We Won't Back Down

Chapter Twenty-One

Dahlia Elwell

I awoke to someone knocking loudly on my bedroom door, grumbling every curse in the book as I saw the clock read 7:46 A.M.. If this was Sheila’s sick thought of a joke, I was going to kill her for it.
“God Damnit Sheil…mom, dad…what are you doing here?” my voice quickly changed and my eyes widened. This couldn’t be good what so ever…I wonder if Sheila and Athena knew.
“They have big, exciting news for us.” Athena stated, crossing her arms over her chest, clearly not happy about being up at this time. Sheila was leaning against the wall, clearly doing a wall sit and sleeping. Oh how I envied her sleeping, even if it’s in a really odd position, seeing as though she could sleep through anything.
“Family meeting in the living room.”
“We’re a family?” Sheila said, her eyes still shut and our parents turned to her, anger spreading over their faces.
“What is that supposed to mean?” our mom asked her and Sheila opened her eyes, her grey eyes glowing with anger.
“You would have left without a goodbye if though thought we did well, but you’re here…so obviously you weren’t impressed.” She pushed herself away from the wall.
“No we weren’t impressed young lady, you’re failing half of your classes and smoking during school hours.” Dad snapped at her and I cursed under my breath.
“You’re sister is correct though, I don’t know what we were thinking about letting you live on your own…we thought that you were seniors and could accept the responsibility as big as this, looks like we were wrong about that one. You will be coming with us to Australia and only get two hours to pack up everything. And we mean everything.” Our mom explained and without another word, they went to the door and left.
I couldn’t handle it; I turned around and went back into my room, slamming my door as tears streamed down my face. I hated the idea that my sisters could hear me crying, I was supposed to be the strong one and here I was, bawling my eyes out like a little girl. I felt my cellphone go off and Ronnie’s name was flashing on the screen, now I had to put on a face for him.
“Hey babe, how are you? I’m sorry it’s so early, just wanted to call before I went up on stage.” His voice was so soothing and I did my best to sound happy.
“Hey,” cue fake yawn, “I’m good, just sleepy is all. How have the other bands been?” I choked back more tears, causing my voice to go a little higher, but I coughed it off.
“The bands have been good…what’s wrong? Why have you been crying?”
Damnit how could he tell?!
I felt myself losing control and I just let it go, no need to hide it anymore right?
“My parents made their decision to make us move…we are a month and a half from graduation and two months from the competition. We just got the band complete and I just got back and, and, and…”
“Hunny, hunny calm down…breathe, it’s gonna be ok I promise?” he was so reassuring but there is no possible way that it could be ok. “Look, I’m living proof that someone’s like can go from a steaming pile of shit and become the most exciting experience ever. I was a failing druggie who never would get past the obstacles I have without the people in my life as well…well I have you in my life and you are the best thing that has happened to me.”
“Oh Ronnie, you are so sweet…I just hope that you are right.”
“I know I am, now where are they making you move to?” he asked curiously and I sighed.
“Australia, which is a dream place but...it’s for all the wrong reasons.” I whispered, feeling my eyes starting to water. “Fuck, I really hate crying.”
“It’s alright, I will be in Australia soon for tour and then I’ll be figuring something out for you and your sisters.” He said and I heard someone yelling in the background and him groaning. “I hate to let you go at a time like this, but I go on in ten and have to do a sound check.”
“It’s alright, call me after?” I whispered, upset that I was going to have to let him go, but I had to help my sisters out with the packing or our parents would be so angry.
“Well of course darling, I love you and I’ll see you soon.” He said and I could hear his smile over the phone.
“I love you too.” I said just before the line went dead, causing a sigh to escape my lips. I hated getting off the phone with him, but my sisters needed my assistance with packing up their stuff and getting it ready to go.
“Gah, why do I have so much stuff!?” I heard Sheila exclaim from her room and I held back a laugh, I told her that her pack rat ways would be the death of her and I was right.
