FicWad

Chapter Five



The two minutes Quinn spent inside on the phone felt like an eternity. We all sat in silence, not knowing what this phone call was going to bring. It was unlikely the phone call was from anyone else, so we didn't have that to worry about it being a false alarm. Quinn finally stepped out onto the deck his expression was once again hidden. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. Just like everyone else, I was dying to know.
"Well? Cut the suspense man!" Blake said after a moment of silence.
Quinn still said nothing, looking down at the ground. Everyone was getting impatient, it felt like when you were watching a game show, but you had to wait until after the ad break to see if they got it right or not.
He finally looked up, smiling, "We did it. We fucking won!"
Everything became a blur from that moment. I didn't get up from my seat, I couldn't do anything. I was too shocked to believe that they had done it. I began to cry, although they were tears of joy of course. The guys were yelling in excitement, they couldn't believe it either. I sat on the deck chair not saying a word, completely opposite to everyone else around me. All the noise around me was just that, noise. I was completely stunned. I'd had so much faith in them winning, but when they actually did...it was like a feeling I couldn't describe, it was amazing. Quinn came over and kissed me on the cheek. He pulled me up from the seat and wrapped his arms around me. We just stood there for a while, trying to take it all in. I looked over Quinn's shoulder and saw Connor, Kyle and Aaron talking excitedly about the show they could now look forward to. Blake had gone, but he returned a minute later with a case of alcohol in his arms and it was clear what their plans for the rest of the night were.
"Well done, I'm so happy for all of you," I said to Blake, although it came across in contrast as I was crying, more like someone had died than they had won acompetition. I took a drink from him, opened it and took a sip.
"So what did they say?" Aaron asked sitting himself back down on the swing chair with a drink.
"The guy said they had just finished with the final band, but they had known right from when they met with us that we were the band they wanted. They said it was our unique sound and personality that they liked," Quinn looked proud of their effort, and he had every right to be.
He'd sat down in my chair, and I was sitting on his lap. He looked so happy and it almost made me want to start crying again. Not wanting to get anymore emotional about it, I took another mouthful from my drink to distract myself.
"Wow, that's a compliment," Blake laughed. "I'm gonna call everyone and invite them round, I think we need to have a party!"
"I told you it would work out," I whispered to Quinn. I had actually been right about everything. Those feelings I'd had weren't my mind playing tricks on me, it really had worked out, and they were finally beginning to get the things they wanted. This was the beginning of a new chapter in our lives, a new chapter that could change absolutely everything.

The party was full of lots of congratulations, and it was good to catch up with people from school. Quinn was busy talking to everyone else about the band and what was coming up for them now. Everyone was so stoked about them winning the competition, and many of them promised they would go along to the show. The band was well known in our school, having played a few times in school assemblies. It looked like none of the guys had any intentions of going to school tomorrow. They were all ready for a good night of drinking and partying and they definitely deserved that. This was ahuge thing for them and they had to make the most of it.
"How many have you had?" Quinn's hands on my hips startled me.
"This is my third," I replied. It had been a couple of hours since my first drink. Iwas actually a pretty cheap drunk, but I had been eating in between and I was trying to pace myself, I still needed to go to school tomorrow even if the others weren't going to.
"Keep drinking, don't bother going to school tomorrow, I'm not."
I could smell the alcohol on his breath, and his words slurred. It was obvious he'd had a lot more to drink than I had.
"I can tell, but I really need to go to school tomorrow, my art research assignment is due. Don't worry about me."
I looked around at everyone, I did want to drink but I felt guilty for my parents who wouldn't be happy with me getting behind on school work so close to graduating. They were happy to know I was the perfect good girl at school who got good grades. I felt bad letting them down, I always wanted to make them proud of me. I knew that I sounded like a good girl that never did anything wrong by refusing to skip classes. I often wanted to, especially since the guys did it so often, but I felt bad for my parents because I hated the thought of them being mad at me. It was just a few more months and then I would be able to do whatever I liked.
"Oh please? Look at the fun everyone else is having," Quinn encouraged.
Quinn led me over to the fridge and got me out another drink. I still hadn't made up my mind, but I took it from him anyway, just in case. Quinn must have gotten distracted, because I turned around and he was gone. Lydia, a girl from my art class, was sitting by herself in the living room. She was one of the nicest girls at my school, the only girl I would probably consider my friend. I never really got on well with any of the other girls at school, because I hated how bitchy they could be, not that they all were. I guess that's why I hung out with the guys, they were easier to get along with and didn't have as much drama that girls seemed to have. Lydia was the exception. She was quiet but really friendly and truly cared about how I felt.
"You must be pretty proud of them. You've been really supportive of the band the whole time they've been together," Lydia said nodding in the direction of Aaron and Blake who were laughing about something with a group of people from school.
"Yeah, they've wanted this for so long. I really am proud of them. I'm just pleased it's finally starting to work out. They weren't coping too well lately, especially Quinn," I told her.
I could tell Lydia anything, knowing with confidence that she wouldn't go around repeating everything I had said to the whole school and that's what I liked about her.
"Yeah, he's a nice guy. You're lucky to have him. Wish them luck for me, I have to head off," she said standing up.
I said goodbye and thanked her for coming, it was good to see just how many people supported the band. I opened my fourth bottle and went to look for Quinn. After squeezing through the gathering of people at the doorway I found him outside with Blake. They both looked pretty drunk and I noticed Quinn had asmoke in his hand, again. I sat down next to him on the bench and intertwined my hand with his.
"You've got nothing to stress about now do you?" I took a sip of my drink. I didn't really care so much anymore, but he and Blake were drunk enough already that they probably wouldn't remember this night the next day. Because of that I felt it was safe to bring it up.
"Don't start this now hon, lets worry about it another day. I don't want to talk about anything negative today, right Blake?" Quinn's words ran together and I did all I could not to laugh.
I was happy to see them both celebrating from the success of their hard work. I agreed with what he had said, now was not the time for anything negative.
"Yeah, could you get us another drink Kate?" Blake asked holding out his bottle and tipping it upside down to show me that it was empty.
"Sure can, but don't get any ideas. I won't be doing it again, it's just this once because I'm so proud of you guys," I said sarcastically. It was true but it wasn't the sort of thing I usually said to them. As I was heading back inside Iheard Blake talking to Quinn, not that it was hard to hear, he wasn't trying very hard to keep his voice down.
"She's a good one that one. You're very lucky to have her. So you can't screw this up'kay, Quinn?" Blake slurred his words, he probably had no idea what he was saying but it was nice to hear him say that about me anyway.
"Yeah, she's one special girl alright," Quinn agreed and I smiled.
When I arrived back with the drinks, almost twenty minutes later as I had stopped a few times to talk to people, Quinn and Blake were wide awake and had now been joined by Aaron. I handed the bottles to Quinn and Blake. I had also gotten myself another bottle after making the decision to skip school tomorrow, my parents wouldn't need to know. Quinn got up and led me over to the swing chair. We sat down and he put his arm around my shoulder, Ileaned my head against his chest.
"I love you so much. I seriously don't know what I'd do without you," he said.

