Scattered [A Mallory Winston Spin-Off]

[Chapter 11]

TIME SKIP TO AROUND A WEEK LATER

"Keep your damn eyes shut, Mini Armstrong; you want me to do this right, don't you?!?"

The nickname still stings a bit, but I don't have the heart to correct him. Instead, I just force a grin.

"Yes Tré, but I also would like it if you could shut the fuck up," I tease lightly, and I can all but see the joking scowl on his face despite my closed eyelids.

A few moments pass before he claps his hands.

"Now you look beautiful, darling!" He says in a sassy, sing-song voice, and I open my eyes to look at the mirror in front of me.

"What do you think?" He asks, leaning his arm on my shoulder. I shrug, fighting off a grin.

"Meh. It's okay."

His mouth drops and he crosses his arms, and I can't help but laugh.

"I'm kidding Tré, it's perfect; thank you," I say, going back to closely inspect the eyeliner he's applied really well. He grins happily, and I put on some mascara to complete the look.

"Hey, that looks nice M," Mike says walking into the room, and I smile at him. I haven't gone home since that awful day; Mike's been letting me stay with him and his family. My family knows the story now, but Mike and I have gotten closer over this past week. Not in the father-daughter way Billie and I were; almost like a sibling type of love.

"Thanks," I say back, looking in the mirror to adjust the tie in my oversized Ramones t-shirt. Actually, Billie's t-shirt. The leather jacket I have on was his as well; he was so tiny it actually fits me fairly well. Mike walks over to Jason who's tuning his guitar in the corner, and I run a hand through my newly-dyed black hair, then look in the mirror to check for any last-minute adjustments.

I notice that the chain around my neck is sticking out, and pull it the rest of the way out of my shirt, only to decide to tuck it back under the jacket. I put Billie's ring on it so that I don't risk it falling off. It's really one of the last things I have left from him, and it serves as a consistent reminder of the promises we've both made.

"You think you're ready, Mal?" Jason asks, coming over to me, and I shrug.

"I know all the songs and stuff so yeah," I answer, but he shakes his head.

"No, I mean, uh, mentally."

After a moment's hesitation, I shake my head.

"I think this is gonna be harder than the funeral for me..." He says, and I nod in agreement. His funeral was a few days back, and it was really hard. I clung to Mike the entire time, and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have made it through. Even though I know he's okay in heaven or whatever, it still hurts to be reminded he's not physically here with us anymore.

"Me too..." I say, looking away from him to adjust my hair slightly.

"Fifteen minutes 'til set!" A crew member calls and everyone says various acknowledgments back. After a moment Jason breaks the comfortable silence.

"You really look like him today..."

"Really?" I say back, smiling, and he nods.

"Good, that's the goal if I wanna pass for his daughter."

"You are his daughter, Mal. Who cares if you didn't have the same blood; you guys had the same souls, which makes you his kid more than anything."

The words make a sad smile form on my face as I'm hit with a pang of sadness.