Penance

I feel like it's not worth recounting what Marie said to me, but needless to say it included the words "fucking idiot" twenty-six times, "piece of shit" thirty-four times, and culminated in a slap to the face. Afterwards I lock the door and pretend to be asleep, I assume Marie filled in my sisters because eventually they stop knocking...

I awake the next morning, **** for a piss, I'm not sure what time it is, I don't have time to grab my watch before I scurry to the bathroom. When I head back I realise I stepped over a small bag with a note attached.

"Take one every four hours, stay in bed!"

It's not hard to recognise Rosie's handwriting, I pick up the bag and return to my room. Damn, it's nearly noon, I guess I really was tired after yesterday. It means I can't apologise to Andi though. Honestly, I'm not sure what I would say anyway.

Was she right? Was I just on an ego trip? Don't get me wrong, I'm fully aware of my self-importance, but it's never actually caused someone harm before. Why is this happening? I was the man back home, king of the world. Was it all a lie? Was I just a big fish in a small pond? I guess now I've been devoured by the sharks...

I'm doing it again, making it all about me. Son of a bitch. I lay back on my bed, swallowing one of the tablets. I look at my phone, I don't have her contact details so it's not like I can ring her. I hope Poppy's okay with Ty and Echo, they seem to get along but I still don't know how much I can trust them with her.

Hours pass of laying in this bed, I take the boredom as a punishment for my actions. The painkillers do the job alright, the pain's completely numbed, I can even move around pretty well. I guess they gave me the good shit. I sit up and head to the bathroom, I'm gonna take a shower while I have this window of mobility.

The water feels great on my skin, but even better for my mind. Though it could be the **** making my head all fuzzy. I get out and towel myself down, before wrapping it around my waist and exiting the bathroom back towards my bedroom.

"Well... Hello sailor." I hear from behind me, I turn to see... Echo? Are the painkillers making me hallucinate or something? "What's up? Poppy said you got beaten up, I wanted to come and laugh." She explains. Definitely sounds like Echo.

"I took a tackle wrong, I didn't get beaten up, and I'm not in the mood." I dismiss her, heading back towards my room, before a hand on my shoulder turns me around.

Echo's red eyes pierce through me. "I'm sorry, did you forget who you're fucking talking to?" She growls at me. "Don't think that, just because I've got a soft spot for your sister, that you get to disrespect me, got it?"

At this point, I just don't care. I nod and head to my room to get dressed... Followed by Echo. "I need to put some clothes on." I groan as she makes herself at home, lounging on my bed.

"Don't stop on my account, I need to talk to you about the rehearsal tonight." She responds casually. Fuck it, why not? I grab some boxers from my drawer and pull them on as I let my towel fall. "Great, if you've finished being a prissy little princess, we need to figure out how we're gonna sneak you out."

"I can barely walk Echo, I'm not sneaking anywhere, and besides, my aunt's a doctor, if she saw I was out of bed she'd freak." I explain, pulling on some loungewear.

The delinquent rolls her eyes at me. "Don't be a pussy, your sulking is a real fucking problem, you think I pick just anyone to be in my band? Nah, I pick the best, so if you're gonna keep being so fucking emo then you're insulting my judgement." She spits at me, rising to her feet and bearing down on me. "So you got two choices, get it together and fix your shit, or you call me a cunt to my face. Which is it, fuckface?"

I think that was meant to be inspirational? I've never heard a motivational speech so full of insults... But she's got a point, if I throw a fit just because everything's not going my way then did I even deserve any of it to begin with?

"I guess it's time to sort some shit." I smile. "The window opens wide enough, you got any rope?"

"Tonnes of it." Echo replies immediately... I'm not going to ask why she has so much, I think it's better to leave that one.

*

I can hear Marie in her room and Rouge with Trish downstairs, this is my chance. I tie one end of the rope to the foot of my bed and toss it out the window. Perfect, with Rosie at Football there shouldn't be anyone to snoop in my room while I'm gone. I lower myself out the window, which still hurts a whole lot even with the painkillers.

"Took your time, cupcake." Echo scowls as I meet her out front.

"Had to make sure they still thought I was in my room." I explain as we begin walking. "Besides, you try climbing down a rope with bruised ribs and a guitar strapped to your back."

She snorts at my comment. "You assume anyone has the balls to injure me." She cackles. For some reason that sounds more sad than anything, imagine people being so scared of you they don't ever get near.

"Nah, it's like Poppy said, you're not so scary, kinda cute really." I think aloud, causing her to turn to me.

"Call me that again and I'll break your bollocks." She snaps.

"Ooh, is that a promise?" I counter with a grin. Rather than getting mad, Echo matches my smile with her own.

"It's good to have you back to normal." She decides as we continue walking. Like I said, not so scary.

We finally arrive at the music room at the school this'll be our rehearsal studio for the evening, honestly, I've seen worse. Poppy and Ty are already here, Poppy studying the music sheet on one end of the room and Ty focused on an amp on the other. Damn, hate to interrupt such riveting conversation.

"Get set up, you've got five minutes, then we start." Echo orders. I open up the guitar case and retrieve the instrument inside, she's a pretty little thing, red with a white faceplate and an oak finish on the neck. Should probably think of a name for her.

I plug it into the nearby amplifier and strum a few cords. Damn... I'd forgotten that feeling. It's like throwing a grenade, take action and feel the reaction. I hear the unmistakeable sound of a bass from nearby, Poppy gives me a cheeky wink and plays a few notes of her own. "You've gotta try and keep up with me." She jokes. The attitude's new, I worry Echo might be rubbing off on her.

Ty takes his seat on the drum kit behind us as Echo takes centre stage. "Enough playing around, the room's pretty soundproof so don't hold back, count us in Ty." She commands, as I listen for the taps of the drumsticks. One, Two...

One, Two, Three, Four!