I woke up the next morning with a thumping headache and a dry throat. It took all my strength to open my eyes and look around. I was horrified when I did. The place was a complete mess. I was still at Blake's house, and I was lying on the living room floor with Quinn who was still asleep, a blanket over us. Empty bottles lay everywhere and there were stains all over the carpet. The French doors that led onto the deck were open and the sun was pouring in, but the air was cool. Aaron was asleep on the lazy-boy chair in the corner. Blake was also asleep, on the couch, a girl I didn't know lay next to him. I was unsettled to discover I didn't have a bra on and was a little worried about where it was but I had the rest of my clothes on so I didn't spend any effort looking for it just yet. I got out from under the blanket and walked outside, squinting in the light. Kyle and Connor were sitting in the sun with their eyes closed and neither of them looked very well.
"Whoa, what a mess," I said, looking around the yard. The outside was more trashed than the inside. There were dozens of empty bottles, cans and cigarette butts everywhere.
"How are you guys feeling?" I asked Connor and Kyle. No one would be getting a lot done today, I was sure none of us had escaped a hangover after last night.
"Pretty rough, actually. It was a crazy night," said Kyle, he sounded just as bad as he looked.
"Yeah, I drank way too much," Connor agreed, "How are you feeling?"
"Well after twelve I have no idea what happened. So I'm not feeling any better than you two," I said with a laugh.
I had gotten drunk plenty of times before, but I had never lost my memory from drinking. I didn't like that feeling and I knew Quinn wouldn't be able to remember any more about last night than I could.
"I don't remember a lot either, but I know we've got a hell of a lot of cleaning up to do," Connor said with a sigh.
"Yeah, I'm gonna get started on it now," I said, knowing the guys would put it off for days if they could. I went inside to get a plastic bag for the cigarette butts and rubbish, and as I passed Quinn he sat up on the floor.
"Oh, fuck," was all he managed to say.
"How are you feeling?" I laughed, he didn't look like he was feeling all that great.
"Like shit. What happened?" He said looking around, and then he lay back down again, rubbing his temples.
"I don't remember anything after twelve," I said sitting down next to him on the blanket.
"Well don't expect me to tell you anything, I was gone way before that," he said staring up at the ceiling.
"I figured you might say that. Who's that?" I said pointing to the girl asleep next to Blake on the couch.
"Oh my god, that's Blake's ex-girlfriend," Quinn said clearly amused, "He's not going to be happy when he wakes up and sees who he's with. Man, I need asmoke," he groaned and got up to go outside.
Being the good girlfriend I was I went into the kitchen and got a glass of water for Quinn, as well as the plastic bag I had come in for in the first place.
"Here you go," I said, handing him the water.
"Oh thanks, you're an angel," he said taking a big gulp of water.
"What about us Kate?" Kyle joked.
"Get your own, or help me clean up this mess," I laughed.
As I expected they got up and headed for the kitchen to get their own water. I sat down next to Quinn.
"I guess you don't know where my bra is?" I asked him quietly, laughing.
"Uh, no I don't," he said taking a puff of his cigarette, looking a little concerned. "Do you want me to help you look for it?" He asked, but I could tell he had no intention of doing that anytime soon.
"No it's alright. I'll find it, I hope," I laughed again and got up to collect some of the empty bottles and put them in the recycling bin. At that moment I heard laughing coming from inside and the sound of the front door shutting. Connor, Kyle and Blake came outside. Blake was shaking his head in disappointment.
"Regretting that?" Quinn asked, smirking.
"Fuck yes. Are you kidding me? This is not good, why didn't someone stop me?" Blake moaned, putting his head in his hands.
"I tried, man," Aaron joined us, looking worse than anyone else, "But you said you knew what you were doing."
"Well you should have tried harder. I can't believe it."
"It's alright, Kate can't find her bra," Quinn laughed.
"Shh,"I muttered, covering my chest as they all looked at me. Everyone laughed."Look, are any of you guys gonna help me? Or do I have to do this by myself?"
"You seem to be doing fine without us," Aaron said. His hangover wasn't stopping him from giving out the smart-ass comments, like he usually did.
"Well, I'm not sure what you're gonna do about all the stains in the carpet, Blake," I said. When his parents got home from their holiday in England they wouldn't be impressed.
"Oh shit, really? S'ok, I'll just call a carpet cleaner," he said.
That was his answer for everything, his parents gave him a lot of allowance every week, so he could afford pretty much anything he wanted.
"Right, who's gonna help me make something to eat? We've got celebrating to do," Quinn said, putting out his cigarette and throwing it in the bag with the others I had cleaned up. I was sure we had done all the celebrating yesterday, but I wasn't going to stop them enjoying this.
"I will," the rest of the guys said in unison.
"Oh, so you'll cook but you won't help me clean?" I said picking out a bottle from one of the rose bushes. They just laughed and followed Quinn inside.

