Instinctive Feelings.

Miranda smiled weakly down at her fourteen year old son, unsure how to answer his question. “I don’t know, Dan. It is some distance away…,” she thought, placing a hand on his shoulder as she looked towards the computer screen. Dan turned around sharply; you could tell he wanted this so badly by that look in his eyes. He wanted to go to an Avenged Sevenfold concert. However, there was a slight downfall to the boy’s wishes. The show was in Chain Reaction, an hour or so, from their Los Angeles home and Miranda was not at all keen on letting the boy travel alone. “We could always ask Sami if she’ll take you,” she muttered. Miranda did not want to get Dan’s hopes up, but it was worth a try asking his older sister to take him.

“I bet she won’t,” he huffed in return. “She doesn’t even know them that well, except for what she’s seen on the internet. Do you think she will, honestly?” he added with a hint of sarcasm lingering in his voice, yet inside he was hoping his mother would say yes.

She grinned softly. “I don’t know kid, we’ll ask her when she arrives home, she shouldn’t be long now,” she retorted, glancing towards the wall clock. A few moments later, they both heard the front door click open then quickly swing shut, slamming against the doorframe and causing the house to shudder slightly “ Sami, come up here a minute, will you?” her mother called out, soon hearing footsteps trudge up their wooden staircase. Miranda gestured that Sami come closer and look towards the screen, and then she looked to her daughter and smiled.

“What?” Sami scoffed, uninterested in what the pair were showing her. “Why are you showing me that? I don’t even like them…” she finished, gazing at her mother who looked unpleasantly eager. Sami ruffled her brother’s hair, as his blue eyes looked to her. “What you wanting, Beavis?” she asked. As much as she would deny it, she did love her brother and had a special connection with him. Ever since he was three and Sami was seven, they called each other Beavis and Butthead. The name-calling had stayed with them through their growing up years and could still be heard in the Lee household to this day.

Dan gleamed, “You’re taking me to this.” He pointed to the screen as his sister let out another laugh. “You have to. Mom won’t let me go alone,” he put in quickly before his sister could say anything. Sami wriggled her nose, thinking for a moment.

A few moments later, Sami let out a light sigh, giving in to her little brother. “Where is it and how are we getting there?” She assumed that she would be driving, although she could not see her mother paying for the gas as well as the tickets. She smiled at Dan, who wriggled about his seat with excitement. “When is this, anyway?”

“Anaheim, I think that’s near Long Beach? In a venue called Chain Reaction. And… I don’t know. But it is in 4 days,” Dan replied, chuffed within himself. He knew his sister had a soft side, but he did not expect her to give in so easily. Especially with a band, she does not like. “That’s a yes, right?” he wondered, wanting to make sure. Sami gave him a quick nod before turning to their mother again.

“You’re driving,” Miranda, informed them, staring at her daughter the whole time. “Depending on traffic, it can take you anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour.” Sami nodded; she had experienced the traffic before on a trip to Huntington Beach with her friends. “So, leave early in case,” their mother added, now looking to the computer. “Buy the tickets,” she muttered softly, glad to see her son happy.

The family were holding together strong after the sudden death of their father. Perhaps that is why Sami gave in so easily, wanting to give something to her little brother to see his smile grow beyond his ears for one night. It would be worth it.

-x-

Three days had passed, the tickets arrived and Dan was all over the house, screaming like a child. Both his mother and sister told him to calm down so that he could get some rest before the show that was the next day. His mother feared that if he did not get enough sleep he might pass out during it and miss the whole thing.

Dan eventually done as he was told and headed to bed. He plugged in his earphones and blasted Sounding The Seventh Trumpet, Waking The Fallen and City of Evil until he fell asleep.

The next morning his mother crept into his room, a grin on her face. “WAKE UP!” she yelled, her voice echoing around the room. Dan woke suddenly; his mother's voice was a shook to the system. Considering it was four in the morning when he had only slept for a few hours. He stretched and yawned. “I wanna go back to sleep,” he moaned. His mother stared at him, knowing that he did not mean that in any way. Suddenly Dan realised exactly what day it was. The day that would, undoubtedly, change his life forever. Unknown to him it would change his sister's too.

