The Drummer

fear

"You'll never guess what happened today!" I cheered.

"You ditched school with a girl named Jessica. Found out that she's James's sister who he hasn't seen in years. Then reunited them." Gavin responded. I looked at him confused. "James and I work together. You really think he didn't come back and tell me house amazing you are? And how amazing this is?" He added. We both laughed. "I'm proud of you for doing that." He said messing up my hair. We went inside.

"So how was your day?" I asked.

"Well I woke up to a very... shall we say... interesting call." He started making toast.

"Oh... from who?" I hope it's not what I think it is.

"You and James aren't allowed here again while alone." Oh no... it is. "Aunt Cathy called and told me about what happened." He paused. He obviously found me being embarrassed amusing. "So why we're you screaming?" During the whole time he was making toast.

"I..." I didn't know what to say.

"I actually found it quite hilarious." He laughed.

Oh god. I went to my room and put down my backpack and vest. I called James. I was actually kinda worried now. He wouldn't answer. I tried 3 more times. No answer. I ran to the kitchen.

"Get in the car. We're going to James's place." I demanded. I dragged him out the door. He started the car.

"Why are we going there?" He asked when he started driving.

"I just called him 4 times and no answer. And I'm freaking out." I responded.

He started driving faster. We ran as fast as we could up to his apartment. Gavin knocked on the door heavily.

"Open up James!" He demanded.

No answer. He started to move the door handle. It was unlocked. We barged in. We heard glass shatter from the kitchen and yelling. We ran there. We stood next to the doorframe. Listen and sometimes peaking. James was looking down at the ground at a shatter picture frame. As a man was standing in frount of him yelling.

"YOU REALLY THINK WE WANTED YOU IN OUR LIVES!? A MISTAKE!? YEAH! YOU MAY HAVE GOTTEN CLEAN, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE STILL NOT A SCREW UP! BECAUSE OF YOU THE FAMILY BUSINESS WILL GO INTO THE GROUND! BECAUSE OF YOU OUR FAMILY HAS A BAD HISTORY! THE ONLY GOOD THING YOU DID WAS RUN AWAY! BUT THAT WASN'T EVEN GOOD ENOUGH!" The man yelled. James just took it. Just took everything he said. Not saying a word. "THE BEST THING YOU COULD DO IS LEAVE! FOREVER!"

The man dropped a gun in frount of James then left. Gavin and I couldn't move. We were frozen. James picked up the gun and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes tight and put it to his head. That's when we unfroze. Gavin grabbed James's wrist knocked the gun out of it. He put James in a head lock. I started picking up the peices of the broken glass. It was the per he got when he got out of rehab framed. Damn.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT!? I GET THAT HE TOLD YOU TO! BUT WHY WOULD YOU EVEN CONSIDER BLOWING YOUR DAMN BRAINS OUT!?" Gavin yelled.

"You don't get it. I want to die." James answered.

I didn't know what to say. What to do. A few tears started to fall down my face. But I wasn't crying. Nows not the time. Gavin looked at me.

"Ruby. Go to the car." Gavin insisted.

"No. I'm not leaving you guys here." I refused.

"God. You're so fucking stubborn." Gavin hissed. He glared. At me for a second before ignoring me and going back to James. "Why do you want to die?" Gavin asked. A little more calm. But not much.

"Because. You heard what my dad said. And everything's true. Even he wants me to kill myself. He even gave me a gun to go through with it." James answered. He said all that without a tear in his eye. How?

"Don't ever try it again." Gavin demanded. "You can't die. Only quitters commit suicide." Gavin added.

He then let James go. James slid down onto the floor in egg position.

"Ruby. Go wait in the car. I agree with your brother. You're too young for this." James said. I got up and walked to the car.