A recycling bin full of bottles and fifteen minutes later I walked inside to the smell of bacon cooking. It was just what I felt like. I was surprised the guys had had the energy to cook up a big meal.
"Mmm, smells good," I exclaimed sitting my self up at one of the bar stools next to Aaron who was leaning his head on the bench with his eyes closed.
"We're using quiet voices today Kate," Aaron muttered, not looking up.
"Oh, I see," I whispered back. "So what'd you say to that girl, Blake?"
"I told her it was nice to see her. But it wouldn't be happening again, and that she should leave," Blake said dishing up the bacon onto six plates.
"That's a bit harsh isn't it?" I asked.
"You don't know her like I do. She was such a pain, really needy and just...annoying. There's no way I'm putting up with that again," he said putting the rest of the food on the plates.
"I don't remember you ever dating her?" I asked, trying to remember her. It had to have been fairly recent, but I couldn't remember her at all.
"We were only together for a month and a bit, last summer. Her name's Olivia," he said, handing me and Aaron a plate and taking the others over to the table.
"Oh, maybe I do remember the name," I said and got off the bar stool to sit down at the table. It seemed Aaron wasn't going to move from his bar stool any time soon.
We sat down and ate our meals. It was exactly what we all needed. The last twenty one hours had been surreal. I still wasn't sure what had happened and what hadn't, all I knew was that they had won the competition and they were finally going to get the breakthrough they deserved.

In all the excitement last night I had forgotten to call my parents and say Iwouldn't be home. They were going to be furious, and I was in no state to have an argument with them. There was no avoiding it though. I made sure I waited until four o'clock before going home. I couldn't let them know I hadn't gone to school, that was a whole other argument I wasn't willing to buy myself into.
As soon as I stepped in the door mom started at me, "Where have you been, Kate?"
"Sorry, I forgot to call. I stayed at Blake's house. He had a party because they won the competition they had entered," I said, hoping she would be happy for them, and forget about being angry at me. Positive thinking wasn't going to get me anywhere right now she wasn't ready to let it go that easily.
"That's wonderful, but Kate you need to tell us if you're not going to be home. We were worried, you have a cellphone," she reminded me.
They had bought me a cellphone a couple of years ago after I had begged for a long time and told them I got picked on at school for being the only one without one. That wasn't technically true, but it was almost compulsory for a teenager to have one now.
"I know, I told you I just forgot," I said. I really didn't want to argue, Icouldn't be bothered with that at all.
"Well that's just not good enough," she persisted.
"Mom, I'm seventeen. I'm old enough to look after myself," I walked away from her. I couldn't wait to hop into my bed and sleep, no matter how early it was.
"That's irrelevant Kate! While you're living under our roof you still have to tell us where you're going and when you'll be home. I had tea cooked for you!" She called after me, but I had switched off, and shut the door to my room.
"Yes, sorry mom," I mumbled and crawled into bed, I was instantly asleep.