Punk Rox!

“Jesse!” The green eyed brunette called, waving back to me. He looked about seven. A bucket in his other hand.

“Slow down, Ethan!” I shouted back, my short legs struggling to keep up over the rolling hills of Gramps’ ranch.

“The fish aren’t gonna save themselves!” He yelled before turning tail and running towards the vast number of puddles throughout the area. It had just rained and the pond the cattle and mounts drank from had over flown. That means all the little fish had been washed out. It was mine and Ethan’s job to collect as many as possible before the water dried up and the fish died and return the saved fish back to the tank.

Once at a puddle, I looked in and saw all the little fish, from minnows to baby catfish, all scatter along with several water beetles. The face reflecting back looked extremely feminine. Long golden hair curled around its girly face and thin shoulders. Dark eyelashes framed its chrome blue eyes. A sprinkle of near invisible freckles across its pale button nose. If one didn’t know any better, they would think the child was a girl.

“Jess!” Ethan’s voice rang through my ears, and I looked up into his gemstone emerald eyes.

“Look,” He held out his bucket and revealed two baby catfish swimming around. No, they were circling each other. One was an unusual white, albino color and the other was extremely dark. Jet black.

“They look like Yin and Yang!” I shouted in amusement.

“I know, right!?” Ethan grinned and stared into the bucket.

“I’m... I’m gonna keep ‘em. Think you’re grandfather will let me?” He looked up with hopeful eyes.

“Sure, the white one would be easy prey anyway so it’d be useless to keep if it’ll just end up eaten by a bigger fish or a bird.” I told him, completely certain.

“Great!” He smiled widely and skipped off towards the ranch house. I watched him go, not bothering to follow.

“Watch out for the fire ants!” I warned, remembering the huge nest we’d found earlier that morning.

“I’m not that stupid!” Ethan called back over his shoulder. I sighed in content as he continued on, weaving through the mesquite that Gramps really needed to get rid of and the tall puffs of grass. I looked back into the puddle in front of me to find an odd sight I hadn’t expected to see. A rather large orange and white goldfish was staring back at me.

I jumped at first, it somewhat frightened me that it was just staring at me. Unusual behavior for a fish. Even more unusual was that the goldfish had been flooded out in the first place. They usually stalk the bottom of the pond. I bent down and, seeing it hadn’t swam away yet, carefully placed my pink bucket in the water. I easily caught it, it just sat there and quickly got taken by the flow I created. I stood, goldfish now in the bucket, and stared into the water. It stared back, completely unfazed. It was moving, its fins moving gracefully by its sides, gills pulsing, and mouth opening and closing like a fish’s will.

There was something weird about this goldfish though.

“Jesse!” The cheerful voice of an old man sounded beside me.

“Oh, hi Grandpa,” I greeted, watching the fish watching me.

“Here, let’s go put this in the fish tank with Grandma’s goldfish, it seems friendly,” He took the bucket and led me back towards the house.

Friendly...

That wasn’t the word for it... bizarre, more like.

That fish haunted me. I know it sounds weird, but it was a freaky fish! It had reddish eyes and it just stared at you. Normal fish will swim around and...swim around, but whenever you entered the room, that goldfish was watching you. It was...disturbing.

My grandmother named it Seer for its habit. Unlike the other fish, this one was instantly recognizable and easy to tell apart. Because it just stood still and stared with its blank, red eyes.

My eyes shot open and I found myself staring into blackness. I just dreamed about a goldfish. ‘Cause that’s normal. I then wondered if Seer was even still alive. I hadn’t seen my grandparents in years. I knew Ethan’s strange Yin and Yang catfish were still alive, they lived in a tank meant to hold a snake by his window at home. They must’ve been ten or eleven years old now.

Wait, where was I?

I noted I was in a bed. I could feel the sheets. And before you perverts jump to the conclusion, no, I wasn’t naked. I wasn’t sure what was happening either, but I quickly thought back to the previous day.

“I-...I thought you were straight?” I said quietly, trying to catch my breath.

“I did too,” Andy admitted.

“Did?” I questioned.

“I’ve been extremely confused since I met you. Everything’s changed,” He told me.

“What do you mean?” I asked, curious.

“I think... I think I love you,” I blushed instantly at the revelation. He loved me? Me?

“But-but...you...I though-”

“It’s been confusing,” He interrupted, “but I’m not running anymore. This has never happened to me before, to tell you the truth. I was in denial and I was scared and confused beyond believe.

“But right now, right here, I’m going to be true to you and to myself. I love you, Jesse,” Tears formed in my eyes and my arms clung to his neck as I fell to my knees. I felt him wrap his arms around my waist and hold me tight.

“I... I love you!” I cried, it felt good to be able to say it so, I wasn’t sure why I was crying. I was such a girl...

I smiled at the memory, grabbing the hand that was wrapped around my waist. I looked up to the window, seeing the bright face of the full moon staring back. I curled up further against Andy, sighing in content.

We hadn’t done anything particularly bad. We just went back to my hotel room and made out for a while, enjoyed being with the other person. I guess we fell asleep. I wondered what happened to Ethan and Harper, though. This was their room as well.

Guess they ended up bunking with Quin. The thought made me bolt straight up. Shit, I forgot all about Quincy! I forgot all about recording! Oh shit!

“Jess?” Andy asked groggily.

I whimpered in response. This got his attention. He sat up.

“Are you okay?” He ran his hand over my cheek.

“What about recording?” I whimpered, “I totally forgot about Quincy and the others!”

My voice was quiet, but I was about to have a panic attack. Mainly about the recording thing.

He looked at me blankly.

“And to think I thought this was going to get cliché for a second...” I smiled impishly, and snuggled against his chest. He was so warm.

“Do you know what happened to Ethan and Harper?” I sighed, looking up into his ice blue eyes reflecting like jewels in the moonlight.

“No,” He stated simply, “Why? Should I?”

“No,” I sighed again, “just wondering,”

He smiled and wrapped his arms around me. I could feel him kiss the top of my head. In response, I looked up and leaned forward to kiss his lips.

“Chibi,” A grin spread across my face.

“Ch-...” Andy looked utterly confused. I started giggling.

“Does this mean you’re my chibi now?” I continued to giggle.

“I... What?”

“Ask Ethan,” I said, a smile on my face. He only blinked.

“Goodnight, Chibi,” I sighed dreamily and lay back down, passing out the second my head hit the pillow.