Painful Solitude
#1 of Painful Solitude
A new story I've been working on for a while. I've been trying to use more than just two main characters. Enjoy.
Rate and Comment please!!!!! (luv for you)
The end of summer heat was burning through everyone and everything. Including the garage roof. It was nearly October, yet the hot weather refused to subside. Alex looked around at each of his band mates, all fanning themselves in some manner. Oliver, the husky keyboard player was using his sheet music, while Marcus, the lion drummer simply used his paws. The fox guitarist, Leon, was completely silent, a small battery-powered fan around his neck. At least someone had the right idea. Despite everyone's displeasure, it was the bass player, another fox, who spoke first.
"It's too hot in here today, Alex," Zane spoke up, plucking the top string of his bass. "Can't we just wait until tomorrow to practice?"
"Yeah," Marcus agreed. "Or get a freaking air-conditioner in your garage. I'm sweating my ba-"
"Don't finish that sentence, Marcus. I don't want to hear about your disgusting parts."
Alex laughed at the two as Zane gave Marcus a smirk. His band mates were practically family. They'd formed Painful Solitude their sophomore year. Alex and Marcus had known each other since grade school, both being in marching band for a short time. Oliver had been introduced to them through Marcus, apparently having a history together before they started dating. Leon was an acquaintance from freshman year math class, who was known to play a mean guitar solo. So Alex, being the friendly grey wolf that he was, asked him to join the band.
The only thing missing was the bass player. At the beginning of sophomore year, Leon informed them of his cousin, Zane, who was moving to town. Apparently, Zane's parents were extremely busy business people, who were always moving from place to place. He'd been kicked out of his boarding school (for reasons Alex still didn't know), and was coming to live with Leon's family. It just so happened that he played the bass. So before they even knew each other, Alex had extended an offer to join the band, which Zane gladly accepted. Now in their senior year of high school, the band was nearly two years old and still going strong.
The only problem was that all of their teachers were trying to push college on them. And some of them were really considering it. Mainly Zane, who had become Alex's best friend. Though it worried Alex to see Zane go, he never said a word to the red-furred teen. If it was his dream to go to college and start a career in something other than music, who was Alex to stop him? But Alex had a problem of his own...
He'd developed a crush on Zane quite some time ago, and he really hated to see him leave. Especially if he never knew how Alex felt for him. Yet another problem was Zane's on-again, off-again girlfriend, Kayla. They'd been on again for nearly two weeks. Alex was giving them three more days before they would be off again. Secondly, he didn't think Zane would feel the same, seeing as he was attracted to girls. How would something like that ever work?
So Alex had resorted to keeping his feelings locked inside. Well, with the exception of telling Marcus, his only outwardly gay friend (with the exception of Oliver, who insists he's Marcus-sexual). And that in itself, could have been a huge mistake, had he not sworn Marcus to secrecy. Oh, yeah, and his friend from school, Evan, who also happened to be his tutor. ......Okay, so maybe everyone knew but Zane and Kayla. Maybe. But if Leon had known, he'd never let on. Then again, Leon didn't really say much to begin with.
"Sweating my balls off," Marcus finished anyway, just to spite the bass player.
Zane shook his head. "You're disgusting."
"I'm going to have to agree with Zane." Oliver sighed.
Marcus glared.
"That's not what I'm talking about. Though you may be disgusting, Marcus, I meant the practicing tomorrow thing. It's way too hot for this today."
"Aw, come on, guys!" Alex pleaded. "How are we ever going to make it anywhere if we let the heat get in our way? You know how hot it would be on a real stage?"
"If it's as stifling as your garage, I think I should just quit now," Marcus mumbled under his breath.
Now it was Alex's turn to glare. "Marcus, you know you don't mean that. Come on. Three songs and we'll call it quits for today."
Reluctantly, the others agreed. Alex started to strum his guitar and the others joined in, recognizing the song as Alex began to sing.
Towards the end of the third song, Lauren, Alex's nosy yet friendly feline neighbor, came strutting over. She looked at each of the sweating band members, offered a short round of applause, then fanned herself with one paw. As she entered the garage, each of the band members started to clean up, packing their things rather slowly with exhaustion.
"I can't believe you guys still practiced in this weather," she said.
