Chapter 1 - Police

-Are you going to talk or not?! - yelled the policeman again.

I didn't answer.

-JUST TALK GOD DAMN IT! - he yelled yet again.

I still didn't answer. He raised his hand and punched me right in the nose, and I shook with the impact and turned my face the other way. "Go fuck yourself"

- And now, do you want to talk or do you want to talk? - Asked the policeman.

- Or - I said with disregard.

He got up suddenly, ran towards me, grabbed me by the collar and screamed in my ears:

-YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE IF YOU DON'T TALK, SO TALK OR I WILL MAKE YOU BLEED!

He was just going to punch me in the face again, when the door shot open revealing a middle-aged man, with a beer stomach and a grey mustache:

- Chief, let go of the girl. There's a guy saying he's her brother and he is right at the front door guaranteeing that he is going to take her and he doesn't care about the consequences - I heard the middle age police officer say.

- That's adorable... but screw that guy! I can't! Not after what this bitch did! - Yelled the policeman, still grabbing me by the collar.

- Chief, I'm sorry but the guy says she's innocent and that she's his sister, and that she really has to go. Besides... - He said while taking a wad of bills out of his pocket.

- Ah, I see... - Spoke the police officer, putting me on the floor and giving me a pack in the back - Well then... I think we can let this one go... - He looked me in the eyes - Go on...

I recomposed myself and started walking towards the door, but, when I was almost there, one of the police officers tricked me and I nearly fell. In my head, all I was thinking about was killing those two, slowly, and with acid.

- Sick bastards - I muttered, whilst leaving that room and slamming the door.

I walked through the hallway until I found the exit. I felt someone behind me, but I didn't want to turn around, fearing it would be one of the police officers that I wanted to kill so badly. I turned around to see the face of the man who helped me get off that stupid police station.

- What? Not even a "thank you, my dear brother"? - The man whispered in my ear.

It was clearly him. I turned around and prepared to leave.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. I faced him once more, this time my heartbeat changing dramatically. Eddie.

-Where's my "thank you brother"? - he smirked evilly.

- Right here, in my back pocket. - I uttered in disdain, searching in my back pocket for my middle finger, turning away.

He laughed.

- Is that how you thank me? - He asked, walking behind me, relaxed.

- Why should I thank you? For burning the stage and blaming me? - I spat, turning around and facing him, mad.

- No, because I saved you.

- The only reason I am here is that you blamed me! - I answered, walking away again.

He kept following me until the exit gate, arguing.

I finally got off the police station and that's when I realized: I had no idea where I was...

- Lost, lit' sis?

- Is that clear... "brother"? - I responded, not facing him. I was to busy scanning the streets and trying to figure out where I was.

- Ah, that's what I'm talking about... - He giggled approaching me - Well, I'm glad I brought back up... - He then loudly whistled to the end of the street. A car started moving and stopped right in front of us.

- What... - I tried to say, but he didn't let me.

- I'll explain later. - Then he ran towards the car, opening the passenger door and letting me in. I looked through the mirror and saw the driver: Stone.

- What's up? - he greeted. Perfect, now I was confused and lost.

- Rescue team or what? - I asked but Eddie interrupted me again.

- I'll explain later. - He turned himself to me. - Let's go, dude! - He smirked at Stone.

- Well then, where to? - Stone asked, stepping on the gas.

Eddie turned and looked me in the eyes as if he was asking "where do you want to go?".

- Home. - I answered with the coolest voice I could do.

- Be it! - Stone giggled, grabbing the steering wheel and turning on the radio. I rested my head back on my seat and stared at the window. I was lucky if I slept forty minutes or so last night at the station. My head felt like it was about to burst. Feeling the car moving and the soft music that came from the radio I sensed myself falling asleep so I put my head back up and looked over to the road ahead of me.

The journey didn't take long, but when we got to the crossroad where you're supposed to turn left to go to my house, Stone turned right.

- Stone, my house is the other way. - I said, confused. Stone glanced sideways to Eddie as if saying "explain her". Eddie then turned smirking and said:

- You said "home", not "my home"...

- Oh no, you know I meant MY home!

He turned to Stone and started talking between them.

- Stone, I didn't realize...

- Neither did I...

- Bad luck...

-It is... Well but now we're already on our way to your place, so it's not worth turning back...

- Right...

I rolled my eyes. Since I meet these two they always did everything to mock me in every way. A kind of peculiar sense of humor.

- Stone, turn around. NOW! - I said louder, just trying to get them to understand I was exhausted.

- Look who's awaken... - he mocked me.

- We're here! - Stone announced, turning his head and doing a childish smile to me.

It was a small house in a neighborhood like many others I've seen. I never went to his house before, and since we meet not so long ago, both Eddie and Stone never mention it.

- Come on! - Eddie urged me.

- You're mistaken if you think I'm moving. - I huffed.

