Romance of a Rock Band

Monique

“Did you see the way he looked at her, Monique?!” exclaimed Jess.

“We had just come home from the mall and Annie had taken the few things she had bought upstairs to her room.

“I know,” I answered. “And I saw the way she looked back at him.”

“Are they together?” she asked. I thought about that for a second.

“No, I don’t think she is.” I told her. “Annie would have told me or Tony.”

“Maybe,” she said thoughtfully. She was silent for a second. “Where does he even get that he’s good enough for her?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “He should be locked up. They all should.”

“Put them on their own island,” she said. We went silent.
Just as I was thinking that one of us should say something, Annie came crashing down the stairs and landed on her back.

“Annie!” I said as I rushed over to her.

“I’m alright!” she said.

“I doubt that! Take off your shirt!” I ordered.
She stood up slowly. I could tell she was hurting. She carefully peeled off her shirt to reveal bandages soaked in blood.

“See? I don’t call that ‘alright,’ do you, Jess?!”

“Tsk tsk, you dirty liar, Annie,” teased Jess.

“It doesn’t hurt as bad as it looks…” Annie offered.

“The Hell it doesn’t!” I shouted. “I see the way you’re acting.”

“Monique, I think you need to calm down,” said Jess.

“Calm down?!” I turned to look at her. She nodded in Annie’s direction. I turned to Annie to see her looking very pale and hunched low with her arms crossed over her stomach. When
I saw the look on her face I instantly regretted the volume of my voice.

And this is when Tony and Cosmo decide to come back home.

They slammed the door back open, jabbering wildly about their time at the gym. It wasn’t until they were half way across the living room that they noticed that we were home. They stopped moving and speaking at once. Cosmo turned his back to us. Tony was not so swift.

“Uh… Uhmmm…” Tony struggled to find words. “You alright there, Annie?” he said finally. She gave a small frightened nod.

“Annie,” I said softly, “go sit in the kitchen. Jess and I will change your bandages.”

She didn’t say anything, but quickly moved from the living room to the kitchen. I sent a glare in Tony’s direction and turned to lead Jess into the kitchen.