May Angels Lead You In

"Jimmy," I called out once class was dismissed - waiting to see if he would stop.

To my surprise, he did. He turned and headed towards me, his face grim and uncertain. It was followed with an awkward silence between us as the other students slowly got their way out of the class.

I didn't know if I was supposed to apologize or thank him for his help with Nicole.

"Jimmy, I'm sorry," I quickly said causing him to sigh, roll his eyes and started walking away. I quickly stood up, grabbing my bagpack and ran after him. "Jimmy, wait!"

I reached out and held onto his hands, forcing the both of us to stop walking. He gave another aggravated sigh, pulled his arms away and he crossed his arms, looking at anywhere but me.

"I don't know what else to say but I'm sorry," I started but he raised his hands up for me to be silent.

"Yes, I heard you a million times already," he snapped sarcastically. "In my thousands of voicemails from you and every single time we meet unintentionally. I get it. You're sorry."

He tried to walk away again but I refused to let go of his arms.

"I was wrong to choose them over the guy who has been helping me since day one," I said quietly and to my surprise, he kept quiet to listen. "I know I screwed up but everyone deserves a second chance."

The surrounding seemed to fade around us. Jimmy had his eyes on something in particular - when I turned, I saw Zacky standing by one of the lockers, watching us with scrutiny.

"I have to go," Jimmy said and walked away, leaving me to think of another way to make him forgive me.

+++

After school the same day, I went over to Walmart near Central Park to try and buy some alcohol beverages. I went in and took a couple of Heineken cans before walking towards the counter.

The cashier who seemed to be in his mid-fourties with a thick moustach and greying hair looked at the items I had in my hands before looking up at me with a frown.

"Are you trying to be funny with me?" the cashier crossed his arms causing me to blush from embarrassment.

Of course he wouldn't sell these to me. I am merely an underage teenager who does not have the right to buy any alcoholic beverages - at least, not in Walmart. But how was it possible for the other guys to buy them without getting caught?

"She was holding them for me, Paul," a voice said from behind me.

I turned around and saw Brian walking over with a bag of Ruffles in his hands. He placed the chips on the counter, took the Heineken cans from me and placed them at the counter. He took out some cash from his wallet and paid the total amount for it.

When everything was paid for, he took the plastic bags, grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the place.

Once outside Walmart, he let me go and started laughing to himself.

"Oh, Marchelle," Brian was gasping for air while I stared at him in disbelief. "Did you really think you could have bought those and not get questioned?"

"You're the same age as I am!" I retorted, feeling the blood rush up to my face. "How did you manage to pull that off?"

"It's called acting," Brian shrugged and handed me the bag of canned alcohol drinks. "You can pay me some other time."

He waved and started to walk away.

"Wait!" I called out and ran after him. He stopped walking and looked at my face in bewilderment. "Where are you heading off to now?"

"Practice?" Brian made it sound like a question more than an answer.

"Can I come with?" I asked, looking perfectly innocent about it.

"Uhm," Brian scratched his head, feeling slightly uncomfortable about it before he shrugged again. "Sure, I guess so."

We took his car and he started to drive towards his house. Once he pulled over and turned off the ignition, he turned to face me with a serious look.

"I won't lie to you. Jimmy is still pissed over the incident a few days back," Brian murmured and stared at his front door with a glum look. "He doesn't trust people - and the ones he really trusts are just me and the guys."

"That is why I am going to try my best to make him forgive me," I paused when Brian looked at me with a hint of amusement in his face. Then I continued, "Whatever it takes."

Brian nodded and we both got out of the car and headed towards the house and down to the basement where sounds of laughter and guitar solos could be heard.

As I stood by the staircase, I saw how happy everyone looked.

Zacky was busy playing funny sounds with his purple guitar, Johnny was busy flipping through an adult magazine by the couch while Matt and Jimmy was playfully singing - or should I say, screaming - an alien language into the microphone.

Right after screaming, both Matt and Jimmy started laughing loudly before Jimmy ran over to Johnny and grabbed the magazine. Johnny started to scold Jimmy for snatching the magazine away from him and jumped to reach for the magazine that Jimmy had up in the air.

I was beyond words. The Jimmy I was seeing now was not the Jimmy I thought he was.

In fact, he seemed so cheerful and happy - a total opposite of what I thought of him to be.

Jimmy stopped laughing when he saw me by the staircase, lowering the magazine so Johnny seized the opportunity to take it back.

"What are you doing here," Jimmy looked a little offended as he started towards the drum set.

"I came to see you practice," I walked to a table and placed the cans of Heineken on it. "I thought you guys might be thirsty."

"Awesome," Johnny left the magazine on the couch and ran towards the table to pull out one can.

I noticed a few stitches with purple bruises on his arms and immediately felt guilty for it. Then Matt came over and took another can, looking at me with uncertainty.

Again, I noticed a few bruises on his face. Honestly, I am a little afraid of Matt - I mean, after the incident, who wouldn't be?

His muscular tattooed body and his 'I'm-a-badass-don't-screw-with-me' face was all that was needed to scare anyone away.

"You're always welcomed to watch us practice," Matt gave me a dimpled-smile and I relaxed a little.

Zacky, still standing at the same spot he had before I came, stared at me without an expression. I watched as he took out a cancer stick and lit it up. My eyes ran over to Jimmy who was sitting behind the drum set.

He looked away without a word and started drumming to himself.