My Words Are a Matter of Pride

The crowd stared in awe at the white curtain separating them from the figures casting silhouettes on the other side.

“To protect the world from devastation!”

“To unite all people’s within our nation!” The two figures behind the curtain yelled.

“To denounce the evils of truth and love.”

“To extend our reach to the stars above.”

“Holly”

“James. I mean; Avara.” The crowd laughed as they realized what was happening, but before Holly and Avara could finish, they heard another voice.

“Hey, it’s not your turn yet!” It was Andy.

“Team rocket blast of at the speed of light,” Holly said quickly while Avara stuck their arms out and started spinning in circles making helicopter noises.

“Quick Holly, get in the helicopter!” Holly followed Avara’s example, but accidentally hit the curtain on her third rotation, causing it to get stuck around her and rip from the ceiling. Avara froze as she watched Holly get stuck and ran off the stage before she could get into anymore trouble and Holly, completely wrapped up now, laid down on the floor yelling. Andy waited for Avara to come back and collect her, but when she didn’t, he dragged her off the stage by her mummified feet.

“Avara!” Holly screamed once Shaun and Bradie had unwrapped her, laughing at her misfortune. “Why did you just leave me?!” Avara, who had sat down on a random couch backstage, wedging herself behind Tadem while she giggled.

“What’s going on?” Harlee asked. She had just entered through a door behind the couch with a huge orange donut and a large frozen coke from McDonalds.

“I want a donut!” Avara whined, getting up and going over to Harlee. “Look, a door!” She exclaimed.

“Where?!” Harlee yelled, looking around wildly. Avara grinned and took a huge bite from Harlee’s donut, and then backed away slowly to hide behind the couch. When Harlee turned back around, she frowned.

“Where’d Avara go?” She asked.

“You mean; where did your donut go?” Holly laughed. Harlee looked down and saw the huge bite mark and scowled.

“AVARA!” she yelled. She felt someone tap her shoulder and whisper something in her ear. “What?” she asked the person as she looked for Avara.

“I said, would you like me to hold your donut while you look for Avara?” The voice said.

“Oh, thanks,” Harlee said, handing the donut over her shoulder before walking off to look for Avara. Avara grinned to herself before shoving Harlee’s donut in her mouth. She just finished when she heard Harlee say, “Wait a minute-”

“Well Harlee,” Tadem said, picking at her fingernails, “you know what they say. Never trust a girl with a multicoloured fringe.”

“What, I’ve never heard that before. That’s not even a saying!” Tadem stared at Holly before she answered.

“It is now, ‘cause I just made it up.”

“Oh,” Holly nodded thoughtfully, “then that’s okay then.”

“Well,” Shaun said after a moment, “we’re just gonna go play our uh, our set now.” Holly and Tadem stared at Shaun and Bradie, while Avara and Harlee wrestled on the floor. “So uh, you guys have fun with...” He stared at Avara and Harlee, “That, and we’ll go rock out over there,” he said, pointing over his shoulder at the stage behind him. Holly waved her hand at him while she watched Tadem prying Harlee and Avara apart.

“You know what I just realised?” Holly said. The stage hand standing by the side of the stage sent them a look to tell them to be quiet. The girls ignored him.

“What?” The other three asked.

“Our families and friends just witnessed us do that,” Holly said to Avara.

“No,” Avara said, “They witnessed you do that. I ran away remember. No one will ever know.” Holly replied by sticking her tongue out at Avara.

“So, like, I have just rechecked the Soundwave line up,” Tadem said from the couch. “And you will never guess who’s going.”

“Feftyeskay, you told us on the plane,” Avara said sounding annoyed.

“Yeah, but there’s someone else going too,” Tadem said, sounding equally annoyed.

“Go on...” Harlee said.

“The Maine.”

“NO WAY,” Holly screamed. The man by the stage told her to ‘shhh’ and the music coming from the stage stopped.

“Holly, SHUT UP!” they heard Andy yell.

