Let Me Save You

I didn’t know what time it was, but it was still dark out so it had to be late. I flicked on the bedside light and crawled out of bed. My bags sat on the floor mostly unzipped and left packed. I crouched down in front of my duffel bag and carefully dug through it searching for the old black canvas backpack I knew was at the bottom. My fingers found the familiar texture and I pulled it out before returning to bed and pulling the blankets up over my legs.

The buckles had been left undone and the top flap flopped open easily. I pulled the drawstrings free and reached into the main pocket pulling out a folded up well worn leather jacket and setting it beside me. Next I pulled out a thin black buckle wristband, and a black chain with a small metal gothic cross hanging off it. I set them on my nightstand and turned back to the jacket bringing it closer and inhaling deeply.

I knew that scent. I was wearing it, surrounded by it. That was Andy’s scent. So I guess my grandparents really weren’t lying when they said it was my father’s jacket.

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“So what’s you’re favorite color?” We were standing in front of the massive wall of paint chips in ever color you could imagine, and to be honest it was a bit overwhelming. Probably for both of us, since Andy kept trying to brush his hair back, then realizing he was wearing a hat, and having to readjust it.

I didn’t have a favorite, but I liked purple. “Purple.”
“Ok, dark, light, or somewhere in the middle?” He took a few steps down to where the majority of the purple chips were and I followed a second later.

As I stood before the two foot by three foot section that consisted of only variations of purple I felt very small. I randomly reached out and grabbed one from the middle. According to the little silver print it was called ‘imperial purple’.

“You like that one?” I nodded and we took it up to the counter. I waited while Andy went and got a couple paint trays and two paint rollers. The man behind the counter rung us up and pretty soon we left the store each carrying a bucket of paint and Andy carrying the bag of materials. We stowed them in the trunk.

“There’s an interesting decor place across the street if you want to look.”
“Ok.” I pulled the edge of my jacket, which was really Andy’s old jacket, tighter around myself and followed him across the street and into the store.

“If you see anything you like just let me know.” He put his hands in his pockets and let me take the lead weaving through the various tables and racks of things. I didn’t care about the tables, as I liked mine just fine, and a lamp I already had so I didn’t need that. We breezed through the many nearly identical landscape paintings, and continued on through the small rug section. I slowed considerably once we reached the section where they kept the miscellaneous items.

I brushed my fingertips along the tassel of a placemat, letting my gaze roam the disorganized shelves. Tucked away behind some kind of bowl was a small statue of young Buddha. It was a deep blue color dusted with silver and was no bigger than my hand. I pulled it out and turned it over in my hand a few times before setting it back on the shelf and continuing on. I continued to wander around the small corner of the store while Andy sat on one of the chairs waiting patiently. On the same rack as the Buddha statue a little further down was a black wall hanging in the shape of a large crow, the metalwork twisting together beautifully. I must have been quite entranced because I didn’t realize Andy had come up behind me to see what was so interesting.

“You like it?” I jumped at the sound of his voice and turned to look at him. “Sorry.”
I nodded turning my gaze back to it. It was quite large, coming to about my knee, but Andy picked it up anyway and carried it with him as we finished looking around.
“You sure this is it?” He asked before we walked up to the register.

I nodded, then paused thinking back to the Buddha. “Wait.” I walked back to the corner and grabbed the small statue before returning to the register and adding it to the small collection of things, only two of which were mine. Andy had grabbed a few seemingly random things claiming they were for some room in the house.

After getting everything in the car he started up the engine and went down a few blocks to a large mall.
“I’ve got a couple things I need to pick up before we head back. It won’t take too long. You can wait in the car if you want.” He got out of the car, and as answer I followed. “Ok.”

I followed half a step behind him into the large building. It was by no means full, but it wasn’t empty either. Clumps of people, of all ages wandered around, some turning to watch us as we passed, others glaring at us for reasons unknown to me. First we went to Apple, where I stood awkwardly next to a table of computers while Andy went up to the desk. I’d never had a computer, never needed one.

