Rumored Nights
After The Last Midtown Show
"Alice stay close to me okay?" William murmured, propelling Alice through the door ahead of him with his hand on the small of her back.
"What are you so worried about Bill?" She asked, smiling with the happiness sparking like electricity in the air.
Timed all too perfectly a punk, complete with the off-color Mohawk and spikes, bumped into Alice so hard if William hadn’t caught her she would've been one with the pavement.
"That's why." He replied in amusement.
This time Alice didn’t question him as he took her hand protectively in his and lead them toward the gathering crowd.
Excitement from the gathering of teenagers was an infectious high, a combination of the escalating heat and background music.
"Hey you guys want a drink?" Jason asked, appearing from nowhere.
William shook his head as the designated driver, leaving Jason to turn to Alice.
"Do you want anything?"
Before she could say anything Bill spoke up for her with a firm no.
As Jason walked away Alice turned to her friend.
"Why'd you do that?"
Bill sighed. "Because even if I wasn't opposed to you drinking, your brother certainly would be and I'm his stand in while he's not here."
A slight lump rose in Alice's throat at the reminder he only saw her as a little sister figure, someone to take care of.
"How can Jason get drinks? He's not exactly legal." She asked, desperate to change the subject.
With a shrug he put his arm around her shoulder. "He's knows the owner so he looks the other way when Jason drinks."
Despite Alice's nod she hadn’t been paying attention, there were new things happening to grab her focus.
The lights begun to dim and the music was off and the night was beginning.
.<^>.<^>.<^>.
"You should know that I would never let you go!" The guy sang, turning to the small figure tucked under his arm.
"I'm here to bear the weight of years!" His younger companion sang back.
"You turn away, what else is left for me to say?" They sang together in harmony.
Alice and Bill knowingly looked at each other, glancing at the two brothers singing Midtown lyrics in their drunken state.
"Now I see why you didn't want me to drink." Alice laughed, watching William herd them into the car.
Despite her admittance he gave her that 'I told you so' glance and started the car.
The lights on the dashboard glowed 12:29, illuminating the darkness with a blue glow.
Alice's eyes flickered to William's as he stared intently down the yellow dotted road, his usual expression painted black and white while his hand gripping the wheel blended from silver, to blue, to yellow and back from passing streetlights.
His other hand was wrapped tightly around hers, his instinct after what happened during the show.
Neither of them had expected the crowd to go so crazy, or for a mosh pit to form around them.
So when one of ten fists flying landed on Alice's shoulder it was all she could do to keep William from going after them and coming back as a bruised and battered bean pole with the best intentions.
It was as if Ryan was there and not William as the boy kept his arms around her all through the show.
When Alice looked back at the clock it was 12:34.
"Make a wish William." She murmured, tilting her head a little toward the clock.
Instead of the grin she expected he gave her a faltering smile and closed his eyes briefly.
"Now you."
Hesitation never came as Alice made her wish.
It was a simple one compared to the ones of her youth.
There were no flower bedecked ponies or, after later years, wasted candles blown in the hopes of bringing someone back to life.
This time was simple; she wanted to be happy.
As the city lights flickered over William's car Alice could no longer fight against the encroaching sleep and exhaustion she had put off all night.
With the radio playing lightly in the background and the car smelling faintly of Bill's cologne she fell asleep against the cold window.
.<^>.<^>.<^>.
Alice became aware of a new kind of movement after what felt like only minutes, though the clock said a few hours different.
She kept her eyes closed while her mind was already waking, and put the pieces together there.
If she hadn’t smelled his cologne, hadn't felt the jacket she stole so often pressed against her cheek, or cracked her eye open to see William carrying her, Alice would've known.
"Alice," Bill whispered, jostling her enough to think he'd woken her. "You're home."
It was instinctual, a need purely from her childhood as Alice held onto William.
"Please don't go." She mumbled into his chest.
For her close proximity she failed to hear his stuttering heartbeat quicken or the deep breath he took to calm it.
"Okay."
"What are you so worried about Bill?" She asked, smiling with the happiness sparking like electricity in the air.
