Hate Every Beautiful Day
Chapter 11
By: Makena
It hadn't been an hour by the time Nicole had gotten distracted and she stopped studying. Benji hadn't ever really been into the project, but he still had nothing to do. Instead, he watched from the love seat as the four fooled around and did random stuff.
"Hey, Benji," Nicole said suddenly. "You want something?"
Benji shook his head and rested his head in his hand. He sighed and tried to focus on the TV, which was set on MTV. "Where's your bathroom?" Benji asked finally.
"Down the hall," Nicole explained, pointing towards the hall past the stair case. "Past the liquor cabinet on the left."
Benji nodded and got up. Nobody paid attention to his sudden absence and used it to his advantage. He ducked around the corner and found the liquor cabinet with ease. He knelt down and opened the bottom of it to view his options. He picked out a bottle that looked to be full and silently closed the cabinet doors before continuing to the bathroom where he locked himself in and sat down on the closed toilet seat to drink.
He polished the bottle off easily and cracked the window to throw the bottle away and hide the evidence. It landed in the neighbor's garden, hidden by a mass of bushes that divided the property line. Satisfied that the bottle was well hidden, Benji opened the door and walked back towards the living room.
He returned and became horrified when he noticed that the group of four had multiplied into six - a boy with blond hair and green tips and...
"You!" Benji said.
Makena turned around and her smile disappeared from her face. She frowned slightly and looked back at Nicole, who smiled.
"What's she doing here?" Benji asked.
"I said people were coming over to hang out," Nicole replied simply. "And... she happens to be my friend."
"I take it you two don't like each other," Billy said, looking between the two.
"He's not my favorite person in the entire world," Makena replied.
"Funny you should..."
"Shit," Nicole cut her off. "The parental units are home."
"The parental units...?" Paul said.
"Paul... think about it."
Paul frowned, but soon yelled out a curse. "Aren't you grounded?" Paul asked her.
Nicole nodded. She hastily put the things away in the kitchen as her friends scattered around her house. Paul, Shannon and Brian ran into the basement while Billy ended up in the bathroom and Makena and Benji in the small closet under the stairs.
"How fucking predictable," Benji muttered angrily. "Stuck with YOU."
"Why don't you try shutting your mouth for once and SUCK IT UP," Makena shot back.
"Both of you shut your fucking mouths or we're all screwed," Nicole's angered voice commanded from just outside the closet. "I'll tell you when you can get out of here. Where's the others?"
"Billy's in the bathroom," Makena replied, sending Benji a cold stare. "Everyone else is down stairs."
She had to assume Nicole heard her, because she heard her friend move past down the hall, followed by the sound of the TV clicking on. Makena and Benji stood frozen, listening to the front door open and the "parental units" come into their own home, talking to each other.
"Nicole, we're home," a woman's voice called. "Did you get your room cleaned yet?"
"No... I got up not too long ago."
"Try to get that done today," her mother said. "By the way, we picked a frozen pizza up for dinner tonight! Your father is leaving town for a while and I'm going out with some friends..."
Makena sighed once she realized they wouldn't be able to hear Benji or herself through the talking and sat herself down on a large, plastic tub labeled "Hats/Gloves/Scarves."
"I can't believe I'm stuck in here," Benji muttered again, also sensing nobody could hear them. "And with all people - you. How fucking -"
"Predictable?" Makena finished. "Obvious? Yeah - you said that."
"My bad," Benji frowned, crossing his arms. "But I'm not kissing you."
Makena frowned, but tried not to laugh anyway. "What brought that on?" she asked curiously.
"Like, in movies when people hate each other are stuck in positions like this, they - you know - make out or whatever. Fuck. I dunno... they suddenly become friends."
Makena laughed at Benji's explanation. "In case you haven't noticed," she began. "This isn't a movie. Nothing that - STUPID - happens. I mean, people who hate each other might become friends... eventually... but nothing like being trapped in a closet."
Benji lifted his eye brows slightly, signifying the fact that two people who did, in fact, hate each other, were trapped in a closet together. Makena picked up on the hint and sighed, playing with the hem of her hoodie.
"It's still not a movie."
"We'd better get back before I have to be in Acme..."
The closet door flew open and Nicole stood, looking slightly pissed about something.
"Jesus," she muttered. "I could hear you guys from the living room. It's a wonder my parents didn't hear you. Now go - they're upstairs, but they'll be back down any minute."
Nicole pushed the pair towards the front door and hastily pushed them outside, quickly apologizing and shutting the door quietly. Makena sighed and walked across Nicole's property to a maroon Astro van that was parked in the front of the house that sat across the street.
