The Way It Played Out

Tour was incredible, and over all too soon.
We said goodbye to our good friends of Panic!, Cobra, and Fall Out Boy, and drove back to Barrington, Illinois.
I got dropped off last, and sauntered into my house, unpacking my big duffle bag and relaxing in my room, glad to be back inthese familiar settings.
“Amaya, are you home?” Called my mom from the kitchen.
“Yeah, just a sec!” I yelled, finishing unpacking by tossing my favorite hoodie on my bed, then running down the stairs. I always ran on the stairs.
“Hey.” I said, grinning, slightly nervous as I ruffled my hair. My parents had never been my biggest fans- I always could have scored higher on that test, looked better in that dress, taken some business courses instead of art and music. They hated my style, hated my hair, hated my triple pierced and the fact that I had my left ear cartilage pierced.
“How was tour, honey?” My mom asked, bustling around, making dinner. My dad was sitting at the table, reading the paper.
“It was great, the guys and I had so much fun, it was ridiculous! And y’know those bands I listen to all the time- Panic! At The Disco, Cobra Starship, and Fall Out Boy?- I met them! They were on tour with us, and it was killer!” I grinned. “I got some great photos of the guys, and I can’t wait to sketch them out.”
“That’s nice. How’s Bill doing?” My mom asked. They adored Bill, treated him like the son they never had. The perfect son they never had.
“He’s doing great.” I grinned. “He loved performing every night to such huge crowds, and he’s great at putting on a show.”
“That’s good.” My dad said, folding his paper and setting it down on the table as I reached up to ruffle my hair again. “What is that?” he asked sharply.
I froze. Of course I’d had to mess up my hair lefty. “Oh, it’s my tattoo. They’re piano keys, since I like music and play the piano and stuff.” I rambled, knowing things would only go south from here.
“My baby has a tattoo?” My mom asked, whipping around and spotting it. “that’s unacceptable.”
“Well, it’s a little late to fix that now.” I muttered, dropping my gaze to the floor.
“We let you dye your hair, we let you poke holes in your body, we let you wear your trashed jeans and tight shirts, but this is just too far.” My dad said. “You’re a legal adult, and you can make your own choices, but we don’t support this one. You have fifteen minutes to get your stuff packed.”
“What?” I blinked, shocked. Sure, I knew I’d be moving out soon, but I hadn’t expected to have 15 minutes notice and nowhere to go. This was home for me, as much as I didn’t like it.
“I think your father’s right.” My mom said quietly, not looking me in the eye. I let my shoulders slump, defeated.
I knew they’d never liked me, but I’d always tried to please them.

Back in my room, I threw my laptop and iHome into my duffle bag, as well as my favorite skinny jeans and t shirts, my absolute favorite dress, my lone pair of heels and all my high tops, my bikini and my favorite pajamas. I hesitated, then grabbed my absolute favorite hoodie off my bed where I’d left it and slid it on, since it didn’t fit in my bag.
It was bright green with ‘Blow Kisses, Not Coke’ on it in black letters. I’dstolen it from Bill ages ago.
Then I threw my bag over my shoulder, shoved my phone in my pocket, and walked out the front door.
I didn’t look back.

I made my way to the bench at the foot of the hiking trail and sat down, blinking, trying to absorb what had just happened.
I don’t have a home. That thought ran repeatedly through my mind. That was all that went through my mind. I couldn’t think about what to do about it, all I could think about was it.
Of course I jumped about a mile when my phone buzzed with a text.
I just called your place but your mom said you weren’t there- Mike wrote.
They kicked me out- I replied numbly, realizing I couldn’t go back. Thank god I remembered to pack my professional camera and all the necessary chords for my electronics.
Where are you- Mike texted back immediately.
Bench by the trail- I sighed as I hit ‘send’. I guess I could live on the bench.
Don’t move- Mike ordered, and I immediately wanted to get up and walk away. But where would I go? I was having a mental black- even though there was only one place I couldn’t go, it suddenly felt like I didn’t belong anywhere.

After what felt like days of sitting on the bench, a car pulled up and two guys got out, strolling over to where I sat on my bench and sitting on either side of me. Mike slung his arm around my shoulders, and Bill wrapped his around my waist.
“I don’t know what to do.” I finally said, after a long silence. I’d been staring at my bag on the ground in front of me, trying to think, but only catching one thought.
“You’re kidding, right?” Mike asked, raising his eyebrows at me.
I glanced at him, confused. “More like shell shocked.”
“You’re gonna move in with me.” Mike grinned crookedly.
“Dude, you still live with your parents.” Bill informed him. “There’s no room.”
“So? We can make room.” Mike replied.
“Or you could move in with me.” Bill suggested, grinning crookedly. He’d just moved into his own apartment. “Please? It’s too quiet being all alone.”
“I… guess.” I said slowly. “I’m not really processing much at the moment, sorry.” I tried to grin, but it was weak and lopsided.
“C’mon, let’s go home.” Bill ruffled my hair, then got up, grabbing my bag and heading for his car. “You’re a girl- how do you always pack so light?” He laughed.
Mike took my hand, then gently towed me to the car, sitting in the back with me. “It’s ok, you don’t need them.”

When we got back to Bill’s place, he dumped my stuff in the spare room in his apartment, then he, Mike, and I all sat down for some Halo 3, Mario Kart, and drag racing, courtesy of his Wii.
When Mike finally left, Bill and I wound up watching movies- the Disney kind.
“Thanks for letting me stay.” I said quietly, not looking at Bill.
“My, you’re my best friend. Of course I’d make you move in with me.” Bill grinned crookedly at me, and I grinned back.
“And your partner in crime.” I reminded him, leaning up to kiss him. Things got heated pretty fast, and soon we were on his bed.

Bill might have put my stuff in the spare room, but we both knew I wouldn’t be staying there.
||If you jump I will jump too, we will fall together||