YAY! I got another follower! So... chapter update.
Christmas sucked ass just as much as Thanksgiving did, for me at least. Christian wasn't a big believer in Christmas, being an atheist. I wasn't sure what I believed in. But neither of us got the other a present, we still hadn't been dating that long. Angel still made passes at him, mostly when I was around. Winter in the Underworld was as cold as hell was hot. None of us cared. The drugs' side effects took care of that anyways. Christian was getting antsy about me not having kissed him yet. I began painting the floors of the Underworld. All of us were getting too angsty and twitchy. St. Jimmy made an appearance on New Year's Day. New Year's Eve was spent alone for me. My mom got a date- for once, one that wasn't pierced or tattooed anywhere unmentionable. So it meant watching the ball drop on TV and kissing the picture of my dad at midnight. The Christmas present I got from my mom was my dad's dog tags. I wore them everywhere after. Christian began getting pushy. At first it was nice, and kind of overprotective, then I hated it.
New Year's Day, we were all bombs on the verge of detonation. St. Jimmy walked in on a crowd of teenagers dripping with angst, hormones, and angst. Annabel and Jason were either attempting to destroy the couch or suck each others' faces off.
"Is it make-up sex or is Jason trying to get to second base?" Nicole muttered.
"Trying?" Tyler asked pointed to Jason. Nicole rolled her eyes.
"Whereas Gloria won't even let Christian get past the hand-holding stage." Angel sneered. I gritted my teeth and tucked my hair under my cap. I began scrubbing the floor. Theo came in piggybacking on Jimmy.
"Wow Christian, you were right." He said glancing around and setting Theo down. "Everything is too tense."
"Did you bring the good stuff?" Christian asked. Jimmy pointed to Theo who unzipped his backpack and began throwing joints at people. I dipped my paint brush in black paint and began.
"Loosen up people." Jimmy shouted. "I have never seen people so angry or I-hate-my-life before."
"Easy for you to say." Tyler said. "You were a shy guy who was friends with baby Christian while screwing a hot girl who practically begged you to have sex with her. You don't have to deal with things."
"Like what?" Jimmy asked. Nicole offered me a joint, I shook my head.
"Like an idiot stepbrother who hits on you." Nicole said.
"Or stepdad." Angel said.
"Parents who spent every minute of everyday either having sex, or talking about sex, or role playing for sex later." Christian muttered. I glanced at him and he gave me a look that said, "and you thought your life was so bad."
"Loving someone who doesn't love you back." Theo said.
"You mean stalking?" Jason asked pushing Annabel off him. "And try dealing with wanting to have sex all the time."
"I do." Jimmy said. "What about you Tyler? You haven't said anything."
"My sister has a jackass boyfriend and my mom likes him. I think he's pressuring her into sex or raped her." Tyler said. Nobody said anything.
"Annabel?" Christian asked.
"My dad finally wrote back." She said shrugging before going back to her precious boyfriend.
"What about you Gloria?" Theo asked. I looked up from my painting.
"You're Gloria?" Jimmy asked walking over. I nodded.
"Yeah." He smiled.
"You're prettier than I thought you'd be." Christian cleared his throat. "Uh, Chris. You need a cough drop or something?" He asked. Christian shook his head. "You really need to tell me how hot your girlfriends are so I'm prepared." Jimmy glanced down. "Not bad." He said. I didn't know if he was referring to the painting or my ass. "So what's your story?"
"I don't do back stories." I replied.
"So then talk to me." Jimmy said.
"I'm not taking questions today."
"That wasn't a question."
"Then I'm not taking orders." I corrected. "I'm not a waitress."
"It wasn't an order." Jimmy said. "And you're too interesting to be a waitress."
"Interesting?" I asked.
"Different." He said. "You're unique."
"Just like every other person on the planet." I said.
"But see- you're different... in a group, of outcasts. That's hard to pull off." Jimmy countered. After a moment, I sighed for a long time.
"My dad was killed in combat when I was ten. My mom is pretty hollow. She smokes a certain brand of cigarettes to remind herself of him. My biggest fear is that she'll commit suicide. She's fine when other people are around and she really cares about me. So that's nice." Everybody stared at me.
"You're an army kid?" Annabel asked.
"I don't like that term." I snapped.
"You never told us." Nicole said.
"You never asked." I said. "I don't like to tell people. I hate pity. But it seems we're pouring our hearts out today. So there's mine."
"Are those his dog tags?" Jason asked pointing to my neck.
"Yeah." I said tucking them into my shirt. Jimmy fuddled with the radio.
"Christian, sing a song of anger." He ordered. "The holiday season always pisses you off. You're dating a girl who believes in God. Sing for me." Christian smiled and jumped onto the platform. He cupped his hands around his mouth.
"Raise your hands now to testify
Your confession will be crucified
You're in sacrificial suicide
Like a dog that's been sodomized"
"Stand down!" Jimmy shouted.
"All the white boys"
"Sit down!" Everyone else shouted.
"And the black girls" Christian pointed to everyone.
"You're the soldiers of the new world
Put your faith in a miracle
And it's non-denominational
Join the choir we'll be singing
In the church of wishful thinking" Jimmy ran onstage to sing with him.
"A fire burns today
Of blasphemy and genocide
The sirens of decay
Will infiltrate the faith fanatics" Jimmy hopped down and kneeled next to me.
"So you and Christian?" He asked. I nodded. "You might want to watch out. He gets distracted."
"Distracted how?" I asked. Jimmy pointed to Angel on the platform. She threw her jacket to the side and stood in front of Christian.
"Oh bless me lord for I have sinned
It's been a lifetime since I last confessed." I stared at her and sang a soft harmony under my breath.
"I threw my crutches in 'the river of a shadow of doubt' " Angel wrapped her scarf around Christian's neck and pulled away.
"And I'll be dressed in my Sunday best"
"Say a prayer for the family
Drop a coin for humanity
Ain't this uniform so flattering?
I never asked you a God damned thing
A fire burns today
Of blasphemy and genocide
The sirens of decay
Will infiltrate the faith fanatics" Christian sang. Jimmy glanced at me and smirked. I removed my hat and my hair fell down. I returned the smirk. He pinned me against the wall.
"Don't test me" I whispered. Christian glanced over. Jimmy grabbed me by the waist and I forced his hands off.
"Second guess me" I turned over and pinned him to the wall. I glanced at Christian. Jimmy held his mouth a gasp away from mine.
"Protest me
You will disappear"
"I want to know who's allowed to breed
All the dogs who never learned to read
Missionary politicians
And the cops of the new religion"
Jimmy filled up shot glasses and the guys began daring each other to take the most. I knew I would be a lightweight but I joined them anyways. I made it to seven before deciding to stop. I couldn't even walk straight. My vision got blurry but I headed to the platform. I stood and posed as a crucified Jesus.
"A fire burns today
Of blasphemy and genocide
The sirens of decay
Will infiltrate the inside" I turned around and fell backwards. Somebody caught me- I think it was Jimmy- and handed me to someone else- probably Christian. Then it was too blurry to see anymore.