“Sorry,” she yelled backed before the music carried on. “So, you mean, that, I, Holly Burming, will infact meet, John O?!” Tadem stared at her again before nodding her head.

“Yes.” Holly screamed again. The music in the background stopped and Andy stormed back stage and threw a water bottle at her.

“Holly, shut the fuck up!” Holly held her cheek with a hurt expression.

“Your an asshole Andy!” Avara and Tadem exclaimed. Harlee picked the bottle up and walked over to Andy, smacking up in the face with it, the dropping it and going back to the couch.

A week after the Stack Is the New Black tour wrapped up, Holly and her sister Amy went shopping together because they hadn’t hung out together since Holly was little.

“I have to go to 78 records after lunch,” Holly told her sister, stealing a tomato sauce covered chips from her sisters’ plate, and shoved it into her mouth.

“Why?” Amy asked, slapping Holly’s hand away when she reached for another chip. “What do you have to get?” Holly gave up on stealing Amy’s chips and started to eat her own gravy covered ones.

“It’s Christmas soon, I’m going to get Vara a few CD’s she’s wanted for a while, then I have to get Harlee and Tadem’s presents.

“Oh,” Amy nodded. The two finished their chips and gathered their things. “What are you getting Kade and Summer?” Holly gave her sister an annoyed look.

“And what are you going to give me? Photo’s of yourself again?” Amy rolled her eyes and the two of them left the small cafe they had dined at.

A fair few people stopped them as they walked towards the music store in the richer area of Perth city. Asking for photos and autographs. After the twenty-second person stopped them, Amy put her foot down.

“Holly, wear a wig or something!” Holly made a face at her sister put politely sent the girl asking her for a photo away.

When they got to 78 Records, the place was filled with girls. Holly and Amy had to practically wrestle their way inside. Holly assumed it was because there was a famous band playing an acoustic show but didn’t think much of it. She was too annoyed to care. She made her way to the counter, followed by her sister, and approached the young man at the register.

“Hi, could you please tell me if you have some CD’s? I’d really rather not go on a hunt through all these girls.” The whole time she spoke, she couldn’t help but notice that the guy’s jaw kept dropping.

“Sorry, but are you Holly Burming?” He asked.

“Yes, she is Holly Burming but no she does not have time for photos, autographs or anything else you want so just answer her question!” Holly’s sister said angrily. The guy looked scared and Holly gave her sister a dirty look.

“Don’t mind her,” Holly said to the guy. He smiled at her and nodded.

“Hey, listen,” he said, “This band will be here for a little while so why don’t you just hang out downstairs while you wait for everyone to leave. The thing is, even if we do have the cds you want, I’m going to have to hunt for them.”

“Sounds like a plan I guess,” Holly said looking behind her, “It doesn’t look like I can get out of this joint anyway.” The guy told her to follow him and she dragged her sister behind her into the room behind the counter.

There was a small set of stairs behind the door that led to downstairs where all of the storage rooms were.

“So what band is playing here?” Amy asked.

“Forever the Sickest Kids,” the guys said as he unlocked a door for them. It led to a room that sat below where the small stage was set up in the record store and sure enough, she could hear Jonathan’s voice from above her.

“-and ladies shouldn’t be messed with.”

Twenty five minutes later, Holly didn’t notice that the sounds above her had stopped. She was too busy talking to her sister, who had insisted they stayed until all the fan girls had vacated the building, about their family. The band didn’t notice her either as they went down the stairs and went into the adjoining room.

“Finish telling me about Avara.” Holly’s head snapped up at the mention of her best friends name and saw the back of Kent Garrison. She told her sister to shut up and tip toed toward the room where the band was now sitting.

“Oh, right,” Jonathan said to Kent, “She came to my hotel room a few days ago wanting to talk about Kyle and Holly. She wants them to get back together because she’s sick of Holly moping around all the time. Kyle would take her back if she let him, but you know Holly.”

“Trust issues,” Kent agreed. Holly stormed out of the room, and made a point to go straight past them. “... You know she was there?”

“No, I did not.”

“Was that Holly?” Caleb asked, coming up behind them.



