Meet Me On The Left Coast With A Love Like This

“Oh come on, Stephen, this is getting ridiculous!”, John groaned from outside the door. “If you don’t open this door…I’ll break that Taylor Swift CD you just bought!”

John was getting desperate to get his brother out from his room, but when he was just to walk away, he heard the door opened a bit. “Stephen?”

“Hey.”, his brother croaked in a husky voice from the little opening.

“What happened to you, bro?”, John pushed the door slowly and slid into Stephen’s room. he closed the door behind him and turned on the light. The view was devastating. “What did you do to the room?”

“Look, I don’t need any lecture right now.”

“I know.”, John sat next to his brother on the floor. “You really need to move on.”

“I can’t move on that easily.”

“That’s why you have me and the others.”

“What are you saying?”

“Just wait and see.”

***************

“So, how’s Stephen doing?”, Brian asked when they were in the Gomezs’ garage, minus Stephen who was still isolated in his bed room.

“Bad, he doesn’t even touch the food I brought up to his room last night.”

“You know, guys, we could hook him up.”, Jess stated.

“With? Oh come on, Jess, you know that he still have Chelsea all over his mind.”, Josh rolled his eyes at that idea.

“But it won’t hurt to try.”, Jess narrowed her eyes at Josh.

“Guys!”, John broke their glaring contest. “Jess’s right, we need a girl for him.”

“Who?”, Brian asked as he moved his bean bag closer to the others. “I mean, who doesn’t want date Stephen, but the trick is to get Stephen wants her.”

“I think I know the girl.”, Jess grinned.

*********

“Are you sure this gonna work?”, Josh asked in whispers as they set up their gears for band practice. “I mean, this is the first day Stephen wants to come out and practice.”

“Don’t be such a pessimist.”, Jess rolled her eyes as she pulled out her drum sticks from her back pockets.

When they heard footsteps, walking towards the garage, they shut their mouths and positioned theirselves. “Hey, Stephen.”, Jess greeted.

Stephen just nodded and slung his bass across his torso and we started the practice with She’s Got The Rhythm. When he played his bass, all he could see was Chelsea in his mind. Stephen wanted to stop, but he knew he couldn’t. by the time they finished with the song, a girl appeared on the driveway, with her skateboard in hand.

“You guys are awesome.”, she grinned.

“Devon!”, Jess practically stood up from her stool and ran towards the girl, throwing her arms around her. “Oh my god, you’re here!”

The girls just kept on squealing for a minute until Jess pulled away and dragged ‘Devon’ to the garage. “Devon, I want you to meet my bandmates, John, Brian, Josh, and Stephen.”

“Hi guys!”, Devon waved her hand a little to the guys. the guys murmured hellos and after a little chit chat, they started the practice again, with Cross Your Fingers. Devon sat on the bean bag as she watched them play.

Her eyes lingered on Stephen. She found something attractive about him, and mysterious. Her heart beats faster when she looked him on the eyes, and when he would accidentally peeked to her from the corner of his eyes. it feels like her heart would just leap out from her chest.

When they were done, they took a break and Devon took this chance to talk with Stephen. “Hey.”

“Hi.”, Stephen replied, uninterested.

“Uhm, you play really good.”

“Thanks.”

Devon hates this kind of awkward silent. She’s a talkative person, and this really bugs her. “So, is John your brother?”

“Look.”, he snapped and turned his head over to her. “I’m not in the mood for chit chat, or even meeting new people. So you could just talk with the others.”

Those words stabbed Devon’s heart. “Fine, don’t be such a dick.”

She stood up and skated out from the garage and disappeared when she turned left on the sidewalks. A rush of guilt ran in Stephen’s mind. Maybe he doesn’t even know her or give a damn about her, but he was being rude to her.

“Where’s Devon?”, Jess asked when she walked back into the garage. “Stephen, where is she?”

“She left.”

“Why? What did you say to her?”, She half yelled.

“I only told her I’m not in the mood for a little chit chat!”, he yelled back.

“Guys!”, Brian came between them before they strangle each other. “Cut it out.”

“Seriously, you don’t need to shut everyone who’s trying to be a part of your life.”, Jess muttered before she walked back into the house.

Stephen groaned and stomped out to the front yard. The sun beats down and he remembered that they have to play Warped Tour this summer, and it’ll start in two weeks. He kicked some small rocks of frustration.

“Stephen!”

He turned around and saw John, jogging towards him. “Dude, what’s up with Jess?”

“She yelled at me cause’ I was rude to her friend.”

“She kind of got a point there.”

“So you’re on her side now?”, Stephen narrowed his eyes to his brother. “You’re my fucking brother.”

John sighed and shook his head. “No, I’m not on her side or anyone sides.”

“And now, Jess won’t talk to me.”

“Just apologize to her.”

“Why should I?”

“You want this band to break up?”

Stephen pushed that thought to the back of his mind and sighed. He started to walk towards the garage and found Jess, sitting next to Brian on the old couch.

“Jess, I’m sorry.”, I started as I stood in front of her.

Jess looked up and her lips were still forming a frown. “Fine, but you need to do something.”

“What?”

“Go to her house, apologize yourself.”

***************

Stephen knocked the front door of the Williams’ residence. Soft but rushed footsteps were heard from inside and the door swung open.

“What’re you doing here?”, Devon asked him coolly. “You said you don’t want to meet new people.”

“I’m sorry I was being a dick to you. I just had a really horrible week, so…I’m sorry.”

Devon got her arms wrapped and looked at Stephen like she was stabbing daggers onto his eyes. she sighed. “Fine.”

“I hope we could start over?”

She smiled and stuck her hand out. “Devon.”

“Stephen.”, he took her hand and shook it.