"We're cutting it short today," Marcus sighed. "Too freaking hot for this. Hey, Alex, we still meeting at the same time tomorrow?"
Alex shook his head. "I have a tutoring session with Evan after school tomorrow, so he'll probably be here 'til about five. You guys can come over then."
"Sounds good to me," Oliver shrugged. "I have an hour detention tomorrow for Ms. Nitram. Apparently, drawing pictures in your text book is a bad thing."
"Well, everyone knows how fond of flowers the both of you are," Marcus grinned. "Why don't you try giving her some?"
Oliver smirked. "Very funny, Marcus, I also recall what your fond of, and if you want any of it you'll shut up now."
Marcus quieted down immediately, his ears laying back in embarassment. He pocketed his drumsticks and ran out of the garage.
Oliver flicked the switch on his keyboards and followed Lauren out of the garage, waving to the others as he left. This left Leon, Zane, and Alex, putting away their instruments in the garage, since the drums and keyboards just stayed in the garage.
"Are you coming home now?" Leon asked, looking at Zane. "Or are you going to Kayla's?"
Zane hoisted his bass bag onto his back. "She's hanging out with Tabi today."
Alex couldn't help himself from jumping on the chance, even if it meant Leon would be there, too. "Well, I don't have anything to do. You guys can hang out here with me."
"I can't," Leon frowned. "I have a ton of homework to do."
Alex looked to the bass player. "Zane?"
The shorter fox shrugged. "Well...I don't have anything else to do. Why not?"
Leon smiled. "Okay. I'll let Mom and Dad, or shall I say your legal guardians know where you are. Don't stay out too late."
"Yeah, I know."
Leon walked away, taking his guitar and heading for his house just a few blocks away. Alex had suggested that they just leave their instruments in the garage, too, but they insisted on bringing them home. They both enjoyed practicing at home. Once he had gone, Alex hit the button to close the garage door, then motioned for Zane to follow him into the house.
Yet another routine. Each day, when everyone was leaving, Alex sprung on the chance to invite Zane (and whoever else was still lingering) to hang around for a while. Though it was usually just to get Zane to stay as long as possible. And he was still completely oblivious to Alex's feelings. Alex would walk into the house first, Zane following shyly behind, and fetch each of them a drink, then head upstairs to his room. Usually, they would play some kind of video game, do homework, or write some new music. It seemed like no matter how many times Zane had been in Alex's house, he would never lose the timid behavior.
"So, what do you want to do today?" Alex asked, sipping his drink after they had gone upstairs.
Zane shrugged his shoulders, placing his bass and schoolbag in a corner near the door. "Anything. Whatever you want to do."
Alex couldn't help but dream about all the things that could mean. Unfortunately, he knew that wasn't going to happen. He simply turned his television on instead, flipping though the channels. Maybe today they could just chat about something. Something Alex had been curious about for a long time.
"Hey, Z?"
Zane looked at him as he took a seat on the bed. "Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why did you get kicked out of that religious boarding school you went to?"
"Well....That's something I would rather not talk about. Anything else you wanted to ask me?"
Alex laughed. Zane may have been his best friend, but that was the one tidbit of information he'd never been able to weasel out of him. "Was it something really bad?"
"It depends on whose viewpoint you look at it from. I didn't think it was." He gave Alex a quizzical look. "What's with the fascination all of a sudden?"
"Nothing. I've always just wondered. You're not a bad kid at school now. You've never had detention and you barely even speak. I just don't understand what you could have done that was so bad you got kicked out."
Zane's ears perked. "Kid? Anyway, it's not really that big of a deal."
Alex gave him an innocent look. "Really? Why won't you tell me, then?"
Hesitation. "I'll tell you sometime, Alex. I just don't want to talk about that right now."
"Okay. I respect that." He paused. "So how are you and Kayla?"
"We're okay." Another hesitation. " Hey, you wanna play that new racing game of yours? I'm just dying to kick your ass today."
Alex nodded. He could tell that Zane didn't feel like elaborating on that. Perhaps his guess of three more days was right. Though as much as that excited him, it disappointed him to see his best friend so upset. Kayla was a nice little lioness, but she just wasn't meant to be with Zane. Alex couldn't understand why neither of them could see that. He just wanted to see his friend happy....Even if that meant Zane not being with him.