Timed all too perfectly a punk, complete with the off-color Mohawk and spikes, bumped into Alice so hard if William hadn’t caught her she would've been one with the pavement.
"That's why." He replied in amusement.
This time Alice didn’t question him as he took her hand protectively in his and lead them toward the gathering crowd.
Excitement from the gathering of teenagers was an infectious high, a combination of the escalating heat and background music.
"Hey you guys want a drink?" Jason asked, appearing from nowhere.
William shook his head as the designated driver, leaving Jason to turn to Alice.
"Do you want anything?"
Before she could say anything Bill spoke up for her with a firm no.
As Jason walked away Alice turned to her friend.
"Why'd you do that?"
Bill sighed. "Because even if I wasn't opposed to you drinking, your brother certainly would be and I'm his stand in while he's not here."
A slight lump rose in Alice's throat at the reminder he only saw her as a little sister figure, someone to take care of.
"How can Jason get drinks? He's not exactly legal." She asked, desperate to change the subject.
With a shrug he put his arm around her shoulder. "He's knows the owner so he looks the other way when Jason drinks."
Despite Alice's nod she hadn’t been paying attention, there were new things happening to grab her focus.
The lights begun to dim and the music was off and the night was beginning.
.<^>.<^>.<^>.
"You should know that I would never let you go!" The guy sang, turning to the small figure tucked under his arm.
"I'm here to bear the weight of years!" His younger companion sang back.
"You turn away, what else is left for me to say?" They sang together in harmony.
Alice and Bill knowingly looked at each other, glancing at the two brothers singing Midtown lyrics in their drunken state.
"Now I see why you didn't want me to drink." Alice laughed, watching William herd them into the car.
Despite her admittance he gave her that 'I told you so' glance and started the car.
The lights on the dashboard glowed 12:29, illuminating the darkness with a blue glow.
Alice's eyes flickered to William's as he stared intently down the yellow dotted road, his usual expression painted black and white while his hand gripping the wheel blended from silver, to blue, to yellow and back from passing streetlights.
His other hand was wrapped tightly around hers, his instinct after what happened during the show.
Neither of them had expected the crowd to go so crazy, or for a mosh pit to form around them.
So when one of ten fists flying landed on Alice's shoulder it was all she could do to keep William from going after them and coming back as a bruised and battered bean pole with the best intentions.
It was as if Ryan was there and not William as the boy kept his arms around her all through the show.
When Alice looked back at the clock it was 12:34.
"Make a wish William." She murmured, tilting her head a little toward the clock.
Instead of the grin she expected he gave her a faltering smile and closed his eyes briefly.
"Now you."
Hesitation never came as Alice made her wish.
It was a simple one compared to the ones of her youth.
There were no flower bedecked ponies or, after later years, wasted candles blown in the hopes of bringing someone back to life.
This time was simple; she wanted to be happy.
As the city lights flickered over William's car Alice could no longer fight against the encroaching sleep and exhaustion she had put off all night.
With the radio playing lightly in the background and the car smelling faintly of Bill's cologne she fell asleep against the cold window.
.<^>.<^>.<^>.
Alice became aware of a new kind of movement after what felt like only minutes, though the clock said a few hours different.
She kept her eyes closed while her mind was already waking, and put the pieces together there.
If she hadn’t smelled his cologne, hadn't felt the jacket she stole so often pressed against her cheek, or cracked her eye open to see William carrying her, Alice would've known.
"Alice," Bill whispered, jostling her enough to think he'd woken her. "You're home."
It was instinctual, a need purely from her childhood as Alice held onto William.
"Please don't go." She mumbled into his chest.
For her close proximity she failed to hear his stuttering heartbeat quicken or the deep breath he took to calm it.
"Okay."
♠ ♠ ♠
This is for Liz, even though I let her read this yesterday, it's for more reasons than that.I'm not sure what to say if anything but with my wifey's help we're gonna try and make everything better the only way we know how.
Loud music and baking.
And I'm not sure when I'll update because even though I seem fine, on the inside it's chaos.
Still I'm gonna try for Wednesday and to finish another few parts.
Wish me luck for... well everything.