The Dare to Destroy ~Cashby~

Chapter 3

  Alan's POV

"Hey Alan, you cool if I go to lunch? Think you can handle the store on your own for an hour?" Oli, my boss asked.
"Uh, yeah sure." I gave him a small smile. "I think I got the hang of everything."
"Cool, I'll only be over the road, so if anything dire happens just come get me."
"I'm sure I'll be fine." I nodded.
"Alright, well, I'll see you in an hour." Oli smiled and left.

My first day was going pretty good, Oli had spent the morning showing me where everything was and how the till worked. It was pretty easy, and I knew I'd have no issue if someone asked about guitars, I knew a lot about guitars, given I'd been playing for a good seven years. As much as I didn't like interacting with people, at work I didn't mind, because I knew that the chances of me seeing them again where slim, so I didn't mind that so much. A good thing about this job too, was that Oli said if it was ever quite, I could go have a play on some of the guitars, as long as I listened out for anyone coming in. So, as no one was in, I decided to go test out some of the guitars.

They had some really nice ones here, ESP's where my favorite, there was just something about the sound they made when you had the distortion on and the tuning in drop C, or drop A that I loved. Hell they sounded amazing in any tuning, and the slick paint work, the style, the body shapes, yeah, they where just my favorite to play. I couldn't fault an ESP, I liked Jackson's too, they where great for heavier music, but nothing, in my eyes could beat an ESP.

One of the first ESP's I'd noticed, was one I'd wanted for a while. It was a matt black ESP M1 with a single pick up. Usually I wasn't a fan of single pick ups, but I'd played one back in the music shop in my home town and fell in love with it. I popped a note on the till saying I was out the back where the guitars where, before heading to find the M1.
Once I picked it up, I found one of the small amps Oli said we could use and plugged it in, wacking on the distortion. I took a seat on one the chairs and tuned it up, it was in standard, and I wasn't really one for playing in standard, so I took it down to drop C, before letting my fingers glide over the frets. I wasn't playing anything in particular, just something I'd written a few months ago.

I must of been playing for a good fifteen minutes, when a voice caused me to jump.
"You're good."
My head snapped in the direction of the voice to see a tall, slim, but muscular figure, with beautiful brown eyes, floppy brown hair dressed in a Slipknot tee that had the sleeves ripped off, skinny jeans and a smirk on his face. It was the boy from my art class...great.
"Oh, thanks." I gave him a small smile and put the guitar down. "Can I help?"
"No, no, I just came to play on the piano, Oli let's me chill out here sometimes when I need an escape from home. It's pretty hectic there. What you doing here?"
"Oh, I work here."
"Really? I haven't seen you in here before, just started huh?"
"Today." I nodded.
"Well, I guess I'll be seeing a lot of you then, I'm always here." Austin smiled, looking pleased with that fact.
"I-I only work Saturdays."
"Saturdays is usually when I'm here." He chuckled. "It's Alan right?"
"Yeah." I nodded
"Well, Alan, what time you finish?"
I looked at him confused. "Uh, five."
"Fancy, I don't know, hanging out after?" Urgh why can't people leave me alone?! "Look, Alan, I like you, just come hang out for an hour, I don't bite, promise."
"You don't know me, so how can you know you like me?" I sighed.
"Well, no, but I'd like to know you. Look, I like you, you're new at the school, we share art together, and I believe your in my music and chemistry class too, and I'm here quite often, so we may as well at least make it so it's not going to be awkward. Just come hang out, just for an hour, I promise I won't ask you a hundred questions. A-And I dunno, you seem like someone who would...I dunno, understand me I guess."
"What you mean?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Let's just say I've been through a lot, and I'm going through a lot. I thought I had friends I could trust, but apparently not. So yeah...but I guess if you don't want too, I can't force you." He shrugged.

I wanted to say yes, I did, I mean he was extremely attractive, and he was right, we had classes together, and if he was going to be here a lot. It didn't mean we had to be friends, or I'd have to let him get close, just could have him like Shay I guess...just someone I can tolerate being civil with.
I let out a sigh. "Okay, sure."
"Excellent." He smiled. "I'll meet you here at five yeah? We can just go grab a coffee."
"Cool. Uh, I never got your name..."
"Oh, it's Austin." Oh fuck! I'd heard that name...Shayley warned me about him. Great, I'd just agreed to hang out with one of the school's biggest bullies. "I'm judging by that face Shayley's said something about me..."
"Kind of..." I spoke quitely, sbuffling awkwardly on the spot.
"Look, yes, I haven't exactly been the nicest person in the world around school, and I guess I fell into the wrong crowd. But, look, if you want to bail then say, but I'd love it if you'd just give me a chance to explain. I don't want to be that guy anymore, honestly, I'm trying to change, so please, just give me a chance to explain. And if afterwards you still don't want to talk to me then I'd understand and I'll leave you alone, please?"
It was such a bad idea, I could barely trust anyone as it was, let alone someone known as one of the school's biggest bullies. For all I knew, this was just one big scheme, he was luring me into some sort of trap. Although, when he spoke, he seemed so genuine, and I guess people deserved a second chance. I guess hearing him out wouldn't hurt, and as he said he'd leave me alone if I wanted nothing to do with him. I took a deep breath before replying, "Okay sure."
"Really?" Austin's face lit up a little, I couldn't help but think how cute he looked with that small smile on his face, the way his eyes crinkled, just a little and seemed to have a shine to them.
"One chance to explain, one coffee after work, one hour." I established.
"Got it." He nodded, just then I heard the shop door open. I was thankful for the intrusion. If I stood here any long I'd probably end up drooling, or saying something stupid. "I'm going to go play on the piano for a bit, and by the sounds of it you got another customer."
"Yeah...see ya." I gave him a small smile and headed back out to the front of the shop.

