I just couldn't understand how no one heard a thing. For years and years no one heard a thing. They saw me, but never knew me. I guess it's because no one expects you to be broken, but Jade made sure I could never get back up on my own. She only liked me when she needed something from me, which was a rare occurrence. But I guess it was just one of those days.
"Cece, you have to," she demanded.
"Jade, I already told you that I don't want to go see Austin with you. He's degrading and can't sing at all," I replied, trying to leave the kitchen, but she blocked my way.
"Mom and dad said I could only go if you go," she rolled her eyes and pretended she was more interested in her dark hair than getting what she wanted.
"Which is bullshit because you're almost twenty. You do what you want, regardless of what they tell you. Plus, when Mayday came to Vegas, they said I could only go, if you went. Which, you refused to do. So why should I help you?"
"Because you owe me. It's not my fault they think you need to get out more," she said as if it were obvious.
"I owe you nothing," which was true. She never talked to me and she single handedly made sure no one liked me.
"Two years ago you wouldn't be caught dead with me. So no, I am not going."
"Well, you're skinny now, so I approve," she smiled.
"You're a bitch," I clung to my book and pushed past her. It was a collection of Emily Dickenson and it really made you think about life in general. I read it at the end of every summer.
"Excellent," she called after me as I started up the stairs. "I'll tell them you agreed."
"You already bought the tickets, didn't you," I said more to myself than to her as I trudged up the wooden stairs.
"Front row, so actually try to look decent." she shouted and I slammed my door, hoping to drown out her voice.
"I hope it storms," I yelled back, but that was a week ago. So, now here I am, sitting in her mercedes, blasting Arctic Monkeys through my headphones at full volume and trying to avoid the inevitable. I pretended I was asleep, but Jade wasn't buying it.
"It's bad enough that you have to tag along, but did you really have to dress like a hippie on weed?" she reapplied her lipstick as the car came to a stop due to the overwhelming traffic.
I looked down and my flowing pant and white crop top, paused my song, and sighed. "At least I didn't dress like a stripper despite the fact that we're going to a concert where majority of the audience is ten years old."
She rolled her eyes, and then honked the horn, "Damn it, at this rate we're not even going to make it in time."
"Isn't there an opening act?" I asked my ever so patient sister.
"Yeah, probably just some lame ass band who isn't good enough to headline," she scoffed and that was that. I closed my eyes, put my headphones back in, and decided to ignore her for the rest of our car ride.
***
It seemed like it had only been five minutes, but the next thing I knew Jade was shaking me, yelling at me to wake up.
"God, you sleep all of the time. We're already late!" She screamed, trying to physically pull me out of her car and onto the parking lot pavement.
"Alright, I'm coming," I spoke flatly, as I got out of the car and followed her.
She began running towards the venue and security. Once we made it through, we shuffled to our front row, centered seats. The ground was vibrating and my heart beat along with it. Once I got settled, I looked up at the stage and to say I was shocked would be an understatement. It was at that moment when the sound, the words, and his voice all registered. The Vamps were the supporting act. I looked up at Bradley's face and I was certain his expression of surprise matched my own. He saw her. Like everyone always did. He continued to sing the words, but it's like they had no meaning to him at the moment. He couldn't look away.