Holly let her thoughts wonder for the rest of the afternoon, night and all of the next day until she saw Avara, then, she was furious. She pushed Avara up against the wall and looked at her with a horrible expression.

“What are you doing?” Avara asked, her face gave the impression that she was shocked. And by the looks on Harlee, Tadem, Jake, Travis and Vanesse’s faces, they were just as shocked. “What’s wrong?”

“How dare you talk to Jonathan about my relationship with Kyle, it’s none of your business!” Avara’s shocked expression turned into one of Guilt, while the others looked even more shocked. “I’m supposed to be your best friend you idiot!” She let Avara go and stormed aver to the room where they kept their instruments when they were home from tour, and grabbed Avara’s brand new, bright green Gibson guitar, swung it up into the air and then slammed it back down across the ground, where it smashed into pieces.

Avara screamed furiously, Tadem’s hands flew to cover her gaping mouth, Harlee backed quietly out of the room with Vanesse and Travis and Jake jumped forward to hold the two girls away from each other.

“Jake!” Avara screamed, “let, me, go!”

“Both of you need to calm down,” Jake told them. Holly shrugged herself out of Travis’ grip, and went to the door, before she turned around.

“That’s it! If this is the way I’m going to be treated by my so called friends, I want out, I QUIT!” And she ran out. Everything and everyone was silent. Tadem’s mouth was gaping open and closed like a fish, Avara was still trying to wrestle away from Jake, muttering about going after her and setting her straight, and they all heard Harlee start to cry. Jake sat Avara down and stared at her.

“What was all that about?” He asked, completely dumbfounded.

“Apparently, she found out that I went and talked to Jonathan about her and Kyle,” Avara said.

“Why would you do that!? You know what she’s like,” Tadem said.

“Obviously she wasn’t meant to find out,” Avara snapped.

“Don’t snap at her,” Travis said, “She isn’t the one meddling in other people’s business.”

“You haven’t had to share a hotel room with her for the last two weeks. All I’ve heard is ‘Kyle this’ and ‘Kyle that’. It’s messing with her head and with the band. That kind of makes it my business.”



In the days following the argument between Holly Burming and Avara Law, no one heard from Holly. She ignored everyone's phone calls, texts, emails and Tadem even went to her house. Holly didn't answer the door.

"Jake, does this mean the end of the band?" Harlee whispered a week after the incident. Jake looked up from his lap top computer and sighed. He'd tried almost everything to get Holly back. He'd even tried to pester Avara into apologizing. Avara was adamant that she wouldn't, and even if she agreed, everyone knew that Holly wouldn't answer the door or pick up the phone for anyone, let alone Avara Law.

"I guess so Harls, I guess so."

"This is so unfair!" Harlee stared down at her ballet flat clad feet and sighed. Jake knew straight away that she was going to start to cry. "Do you think she was serious about quitting?"

"I don't know Harlee, I really don't." Harlee stood up and left the room that Jake and Vanesse were staying in at Travis' house and left to go home.



"Holly, Tadem's on the phone, she says it's important," Mrs. Burming called through Holly's bedroom door. Holly rolled over and stared at the pictures that she had of her, Avara, Tadem and Harlee and the closed her eyes. "Holly Jade Burming, don't you dare ignore me!" Holly re-opened her eyes and glared at the wall.

"Fine, come in," she muttered. Mrs. Burming pushed open Holly's bedroom door and sat down on the side of her bed, holding the house phone out to her daughter.

"She sounds pretty upset." Holly rolled her eyes and went back to staring at the wall.

"Tadem's an emotional rock, she doesn't get sad." Mrs. Burming sat on the bed in silence and continued to hold to phone out to Holly until she eventually grabbed it.

"Hello," she sighed.

"Jesus Holly, finally," Tadem said. "How are you?"

"Fantastic." Holly replied dully picking at her nails with left hand.

"Right. Well, Jake called today."

"He called me too," Holly said.

"And - really?"

"I didn't answer."

"Oh," Tadem sent before going on.

