Shape Shift ch.5

"You're kidding, right?"
I stomped down the final set of stairs, and out the record company's front doors after my best friends.
I slammed my foot down on the concrete, crossing my arms as they walked towards the waiting cab.
"Get back in there and take back what you just said!"
After they ignored my pleas, I let out my final gasp of a 15 minute protest, making sure to sound serious.
"DO IT NOW!"
Kevin opened the cab door, leaning his tired body on it.
He took a deep breath, his voice soft and collected.
"Let's just go home, Brenna."
I caved, sliding onto the pleather seat, Joe and Nick next to me, Kevin in the front.
The silent fifteen minute cab ride home seemed longer than some we had taken across entire states, and suddenly, I wasn't so excited to be back in Jersey.

The familiar marble steps seemed like they took an eternity to climb, and I felt like there was no one in the world that could have caused the boys as much pain as I had in the last hour. But, like they could read my mind, Nick blocked the doorway, staring me directly in the eye.

"This isn't your fault, Bren."
I shook my head in disagreement, Joe joining in.
He grabbed my hands, catching my eye contact so I knew he was sincere.
"What do we always say?" He continued to watch me. "Hmm?"
"It doesn't matter, Joe!" I tore my hands from his. "If it wasn't for me-"
"BRENNA!" he yelled. "If we go down.."
I looked to my feet. "We go down together."
He slid his arm across my shoulder before he kissed the top of my head. "That's right."
Nick turned the brass door knob.
"We're home!"

"Back here!" The voice came from the backyard, and we paced through the kitchen and living room to the back sliding door. Linked at the arms, we all stepped onto the back patio.
"Hey kids." The smile that got us through the hardest of times gleamed, his arms wrapped around all four of us shortly after.
"Hey Dad." We muttered.
"Where's Denise?" I asked, peering around the yard.
"Here!" She yelped, carrying a laughing, muddy Frankie by his ankles. She shook her head and sat in a plastic lawn chair. "Home for an hour, and he already finds the dirtiest place around."
We all faked a laugh and forced a smile, trying to avoid the question that came next, from Paul.
"So?" He folded his hands in his lap. "How was good 'ol Columbia Records?"
The instant silence made for an awkward one, and I knew the lump forming in my throat had made its way into the boys, too.
"I guess we wouldn't know." Kevin sat up straighter in his seat. "Because we aren't signed to them anymore."


The next sound made was a soft thud, the sound of Frankie being released from Denise's grasp, landing head first onto the wood floor. Paul's eyes were wide behind his glasses as he did his best to keep his composure.
He seemed to choke on his words, in disbelief.
"Wh..W..How..Why?"
If it wasn't so serious, it would have been funny.

"Because!" Joe exclaimed. "Lou is an enormous douche."
"Right." Paul said, nodding. "I'm going to want an explanation that's a little...more in depth, Joseph."
"Dad," Nick started. "He went on this huge rant about how we need to minimize fan interaction for our 'security', dissed us on our purity rings."
Paul shook his head. "That's unbelievable."
Kevin picked up. "Then, he said we could keep everything the same, but we'd have to change something."
Paul shifted in his seat. "And what was that?"
The boys shrunk back into silence.
"Well?" He asked, his voice raising. "What was it?"
"Paul." He turned to face me. "It was that I couldn't live with you guys anymore." I threw up air quotations. "It was 'bad for publicity.' "

He stood to his feet, pacing back and forth, rubbing his eyes.
"Dad.." Joe's voice sounded nervous. "Don't be mad..."

"HOW CAN I NOT BE MAD?!" He exploded, for the second time since I had lived with them. The first being when Joe had decided to throw a going away party...with 400 people.
"No one tries to tear my family apart."
His eyes softened when they met mine and he knelt in front of me.
"And you, Brenna..are just as much a part of that as any of us."
Relieved, we all let out a sigh, still gripping each other's arms.
He stood back up, smiling down at us.
"Go enjoy your break."

Even though we had no idea what we were going to do with all our time off, it was Sunday, and we knew what that meant.

Category:

Entertainment

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• ggggh
• OneTrueMedia

[ibreathejoejonas]

so good!!

[ButterflyxDream]

Aww so sad. I love it tho. Youre an awesome writer and this story continues to get better and better! =)