Status: Active
Just Swimmingly
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Scott
"So, I talked to Kinny today," I told my mom. She'd made spaghetti for dinner, my favorite.
"Oh, good!" she smiled. "So how'd it go?"
"Half of the school hates me because they think that was the first time I was telling her to leave me alone, and the second half admires me for being a heart breaker."
"Oh Scottie, you know you're a good boy. Girls are manipulative and they'll do anything to keep a sweetie pie like you around."
"Thanks, Mom." I got up to get another plate of spaghetti. My phone buzzed. I sighed and answered.
"Kinny? What-"
"You made a big mistake today, baby," she scolded flirtily. "But I'm willing to look over it if you are." I laughed.
"I didn't make a mistake, Kinny. We're done."
"But why?!" she whined. "Haven't I been good enough?!"
"Yeah, but-"
"Then why are you ruining a good thing, Scott?!" She hung up before I could come up with a good answer.
"Fuck," I muttered. I'd completely lost my appetite; the spaghetti felt like live worms crawling aroung in my stomach. Yum.
"I'm full, Mom," I told her.
"Are you sure, honey? Spaghetti's your favorite."
"Yeah, I know. Trust me, I'm done." I went up to my room an listened to the radio station Jennifer had recommended. It was alright, but I liked what she played for me at lunch better. I looked her up on LookBook and looked at all the bands she liked. I looked them all up, and made a playlist of all of their stuff. Just as I was about to get off of the computer, I saw a picture she had been tagged in. She was kissing a guy with black hair at what appeared to be a concert. It was captioned "She Loves Me Ya Ya Ya :) (8/70)". Only she and a guy named Hayden had liked the picture. The guy named Hayden looked like the guy in the picture, so I clicked on his profile. Screamo immediately began to pour through my speakers and I turned them off as soon as I recovered. He was friends with a lot of girls, and he was in a band. I looked at his relationship status, and it said "It's complicated". I went back to Jennifer's profile. Single.
Jennifer
I took a deep breath and walked out of my room. Pierce the Veil, Every Avenue, and Say Anything made me feel much better. I hummed Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too as I walked to the dinner table.
"Stop listening to such weird music, freak," suggested Ricky as I sat down. I smiled at him.
"I'm going to laugh when you need this music to get over something hard in your life," I told him. "And I will also say I told you so."
"Like that'll ever happen." My mom looked uncomfortable. What, did she actually disagree with her little angel this time?
"If you really believe that, Ricky, than you're as much of an ignorant fuck as the rest of the people around here." My dad gasped, and my mom's head snapped up a couple seconds late. What had gotten into her? I've said "fuck" in front of her many times before this and her reaction was usually instant.
"Language! Disrespectful language!" exclaimed my mom when she recovered. "Go to your room! Now!"
"Gladly." I left, bringing my iPod with me.
"No, you won't be needing this," she said, taking my life out of my hands. "That music is messing with your head, young lady."
"Mom! Are you serious?!" She didn't move a muscle. I looked at my dad, and he nodded, agreeing with my mom.
"Fine. You guys are both fucking horrible parents." Hey, I might as well add in a little honesty if my music was being taken away and I was already busted. I turned and walked up to my room. I tried playing music on my computer, but the internet is so slow in this little podunk town. My iTunes had gotten all messed up and all my songs had gaps and blips in them. Screw buying online albums, from now on I'd just buy CDs at the store or at concerts. Shit. I was isolated from my world. I hesitated, but dialed the familiar number. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
"Jen?"
"Hi, Hayden."
"Baby, I'm so-"
"Cut the crap. I need a favor."
"Yeah?"
"Please meet me at Big Sky Park and-"
"Fuck you against a tree? My pleasure!"
"No! Give me a CD with all of your stuff on it." He didn't say anything. "Please, Hayden?"
"You're lucky I had a gig nearby tonight. I'll be there in an hour."
Scott
Was Jennifer lying about her ex? I couldn't decide. Maybe she lied to me, but why? What's the point of lying to a complete stranger? Maybe her ex was still hung up on her. Yeah, that had to be it. She said he'd been bothering her for two months. Obviously the poor guy wasn't getting the hint, like Kinny. I sighed. I hoped Kinny wouldn't be too heart-broken to move on. That sounds really cocky, but she was really dependent and obviously needed someone there for her. I couldn't handle being that "someone", nor did I want to be that "someone". Boy did I really not want to be that "someone". Girls are hell, I mentally concluded. Some of them won't let you in, and some drag you way too far in. I put a hoodie on and decided to go for a walk. Something to clear my head. I grabbed my iPod, now loaded with my secretly amazing playlist, and went downstairs, putting in one earbud, Jennifer-style.
