Stand in Girl

I stood behind the curtain at the small venue, looking on as Emilio began his guitar solo. I pulled my hands up to me and tried to imitate the chords. They had just gotten back from their tour and had decided to play a show back home in the good old Bay Area. Emilio, my cousin had been teaching me how to play. And he did know more than my friend Aubrey did.

The crowd was going wild for Emilio. Dusty had a huge smile on his face and went over to him, putting an arm around my now extremely sweaty cousin. I was proud of them. Though I had just started to reconnect with Emilio. I hadn't seen him since his brothers funeral. But since the band was so close they told me that since I was cousins with Emilio that I was now cousins with all of them.

When they had come off of stage the crowd was going wild for them.

"Great show guys!" I said excitedly. This was only my third that I had been to. Emilio had been my ride home every time. And this time wasn't an exception.

"Germany was better," Dusty said using a towel on his forehead.

"I thought they would kill each other out there in Germany!" Emilio said taking a huge gulp of water from his water bottle. I sat on a cardboard box that was used as a case for an amp. I loved being backstage with them. I liked it even more when I got to watch them from backstage. I could breath back there and I had a great view. Shit, if I got any closer I would be standing next to them.

***

"Hand me my notebook back there," Emilio said pointing to the back seat. I leaned back and grabbed his tattered red notebook. It had all the artwork for the band as well as some new song ideas. I handed it to him and he flipped the pages, looking up at the road every now and then.

"Thank God someone drove you guys instead of you driving," I said.

"What's wrong with the way I drive?" he said and smirked. That's just about the only way we looked alike. We had the same smirk and the same eyebrows. But other than that you wouldn't be able to tell we were related. Our grandparents were brother and sisters. My grandpa on my dad's side. And his grandma on his mother's side.

"Well for one you don't watch the road," I said.

"Do too. Oh Shit!" he said and swerved out of the way from an oncoming car from the other side of the road. I looked up at him and smirked.

"Shut up," he said. I couldn't help but laugh. Oh our family love.

***

When I got home Emilio didn't bother coming in to say hi. For one my parents were probably asleep and he himself was exhausted. I felt bad when he had to drive me home, we lived about forty minutes away from each other. But some how he would always find the strength to do it.

I unlocked the door and went to bed how I was, clothes and all. I practically passed out right as my head touched the pillow.

I woke up to my alarm going off, my stereo blasting music. My dog growled and I rolled over looking at my closet that was a total mess. Today was Monday, but it was the last week of school. It was going to be my last week as a Junior in Gunderson. I was sixteen and my birthday was in about four weeks.

I got up and turned on my light that was really unnecessary since it was already so bright outside. I walked over to my closet but tripped on my bags. I was packing for France. My friend Jayson had invited Sarah and I over. It was going to be Sarah's fifteenth time there and it would be my first.

It had taken an hour of Jayson's parents and himself over the phone talking to my parents to convince them to let me go. And I was happy they did. I didn't want to be stuck here all summer.

I put on an outfit, a jean skirt that was fairly ripped up. And my black t-shirt that had three white skulls across the front. I then went into the bathroom to put in my contacts and do my makeup.

By the time I was done so was my brother and mother. We got into the car to leave.

"So how was the show?" my mom asked as my little brother got out of the car.

"Pretty sweet. Everyone was glad to see them back," I said.

"So they didn't break Europe or anything?" my mom asked.

"I'll tell you when I get there," I said smiling.