Take One Last Breath

..::Knoxville’s P.O.V::..

I remember Bam telling me about Austin having a phobia of turkey’s a few days before she arrived. Something about them going to a farm as kids, and her having an anxiety attack because ‘evil turkeys’ had been chasing her. That was such a priceless story, and I just couldn’t wait to use it on her, “RYAN,” I called out, not knowing where in the house he was, but he emerged from the kitchen. I should have guessed.

“Yeah, Johnny,” he asked, walking up to me.

“Come on, we’re going to go get some turkeys,” I smiled deviously at him, and he gave me a questioning look

“What do we need turkeys for,” he asked as we headed for the car.

“You’ll see,” I said as we got in.

..::Austin’s P.O.V::..

I was helping April cook dinner, since all of the guys were eating over. I didn’t mind because I absolutely loved to cook. I didn’t enjoy that many things in life after the age of eighteen, but cooking was one of my many favorites.

“So how’s Maine,” April asked about where I lived, and I shrugged.

“Cold,” I admitted, “I mean, it’s alright. Boring, really,” I continued, so that I didn’t just give her short answers.

“It gets cold here, too. But not boring, thanks to Bam,” she said, “Speaking of that little monster, and the catastrophe from earlier, how’s Kori,” she asked, concerned.

“She wouldn’t let me into her room,” I said, sadly, “I just hope she’s okay. I’ll try to talk to her more later. Bam said he’d lay off a bit, but he’s not doing that whatsoever,” I said, getting angry at the though. I mean, Kori was my best friend. It angered me when anybody picked on her.

“I’m sure he’ll lay off soon, sweetie. If you want to go talk to her now, I’ll take over making dinner,” she said, and I looked at her pleadingly.

“You wouldn’t mind, would you,” I asked, and she shook her head.

“I make these boys food all of the time. It’s no big deal,” she said, and I hugged her before washing my hands and leaving the kitchen. I ran up the stairs and down the hallway to Kori’s room. I tried the door, but it wouldn’t turn, so I knocked.

“Kori,” I called out, but she didn’t reply, causing me to groan as I walked into my room, and nearly shitting myself when I walked into about a hundred turkeys jumping around on my floor, “WHAT THE FUCK,” I screeched, and jumped up, arms catching me, “get me out, get me out,” I cried, near tears.

“Holy fuck, she’s going to cry, Novak, get her out,” I heard Knoxville instruct, though I wasn’t really able to hear anything as my heart pounded in my ears, and tears stung at my eyes. I could feel the person carrying me almost trip as they ran out of the room and down the hallway, putting me down at the top of the stairs. I grabbed onto the railing, carefully making my way down to the bottom step, where I sat down.

“Well Bam wasn’t kidding when he told us you were scared of Turkeys,” the guy said, and I wiped my eyes.

“I swear to god, one day I’m going to kill that fucker if Kori doesn’t first,” I said, slightly pissed, and the guy beside me chuckled. I looked over at him once my vision was cleared He had straight medium length chocolate brown hair, the scruff on his chin matching, and blue eyes. I noticed he was smiling at me, and I felt weird for just staring at him.

“H-hi,” I stuttered, not sure on what else to say.

“Hi,” he laughed again, “I’m Brandon,” he introduced himself, “But most people just call me Novak.”

“I got that back there when Knoxville…” I said, halfheartedly pointing behind me, and out of breath, then the realization hit me, “Knoxville…that fucker,” I said, standing up, “I’d go kill him if there weren’t a bunch of fucking turkeys up there,” I turned around to see Novak had also stood up, and I noticed he wasn’t wearing his clothes. He was wearing my….underwear. A pair of my underwear, and one of my bras. Usually girls are embarrassed when boys see their undergarments, but does that count if they’re wearing it.

The palms of both of my hands covered my face as I turned around, groaning, and I could hear him laughing hysterically, “What’s going on in here,” Bam said, making his first appearance since we made him apologize to Kori. I don’t know where he had been since. Once he spotted Novak, he was clutching his stomach, and on the ground laughing, “I-I told you to,” he started while he pointed at Novak, but not being able to finish due to laughing so hard, “I told you to hide your underwear because Novak was coming over,” he finally managed to finish. I couldn’t stop the smile from creeping on to my face. Even though I’d probably have to burn what Novak was wearing, I can’t argue that this was the highlight of my day.

“I thought I looked sexy,” Novak took up an offence tone, and put his hands on his chest.

“What’s going on,” April came out, and looked like she was about to die when she saw Novak, “Oh my god, whose are those,” she asked, looking at his like she strongly disapproved.

“Ape, they’re Austin’s,” Bam said in his fit of laughter from the floor.

“I look sexy, fuck all of you,” Brandon said, a smirk crawling on his face. He walked over to me, and started dry humping my leg with his hands behind his head, his elbows going out towards the sides, “WIGGLE WIGGLE WIGGLE, YEAH!” He sang out, and I wanted to die right there.

“Novak, if you want to eat over here, you have to put on your clothes,” April said, her hands on her hips.

“Fine,” Novak’s face fell, and his shoulders slumped over as he walked up the stairs, most likely towards where he left his clothes.