"I'm going on a walk, Mom."
"Okay, honey, be safe!" I walked out the door and immediately regretted wearing shorts. Oh well, at least I had a hoodie on. I waved to my neighbors and nervously walked by Kinny's house, staying in the shadows, hoping she wouldn't see and/or follow me. I seriously wouldn't put it past her. Secret Valentine by We The Kings started playing once I was far enough away from Kinny's house. I smiled and tried to sing along.
"We'll write a soooooooooong, that turns out the liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiights," I crooned. "When both boy and gir-"
"SHUT UP!" screamed an old lady. I took out the one earbud I had in. "I'LL GET YOU EUTHANIZED!" A dog had been howling along with my singing. Great. The park was now in my sights. I remembered going there with my mom and my dad, back when my dad had been alive. We swam together and tried to see who could get to the bottom of the lake and to the surface the fastest. He usually won those because he'd been a diver, and I'd merely been a little kid. We also swam across the lake and back when I got older. I usually won those because he'd been sick.... Just close your eyes. I actually closed my eyes. We'll hope it's not for nothing at all. Nothing at all. The song changed to About A Girl by The Summer Set and I opened my eyes, and saw...Jennifer?
Jennifer
I had to climb out my second story bedroom window, but Hayden had given me an hour, so I made it to the park on time without my parents noticing. It was getting dark when I got there, and I was thankful. It was embarrassing enough having to take something from him without other people seeing us and wondering if we were together or not. I sighed in relief when I saw his car pull up. I'd be getting my world back. And by that, I mean music. No way in hell would I take Hayden back.
"Hey baby!" he called. I winced and strongly resisted the urge to tell him to fuck off.
"Hi." He walked up to me with open arms.
"Can I get a hug?"
"Can I get my music?"
"When I get my hug," he said in a smug voice that taunted me. I reluctantly walked into his arms, standing as he wrapped them around me. "Hug me back, Jen. You know you want to." No, there's no way I want to even touch you, but I want my damn music, I almost screamed. I stiffly hugged him back. We stood there for a while.
"Okay Hayden, where's the CD?" I said after a few minutes. I think my arms were about to freeze off, judging by the lack of blood and the temperature outside.
"Right here." He showed it to me and I reached for it. "Not yet," he chided me. "You have to make me four promises first."
"Dammit, Hayden, why can't you stop being a dick?!"
"Jenny-"
"Don't call me that," I snapped. Few people could get away with calling me by my childhood nickname.
"Jen," he restarted. He continued when I showed no obvious signs of resistance. "I think you'll be more than happy to follow through with these promises."
"I'm not sleeping with you." He sighed.
"Okay, three promises then."
"Fine. What are they?" I just wanted to get my music, go home, and continue to get Hayden to leave me alone.
"First, you have to tell me I look like Kellin Quinn, just like when we met." Fuck. "Next, you have to come to the Double You concert next week." I didn't want to see his damn band though! "And finally," he looked at me and licked his lips. Oh hell no. "You have to kiss me, just like we used to."
"You know what, Hayden? You can keep your fucking CD because I'm not interested in it anymore." I turned to walk away, but he caught my arm and gently spun me around. He crashed his lips into mine, and I couldn't resist. All the flashbacks of concerts, dates, and talk of sweet nothings swept over me. He pulled away a minute later.
"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked gently. I didn't say anything. "Come on, Jen. You're almost halfway there."
"Fine." I took a deep breath. "Oh my gosh, aren't you Kellin Quinn?!" I even threw in a fan-girl scream.
"Yes I am," he smiled. "Stay for tonight, if you want to, I can show you, what my dreams are made of...." When he finished the entire song, he smiled.
"That was so good," I said boredly. It actually was good, though, and that bothered me.
"Jen?" He gave me a look that said do you want the fucking CD or not?
"That was so good!" I exclaimed. He smiled and pulled me into a hug.
"Here." He handed me the CD. A ticket for the Double You show next week was in the case. "I'll see you there?" I sighed.
"I guess." Why not? It's not like his band would be the only one there. I saw the Minions, Extra Baggage, and Certain Call, so at least a few of the other bands were good for sure; I didn't know about the other ones.
"Good." He smiled and kissed me on the forehead. "I'll see you later, little hater." I grinned at our familiar goodbye ritual.
"Later, masturbator."
---
As I laid in bed, I glanced out my window. Was that a car moving slowly down the road? I couldn't see it clearly. Suddenly, headlights flooded my room and I was blinded by their brightness. The same vehicle went past my house for the next ten minutes, and I could never make it out or see any plates. Once I leaned out my window to look, it shot out of the neighborhood and never came back.