“Can I help you with anything?” I looked up at the girl who looked to be in her twenties, who’d come up to me.
“No thank you.” I said quietly, shifting my gaze to Andy. The guy behind the desk handed him a large bag then smiled and Andy walked over to me.
“You ready?” I nodded and followed him out of the store and through the complicated structure. “I need to stop by Hot Topic, which could take a bit, so feel free to look around and if you find anything you want just let me know.”

We walked into the store and I paused a moment before stumbling quickly after him a bit dazed. We didn’t have anything like this where I lived, and I wasn’t really sure what to think of it all. I almost walked into Andy not realizing he’d stopped, but quickly caught myself and stood awkwardly behind him.

“How are you doin’ today Andy? Here to pick up that order?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll go grab it for you, hang tight.” The guy walked to the back of the store and disappeared. Andy turned to lean against the counter seemingly surprised to see me standing there. “You can go look around while I wait.”

I let my gaze drift, still a bit overwhelmed by everything littering the walls and crammed into every open space. After a moment or two I shuffled off towards a row of glass cases with various earrings and gauges. It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen stuff like this before, I’d just never seen so much of it, and in one place no less. I moved past the cases and stopped in front of a wall of T-shirts, my gaze coming to rest on one of them when I swore I saw Andy’s face staring back at me, along with CC’s and Ashley’s... Why was his face on a t-shirt? Above the picture were the words ‘black veil brides’ in some sketchy font. At the end of the row I saw a listening station and wandered over to it putting on the headphones and hitting the search bar. I typed in ‘Black Veil Brides’ and it brought me to an album page called ‘We Stitch These Wounds’ with the track list. I clicked a song called ‘The Mortician's Daughter’ and turned up the volume a bit. My fath-grandfather had been a mortician, then he’d retired and opened a garage in town.

After the short guitar intro his voice started up and my eyes went wide in shock. Sure I’d heard him humming a few times, but never had I heard him actually sing. His voice was like nothing I’d heard before. As the lyrics continued I started to wonder if the song had been written about Aurora. The sample cut off and I hung the headphones on the hook before turning back to the counter where the man had returned with a black bag that he handed to Andy.

I stopped a few feet away from Andy and they both looked at me.
“Find anything?” Andy asked, offering a smile.
I shook my head and the guy behind the counter gave me a strange look.
“You never told me you had a little sister Andy.” The guy said looking between us.
“Sorry Max she’s not my sister.” Andy smirked and walked over to me wrapping his arm around my shoulder and starting for the door. “Until next time.”

We walked out of the store and I shrugged off his arm putting a few inches between us as he led the way to the escalator.
“Do you want something from Starbucks? I’m in need of some coffee.” Andy asked as he stepped off the escalator and around the corner to where Starbucks was.
“Tea, please.” I said quietly, standing beside him in line.
“What kind?”
“Green.” I murmured as we stepped up to the counter.
“Hello sir what can I get for you today?”
“One green tea, tall, and one uh tall mocha cappuccino please.”
“That’ll be eight seventy five please.” He handed over a ten and took his change before smiling at the girl and going to the end of the counter, me following. We collected our drinks and I followed him to a small table by the window, dropping down across from him.

I sipped my tea silently, my gaze drifting around the shop, stopping when I saw a girl wearing a t-shirt with Andy’s face on it looking right at us. “Uh..” I glanced back at Andy startled as the girl came up to our table.

“Oh my god, you’re Andy Biersack, from Black Veil Brides.” Her eyes were huge and she seemed to be shaking just the slightest.
“Yeah that’s me, and you are?” He smiled at her.

“Annie, my name’s Annie. I never thought I’d meet you. Are the other guys here too, or is it just you?” And what was I? Invisible? I sunk back in my seat and nursed my tea silently watching.
“No, it’s just me today. Well uh it was nice meeting you Annie.” Apparently she didn’t catch the hint as she finally seemed to notice me.

