Travis had started going to the school and playing the drums almost every day. They were done in a week and the band was focusing on the music for the graduation ceremony which didn’t require a drum set. They let him set it up in one of the sound-proof practice rooms in a small hallway attached to the band room and he would go from when he showed up at lunch to eat with Seven till school was over and Seven came to get him. He loved the solid wood against his hands, the pedal against his shoe, the burn in his arms.
It was the Wednesday before school was over and Travis had been playing for about an hour, practicing basic exercises or listening to his CD player and mimicking the music or just making up different rhythms to go with the melodies in his head.
The door cracked open and Travis looked up in surprise, stopping immediately, “Am I too loud?” Sure the rooms were supposed sound-proof, but they were more sound-muffling. They could hope to completely capture the sounds from the drums.
A boy with dyed black hair and one of the popular hair-over-one-eye hair style that all of the scene kids had, “No, I just wanted to talk to you. I’ve been listening to you for a couple of days and you’re really good.”
Thanks,” Travis said with a smile, “I don’t really think so, I just love to play.”
“No, you’re awesome,” said the kid, “Um, my name’s Blaire,” he held out his hand and Travis shook it, giving the guy his own name in return.
“So what all kinds of music are you into?” asked Blaire.
Travis shrugged, “I used to just be into metal you know, old school Metallica, Korn, Nickelback, Puddle of Mud. But lately I’ve been getting out of that kind of stuff. It all just sounds the same. Seven listens to a lot of punk and screamo and usually I just listen to what he listens to.”
Blaire frowned, “You’re friends with Seven Owens?” Travis nodded and Blaire questioned, “I thought you were new here.”
“I am,” answered Travis, “I start my senior year next year, but me and Seven have known each other for a real long time.”
Nodding, Blaire replied, “He doesn’t really like us scene kids that much. He pretty much ignores everyone except the teachers. It’s weird to hear someone being friends with him.”
Travis nodded in agreement, “He judges people a lot, so it can be difficult to get to know him, but once you do he’s a really cool guy.”
Blaire looked like he didn’t believe him but just continued the conversation, “Have you been to any shows in the area or anything?” Travis shook his head, “A bunch of us, me and my friends, are going to go see some local hardcore bands this weekend. Want to come with?”
“Can Seven come too?”
~%~
When Seven went into the band room, he saw Travis talking to some scene kid. He was the works, dyed black emo hair, tight black t-shirt, girl’s jeans with a white belt and a pair of chucks. Seven rolled his eyes.
They were talking and laughing and Travis looked like he really enjoyed talking to the guy. Seven felt jealousy grow in the pit of his stomach.
He knew Travis would have other friends. He wouldn’t be content with just being around Seven the way Seven was content to only ever spend time with Travis. He just hated that it had happened so fast. He’d thought he would get Travis to himself at least for the summer then he could share him when school started. He didn’t want that stupid kid around…. Around Travis.
“Hey, Seven!” Travis called and Seven realized he’d been noticed. He forced a smile and walked over to the grinning Travis, “Blaire’s invited us to go to a show this weekend. Want to come?”
Seven paused and asked quietly, “Did he invite us or just you?” Travis looked a little surprised. “You can go by your self if you want, Trav. They probably don’t want me around.” Seven turned to leave. He’d gotten out the door before Travis came up behind him and grabbed his arm.
“What’s wrong with you?” asked Travis, “You’re acting weird. Yeah, Blaire just invited me, but when I asked he said you were welcome to come too. He doesn’t judge people like you do.”
“I don’t judge people!”
Travis rolled his eyes, “Seven, you judge people so much you should do it for a living.”
Pouting, Seven replied, “I don’t want pity invites. His group probably doesn’t want me there.”
“Well I do!” yelled Travis, an angry expression coloring his features, “God, Sev, you’re my best friend and I want to hang out with you, I want to go to shows with you! So stop being a little bitch and agree!”
Seven frowned, not liking that Travis had called him a bitch, but he was right, he was acting like some bitchy spurned cheerleader or something.
“Yeah, I’ll go. When and where?”
“They’re picking us up at five on Friday,” said Travis, “I’m going to go say bye to Blaire and we can leave.”
Seven leaned against the wall and sullenly waited for his friend to return. He was a brat and he knew it. He couldn’t help it; it was his niche as the youngest child. All youngest children were brats. It was just a fact of life. And he was incredibly selfish when it came to Travis. He wanted him to only want to hang out with him.
“Ready?”
Seven looked up at Travis and nodded. They headed toward the exit to the visitor parking lot and went to where Travis had parked his mom’s car.
“It sounds like a really cool show,” said Travis as he started the engine, “It’s going to be at some place called The Airedale Club. Have you ever been there?”
Seven nodded, “My Chemical Romance played there a couple of times before they got really popular. I’ve been there a couple of other times, too, whenever someone was playing that looked good.”
Travis nodded, “He said we’ll meet up there with him and his friends. Most of them go to other schools, it seems.” He pulled out of the school parking lot and headed home, listening to Seven as he drove.
Seven nodded, “He has a band and all of the other members go to other schools. They’re pretty good.”
“So you know him?” asked Travis. If he knew the guy, why didn’t they hang out? He thought they would like each other.
Seven shrugged, “One time he tried to stop this guy who was beating me. The guy’s friends showed up and beat the crap out of both of us. I told thanks for trying and we never really talked again. I was at some day-long music fest at the BG when his band played and I recognized him. That’s all I really know.”
“What’s the BG?” Travis asked while turning into their neighborhood.
“It’s the Broken Glass Music Hall. Everyone just calls it the BG,” said Seven, “They host local bands and some small tours that come through the area. It’s nice, a lot cleaner than the Airedale.”
“I’m looking forward to going,” Travis said with a bright grin, “I haven’t been to a show in a long time. I got to see Zao one time and that was awesome.”
“I’ve heard of Zao,” frowned Seven.
Travis scoffed, “Zao is the hardcore band. You get on myspace and look at all of the hardcore bands ninety percent probably have Zao listed as one of their influences.”
“Oh yeah,” nodded Seven, “I saw them at some music festival a few years ago. I thought they broke up?”
“And got back together and broke up again and got back together again. I have friend who’s seen them like five times and he said every time he saw them they said it was their last show. Now they’re still touring.”
Seven laughed as they pulled up in front of his house, “You coming to hang out with me?”
“Don’t you have finals to study for?” Travis answered with a laugh as they both got out of the car.
Seven shrugged, “I’ll do it later. Come, Dynasty Warriors beckons! Kill the Yellow Turbans! Kill!!”
Travis laughed, “You’re really weird.”