“No.” Paige wagged her finger at Justin. “Where is the logic in this?”
“You’ll chum it up with Lennox and then you won’t feel perturbed by her sexuality and then you’ll have no need to resort to poisonous praxes. M-kay?”
“Justin.”
“Yes?”
“You are dead to me.”
Justin lifted his left arm off the table and pointed to the thin rope around his wrist. “Do our identical bracelets have no significance to you anymore? We made an oath.”
“We were ten.”
“Precisely. You can’t violate it now. Say it with me.”
“Man,” Paige said. “This is—”
“Saaay it.”
Paige glanced at the tattered, beige trinket tied below her palm. She looked at Justin.
“I promise to accept you for who you are and keep you safe with my whole heart,” Justin and Paige recited in unison.
Paige half-smiled. “How are we still this mawkish?”
“Our syrupy geekiness is innate. Similar to being straight or gay or b—”
“Alright! But I’m going because Keira asked me to. She wants me to be peaceable to the chick. This is for K. Not for you, or to rid myself of Hanna for my well-being, and certainly not to make a new pal. You dig?”
Justin grinned. “Okay. We depart at approximately 12:40.”
“I really don’t want to be here,” Paige said to Justin through the side of her mouth as they approached the open garage attached to Callie’s house.
“You’ve said that already. About a dozen times. I heard you.”
“I’m just reiterating.”
“Right.”
“There they are!” Keira bellowed, arms stretched exuberantly. Her bass guitar hung from her shoulders by a black, leather strap, which correlated with Marissa’s. The cord linking the instrument to the amplifier anchored her in place. “Nice of you to come, Paige.”
“Like I had a choice,” Paige grumbled.
“Well done, Justin,” Keira said.
Justin gave Keira a weak wave while Paige flipped her off.
“Where are the others?” Justin asked.
“Kitchen. Going through our practice calendar with Lennox,” Keira explained.
“Why aren’t you in there with them?” Paige asked.
“Booriing,” Keira drawled.
Paige tipped her head to the side. “So you’re exempt from band…politics?”
“Yes.”
“Huh.”
“Keira.” Justin scanned the area. “Um. Is there somewhere we can sit?”
Keira gestured to the stack of dusty, plastic cartons to her right. “Fetch yourselves a milk crate.”
“Wow,” Paige said. “We’re really getting the V.I.P. treatment, aren’t we?” She went inside the dank garage and retrieved the top two bins. Paige stepped back into the sunlight and placed them on the pavement. “Here,” she said to Justin. “Your throne awaits.”
Justin frowned. “Thanks for letting me have the one with the cobwebs.”
Paige grinned. “You’re welcome.” She lowered herself onto the makeshift seat and Justin did the same while cursing under his breath.
“This is nasty,” Justin said to Keira. “And unsanitary.”
Keira laughed. “Instead of complaining, why don’t you just luxuriate in the amenities that we rock goddesses can bestow upon you.”
The side entrance of the garage suddenly swung open, causing its rusty hinges to squeak ruthlessly. Paige craned her neck toward the origin of the grating noise as Marissa hopped over the threshold, followed by Callie and then Lennox.
Paige’s stomach, ostensibly independent from her mind, summersaulted at the sight of Lennox. Paige glimpsed at the cement under her feet. She took off her hat and fiddled with its adjustable buckle until Justin extracted it from her hands and planted it back on her head.
“Don’t be so obvious,” Justin whispered to Paige.
“I know not what you’re referring to.” Paige spoke softly.
“What are you two conspiring about?” Marissa asked Paige and Justin.
“Us?” Justin’s finger moved from himself to Paige. “We were just saying that we can’t wait to hear you guys jam.”
Marissa raised her eyebrows. “Wow. Justin, you’re an atrocious fibber.”
Justin gasped. “What? Okay. Fine. I said that. Then Paige confessed that she only came for the…uh…scenery.”
Lennox glanced over at Paige and smirked.