Stone opened the backseat door, looking at me leaning forward, and said:

- Either you come or you'll rut there.

- Come on... - Eddie watched me from the from seat - I won't bite you! - He said while I got out of the car.

Eddie shot his farewell to Stone, and I followed him to the door of the house. He opened the door giving it a push, and we both got in.

There wasn't much furniture in his room, just a mattress on the floor with some sheets and pillows, and a make-off bedside table of an old amplifier where an ashtray, a can of beer and a couple of music magazines laid. There was an old wardrobe with open doors where you could see some shabby shirts, T-shirts, jeans, and hoodies. He had a ton of photos and pieces of old newspapers and magazines on the walls, as well as 3 large windows. He had one electric guitar on his bed, all raffled up on the sheets, he had a few more in a corner of the room with more amplifiers. Besides all of this, he had clothes all over his room, and song lyrics taped on a wall. He had also a fairly new bookcase stuffed with vinyls and a vinyl player. Above that bookcase, he had a bunch of other things like beer, cigarettes, some guitar picks, a flashlight and a bag of chips. It was cozy and strangely it felt like home.

- I know that it is a mess, but even if I try to clean it up, it just comes back to the same weird randomness... - He said, while he grabbed the guitar on the bed and put it next to the others.

- Mess? You should see mine... It's true disarray - I giggled.

- I should, shouldn't I? - he winked.

Since I meet this guy there was always this weird unstable but unstoppable feeling in the same room as us, like if someone made a tiny sound both of us would jump off our feet scared, so focus that we were in each other, leaving the earth and floating.

- And you brought me here to show me the place? - I asked him, as I heard him sit on the mattress.

- Yes, it is what it is but I feel at home. - He said with his soft voice.

- I'm still mad upset about that whole police thing. - I told him, as I sat on the floor with my back against the mattress.

- No, you're not.

- What? - I turned to him, furious. - And you say that because?

- Because you let me help you to get out of the police station, and you accepted my ride, and you entered my apartment in free will...

- But I had no choice! If it was not for you, I would still be there ... - I admitted.

- I'm sure that someone would come to take you out, probably Joe.

- Joe? Please! He disappeared as always... - I tried to say, but he came up to me in a way I had never seen him do. One moment he was at a reasonable distance from me, and now he was invading my personal space.

- Admit it: you want it to be my fault but you know it wasn't. How could I? - He approached me more.

- You hit the first part right... - I said in response. This types of provocations were common between us, and there was a repressed desire feeling going around our friendship. A crazy controlled one.

- What about the second one? - He asked stopping for a moment, he asked getting serious.

"TOC TOC TOC TOC" - Someone knocked on the window right next to us. Stone. Eddie and I jumped about 20 feet in second and a half.

- Fuck off, Stone! - Eddie yelled. Stone muttered something on the other side of the window, mimicking, but we couldn't hear him, so he motioned that he was going to enter the house, to talk to Eddie.

- Stay here ... - Eddie said to me, seemingly upset.

I waited for them in the bedroom without moving, where would I go? The room was still feeling like home to me, but I've never been there before. I liked being there, in his world, where he sleeps, thinks, writes, lives.

I heard the front door open up and I heard Stone saying "hello" to Eddie, but shortly after, I heard Stone screaming "Ouch!", so I just figured that Eddie had "punished him" for "interrupting us".

Then I stopped hearing them and figured they were muttering something, but I didn't have much time to think about it because I realized they were back to the room.

- No way!! - Said Stone acting all surprised when he saw me - You? Here? - He asked, still acting all shocked, as he started walking to pick up one of Eddie's acoustic guitars - What are you doing here? - He said, before sitting in the bed, right next to me - And besides, you are blushing, what did just happen here? - He said making a surprised face before Eddie interrupted him.

- Sarcasm has always been your strongest point Stone...

- And bringing beautiful girls to your house has always been yours, Eddie! - Stone winked at me.

- Heey... - Said Eddie with that face who says "what was that for?".

- What? Don't tell me you're getting jealous ... - Said Stone, between laughs - Don't worry, she is all yours! But if things don't work out between you two hey, I'm right here babe - Stone winked me again.

- You are too kind - I said with a sarcastic tone in my voice.

I looked over to Eddie and saw how his face was a weird mix of "fuck you Stone" and "Get the fuck out Stone". Before I could say something he stepped in:

- Hey man, what are you doing where anyways?

- Ah yes! Chris is organizing a ... hm ... "thing" at his house, and asked me if I wanted to go, what do you two say?

- Define "thing" - said Eddie.

- Party. What do you say?

- Can Cass go too? - he asked.

- Thank you for asking me if I want to go, you too are very kind. - I said.

- Sure you want to. - Stone replied, mocking me again.

- How can you be so sure? - I asked.

- Because I'm gonna be there - Eddie answered, smiling at me, sweetly. This guy had a weird ass sense of humor.

