laughed "Jeez I was only kidding" I pouted, "Fuck that, I'm throwing you to the sharks-I mean fangirls" I laughed at his mock hurt expression. "Come on" he said climbing down the ladder. When he got to the bottom he jumped down, cause there was a slight gap between the beginning of the ladder and the floor. I got to the beginning of the ladder and he helped me down "Thanks" I mumbled. We snuck to the end of the aisle and looked both ways, everything seemed normal but just to be careful we snuck over towards Steven and John. Max started having a conversation with them, but I wasn't paying attention, because I was on lookout for the crazed fangirls. I spotted them and they started walking our way but luckily they turned down another aisle on a false lead. I sighed in relief and max came up to me. "Ready to go" I nodded and he headed towards the door, but I pulled him though some aisles instead of going out in the open. he looked at me wondering. "Your fangirls are over there" I answered his unsaid question. "Oh thanks" "no problem" We walked out to the parking lot and walked all the way to the end of the long lot to an amazing car it was a Black Mustang and it looked brand new. "Wow" I breathed staring at the car. "You like my baby" He smirked. "Are these even out yet" "Nope" He said a little cocky, but in a cute way, not arogant. He opened the passenger door. "Are you gonna get in, or are you gonna stand there drooling all day." I snapped back to reality and got in the car. he gently closed my door for me and then went around to the drivers door. he stuck the key in the ignition and turned it as the car purred to life.