Bloody Knuckles and Shotgun Shells
Closer to Rejection
Ashton’s POV
I cruise the rock and pop section of CDs slowly, glancing over all the covers. Alex is behind me. He reaches out and picks up an ABBA album. I look up at him, resisting the temptation to burst into a solo rendition of “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”
“We should take some slow jams back to the site.” Alex snickers.
“Allison would freak.” I giggle in reply.
“Yeah, especially when I tell her it’s for her and Joey.”
“Oh, don’t, Alex. You think she likes him?”
“Definitely. I could see it in her eyes.”
“I thought so too.”
“We should get this.”
I pick up a Nine Inch Nails CD. Alex beams at it, taking it from my hands. He flips it over and points to the track, “Closer”. He inks. That song is ours. For all the right (or perhaps wrong) reasons.
We scour the electronics to find a battery-operated stereo. I tear open a pack of batteries and put them in the opening. Alex works on opening the CD as we make our way back to camp.
Alex sits down across from his sister and I plop down on his lap. I hit ‘play’ on the stereo. As soon as Allison hears the electronic banter begin, her head jerks toward Alex and I. Joey is confused. Allison jumps up and grabs Joey.
“We have to get out of here.” She groans urgently as if there was another bomb ready to explode.
Allison and Joey run off toward the food. Alex and I burst out laughing. I roll over and crawl under a blanket. Alex sneaks in beside me. I sing along quietly to the song. Alex puts his arms around me.
“Are you warm now?” I ask him.
“Extremely.” He smiles smugly.
“I can tell.” I grumble, starting to recognize Alex’s posture and tone. “Alex.”
“What?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“This is not the time nor place. Your twin sister and a stranger are in here.”
“But… but we could die any second.”
“You know that’s not true. One of us could have zombie AIDS or something.”
“Uh, have you been fucking zombies? I haven’t. I’m not into dead chicks. I like the screaming.”
“Good to know. But I haven’t either.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“I’m not feeling well. I’m tired and nauseous. I don’t know how much longer I can deal with this.”
“But we’re safe now, honey. For a while anyway.”
“I just need some sleep.”
Alex sighs, disappointed. He hits ‘stop’ on the stereo. I close my eyes and feel Alex beside me again. In mere seconds I am fast asleep.
I cruise the rock and pop section of CDs slowly, glancing over all the covers. Alex is behind me. He reaches out and picks up an ABBA album. I look up at him, resisting the temptation to burst into a solo rendition of “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”
“We should take some slow jams back to the site.” Alex snickers.
“Allison would freak.” I giggle in reply.
“Yeah, especially when I tell her it’s for her and Joey.”
“Oh, don’t, Alex. You think she likes him?”
“Definitely. I could see it in her eyes.”
“I thought so too.”
“We should get this.”
I pick up a Nine Inch Nails CD. Alex beams at it, taking it from my hands. He flips it over and points to the track, “Closer”. He inks. That song is ours. For all the right (or perhaps wrong) reasons.
We scour the electronics to find a battery-operated stereo. I tear open a pack of batteries and put them in the opening. Alex works on opening the CD as we make our way back to camp.
Alex sits down across from his sister and I plop down on his lap. I hit ‘play’ on the stereo. As soon as Allison hears the electronic banter begin, her head jerks toward Alex and I. Joey is confused. Allison jumps up and grabs Joey.
“We have to get out of here.” She groans urgently as if there was another bomb ready to explode.
Allison and Joey run off toward the food. Alex and I burst out laughing. I roll over and crawl under a blanket. Alex sneaks in beside me. I sing along quietly to the song. Alex puts his arms around me.
“Are you warm now?” I ask him.
“Extremely.” He smiles smugly.
“I can tell.” I grumble, starting to recognize Alex’s posture and tone. “Alex.”
“What?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“This is not the time nor place. Your twin sister and a stranger are in here.”
“But… but we could die any second.”
“You know that’s not true. One of us could have zombie AIDS or something.”
“Uh, have you been fucking zombies? I haven’t. I’m not into dead chicks. I like the screaming.”
“Good to know. But I haven’t either.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“I’m not feeling well. I’m tired and nauseous. I don’t know how much longer I can deal with this.”
“But we’re safe now, honey. For a while anyway.”
“I just need some sleep.”
Alex sighs, disappointed. He hits ‘stop’ on the stereo. I close my eyes and feel Alex beside me again. In mere seconds I am fast asleep.
♠ ♠ ♠
Comments? :)~Ashton