“Oh my god are you guys dating? She’s a little young but I guess its ok-” Andy cut her off by shaking his head.
“No, we’re not dating, nothing like that.” He took a drink of his latte and moved his gaze back to me giving me an apologetic look. “It was nice meeting you Annie, but we actually have to get going.” I caught the hint and stood up after him, sinking in on myself when I felt the girl’s piercing gaze on me as we walked out of the cafe.

“Sorry about that.” He scratched the back of his head awkwardly with his free hand. "I usually talk to fan's more, but I figured now wasn't exactly the best time."

I shrugged, unable to shake the feeling of being watched as we walked to the car. I paused in step thinking I’d heard the sound of a shutter, then quickly caught up to Andy and opened the trunk for him. We got in the car and drove home, to find CC passed out on the couch.

Andy set the bags on the kitchen table and pulled out two boxes from the white Apple bag, one larger one and a smaller one. He set them beside the bag and I leaned against the counter finishing off my tea.

“I figured if you didn’t have a phone you probably didn’t have a computer either. Now you’ve got both. The phone will be set to go in a couple of hours. I’ll put all our numbers into it so you have them. The computer is mostly set up you just have to come up with a password, if you want one.” He opened the black bag and set a plastic case of black batman headphones onto the smaller white box then scratched his head thinking for a moment before looking back up at me questioningly. “Have you ever used Apple before?”

I shook my head. “We didn’t use the computer.”
“Ok, well it’s not the easiest thing to use so if you need any help with anything just let me know and I’ll help you figure it out.” He grabbed the white bag and pulled a much larger box out of it and set it on the floor.

“CC!” He called leaning into the living room doorway. Said man sat up a few moments later mumbling something about cheeseburgers. “I picked up the new mac for the den, can you set it up?”

“Yeah, yeah whatever.” CC stood up and stretched before wandering into the kitchen to retrieve the large box. “Did you get some paint?”

“Yeah, forgot it in the car. I’ll go grab it.” Andy grabbed his keys and walked out to the car to get the paint. I picked up the smaller white box that had a picture of an iPhone on the front and pulled off the lid. It wasn’t anything spectacular to look at, a plain black iPhone, but it was probably the most expensive thing I’d ever held in my entire life.

Andy set the paint cans by the stairs and returned to the kitchen. “You turn it on with the button on the side.” He pressed a small red button on the side and the screen lit up. “So we can paint today, then tonight you can sleep in my room and I’ll sleep on the couch. That way it should be dry enough tomorrow.” I nodded as I unlocked the phone and tried to find the settings.

“I’ll help after I get the mac set up.” CC called from the den.
“Sounds good.” Andy called back. “Alright have you got something to wear that you don’t mind getting paint on?”

I shook my head after a moment and he disappeared, returning a few minutes later with a black t-shirt and a pair of green cargo shorts.

“See if these fit.” He handed them to me and I went upstairs changing into them in the bathroom. When I walked out into the hall Andy had already brought the paint up and was moving my things to the hallway. He proceeded to strip the bed and put the sheets in a hamper at the end of the hall. I helped him pull the furniture to the center of the room and pretty soon CC joined us in taping off the molding.

Andy poured paint into the two trays and the chemical smell filled the room burning my nose for a few seconds. I took one of the rollers and CC took the other. Andy pulled a large paintbrush seemingly out of nowhere and dipped it in the paint starting to work on the edges right by the tape. I followed CC’s lead and rolled the roller through the paint tray before rolling it up and down the wall.

“Something’s missing...” Andy set down his brush and disappeared. When he came back he plugged in a docking station and turned on some song I didn’t recognize. Both him and CC knew all the lyrics and by the third song were dancing around laughing. I watched while continuing to paint, a small smile decorating my features at their antics.