"There you are!" Shayley smiled. "One Math book."
"Thanks." I smiled, taking the Math book from him and putting it behind the till.
"How's the first day on the job going then?"
"It's alright I guess." I shrugged.
"Did I see Austin Carlile talking to you out there?"
"Oh yeah, he's just come in to play the piano. He's in my art class."
"Hmm yeah, well, keep your distance from here, he's one of their lot."
"Yeah, I know, distance being kept. He was just asking if the piano was free to use."
"Cool. well I'm going to go meet my friends, I'll see you Monday yeah?"
"Sure, see you." I nodded and he left.

Austin's POV
"Well, that was easy!" I gloated to Ronnie as I found him and Danny sat in McDonalds.
"What was?" He raised an eye brow at me.
"Well turns out, the little ginger works in the music store now, took a little convincing but he's agreed to meet up with me after work. Now I just need to make sure my story of my 'bad guy turning good story' is convincing and I think I got him."
"Hmm, see he's probably one of these guys who tries to shut himself off from the world. Goes around like he doesn't trust anyone, like he doesn't want friends, just wants to be on his own. And he's probably done a good job of convincing himself that's what he wants and is 'what's best for him' but we all know that's not how people work. Deep down he just want someone who's going to care about him, that he can connect with and make him believe he's worth something and he can trust blah blah blah." Me and Ronnie looked at Danny, frankly a little surprised. Danny wasn't the brightest tool in the shed. I mean when it came to things he liked and enjoyed he could be smart, he just couldn't be bothered to make the effort. But academically, well, he was in the lower sets for a reason. "What? I get people, don't need to look at me like I've grown two extra heads."
"You know, I think that's the smartest thing you've ever said." Ronnie teased.
"Shut up." Danny narrowed his eyes at Ronnie.
"Make me!" Ronnie challenged.
"Now now children. I think Danny's right, from what I've gathered from him...the way he acts towards me, and others, It would be safe to say that's exactly what the gingers like. Meaning, this will be easier then I thought." I chuckled. "All I have to do, is make him believe I care, make him believe I'm not going to leave his side. Spill all my deep, dark secrets, tell him about my mom and It'll probably be a done deal."
"Well, you better make this work Carlile, you know I don't like it when I don't get my way."
"Yes Ronnie, I know, I'll get the ginger don't worry." I smirked.

I had Alan right where I wanted him, he was there, on the edge and all I had to do now was give him a gentle push to tip him over. Did I feel bad about what I was doing? A little, I guess, unlike Ronnie I had some form of a conscious, I'd just learned to shut him up and ignore him over time. I was who I was, this was my way of dealing with shit. It may be wrong but hey, everyone deals with stuff differently and this was my thing. It's not like I hadn't tried finding other ways to cope, because I had, being the jackass bully...it's just the method that was best for me. Hate me if you will, I gave up caring a while ago.
"Hey I know what'll make your story more believable when you go to meet Alan..." Ronnie started, I raised a questioning eye brow at him. "We...you know, ruffle you up a little. Nothing major, just maybe a black eye, mess your clothes up a bit, I'll be nice."
"You better make the out come of this worth it Radke. If I'm gonna have to willingly suffer black eyes, cut lips and what not."
"Well the outcome depends on you Carlile. It's you who's gotta get the dirt and information here. You need to give me enough to work with to have it all end with a bang." Ronnie widened his eyes at the word bang while making hand gestures to signify something exploding.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll get the job done." I rolled my eyes.
"Just don't go falling for the idiot will you." Danny sighed.
"Oh don't worry I won't." I shook my head. "he's the type I'd fuck and dump, not put a ring on. I have my standards."
"Yeah, but, you can't deny it after your ex, gingers are your thing." Danny chuckled.
"Matty was different. One, he was as hot as hell, two, he was one of us, he was like us, three, he was strong, independent, butttt knew where his place was. And lastly, he knew what he wanted. He knew that he wasn't the settle down get married type, he was happy just hanging out and screwing. Not being all...couplely. Which reminds me, I may have to be like that with Alan...I may need Vic's advice on that front."
"Just act like him and Kellin do. Don't get me wrong, Kellin's a cool guy, a little quite sometimes, but he's cool and I'm happy for them...butttttt those two are so...couplely and lovely dovey, makes me a little nauseous." Danny shrugged.
"Yeah...but anyway, you got this Carlile, let's go get you roughed up and take that kid down!" Ronnie eye shone with wickedness as he slammed down his drink on the table.
God this better be worth the beating I'm going to have to suffer.

A/N: Yeah...sorry...this chapter sucks balls...I promise the next one is a lot better!