With their eyes barely open the siblings sat at the kitchen table, they had a long day ahead and their mother prepared breakfast especially. Sami bit into some soggy, warm toast. The butter had melted already, which she did not care for much but continued to eat it nonetheless. Her eyes stared at her brother, who sat opposite. “Exited?” she mumbled, leaning over the table to grab more toast. Dan looked up from his cereal and simply gave a smile. Sami assumed that meant yes, therefore took another bite. “So, anyway,” she began, the toast thrashing around her mouth as she spoke. “What are their shows like? I need to know what I’m getting into.”

A small laugh escaped Dan’s mouth, “From what I’ve seen on the internet… and heard about… they can get pretty gnarly. Don’t worry, I know how to handle a circle pit,” he muttered through a grin, before slurping at the milk that surrounded his bran flakes. His sister’s eyes widened with horror, her already pale face seemed to drain of all color, as if someone had applied white paint to her skin.

“There’s going to be pits?” her eyes lifted to her mother, who was standing next to the kitchen sink. Her eyes looked as if she were in a daydream.

Their mother came closer and looked between them both. “I’m sure you both can handle some armpits,” she said, laughing. Obviously, she did not hear the conversation correctly and thought her children were discussing the sweaty mass of heat that would fill the venue.

Dan shook his head, laughter raised around the room. “Not armpits, mom. Circle pits, like where people punch and kick and go fuckin’ crazy. But don’t panic Sami, if you are caught up in one… I might save you,” he half-reassured her. “They aren’t that bad… and in a place like Chain Reaction, they can’t get bad because there isn’t enough room! It’s a tiny venue.”

With that, they both headed to get ready, so they could set off on their journey and by this time, it was already six o’clock. Sami ran a hand through her dark brown hair, letting it fall loosely around her neck. She turned to her closet and picked out several pieces of clothing. As she scanned them all, she muttered to herself. She did not want to seem too out of place, which would be the last thing she needed. “What’s the dress code to a rock show? I don’t fancy getting punched in the face for wearing the wrong thing,” she called to her brother, who did not reply.

After scanning the clothes on last time, she set her eyes on her ex-boyfriend’s Metallica shirt. Although Sami was not much of a fan of Metallica, she had heard of them and quite enjoyed their music. Therefore, that was the best thing to wear. She pulled the faded grey band shirt over her head, pressing hair down flat on her still pale face. Sami then slid on a pair of black tights and a grey denim skirt, so she would not get over heated during the show. Once dressed, she skipped over to the wall mirror and ruffled her hair, giving it instant volume before she locked it in place with a thin layer of hairspray. Sami’s hands slid into the drawer beside her, rummaging around for her favorite lipstick. Once feeling the familiar shaped lipstick holder, she removed it from the drawer and wound it up slightly. ‘Russian Roulette’ was its brand name, and it was a brilliant shade of red. As Sami applied the stick, she smacked her lips together and dabbed at them with a tissue - removing the excess.

Now ready, she headed into the hall, bumping into Dan on the way. Although he towered her slightly, he would always be her little brother. Dan looked shockingly different to her. His short black hair spiked in all directions and his eyes seemed a brighter blue with the touch of eyeliner he had surrounding them. He would fit in at this concert like a glove, where as his sister would seem out of place - and she realised that now. Dan was wearing an Avenged Sevenfold shirt, like most at the concert would probably be doing. Sami looked her brother up and down, stopping at his studded bracelets. “Can I have one of those?” she asked, trying to remove one from his wrist. He hesitated; clear that he had no idea what she was doing. “I need to look all… rock chick-ish, don’t I?” she claimed, “I have to fit in at least a little.” Sami tied the bracelet loosely, letting it hang a little.

They both dragged their feet downstairs and walked into the recently re-decorated living room. “Awh!” their mother beamed, standing up. “Don’t you both look so cute?” Dan frowned, he wanted anything but cute. “I’ve packed everything in the car, so you can set off now, if you want,” Miranda added as she continued smiling at her children.

“We’re only going like… 40 minutes away, mom,” Dan told her, never seeing her like this before.

“I know, I know,” Miranda retorted, yet still smiling. Dan quickly grabbed his leather jacket and went to sit in the car. As soon as he left the house, Miranda looked to Sami. “Look after him, please!” she said, hugging her daughter tightly then pecking her on the cheek.

Sami hugged her mother back just as tight, grinning into the dip of her shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll be quite an adventure, it’ll be fun,” she said before quickly running out the house. She climbed into the drivers’ seat and started to engine of her purple Chevrolet, that her father bought when she passed her test.

Dan glanced up at her and grinned once again. “This is going to change our lives… forever!”