Paige’s jaw dropped and shades of amaranth saturated her cheeks. She slugged Justin in his arm. “Dude!”
“Oww!” Justin soothingly petted his bicep.
Marissa stared straight-faced at Paige. “You better be here for conciliatory reasons.”
“That’s indeed it,” Paige said and glanced at Lennox. “Um. Lennox?”
Everyone became mute and turned to Lennox, who looked up at Paige. “Yeah?”
“May I have a word? After your…your uh…trial run.”
Lennox’s lips pinched together and she inhaled through her nose. She then raised her chin a little. “Sure.”
Marissa smiled and gave Paige a small nod. “Alright, girls! Let’s rock!”
When the third and final song of the band’s line-up ended with Callie’s keyboard solo, Paige and Justin rose from their seats and clapped.
“Alright, Poser America!” Justin hollered. “What does their band’s name even mean?” he asked Paige through a whisper.
“They’re mocking American culture. The lack of individuality in today’s youth. The need to conform in today’s society. Do you not read the articles I write for the school paper about them? Or my posts on the internet about them?” Paige asked.
Justin turned to Paige as the girls began packing up their instruments. “Don’t be mad.”
Paige put her hands on her hips. “What kind of a best friend are you?”
“Hey now. Easy. I skim them. Okay?”
“No. Not okay, Justin.”
“Don’t be like that.”
“Like what?” Paige asked.
“Like you endorse everything I do or everything I’m about.”
“Psht. When have I not?”
“When I told you I thought almond butter was disgusting.”
Paige’s mouth slanted downward. “Because who doesn’t think it’s delicious aside from you?”
“Practically anyone who has ever eaten peanut butter, the ruler of all nut butters.”
“I hate to break up whatever it is you two are bickering about,” Marissa said, “but me, K, and Callie are going inside to make our decision about Lennox. What’d you guys think of her?”
“Well, Paige loooved her performance,” Justin said.
Paige glared at Justin and then faced Marissa. “She was good. You should…hire her or…”
Marissa smiled giddily. “I know! She was really good, wasn’t she? I can’t believe she’s only a freshman.”
“Uh oh,” Justin muttered. “You mean fresh meat.”
Paige frowned at Justin. “C’mon. That phrase is so hackneyed.”
“Yeah? You’re hackneyed,” Justin retorted.
“Sticks and stones, buddy. Sticks and stones,” Paige said.
“You’re both being idiots right now. Stop,” Marissa said.
“I thought she was unrecognizable because she was a transfer student,” Paige said to Marissa.
“She is.” Marissa smirked. “From Samson Prep High School.”
“So she’s what? Nineteen?” Paige asked, crestfallen.
“Eighteen,” Marissa corrected.
Paige blinked. “Eighteen,” she repeated.
“Yes.”
Justin placed his hand over his mouth to muffle his laugh. Marissa and Paige disregarded Justin’s mirth and continued looking at one another.
“Paige, I need a favor,” Marissa said.
“No.”
“No? Um. Let me put it another way. You’re going to do some
thing for me and in return, I’m not going to whale on your ass for trying to bonk your ex last night. Because, yeah. I know about that.”
Paige’s stare hardened. “Mmm.”
“So are we in business?”
“Only if you’ll never harass me about Hanna ever again.”
“Never.”
“EVER?” Paige asked.
“Never ever.”
“Fine.”
“Fantastic! Can you entertain Lennox while the band consults?” Marissa asked.
“Ha! There!”
“There what?”
“Even you think she’s young enough to require a babysitter,” Paige said.
“Nope. I think she requires your empathy.”
“She’s right, Paige,” Justin said.
Paige opened her mouth, shook her head, and snorted. “You’re all in on this, aren’t you? You know you’re going to choose her. You guys set me up, didn’t you?” Paige glanced at Justin, who looked down.
“I was coerced,” Justin said.
“Fuck you, Justin,” Marissa said and grabbed Paige by the shoulders. “We care about you, Paige. You’re good people. Everyone deserves to see that part of you. She’s going to be in our group. Please just give her a chance. Go make nice.”
