Second Chances, Bad Habits

After turning away from waving to Andy and Ashley, I turned to face Max. It kind of creeped me out a little when I saw his huge grin in my face.

“Someone’s happy, much” I said, trying to not let on how weird I thought he was right now.

“You were fucking amazing, anyways lets get food.” He grinned, before looking around to see where to go.

“How about we actually collect the money first?” I smiled, shaking my head at his eagerness.

“Oh, shit, yeah” He giggled to himself, which really did not help the girl image. Walking back over to the side of the stage, I saw the guy that had originally given me the mic, and made a beeline for him.

“Hey, erm, excuse me?” I said, hoping I hadn’t interrupted anything, but it didn’t look like he was talking to the guy in the black skinnies and leather jacket next to him.

“Deli! Great you came back, you were amazing lil’ lady, and I do have your prize for you, but first I want you to meet someone.” I still didn’t know this dude’s name, but whatever, he seemed nice enough.

“Deli, this a representative of Epitaph records, Sam, this is Deli.” He said, introducing us, while I shook Sam’s hand.

“Sam? Whoa, dude I haven’t fucking seen you in ages!” Max practically screamed behind me.

“Long time Max, how’s things?” Sam asked, his sandy hair falling back as he looked at Max to reveal his bright, blue eyes.

“It’s going great, you?” Max beamed, I swear this boy doesn’t have down time.

“I’m great as of now, because Epitaph have been looking for a new act, and I think we just found it. Deli, what do you say?” I just stared at him in shock, this guy was serious.

“Huh?” Great. I get offered a contract, and the best thing I can say is ‘huh’. Delilah, you’re a douche.

“Epitaph have been looking for new talent for some time, and you’re the first act I’ve seen and heard that lives up to our standards, basically how would you like to meet the board to see where we can go from here?” My mouth gaped even wider, while Max just put his hand on my head and made me nod. Gotta love this boy sometimes.

“Great, but I’ll need your full name?” Sam smiled.

“Um, Delilah Emily Silverings” I managed to mutter out, while Max just laughed at my inability to form words.

“Alright, I’ll be back in a moment.” Sam turned while dialling numbers into his phone.

“Fucking a man!” Max laughed, before waving his hand in front of my still frozen face.

“Deli?.....Delilah?” He said ‘Delilah’ in the most ridiculous voice that I couldn’t help but laugh and look at him like he was from a mental institute.

“Here ya go lil’ lady, there’s a grand total of $500 there. Well deserved if you ask me.” The guy said, handing me a wad of money, before tunring and leaving. Looking at Max, I’m pretty sure his face was a mirror image on my own.

“$500? Fucking A!” He yelled, jumping around, pulling me into a really tight hug.

“M-max, n-need-d to b-breathe.” I gasped out as he quickly apologized and loosened his grip.

“Alright Delilah, I’ve spoken to the board they would like to meet you as soon as possible, when are you available?” Sam said, interrupting, Max’s, now, very nice hug.

“Erm, I’m free tomorrow?” I said trying to remember when I had days off.

“Great, here’s my card, the address is on there, if we meet around noon?” He said handing me a smile white card.

“Great, yeah that’s, yeah.” Grinning like a goof, I completely ignored what ever else he said before he made his exit. I was about to tell Max that we can get lunch, before the 4 boys that had been my band for my performance shuffled up.

“Erm, can I help you?” Raising an eyebrow at them. They didn’t even look a day older than me, yet they looked so innocent and young in front of me.

“Um…we were just wondering….um…..seen as…..well….would you like us to be your band?” The second boy along babbled, squeezing his eyes shut, as if waiting for me to eat him or something. I looked at Max, who just smiled and shrugged at me, great help he is.

“I guess? I mean who else would I get.” I smiled giving in to the gut feeling I had. The boy eyes shot open before he jump on me.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! You won’t regret this!” I gushed into my ear, making me laugh as I hugged him back, the other three boys laughed before quickly joining in. Max feeling like a gooseberry, joined in to too.

“Wait, so what are your names?” I smirked, the grin permanently plastered on my face.

“Oh sorry.” The same boy said, before ushering everyone back so he could begin his introductions.