Scott
"So, I talked to Kinny today," I told my mom. She'd made spaghetti for dinner, my favorite.
"Oh, good!" she smiled. "So how'd it go?"
"Half of the school hates me because they think that was the first time I was telling her to leave me alone, and the second half admires me for being a heart breaker."
"Oh Scottie, you know you're a good boy. Girls are manipulative and they'll do anything to keep a sweetie pie like you around."
"Thanks, Mom." I got up to get another plate of spaghetti. My phone buzzed. I sighed and answered.
"Kinny? What-"
"You made a big mistake today, baby," she scolded flirtily. "But I'm willing to look over it if you are." I laughed.
"I didn't make a mistake, Kinny. We're done."
"But why?!" she whined. "Haven't I been good enough?!"
"Yeah, but-"
"Then why are you ruining a good thing, Scott?!" She hung up before I could come up with a good answer.
"Fuck," I muttered. I'd completely lost my appetite; the spaghetti felt like live worms crawling aroung in my stomach. Yum.
"I'm full, Mom," I told her.
"Are you sure, honey? Spaghetti's your favorite."
"Yeah, I know. Trust me, I'm done." I went up to my room an listened to the radio station Jennifer had recommended. It was alright, but I liked what she played for me at lunch better. I looked her up on LookBook and looked at all the bands she liked. I looked them all up, and made a playlist of all of their stuff. Just as I was about to get off of the computer, I saw a picture she had been tagged in. She was kissing a guy with black hair at what appeared to be a concert. It was captioned "She Loves Me Ya Ya Ya :) (8/70)". Only she and a guy named Hayden had liked the picture. The guy named Hayden looked like the guy in the picture, so I clicked on his profile. Screamo immediately began to pour through my speakers and I turned them off as soon as I recovered. He was friends with a lot of girls, and he was in a band. I looked at his relationship status, and it said "It's complicated". I went back to Jennifer's profile. Single.
Jennifer
I took a deep breath and walked out of my room. Pierce the Veil, Every Avenue, and Say Anything made me feel much better. I hummed Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too as I walked to the dinner table.
"Stop listening to such weird music, freak," suggested Ricky as I sat down. I smiled at him.
"I'm going to laugh when you need this music to get over something hard in your life," I told him. "And I will also say I told you so."
"Like that'll ever happen." My mom looked uncomfortable. What, did she actually disagree with her little angel this time?
"If you really believe that, Ricky, than you're as much of an ignorant fuck as the rest of the people around here." My dad gasped, and my mom's head snapped up a couple seconds late. What had gotten into her? I've said "fuck" in front of her many times before this and her reaction was usually instant.
"Language! Disrespectful language!" exclaimed my mom when she recovered. "Go to your room! Now!"
"Gladly." I left, bringing my iPod with me.
"No, you won't be needing this," she said, taking my life out of my hands. "That music is messing with your head, young lady."
"Mom! Are you serious?!" She didn't move a muscle. I looked at my dad, and he nodded, agreeing with my mom.
"Fine. You guys are both fucking horrible parents." Hey, I might as well add in a little honesty if my music was being taken away and I was already busted. I turned and walked up to my room. I tried playing music on my computer, but the internet is so slow in this little podunk town. My iTunes had gotten all messed up and all my songs had gaps and blips in them. Screw buying online albums, from now on I'd just buy CDs at the store or at concerts. Shit. I was isolated from my world. I hesitated, but dialed the familiar number. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
"Jen?"
"Hi, Hayden."
"Baby, I'm so-"
"Cut the crap. I need a favor."
"Yeah?"
"Please meet me at Big Sky Park and-"
"Fuck you against a tree? My pleasure!"
"No! Give me a CD with all of your stuff on it." He didn't say anything. "Please, Hayden?"
"You're lucky I had a gig nearby tonight. I'll be there in an hour."
Scott
Was Jennifer lying about her ex? I couldn't decide. Maybe she lied to me, but why? What's the point of lying to a complete stranger? Maybe her ex was still hung up on her. Yeah, that had to be it. She said he'd been bothering her for two months. Obviously the poor guy wasn't getting the hint, like Kinny. I sighed. I hoped Kinny wouldn't be too heart-broken to move on. That sounds really cocky, but she was really dependent and obviously needed someone there for her. I couldn't handle being that "someone", nor did I want to be that "someone". Boy did I really not want to be that "someone". Girls are hell, I mentally concluded. Some of them won't let you in, and some drag you way too far in. I put a hoodie on and decided to go for a walk. Something to clear my head. I grabbed my iPod, now loaded with my secretly amazing playlist, and went downstairs, putting in one earbud, Jennifer-style.
