Seize the Day

Cadey smiled and waved at Jimmy as she walked away. He grinned back and she swore butterflies were sexing it up in her intestines.

Either that or it was the swig of vodka she had with her breakfast that morning…

She skipped towards the stadium, earning a few weird looks from tailgaters. She spotted a small pond in the opposite direction she was supposed to be going, and started walking towards it before her mind could tell her body otherwise.

She spotted a few ducks lining the edge of the pond, but there was one that stood out to her.

Its feathers were a brilliant shade of white, and it looked like a brand new pair of Converse before worn to a concert and trashed and smudged. It was about twice the side of every other surrounding duck, and for a moment Cadey wondered if it was a goose. But no, she told herself, this was no goose.

It was a stallion duck.

Getting the sudden urge to run after it and scream, ‘He’s not afraid at all!”, Cadey slowly walked in the direction of the duck. It didn’t flinch as she neared it, and for a moment Cadey wondered if by some weird, fucked up chance that she had switched bodies with Jimmy and was somehow back in time. And in California.

She looked down, almost disappointed to see that she was still wearing a marching band uniform and still had boobs. She wasn’t Jimmy.

As she broke into a run screaming, “Fucking stallion duck!”, Cadey realized that she watched way too many Avenged Sevenfold videos.

Way too many.

Sighing in content after her little escapade, Cadey sauntered back in the direction of the band trailers around the back of the stadium. She froze in place when she heard an oh-so-familiar voice.

“Hey, Cade.”

She felt her heart stop, and not in a good way, “Uh, hey, Ben.”

He grinned at her, “Shouldn’t you be marching?”

“Shouldn’t you be in the back of a police car right now?”

He chuckled, almost evilly, and ran his hand up Cadey’s arm. She jerked away.

“They let us off with a warning this time.”

“That’s a load of bullshit,” Cadey scowled. She wondered if any of the Avenged guys were nearby. She wondered if they would hear her if she screamed.

Ben shook his head and grabbed at Cadey’s arm, a bit more forcefully this time, “No. It’s a good thing.”

“He’s right, Cade, it is a good thing. A very good thing.”

Cadey glared, “Fuck you, Brandon.”

Ben neared closer to her, his breath on her neck. Cadey was immediately reminded of all those night in the dorms…

“I believe that’s my job, Cade.”

Cadey snorted, “To fuck Brandon? I always knew you guys were gay for each other.”

Brandon raised his hand to hit Cadey, but Ben stopped him.

“Not yet. Save that for later.”

Brandon smirked, putting his arm back down, “Right. I forgot you said she was a rough one.”

Cadey tried to launch herself at Brandon, but found herself being held back by Ben.

Uh-oh.

“So, tell me, Cade, how long has it been?” Ben breathed in her ear. It was something that used to turn her on, but now it just disgusted her.

“I wouldn’t tell you,” Cadey snarled, her violent side becoming known.

“I forgot how feisty you were,” Ben mumbled against her neck.

Cadey shivered. She was repulsed, and scared. She wanted someone, anyone, to come and save her.

And by someone she meant Jimmy or Zacky.

Maybe even both.

She felt herself being lifted up and fought back, but to no avail. She forgot how strong Ben was.

They seemed to have forgotten a lot of things about each other.

Brandon chuckled, “Didn’t I tell you? Lacey and yourself aren’t safe anymore. Your little friends aren’t either.”

“They aren’t ‘little’! And when they find me they’re gonna kick your ass into next week!” Cadey yelled.

Ben clamped a hand over her mouth when people started to look and continued carrying her away with one arm. How he could do that, she would never know.

“Shut up. If you don’t want anything to happen to your two little friends,” he spat, “then you’ll keep your mouth shut.”

Cadey narrowed her eyes at him, challenging him, “What do you plan to do to them? To me?”

Brandon laughed. He sounded like an evil maniac.

Which he was.

Ben soon joined, “Don’t you worry yourself about it. It’ll all play out in the end.”

Cadey glanced around, trying not to let her worry show. She let a whimper pass through her lips.

“Jimmy.”