- So ... Party? - Asked Stone, exited and making jazz hands.

- I guess so. - Eddie replied, before looking at me and smiling again.

- Great! - Said the enthusiastic Stone.

- We can meet here. - Eddie said, quietly - When is this "thing"? - He asked, not taking his eyes or the smile off me.

- In a few hours - Stone replied - I didn't say that?

- No - Eddie still fixed in my eyes, making me have the urge to start making ugly faces to see if he would wake up. I didn't.

- Oh, my mistake ... - Said Stone - I'll be here in some hours, ok?

- Yeah - Eddie replied, yet again still looking at me.

- How about you? You coming by yourself or do you want a ride? - Stone asked me.

- What is it going to be ?- Eddie asked this time getting his eyes on Stone kind of breaking the spell.

- I have to change and take a shower because I was in the police station for 2 days and I have a nose full of dried blood, haven't slept a thing and I stink, so I need a ride.

- Good point - Stone replied - Then ride it is! - He ended with a giggle, before getting up and asking - You want a ride home now? We only have about two hours or so to get ready and since you have to shower and do your nursing shit on that noise of yours.

- Please and thank you - I said, with a sarcastic smile.

I walked behind Stone to the front door, and Eddie followed my steps looking me up and down with a mocking grin. I laughed and Stone was fast to shout "CAMON YOU TWO! DON'T GET ALL FRISKY!"

---------------

As I was sitting shotgun with Stone by my side my mind kept thinking: Party? Fuck no. My nose was full of dried blood, I was smelling like a corpse, and my mood was not for parties. I spent the whole ride home thinking about that stupid party, and when I returned to myself, Stone was screaming saying we had already arrived.

- Cass?! I'm screaming for 15 minutes telling you that we've arrived, did you have a stroke?

Suddenly I woke up and looked at him like it was the first time I saw him that day:

- Hmm? ... Ah, yes! Yes of course! Sorry...

- Are you awake? - Stone asked me looking into my eyes.

- Do I really have to go to that party? - I asked him also looking him in the eyes. It was obvious that I was not required to go to the party, but he understood what I meant.

- Come on ... It will be cool! Hot guys, lots of booze... - He smiled a little - Eddie...

I did not answer, and I just got out of the car, but before I could completely leave, Stone said:

- I'll be here in some time! - He smiled and winked.

Now I had probably 45 minutes to shower, wipe my nose and try to give myself a decent aspect like I wasn't in jail for two days.

"Good Luck, Cassie ..."

I lived with my 25-year-old brother since I moved to Seattle a few months ago, but he was rarely home, because he spent most of the time at some girl's home, so I had the house all by myself most of the time. He didn't even know about that police incident I think, typical.

My house was nothing special, but no one would ever say that that is a girl's home (although the house was in my brother's name), but I liked the "raw" aspect of it.

I never was a girly girl, so I liked to share the house with my brother and have most things his way. I've always liked my brother and he as always taken good care of me. We made a good duo.

I went to the bathroom and almost died for a second: I had my nose a bit swollen, with lots of dried blood and a horrible aspect. "They saw me like this the whole time?" - I wondered to myself. I quickly started to disinfect the wound squicking in pain and tried to reduce the swelling. Then I stripped from my clothes and ran to the bathtub, letting the water clean my pores.

I didn't take too long, in fact, I was all cleaned up really fast. I went to my room and tried to find something decent to wear. Like my home, I look like a little tomboy. Most of my t-shirts and shirts were inherited from my brother and I only had one dress and I only wore it for important occasions, not that I had many. I felt cleaned and fresh from the shower. Even my nose was presentable. I brushed my hair with my hands and took a deep breath.

When I finally got ready, I realized that I wasn't late, but Stone was.

At 00am Stone arrived:

- Are you ready? - He didn't finish.

- Guess so! - I sarcastically said, making him giggle. He put his arm around me after I closed the door and told me: "Don't be so negative about things, take it easy", finishing with an adorable smile.

We left the house and got in his car. We didn't talk about anything special during the ride to Eddie's house, he just put on some tunes and we sang along like we usually do.

When we got to his house Eddie opened the door I must admit, I wasn't sure if it was from the house meeting earlier what it was, something was different ... I don't know if it was the way he looked, or if it was my imagination ... I know he was different and it was making me feel different as well.

We got back into Stone's car: Stone was driving, Eddie was shotgun and I was in the back seat. Occasionally Eddie would turn to me and just smile at me, and I didn't know what to do, so I just stood there and messed with the zipper on my jacket.

The ride took about 15 minutes, and then we arrived at Chris's house. It was not a really different house from the others, despite the fact that the music was really loud. As we were walking to the door, I had the feeling that I was getting into trouble, and that I shouldn't go there, but ... oh well...

-------written in 2014rewritten in 10/12/2017rewritten again in 15/07/2018