“This is Mason…” He pointed to the boy first in line, who waved and smirked at me. He was tall as fuck, maybe around 6ft2, but he sort of reminded me of Andy, in that he was skinny as a twig. His black hair fell into his face, almost hiding his big brown eyes, before he stepped forward to say more.

“I play drums…um….i’m 18” Shit, and I thought he was younger than me. Dang it!

“I’m Austin, I play bass, and I’m only 16, but I make up for it, honest.” The kid that had done all the talking so far said. He was so small, I couldn’t really believe he played bass. He looked about 5ft6, and he was quite scrawy, but in a cute and adorbale way.

“Hey, so do I!” Max beamed, happy that he had a buddy. Making everyone laugh at his immaturity.

“And this is Jake and Harry.” Austin said pointing to the two boys on the end. Jake was about them same height as Max, but he had more muscle, and a really dark tan. He looked Spanish, but I thought it best not to say anything when I saw that he had ice, blue eyes. Harry was similar in height, but like a milk bottle in comparison. He looked like the huggable one, with his pudge though.

“I play guitar and he plays keyboard.” The one called Jake said. I tried not to laugh when I realised the Jake I already knew played guitar as well.

“Hey guys, well I’m Deli, if you didn’t already know, erm I’m 17.” I smiled back at the cheesey grinning boys.

“Hey you wanna join us for lunch?” Max asked, I think he just wanted to have a gushy moment about Basses to Austin in all honesty.

******************

After eating lunch and everything, I told the boys about where they should go tomorrow and a what time before they left to go prep.

“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever known someone to ever get picked out by fucking Epitaph, form a band, and perform, all in one day. Fucking a man, you are something else.” Max smirked, as we were walking back to my house. He’d insisted on walking me home for one reason or another.

“I get that a lot, weirdly enough.” I smiled back. Being around Max, I just couldn’t help but be happy and smile like a loon. Turning the corner, we were about 2 or 3 blocks away still, before some slaggy blonde stopped us in our tracks.

“So your Ashley’s new fuck toy huh?”……fuck toy? What the fuck.

“What do you mean?” Curiousity getting the better of me. I know I shouldn’t listen to anything someone like this bimbo says to me, but she’d hit an open spot. I had to be honest in that I barely knew Ashley, in fact, I didn’t even know how old he was or what he even did in Black Veil Brides. I know his name and where he lives. The end.

“Oh, didn’t you know? Figures that he wouldn’t tell how his man-whore ways.” She pulled a face that literally made her look like a cat’s bum.

“Man whore wa…”

“Shut the fuck up Kennedy!’ Max growled at the bitch in front of us. Making me want to know more.

“Wait, what do you mean?” I said pulling back, when Max tried to pull me away.

“I mean, lover boy, fucks around. Don’t listen to a word he tells you if he ever says you his only one, or that he loves you. He’s just using you for he sex.” She smirked again, before attempting to walk away in her very tight skirt.

“Max?” I prodded, my brows furrowing together in confusion. This could not be happening. I trusted Ash, and he’d been lying to me to while time.

“Deli, just ignore her, she’s Ash’s ex. I’ll be the first to admit that he use to treat girls like shit, but her hasn’t for a while. Especially after he met you, so just ignore what the skank says, k?” he explained, but the guilt and worry never left his face.

***************

Walking in to Ash’s house, I slammed the door and plopped onto the sofa next to him. What if what the bitch was saying was true? And Max had just been trying to cover for him, I mean I didn’t think Max would like to me. But then again I didn’t think Ash would either, but clearly there was something there to hide.

“Hey Babe.” Ash wrapped his arm around my waist pulling me in close to him, breaking my train of thought.

“Hey.”

“Is everything okay?” silently I shrugged, I wasn’t so sure whether I should bring it up. Especially when I thought about the secrets I was keeping. Maybe he was just doing the same.

“Yeah, everything’s fine.”

“Deli?” Looking back at Ash, I tried to seem like nothing had happened, but I’m pretty sure I failed.

“Huh?”

“Can we talk? I mean alone?” He said motioning towards the bedroom door.

“Okay sure.”

Ash and I sat up leaving Evangeline to watch TV. Great, knowing me I’ll just babble about everything.

“Deli, I know about what you use to do.” Ash said spinning to face me once we were alone.

Well shit.