“Rissa, let’s go!” Keira called from behind as she and Callie walked through the entrance of the house.
Marissa set Paige free from her hold. “That’s me. Can you do this?” she asked Paige.
“What do you want me to say?” Paige asked.
“Sorry.”
“Ugh. Okay. I’ll do it,” Paige said.
Marissa smiled. “Thank you.” She clutched Justin’s shirtsleeve. “You’re coming with me,” she said and hauled him toward the garage.
“I did this for you, Paige!” Justin proclaimed as he reached the door. In seconds, Justin and Marissa disappeared inside.
Paige bit her bottom lip and glanced up at Lennox, who was already staring at her, eyebrows arched.
“You don’t have to speak to me,” Lennox said.
Paige’s throat dried. “Huh?”
“I’m not a moron. Your friends schemed you so that we’d be alone together. Again.”
Paige gasped. “No!”
“Wait. I got this,” Lennox said. “After I left Juice, they told you I was bi and that you were a prick to me and now they want you to apologize. But you feel like you shouldn’t have to because according to your blog, my sexuality isn’t even legit.”
Paige pressed her tongue against the back of her bottom teeth to prevent herself from saying anything belligerent. She took a deep breath and ambled into the sizeable, enclosed carport. She stood in front of the drumset, her sight on the light bulb dangling from the ceiling above it. “Aren’t you ever the wise one for someone your age?” Paige asked.
“Oh. So my age is null, too. Is that it?”
“No.” Paige’s gaze descended on Lennox and she drank her in again. There were natural, brown nuances throughout Lennox’s red mane. She had delicate and proportionate attributes, pale skin, and her honey-hued irises were devastatingly dazzling. Paige’s pulse gained momentum. “It’s just that you’re…you’re young. You don’t have as much life experience as I do.”
Lennox laughed. “Ah. And because you’re what, two years older? That makes you an ancient philosopher?”
“That’s not it. What I’m trying to communicate is that you don’t know my friends or their motives and you definitely don’t know me.”
Lennox got out of her drummer’s seat. “But you think you know who I am because of a label I was branded with?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“No. You didn’t say it. You wrote it.”
“You’re right. I did. And I’m sorry,” Paige said.
“Bullshit you are.”
“What?”
“That wasn’t genuine,” Lennox said.
“Um. Yes. It was.”
“Huh. And would you have said it if your posse hadn’t compelled you to?”
The muscles in Paige’s face tightened and she shook her head. “It’s unlikely.”
Lennox nodded and the right side of her mouth drew upward. Her eyes bore into Paige’s. “That’s a shame.”
A chill ran over Paige’s body and sweat began collecting on her palms. “Why’s that?”
“Because you’re gorgeous and if you weren’t so prejudiced, I’d maybe ask you out.”
The heat rose up Paige’s neck and charred her angular visage.
“Kinda bashful, aren’t you?” Lennox asked.
Paige cracked a contemptuous smile. “You don’t faze me. And if you did ask, I’d decline.”
“Oh right. Cuz of the bi thing.”
“Truthfully? Yes.”
“How un-PC of you.”
“It’s personal.”
“I know this one, too,” Lennox said. “Some bi girl you dated broke up with you for a guy. You got bitter and concluded that all bisexual women are conniving bitches who will chew you up and spit you out. How am I doing?”
“Not even close.”
“Well, what’s your story then?”
“I don’t have a story,” Paige said.
“Hmm. There’s no rationale behind your animosity?”
“I don’t have to justify myself or my principles to you.”
“So you’ve never dated a bisexual?” Lennox asked.
“No. Listen, can we—”
“That’s not fair.”
“What?” Paige asked.
“Your enmity for the bi folks has zero foundation, yet you go around publicizing your inferences about us as if you’re knowledgeable on the topic. Also, you shouldn’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”
“I said I was sorry. Now please accept my apology so we can move on with our lives.”
“Okay.”