The song changed and CC freaked out jumping up and down energetically while Andy laughed loudly. The lyrics started up and they both sang along at the tops of their lungs. CC started air drumming and I could’t help the laugh that escaped my lips. I blushed when Andy looked at me and quickly returned to painting, missing the smile that overtook his features instantly.

We weren’t done painting until late that night, and when we finally put down our brushes I was ready to collapse. The purple was probably just a tinge too dark for the small space but I like that about it. It seemed to fit with the theme of mismatch already going on in the room. Andy cleaned up the paint trays and CC took the remaining half bucket of paint downstairs to a basement I had yet to go into. I walked into the bathroom and washed the paint off my hands before venturing through my duffel bag in search of something to sleep in. I pulled out sweat pants and a dark blue tank top and changed in the bathroom.

In the kitchen I found Andy downing a bottle of water in one go.
“Come on I’ll show you where my room is so you can go to bed.” He said once he’d finished the bottle. He dropped it in the recycle bag then lead the way upstairs. He room was the one on the end.

When he opened the door he went straight over to a dresser and pulled out a small pile of clothing before heading back out, pausing in the doorway. “If you need anything I’ll be down in the living room. Have a good night.” I tried to return his smile as he turned and disappeared down the hall. I walked back to my pile of things in the hall and picked up the iPhone I’d left there then returned to his room.

The room itself was quite ordinary, the walls a deep blue that matched the outside of the house. Against the wall was the head of the bed, on either side a black nightstand, and a little further down a black desk with a laptop sitting on it surrounded by papers and notebooks. The black dresser was on the wall opposite the bed and the top was littered with jewelry, beside the closet was a low sitting table covered in various pieces of black make up, a mirror hung above it. Scattering the walls were posters for bands I didn’t recognize, and various sheets of paper tacked up. Above the nightstands pictures of Andy and his friends hung on red bulletin boards. I sat down on the bed and my eye caught a photo in a curling black frame that sat beside his clock. I picked up the frame carefully and switched on the bed side light as CC turned off the hall light.

In the photo a much younger Andy had his arms around a girl with dark hair and bright green eyes that looked a bit like me. They looked happy, and young, and something deep in my gut clenched painfully. I put the picture back and noticed another picture hanging lower than the rest on the wall. The same dark haired girl was laying in a hospital bed with a loving smile on her face and a baby in her arms, beside it a photo of Andy sitting on the edge of the bed holding the baby and the girl had her arm wrapped around Andy. I laid down and crawled under the covers before picking up my phone.

Andy had briefly shown me how to use it earlier and had helped me set the background photos and download a few apps including one that had ringtones. I opened the ringtone app and typed into the search bar ‘the mortician's daughter’ then hit go. I opened the first result and the opening chords played. The tone ended right before the chorus started and the phone went silent. I hit the download button and waited, then set it as my ringtone.

I hit the home button and opened up text messages, then I pressed compose and paused not sure who I was going to talk to, or if I even should. It would be dumb to text Andy, since he was downstairs, and CC as well. That left Ashley, since I didn’t actually know Jake or Jeremy yet. I started typing his name and hit his number when it showed up.

J: Hi, it’s Jay.

I hit send and waited. A few minutes passed and he hadn’t answered so I set my phone on the nightstand and turned off the light. I pulled the blanket up just as my phone buzzed softly and lit up. I picked it up to find a new message from Ashley.

A: Hey, how are you? :)
J: I just wanted to see if the phone works. I’m fine.
A: Did you not have one before?
J: No. Can I ask you a question?
A: Of course you can :)
J: We were at this store earlier Hot Topic I think it was called, and I heard a song from Black Veil Brides called The Mortician’s Daughter. Who did Andy write it about?
A: I’m not sure, you’d have to ask him about it.
J: Ok, thanks.

I turned my phone so the screen was down and turned to face the wall, pulling my knees to my chest. Maybe I would ask him tomorrow.