For the next half an hour, we cleaned and packed everything that we could until we knew everything was in boxes, including the food. Who knew how long we were going to be gone and what we could and could not buy in Australia, us Elwell girls needed our personal happy food snacks for whatever day needed them the most. None of us were as excited as we should be about going to a faraway place, mostly because we were five and our parents thought it would be smart to bring five year olds into the center of the Amazon rainforest for their work. When we were younger, we didn’t mind being brought everywhere because it was like an adventure, but not when we are so much older and so close to graduating.
We sat at the kitchen table, reminiscing over old times and there came a knock at the door. There was no way that it had already been two hours, but then again, they were known for their rushing natures.
We opened the door to Lex and all squealed with delight, bringing her into our arms into a group hug.
“I came over as soon as I got your text message.” She said looking over at Athena, “Monte wasn’t too happy about me leaving so soon, but he understands that it was an emergency.”
“Oh hot date with Monte eh?” Sheila chuckled; teasing her and her face started turning the prettiest shade of red. Oh she had it bad for Monte; there was no doubt about that.
“Yeah, yeah keep it up…on a serious note; what are we going to do about graduation and the contest…hell I can’t run the store myself.” She said, a pout forming on her lips as she sat at the kitchen table with us.
“As of this moment in time, graduation is off for us, as well as school until they can get us into the school system…if that is possible.” Athena mentioned glumly, considering we all had planned on going to college in the fall of this year…that dream was gone.
“Ronnie has a plan for us actually; he says that he may be able to do something when Falling in Reverse gets to Australia. Not sure what he is planning on accomplishing with our parents being the way they are, but he says not to worry.” I chimed in and relaxation seemed to cross all of their faces.
“That’s good to know, but that will have to be on the down low, as for the store…I have been thinking that one over for a while and I figured if we gave our aunt a call she would agree to having the guys help you out while we are gone. That way there would still be people there to help out as well as keep the contest up and running.”
“That’s all fine and dandy and I wouldn’t mind, but what if you guys don’t make it back in time? Or you do, but we are rusty because we didn’t get to practice as much as we should have?”
“Shit we are taking our instruments so we could always practice that way via Skype? I mean the time difference is going to be killer, but it would be an experience for sure.” Sheila looked up the time difference online and looked up. “If we all can be up by noon in Australia and you could be free by eight at night then we could practice that way.”
“Do you think you could do that?” I asked Athena, who had the most trouble when it came to waking up at a decent hour. She replied by flipping me off, making a face and I knew it was all in good fun.
“Then that is set, now who wants to make the call to our aunt to see if she would be willing to let the guys take our place?” Sheila asked and Athena smiled, raising her phone up.
“Already on it.” She said going into another room to have some silence, coming back moments later with a shit eating grin on her face. “She said yes!”
We let out a cheer and it was quickly silenced by the sound of a car pull up, the doors slamming and our eyes widened. An hour and a half, had to give it to them, this was the latest that they had ever been. They wouldn’t come upstairs, but would wait impatiently for us to come downstairs with all of our stuff. Lex decided that she would help; not giving two shits what our parents would say and started hauling things downstairs. It took us about thirty minutes to get everything into the car and I was upstairs with Lex, looking up everything to make sure nothing was left. Something under Athena’s bed caught my attention and I pulled it out, finding an envelope with Craig’s name written in cursive.
“Next time you see Craig, give this to him…she would want him to have this to say goodbye.” I stated and she nodded, putting it into her purse as we walked downstairs. We gave Lex a group hug and jumped when our parents let the horn go on the car.
Assholes!
We piled into the car and they started pulling away, watching Lex grow smaller and smaller as she waved goodbye to us. I felt tears slipping down my cheeks and I could hear my sisters breaking down as well.
Come on Radke…we are counting on you. I thought to myself as we pulled onto the interstate heading to the airport. Goodbye Nevada.