Paige let out a breath. “Yeah? Okay?”
“Yeah. Under one condition.”
“Fuck.”
Lennox grinned. “Come out with me.”
“Why?”
“Why not?”
“I’m not answering that.”
“Do you have a girlfriend?” Lennox asked.
“No.”
“You think I’m attractive.”
“Whoa. What?”
“I saw you cruising me at the club. Discretion is not your forte,” Lennox said.
“Alright. You’re cute. Big whoop.”
“Good. Then you’ll come out with me. How’s tonight? You can pick me up at eight. We’ll go to The Bean.”
“I. You. We. Um. No.”
“Such an eloquent speaker. I’m already besotted.”
“What’s your intent?” Paige asked.
“We said we didn’t know each other. So we get a coffee, do some talking, and get to know each other. I hear what you have to say and you hear what I have to say. And I’m going to play representative for my portion of the community. If you decide afterwards that bisexuals are horrible and I’m a heinous person, then I won’t ever heckle you for broadcasting your circumscribed, semi-crude estimations of said sexual orientation. If, however, you decide otherwise, then you recant your previous anti-bi blog post.”
“If I do this, you’ll forgive me? And your forgiveness will be made known to my friends?”
“If you do this, yes. As far as your friends are concerned, we’ll be bosom buddies.”
“I’m in. What’s your dorm number?” Paige asked.
“Give me your hand.”
“For?”
“Have some faith.”
“Whatever.” Paige held up her palm. “Here.”
Lennox bent over and pulled a pen from the front compartment of the backpack lying next to her drumset. She wrapped her fingers around Paige’s wrist. Paige flinched as the electricity caused by their contact rushed through her.
Lennox lifted her gaze to Paige. “You alright?”
“Uh huh. Yep.”
Lennox smiled an
d carefully inscribed Paige’s skin with black ink. When she finished she looked at Paige. “Here’s where I’m at so you can come get me.”
Paige wrested her arm back. “Okay. Good to know.” She glanced at the door. “Rissa!”
Marissa, Callie, Keira, and Justin emerged from the house.
Marissa raised her eyebrows at Paige. “Well?”
“Amends have been made,” Paige mumbled.
“Excellent.” Marissa took a folded piece of paper from her pants pocket and offered it to Lennox, who charily received it. “Here’s the band’s schedule for this month,” Marissa said.
“Ah!” Lennox exclaimed. “I’ve been inducted?”
“Welcome to Poser America!” Callie hooted and high-fived Lennox.
“Thank you! This is so rad,” Lennox said as Keira hugged her.
“Congratulations,” Paige said to Lennox, who smiled back wordlessly.
Justin gave Lennox a thumbs up. “Yeah. Congrats.”
Paige looked at Justin. “Let’s get out of here, okay?”
Justin frowned. “But Paige, we’re celebrating.”
“But Justin, I think I just got my period,” Paige lied.
Justin grimaced. “Dude! Over-share.”
“Justin, come on,” Paige pleaded.
Justin sighed heavily. “Fiiine.”
Paige waved to the group. “Bye, guys.”
“You’re going?” Marissa asked.
“I have deadlines and Justin’s my ride,” Paige said and started for Justin’s car, parked alongside the curb.
“See ya, ladies,” Justin said and walked briskly toward the sidewalk to catch up with Paige.
“Later then, lameos,” Marissa yelled after them. “Oh! Paige?”
Paige yielded and turned around. “What?”
“No need for that post because we got ourselves a drummer.”
“Right,” Paige said and got into the passenger’s seat of the vehicle. She slammed the door shut.
Justin sat behind the wheel and put the keys in the ignition. He stared at Paige. “Wanna talk about it?”
Paige unfurled her left fist and glimpsed at the black digits Lennox had etched on her. She fought a smile.
“Paige?”
Paige placed her palm flat against her leg. “Sorry. What’d you say?”
“Whatcha got there?” Justin motioned to Paige’s hand.
Never the Same Page 3