Angels & Kings

Chapter 3,4

Chapter 3

(Nonnie POV)

I looked up from the conversation with Eric's brother to see them coming in our direction. I rushed up to my brother and jumped into his arms "Hey Non, I missed you," he said swinging me around. Then he sat me down to look at me. "What's this," he asked touching one of my pink streaks.

"Well you got all the piercings, I had to find another way to drive mom crazy," I said.

He looked over my head and saw Callie. "Hey Callie-Cat, how's it going," he said giving her a hug.

"Fine," she said, "It's not the same with out you around the house though. I mean you know how boring Non can be."

"Hey I'm still here," I said.

"Yeah I do," he said ignoring me. My mom joined us, and he gave her a hug to. We grabbed all his bags and headed out to the SUV. I was just so excited to see him I couldn't stop talking. Graduation was in two weeks and he would be here for it. That made me happy, we were all scared that he was going to miss it.

We piled into the car and suddenly I stopped talking and gave Travie another hug. He hugged me back cutting off my breathing. "Travie I can't breathe stop."

"Sorry I just missed you so much," he said smiling and messing my hair.

"That stops now," I said. Callie just laughed I wondered why she was being so quiet.

We arrived back at home where I had planned on cooking a welcome home dinner, but Travie had other plans; he decided to invite the guys over.

"Aren't you sick of them," I said hoping for a quiet night at home with my brother. "You just got finished spending three months on tour with them." I was kinda getting mad that he didn't want to spend time with just us like we used to.

"Look all the best stories are told in groups, I would be doing a disservice to you if they weren't here to help me tell you all the stuff that happened on tour," he said using his best Press voice. Don't get me wrong the guys were cool and like older brothers but I just didn't feel like it.

Callie pulled me to the side. "Look, let them come over," she whispered, "It'll be fun." I hated it when they teamed up against me.

"Fine," I said loud enough for Travis to hear. "They can come over but keep Matt away from the grill okay. You remember what happened last time right," I said touching my eyebrow.

He nodded his head. "Non they grew back," he said stifling a laugh.

I guess we are having a party.

Chapter 4

(Callie POV)

Nonnie and I headed to the kitchen to start getting some food together for the party, while Travis headed outside to clean off the grill. I knew my way around the McCoy's kitchen as if it were my own. I started gathering the tools Trav would need if he was going to be the one grilling and I headed outside to give them to him. He stopped scrubbing the racks and looked at me.

"Here," I said, "Do you need anything else?"

"Why were you so quiet on the ride home," he asked ignoring my question.

I shrugged, "I don't know." The truth is as long as I've known him and as close as we are for some reason things get weirder between us every time he comes back from being away. I've never said anything to him or Non, they'd probably just think I'm imagining it anyway.

He frowned at me, "Well, didn't you miss me?"

I smiled at him and walked closer. When I reached him I grabbed his face and pulled it down toward me. I kissed his cheek playfully. "Of course, I missed you Travie," I said.

He put his arms around me and bent down to kiss my forehead. "Good," he said smiling, right before he put me in a headlock. Boys.

After some preparation, the doorbell rang. I knew it was the rest of the boys so I ran to answer it. "I'll get it," I called out. I opened the door and saw three ragamuffins standing on the front stoop. "Come on in guys," I said. Dishashi kissed me on the cheek as he entered, followed by Matt who gave me a hug, then Eric who picked me up, flung me over his shoulder, and carried me out to the backyard laughing and kicking playfully. Once he put me down, I opened the cooler, took out beers for everyone, and passed them around. Travis watched me amused as I opened one for myself but said nothing as I took a sip and then handed one to Nonnie who had come outside to bring the food.

After an hour or two of laughing, talking, and joking around; listening to stories from the road ("Naw, I swear I thought that dude was a chick!"), Trav, Nonnie, and I found ourselves in the kitchen starting to clean up a little.

"So how long are you in town for this time?" asked Nonnie.

"Two weeks then we go on tour with Fall Out Boy and Cobra Starship we leave the day after you guys graduate," he said still washing dishes.

"What," I exclaimed, "But you've been on tour for three months now we only get to see you for two weeks!" He turned off the faucet and faced us.

"I know, I feel like I haven't really spent anytime with you guys either. And I miss you; I really do. This is your last summer before college and after that when I get a chance to come home you won't even be here." He seemed sad.

I have to admit, sometimes I felt like he couldn't possibly miss us as much as he says he does. After all, he chose this life right? He chose to leave us behind and travel the world; to only see us once every couple of months. He chose it; not us. But at this moment I felt sorry for him and myself and Nonnie. He was right. This summer was our last chance to spend and real time together before we all really went our separate ways. I let my mind wonder back to summers when we were younger when Travis used to throw us in the pool and chase us around the yard with the garden hose. I missed those days.

Suddenly he seemed to perk up. "Hey I've got an idea," he said.