If You Can't Hang... Get the Hell Out

"Ralleh," my boss called, causing me to look up from, where I was counting the drawer.

It was Friday, which meant we closed up early and some band came and played a gig. The band was currently setting up, while I was closing up the counter.

"Yeah?"

"Can you go check and see if the guys want any pizza or anything?"

"Got it. Let me finish up here first."

"Thanks, Ral."

"You got it, Boss Man."

I finished locking up the register and headed towards the back of the store.

"Yo! You guys want pizza or something?" I asked.

They all got excited at the prospect of food, and hurriedly prattled off what they wanted. I ordered and waited for it to be delivered.

I was playing on my phone outside of the store. The sound of tires crunching gravel alerted me to the approaching vehicle. I looked up and smirked, when I recognized the car.

"Rock star by day, pizza guy by night?" I asked Jesse.

"Yeah yeah laugh it up. You better give me a fucking good tip. He pulled out the bag. What the fuck did you order?"

"We have a band playing in a few hours. They wanted food."

"Hey if you get off in time you should come and check em out."

"I work until close at ten."

"We'll still have bands hanging around by then."

"We'll see."

I handed him the money and took the food. I had given him a pretty decent tip. "Keep it, oh and here's another tip: cut your hair."

"Ladies love the mane."

"If you say so."

With that I walked into the building. I went and watched the main band set up. The others were acoustic, so they weren't nearly as involved.

As I was chilling my phone vibrated in my pocket.

From Sunglasses: What? So Jesse gets invited to hang out and see some dudes play but not me? I'm hurt

I rolled my eyes at the message. To Sunglasses: Bring me food and your in VIP style You can sit on the counter

A moment later I got a response. From Sunglasses: Got just the thing When do you want me there

To Sunglasses: I'm here until we kick everyone out

From Sunglasses: Alright Be there later

To Sunglasses: See ya

I shoved my phone in my pocket, just in time to see Kellin walk in with Jack. Kellin had taken to coming in early for shows.

"What up cuz and friend?" I greeted.

"I feel so loved," Jack said.

"I know I just radiate warmth and love."

They hopped up on the counter with me, and the three of us talked about our musical abilities, mine being non existent, Kellin's singing, and Jack played guitar.

Finally people started to show up and crowd the back of the store. Our spot on the counter gave us a good view without being smashed in with all the people. I mean I enjoyed being in the crowd, but I preferred to do so for something a little bigger.

About mid way through the second acoustic set a plastic wrapped package was dropped on my lap. I glanced over and saw Justin smirking.

I looked down. It was a dick shaped lollipop. I looked back at him. "I don't know whether to laugh or be concerned you had one of these laying around."

"Jesse bought it for my birthday thinking he was funny."

"Oh. Whatever. I have no real shame. I'll eat the damn thing." I patted the counter space next to me. "Take a seat." I bumped Kellin. "Kells, Jacky, this is Justin. Justin, this is my cousin Kellin and his boyfriend Jack."

"Fuck you," Jack said.

"Oh you know I just like fucking with you."

He rolled his eyes before observing what was currently sitting on my lap.

"What the fuck?"

"That was this asshole. His boyfriend Jesse-"

"I can do better than Jesse!" Justin yelled, offended. "If I go gay, I'm going for fucking Ryan Gossling or some fucker."

"Ryan Gossling isn't that attractive."

"My mother would skin you."

The seriousness of Justin's tone made me crack up laughing. "No joke, she's in love with him. I swear she's gonna leave my dad for him."

It was barely noticeable, but Kellin tensed beside me. "KELLY!" I yelled in his ear causing him to jump then groan in pain.

"What?" he snapped.

"I wuv you," I said in a baby voice, leaning and hugging him.

He sighed and hugged me back. "Love you too, even though you're fucking annoying."

Justin raised an eyebrow at me. I shook my head.

He nodded and started talking about the band playing. I thought they were okay, nothing great, but okay. Justin however dissected everything and concluded that they were total shit.

Not long before the set was over, we were joined by none other than Jesse.

"If it isn't Axl. Late as usual."

"Ha ha," Jesse dead panned.

"He's only pissed, because he is late to pretty much everything."

"Fuck off."

"Kellin, Jack, this is Jesse, aka Axl. Jesse, this is my cousin and Jack, the free loader who hangs at my house and eats all my food."

"So does Kellin," Jack said.

"Yeah, but I do the same exact thing to him. Give me your address, I'll be over tomorrow, gonna lay on your couch, eat your food, and make a mess."

"As long as you don't touch my guitar, I don't care."

"That's no fucking fun."

"You play?" Jesse asked.

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. Justin plays bass."

"Kelly Bop sings," I chimed in.

"Kelly Bop?" Kells, questioned.

"I make shit up as I go."

"That one was terrible."

"Hey, no hating on my shitty nicknaming game. Okay? Before my names get not so nice, cock sucker."

"Slit licker," he replied.

I just looked at him, trying not to laugh. It didn't work and I started cracking up. "Okay. That was a good one. I'll give you that."

"So what..." Jesse and jack launched into guitar talk. Apparently Kellin and Jack had some stuff they'd been working on. Kellin invited them over to my house (Yeah. I know. What the fuck? That was so not what my mother meant, when she said make yourself at home.) to jam.

"You can do it in the basement, but you have to fucking clan everything, because I am not."

"Best cousin ever," Kellin said, pulling me into a side hug.

"I know I'm not your I'm not your only cousin, but I don't know how may others there are, so I'm not sure if it's all that impressive or not."

"You don't know your own family?" Jesse asked.

"No. I met them all once, when I was little, too little to remember them. I didn't know shit about any of them until Kellin and his family moved here."

"Now you're stuck with us, like herpes."

"That's nice compare family to an STD," I scoffed.