Hollow Words

“They say that the devil is in the details. Silly me, I didn't even read the fine print. I made a deal to save you and I signed it with my blood. I traded everything for a life of Hellfire, because I traded in my soul.” I sang with my radio. “You were everything that I wanted to be, and you just didn't deserve to go. One little secret that will never be free: you'll never ever ever know I'm burning’ I’m burning up; I’m burning up for you! You know I burning, I burning up I’m up for yooooooooooooooooou.” I pulled up to a stop light and released my hand from my steering wheel to get even more involved in the Karate High School’s riffs and keys but was stopped by my phone’s annoying tone. I quickly turned down the volume and grabbed my cell.

“Halo?” I asked.

“Janis! Where the fuck are you!?” Matt yelled into the phone.

“Could you hold your horses?! I am only running two minutes late! Besides, I am a block away from your place.” With that he hung up. I closed my phone, throwing it in the passenger’s seat and turned my music up once more.

---

“You know, this would be fine if we didn’t have to be somewhere.” Matt said walking quickly out from his garage.

“Matt, if it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I could wipe my own ass.” I said as he stopped right in front of me. I put my hand on his shoulder and looked into his deep, irritated green eyes. “Thank you. Really.” I put my other hand to my heart.

“Oh shut up and help us load the van.” He turned and walked back into his garage as I fell to the ground laughing.

Matt Dawson; nineteen, 5 foot 11, shaggy brown hair and green eyes; if I hadn’t known him for so long, I would worship the ground he walked on. The thing was that I did know him. Matt Dawson is a neat freak. Not OCD, but just very…tidy. He also always had to fix something. He has stopped random people in the mall because a piece of hair was out of place, but, that is why we love them.

“HELP ME PLEASE! ANYONE?” I slammed my car door shut and ran to the aid of Wendy who was carrying Matt’s drums. But Wendy, being only 5 foot 2’ couldn’t carry something without tripping over it. Her light blond hair that went here and there, especially in her eyes, didn’t help.

“Thank GOD you’re here Jan! You wouldn’t believe what they were making me do!” Wendy complained as she put the snare on the ground.

“Aw, Wendy, what did they make you do?’

“CARRY MATT’S DRUMS!” She threw her hands in the air.

“I can see that.” I looked down at the piece she had tried carrying to the open van that was only steps away.

“Where is your baby?” I asked looking around for the red and white Gibson that she never left anywhere for more then ten minutes.

“HENRY TOOK HIM FOR RANSOM!” She yelled.

“Awe, well, we better go pay Henry a visit shouldn’t we?” She nodded and sniffled slightly. “Ok then, let’s go get you’re beautiful baby boy.” I said, placing my arm around her shoulder.

“HENRY!?” I yelled as we entered the scary clean house.

Henry was the geekiest of geeks. He wore glasses half the time and his favorite hobby was collection stamps, aside from singing of course. His hair was dyed black with white tips and only went to the bottom of his ears. His height of 5 foot 9 was just right for me to be able to yell at him without feeling low and looked down upon. I liked it. He was also Wendy's big brother, making it easy for me to get away with many things.

“In the living room!” He yelled back as a large bang went off.

“What the he—“ I stopped. There, in the living room were all three of the guys, Matt, Henry and Adam, playing Halo.

Adam was the shortest of all the guys with a staggering 5 foot 7. His brown hair was cut short but his small stubble gave him a grown man’s look. He liked being small, he would always say “The ladies like a man who can look her in the eyes.” This was both sweet and a little weird.

“Hey Janis.” Henry and Adam said in unison.

“And I am the one that is going to cause us to be late?” I asked myself. “Henry.” I said louder. “Give Betty back.”

“Is all of the equipment in the van?” His eyes never left the screen.

“Well, seeing as how poor Wendy accidentally backed the van over all your things…no.”

“WHAT!?” They all froze, their attention focused on me and their eyes ready to fall out of their heads.

“Don’t believe me?” As asked, my best poker face being used. Within seconds they were out the door. I followed them, locking the front door. “Now, to find Betty.”

“That was brilliant Jan!” Wendy said.

“It wasn’t bad, but it could have been better.”

“He probably put it in the laundry room!” She said. She was, of course, right. “I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU ALONE AGAIN!” She told Betty, holding him tightly to her.

“You sure do love that guitar huh?” I asked. She gave me a glare and walked back out the front door.

“LET’S GO!” Matt yelled. I began to leave but forgot the T.V. was on and quickly turned it off.

“Do you have my bass?” I asked as I walked onto the front lawn and closer to the awaiting van.

“Of course! We can’t forget Bleeker!” Adam said. I smiled.

“Thank you Adam!”

“Your welcome Jan, but, if you’re in this van within the next twenty seconds, Bleek is going to have a bad accident.” I stopped, in shock, but then ran as the words settled in.

“WAIT!” I said as I was only a foot away from the door.

“WHAT NOW!?!” Matt cried from the driver seat.

“I NEED TO GRAB MY CD!”

“Fine, but hurry!” And I did.

“So,” I started as I fastened my seatbelt and handed Adam the CD since he was in the passenger seat. "Who are we opening for again?"

“I think it is Cobra Starship or something like that.” Henry commented next to me as he flipped through a magazine.

“Who is this that she is making us listen to?” Matt asked Adam.

“Karate High School.”

“Again?”

“AGAIN!” I yelled.