"He had another show lined up for us. Just a little one-"

"Nope," Holly said.

"What do you mean nope?" Tadem asked.

"I'm not doing it." Tadem was silent for a moment.

It's at [insert name here] at seven if you feel like showing up," Tadem said. Holly hung up.



"Why don't you apologise?" Harlee asked Avara. Avara sighed and bit into her Subway. She knew this would happen. She was hoping that she could spend the day in the City with Harlee to get her mind off things, but knew Harlee would eventually bring it up. Being the second most reluctant member of the band, she was surprisingly cut up about the whole thing, but Avara assumed it was more because of the fight than the end of the band.

"Because that makes it seem like my fault, and it's not." She said, "Well, not entirely." She took a sip of her drink and then fiddled with the straw. "I was just trying to make her happy. I didn't like her being upset all the time and not doing anything about it."

"I know, but she's really touchy about those kinds of things."

"I guess," Avara replied. "But she's overreacting."

"I know. Are you sure this isn't about something else though?" Avara looked at Harlee, confused.

"Like what?"

"Maybe you're going through the same thing as Holly, but instead of admitting it to yourself you're trying to fix her problems." Avara knew exactly what she was talking about. She got up and dumped her rubbish in the bin.

"I think you may be right Harlee May, and I have just come up with an idea. I'll see you later." Harlee frowned before she realized that this meant Avara was leaving her.

"Oh, ok. Be productive! And don't get in Holly's business," she called out after Avara.

"I won't," Avara called back. "But I'm not apologizing." She heard Harlee laugh behind her and made her way to the train station.

When Avara was safely on the train, she pulled out her phone and tweeted Jonathan. Twenty minutes later, she was sitting outside Steel Blue Oval with her legs crossed and back against the wall waiting for him. He arrived shortly after scratching the back of his head and looking apologetic.

"Sorry I'm late, I got lost and had to ask for directions," he said.

"It's ok," Avara replied quietly, staring at the floor beneath her.

"So um," Jonathan stared. He walked over to Avara and sat down on the floor next to her. "Why here?"

"What?" Avara asked, looking up at the wall that bordered the oval, "Oh, this is where Soundwave is."

"Really?" Jonathan asked, peering around the walls and through the main gates. "So did you wanna yell at me some more or what?" He asked. Avara laughed.

"No."

"Then why-"

"I wanted someone to talk to." Jonathan smiled to himself.

"Holly smashed my guitar. And quit the band"

"What! Why?" Jonathan asked, outraged.

"Because I talked to you about her and Kyle. She said I was meddling in her business."

"That's a little unfair," Jonathan said, "You were upset, you were venting. And you were looking out for her."

"No one else thinks so. Besides, that's not the point," Avara said.

"It's not? The point of what?"

"Me talking to you. This whole thing has made me realize something," Avara said, looking up at Jonathan.

"What?" Jonathan said. He almost wasn't paying attention to her. It was the first time she had looked him in the eyes in a while. Especially like that, the way she used to.

"That I was doing exactly the same thing that she was doing that annoyed me." Jonathan held his breath. "She was moping about Kyle, but at the same time I was moping about you. Harlee helped me realize that I meddled in Holly's love life because I was was too afraid to meddle in my own."

"Stop talking like a fortune cookie and kiss me," Jonathan said breathlessly. Avara smiled and let him kiss her.

"Wait!" She said after a few moments, holding up her finger, "I have to ask a favor."

"Go on," Jonathan smiled dreamily.

"We have a show to play tonight, just a little one."

"And?"

"And Holly quit the band," Avara said, "Dude, keep up!"

"I don't get it.." Jonathan said.

"How well do you know our songs?" She asked him.

"You want me to sing in your band tonight?" He asked.

"If Holly doesn't show. I have plan, but your my back up plan. Maybe. If you don't mind."

"So, your using me?" Jonathan raised his eyebrows playfully. Avara leaned in to kiss him again.

"I'll let you use me a little."

"Don't be dirty," Jonathan giggled before kissing her.