Edge of Seventeen

That night I ended up sandwiched between Matt and Zack again, this time just on Matt’s bed. I guess we had underestimated the time it takes for paint to dry, but today we were planning on opening the window and airing the room out while we were at the studio and then tricking the guys into coming over after to help put everything back in.

Something that no one mentioned to me, though, was that they had to be in to the studio at ten, making me get up at seven am.

Needless to say, by the time we made it to the Hopeless Records recording studio I had stolen Matt’s aviators and made Zack give me a piggy back ride inside… by threatening to stab him with a Spork… Again. It hurts more than you would think.

“Hey guys we’re here!” Matt called. Zack immediately made a beeline towards the couch to set me down. I just lay across whoever was already sitting there and snuggled my face into a pillow that was on someone’s lap.

“Uhm… Hello again?” came Brian’s voice from directly above me. I just grumbled and waved my hand dismissively, snuggling my face closer into the pillow.

“I’d be careful if I were you,” Zack piped in, “She stabbed me with a Spork and bit Matt twice already.”

“Ooh kitten’s got claws,” came Jimmy’s voice as he poked my backside. Mat growled, but I didn’t even flinch, too awkwardly comfy and tired to care.

“Alright, everyone here?” another voice I didn’t know asked. The guys all muttered in affirmative. “Good, Matt, let’s start with your vocals first since Brian, Jimmy and Johnny seem to be otherwise occupied.”

And so the day went on. I eventually had to give the guys up and resigned myself to just watching for the most part. Surprisingly, the guys were dead serious and scarily professional, only joking during breaks. Every so often they would ask for my opinion, and I gave it to everyone but Matt, who even though he had a great voice kept up with the screaming. I didn’t like it that much, but everything else rocked.

At one point I ended up falling asleep on Jimmy’s lap. Apparently, I curled up like a cat, and he decided I was his new kitty. About five minutes later, the boss man told them they were good to leave, and Jimmy decided to carry me to the car, and wake me up by screaming about a zombie attack.

“OH SHIT!” I screamed, jumping up from where they laid me on the backseat. All the guys laughed as I fell and got stuck in the space between seats. I glared at them, grabbed a flashlight and squirmed out holding it up, ready to swing.

“You wanna keep laughing?” I growled, glaring at them all, holding the metal flashlight up in the air again. They all stopped laughing, but still chuckled a bit. I glared, but lowered my makeshift weapon. Matt then pulled me into a sideways hug and I gently hugged him back.

“Alright so we all meeting up at my place?” Matt asked the guys. The guys all murmured in affirmative and headed off to their respective cars. Matt, Zacky and I all climbed back into his car, Zack and Matt in the front and me lying across the back, trying to nap as we hit the highway and headed back home.

**********

“She asleep?” Matt asked his friend Zack as he drove down Pacific Coast Highway.
“Yeah dude,” Zack replied turning around in his seat after checking on the young girl. She looked so innocent and untouched in her sleep and Zack couldn’t help it, it tugged at his heart strings, and he knew he was developing a crush, but he knew Matt would kill him before he let him date his new baby sister. Ella had already wormed her way into the singer’s heart and Matt was a man who protected his own.

“So do you think my parents will go for it?” Matt asked.

“I dunno dude. I think it’s up to her. Tour life is rough,” Zack replied, “But your ‘rents are cool, they’d probably let her come with. It’s not like she would be missing school or anything.”
“Yeah. I just don’t wanna leave her alone,” Matt sighed, “She may be tough, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t need someone to be there for her.

“Well, I guess just see how things go for a while, and if we all keep getting along this well, I don’t see why we couldn’t bring her as a merch girl or techie. Didn’t Larry say we’re getting a bus this time?”

Matt nodded,” And about fuckin’ time too. That van sucks ass. I’m just kind of worried about her around the guys.”

“I’m sure all the guys understand she’s off limits Matt,” Zack forced out, even though he wished she wasn’t.

“Yeah I guess you’re right,” Matt agreed.

“Mattie? Zacky?” Ella said sleepily from the back seat, “How far away are we?”

“We’ve got about another hour, baby girl,” Matt smiled at her in the rearview mirror, “You okay back there?”

She nodded, “Yeah… Can we get Taco Bell or something though? I’m hungry.”

Matt chuckled, “Sure, sis, sure.”

**********

About twenty minutes after I woke up, Matt pulled into a Taco Bell. He ran to the bathroom warning us that he had to take a dump. I couldn’t understand how he could do that in a public place, but hey, to each his own. So Zack and I slid into a booth waiting for him since Matt was the one with the money. I sat on the inside, leaning into Zack as he had his arm wrapped around my shoulder.

“Zacky?” I began, “Why do you keep staying at our house?”

Zack sighed, “My parents don’t want me at their place right now. They say I’m a bad influence on my little brother Matt.”

“Oh,” was all I said.

“Ellie?” Zack asked, in the same tone I had just used.

“Yeah?”

“Do you… have a boyfriend?”

I blushed and shook my head no, “I never really stayed in one place long enough to get too attached. The only person I’ve really dated was my best friend Alec, but we were much better off as friends. We were just too… alike.”

“Okay,” Zack smiled meekly down at me, “That’s probably good. I’m not sure Matt could handle you dating just yet.”

I giggled, “You know, I’ve never really had a family this close. I really like it.”

“Good,” Zack smiled, “Because you’re stuck with us.”