“MAKE SURE KNOXVILLE GETS THOSE TURKEYS OUT OF MY ROOM SO I CAN KILL HIM,” I called after Novak, my beef with Knoxville still not done, and then my eyes landed on Bam, turning into a death glare, “and you,” I said with a voice of death, “you told him. I kill you first,” I said, and tackled him, tickling his sides. He started squirming around, laughter erupting from his mouth. I didn’t stop until there were tears coming out of his eyes, and somebody grabbed me from under the arms, taking me off of Bam.

“Oh my god,” Bam said, catching his breath, “that was like rape, but I was forced to laugh,” he said, clutching his stomach with one arm, and wiping his eyes with the other.

“That’s what happens when you decide to tell Knoxville, out of all people, the thing that scares me the most,” I said, crossing my arms.

“It’s not his fault,” Knoxville was standing right behind me, “I just couldn’t help myself,” he said, starting to giggle. I forcefully punched him in the stomach, and he was doubled over, “fair enough, I probably deserved that,” he groaned, and was on the ground next to Bam.

“Hey, you finally shut both of them up,” Novak said pleasantly as he ran down the stairs, this time in his own clothes.

“Yeah,” I sarcastically matched his enthusiasm.

“Here,” he said, handing me the undergarments he had stolen from my dresser and worn. I pushed his hand away, giving him a smile.

“No, that’s okay, just keep them,” I said, and he shrugged, stuffing the underwear in his pocket, and putting the bra on Knoxville’s face.

“Austin,” Kori said as she came down the stairs, “Please refrain me as I try to stuff Knoxville’s head in a wood chipper,” she said, going for Knoxville, who had gotten off of the ground, and ran down the stairs into the basement.

“I don’t think I want to this time. What did he do,” I asked, and I could hear her growl under her breath.

“There’s a bunch of fucking turkeys in my room, and I know it was fucking Knoxville,” she hissed

“They were originally in mine,” I said blankly, and her eyes grew wide.

“But you’re fucking scared of them,” she pointed out and I nodded.

“Why do you think there are turkeys upstairs,” I stated, and her anger grew.

“I’m going to go kill Knoxville, now,” she said, and I nodded again.

“Please do,” I suggested.

..::Bam’s P.O.V::..

I still didn’t know what to make of what happened earlier in Kori’s room. I was psyched out. She was going to take a low blow to my marriage all because of a few pranks. She said this was war, and I’m already looking for a white flag somewhere. All I could do was act like nothing was wrong about everybody else, because if I walked around trembling, somebody would know something was up, so I had to act like everything was normal. Or…what this household considers normal.

..::Austin’s P.O.V::..

So after Kori caught Knoxville, caused him to pass out, and left his face in a pile of dog shit, then stealing the money from his wallet, everybody gathered in the dining room – excluding Knoxville – to eat. It. Was. Chaos.

“Phil,” Bam said from the other end of the table of his dad. When he looked, Bam tugged on the tablecloth, causing all of Phil’s food and drink to fall all over him.

“Bam,” April whined, going to get a cloth to start cleaning up the mess, “Can’t we have one nice family dinner without you playing a prank,” she begged, glaring at him every few seconds.

“I’m sorry, Ape, but that is not in my nature,” Bam said before he sat down, and started at his own food.

“This is going to happen every night,” Novak warned me. He decided to sit down next to me, so we had been having a conversation, and Kori was next to Hanna, and as far away from Bam as she could be. I’d also so her glare in his direction ever few minutes, and he’d glare back. I assumed it was playful. They did make up, after all.

“How exciting,” I said back to Novak, who gave a small chuckle.

“Also, I’m sorry for that joke Knoxville pulled earlier. I don’t think he knew you’d freak out so much. It was actually pretty horrible to see,” he apologized on Knoxville’s behalf.

“It was horrible to happen. Regardless, I’m still going to poison his food or something,” I said, and he smiled.

“You know, I like you, Austin. You’re pretty cool,” he said, and I looked down and blushed.

“You’re pretty cool, too,” I said.

“AUSTIN’S BLUSHING,” Chris shouted, “WHY ARE YOU BLUSHING, AUSTIN,” he shouted at me, though he was in the seat directly across from me.

“I’M NOT BLUSHING, CHRIS. THE BLOOD IS RUSHING TO MY HEAD. IT’S LIKE A HEAD BONER,” I shouted back.

“Well, I never,” Bam screeched, acting offended, “That was just inappropriate, young lady.”

“Shut up,” I said, giggling.

“And you and your friends can clean up after dinner, Bam,” April said.

“I hate her,” Knoxville’s voice came from the back door, and we all looked up to see him standing in the door way, brown smeared all over his face, “and I’m going to go home and wash up, but this isn’t over, Kori,” he warned, before walking through the dining room to the front door, the horrible smell trailing behind him. He took my appetite with him out of the door.

“Well,” I said, getting up from the table, “I’m not hungry,” I said happily, and walked up the stairs. I expected to see a bunch of leftovers from the turkeys in my room, surprised to see that Knoxville at least cleaned up. I could hear them in Kori’s room, though, hoping they’d be out of the house, soon. I went to my dresser, ready to take a shower, to see a giant turkey drawn on the dresser’s mirror in black sharpie. I sighed, before my face met my palm. I continued getting my clothes, and took a shower. It had been a long day, and I was already tired, and wanting to go to bed. I curled up under my covers with my iPod, and pressed play, letting the voice of Mitch Lucker’s voice over take me as No Pity For A Coward by Suicide Silence played.

What a fucked up day this had been.

©Shannon.