"I'm going on a walk, Mom."
"Okay, honey, be safe!" I walked out the door and immediately regretted wearing shorts. Oh well, at least I had a hoodie on. I waved to my neighbors and nervously walked by Kinny's house, staying in the shadows, hoping she wouldn't see and/or follow me. I seriously wouldn't put it past her. Secret Valentine by We The Kings started playing once I was far enough away from Kinny's house. I smiled and tried to sing along.
"We'll write a soooooooooong, that turns out the liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiights," I crooned. "When both boy and gir-"
"SHUT UP!" screamed an old lady. I took out the one earbud I had in. "I'LL GET YOU EUTHANIZED!" A dog had been howling along with my singing. Great. The park was now in my sights. I remembered going there with my mom and my dad, back when my dad had been alive. We swam together and tried to see who could get to the bottom of the lake and to the surface the fastest. He usually won those because he'd been a diver, and I'd merely been a little kid. We also swam across the lake and back when I got older. I usually won those because he'd been sick.... Just close your eyes. I actually closed my eyes. We'll hope it's not for nothing at all. Nothing at all. The song changed to About A Girl by The Summer Set and I opened my eyes, and saw...Jennifer?
Jennifer
I had to climb out my second story bedroom window, but Hayden had given me an hour, so I made it to the park on time without my parents noticing. It was getting dark when I got there, and I was thankful. It was embarrassing enough having to take something from him without other people seeing us and wondering if we were together or not. I sighed in relief when I saw his car pull up. I'd be getting my world back. And by that, I mean music. No way in hell would I take Hayden back.
"Hey baby!" he called. I winced and strongly resisted the urge to tell him to fuck off.
"Hi." He walked up to me with open arms.
"Can I get a hug?"
"Can I get my music?"
"When I get my hug," he said in a smug voice that taunted me. I reluctantly walked into his arms, standing as he wrapped them around me. "Hug me back, Jen. You know you want to." No, there's no way I want to even touch you, but I want my damn music, I almost screamed. I stiffly hugged him back. We stood there for a while.
"Okay Hayden, where's the CD?" I said after a few minutes. I think my arms were about to freeze off, judging by the lack of blood and the temperature outside.
"Right here." He showed it to me and I reached for it. "Not yet," he chided me. "You have to make me four promises first."
"Dammit, Hayden, why can't you stop being a dick?!"
"Jenny-"
"Don't call me that," I snapped. Few people could get away with calling me by my childhood nickname.
"Jen," he restarted. He continued when I showed no obvious signs of resistance. "I think you'll be more than happy to follow through with these promises."
"I'm not sleeping with you." He sighed.
"Okay, three promises then."
"Fine. What are they?" I just wanted to get my music, go home, and continue to get Hayden to leave me alone.
"First, you have to tell me I look like Kellin Quinn, just like when we met." Fuck. "Next, you have to come to the Double You concert next week." I didn't want to see his damn band though! "And finally," he looked at me and licked his lips. Oh hell no. "You have to kiss me, just like we used to."
"You know what, Hayden? You can keep your fucking CD because I'm not interested in it anymore." I turned to walk away, but he caught my arm and gently spun me around. He crashed his lips into mine, and I couldn't resist. All the flashbacks of concerts, dates, and talk of sweet nothings swept over me. He pulled away a minute later.
"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked gently. I didn't say anything. "Come on, Jen. You're almost halfway there."
"Fine." I took a deep breath. "Oh my gosh, aren't you Kellin Quinn?!" I even threw in a fan-girl scream.
"Yes I am," he smiled. "Stay for tonight, if you want to, I can show you, what my dreams are made of...." When he finished the entire song, he smiled.
"That was so good," I said boredly. It actually was good, though, and that bothered me.
"Jen?" He gave me a look that said do you want the fucking CD or not?
"That was so good!" I exclaimed. He smiled and pulled me into a hug.
"Here." He handed me the CD. A ticket for the Double You show next week was in the case. "I'll see you there?" I sighed.
"I guess." Why not? It's not like his band would be the only one there. I saw the Minions, Extra Baggage, and Certain Call, so at least a few of the other bands were good for sure; I didn't know about the other ones.
"Good." He smiled and kissed me on the forehead. "I'll see you later, little hater." I grinned at our familiar goodbye ritual.
"Later, masturbator."
---
As I laid in bed, I glanced out my window. Was that a car moving slowly down the road? I couldn't see it clearly. Suddenly, headlights flooded my room and I was blinded by their brightness. The same vehicle went past my house for the next ten minutes, and I could never make it out or see any plates. Once I leaned out my window to look, it shot out of the neighborhood and never came back.