"Where are you going?" Benji asked her, a little aggravated that he had been dragged to some one's house half way across town and he didn't have a ride home.
"Home," Makena replied, opening the driver's door and climbing in. "Maybe to the mall. What's it to you?"
Benji sighed. He shook his head and began to walk down the side walk. Makena watched Benji through her car window, chewing at the sides of her mouth. She really didn't like him - he wasn't nice to her - and the last thing she wanted to do was to give him a ride home. But... he did look like he needed a ride, and he was lonely.
"Fuck..." she muttered, starting her car so she could roll the window down. "Do you need a ride home or something?!"
Benji paused and looked up at Makena. He hesitated, but decided it was too far to walk home and slowly nodded.
"I guess..." he began, walking across the street. He hear the door's automatic lock go off as Makena unlocked her car. He climbed into the front seat and Makena took off.
-----
Joel flicked his microphone as Benji played a couple of notes to tune his $10 garage sale guitar up. They were in a bar in Acme, like they were every Saturday, to play a short gig and get paid. That's how Benji got what little cash he had - after he took half away and slipped it into his mother's wallet while she slept.
"Test, test," Joel said, tapping the microphone a couple of times. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! I'm Joel, this is my brother Benji, and we are Good Charlotte!"
People clapped out of courtesy. Benji looked out at the people who were actually watching - which wasn't too many. But still, people were watching him. He slowly looked around and noticed Paul among the crowd with Shannon.
He frowned to himself and suddenly tried to focus on Joel and what he was supposed to play.
They played for about a half hour, just the two of them, making music and making a limited amount of cash. They finally ended with an Aerosmith song before Joel thanked the audience, introduced the next band and hopped off stage. Paul immediately approached them, followed by Shannon.
"Hey," Joel said, shaking Paul's hand. "What's up? What brings you down to Acme?"
"Just checkin' your band out," Paul replied. "You know - seein' if you need a bass or not."
Joel laughed slightly. "We could use a bass," he told Paul honestly. "You think you wanna play?"
Paul just shrugged. He honestly thought that Benji and Joel, well... sucked. They were okay, yes, but they didn't know a lot of songs. He was amazed at Benji's lack of knowledge for the guitar. He was, however, awed at how Benji and Joel's voices matched when they sang and created a nice, interesting sound.
"Anyway, how'd you get in?" Joel continued. "It's 18 and over."
"Fake ID's," Paul replied with a grin. "Besides, Shannon's 18 next month."
"Manager probably wants to talk to us," Benji spoke up, not wanting to socialize much longer.
"Right," Joel said. "I forgot about that. See you later, Paul?"
Paul nodded and him and Shannon ordered soda's at the bar as Paul took out a cigarette. Benji turned around and walked up the three small steps up the side of the stage and back through the stage door that was hidden by a heavy red curtain. He liked going backstage after he played. The manager always supplied drinks, even though he was fully aware Benji and Joel were only 17.
When the owner was around, drinks were still supplied. Joel never drank much - a bottle or two did it for him. But Benji usually helped himself until the manager refused to get him more.
"Ah, Benjamin," the manager said with a smile as the two found themselves back stage. "Joel! Good job out there, tonight. Here's your money from tonight... in cash, as always..."
He handed them each a twenty and smiled. He was a short, balding man who was slightly overweight. A front tooth was missing, replaced by a fake one that fell out every time he chewed gum.
"Drinks?" Benji asked, slightly anxious. The manager gave a loud, mighty "haw haw!" laugh and slapped Benji on the back.
"Just like me!" he laughed. "You'll be managing a bar when you're my age, Benjamin!"
Benji, seriously hoping he wouldn't be managing a bar EVER in his entire life, just forced a weak, half smile as the manager bent down to the small, black ice box by the wall and dug out six beers. He handed Benji and Joel each a beer, snapping one open for himself.
"You kids did a fine job out there," the manager began, taking a swig from his beer.
"But..." Joel said, sensing something else was coming.
"But if you wanna keep playing here, you gotta - "improve" you act a little. Add a bass or another guitar - a drummer, probably. Maybe switch up your songs a little or learn new ones."
"Yeah, we were sort of talking about that," Joel told him, giving a short, side glance as his brother. "We know a bass player who might join up with us. It's gonna be tight, though, because we've got school and homework, and Benji's got football practice now - "
"Benji! You joined the football team?!"
Benji groaned and rolled his eyes at Joel before taking another drink. "Sort of," Benji replied.
"That's great! Good for you... good for you..."
Benji was slapped on the back again and he suddenly decided he wanted to leave.