Pixley came out of her room wearing black bondage pants, long sleeved black shirt with Minor Threat sleevless shirt over it, she wore two spiked leather bracelets, and her black leather boots. Her eye liner was black, her hair was spiked with green and blue gel.
"Where do you think you're going?" Her father asked.
Pixley turned to her mom. "Joel and Benji, the twins, they asked me if I'd come to their gig tonight at DX7. I told them I'd be there."
Her mom looked at her. "OK. Have fun, don't get home too late." She smiled. Pixley hugged her mom.
"Thank you, Mom." She kissed her moms cheek and was out the door.
Pixley waited in the drive way like she said.
"Hey Pix." Someone yelled from the window of the house. "Whatcha doin'?"
"Hey, Heather. I'm just waiting for a friend. I hope you don't mind, but I don't wanna dad to see him."
"'Him'? Oooh, Pixley the pixy has a date. Who is it?"
Pixley sighed. "You know that guy that got my clothes back for me last semester?" Heather nodded. "Well, his name's Joel and I'm going to see his band tonight at DX7." Pixley smiled.
Heather giggled. "Joel Madden? Oh, he is so cute. And so is his brother." Pixley nodded slightly.
Joel pulled up in the drive way behind Pixley and honked. Pixley jumped. She rolled her eyes at Joel. "Later Heather." She waved as she got in the car.
"You look great." Joel said as he pulled out of the drive way. "Was that your sister or something? Cause I thought you were an only child."
"I have a brother, Heather is just a friend."
Joel looked confused for a second. "That's not your house, is it?"
"Now why would you say that?"
"Heather was in the house, but she's just a friend. I know that you're the only girl, why would you be waiting in the drive way and you didn't go inside when we dropped you off earlier."
"I never said that was my house though." She pointed out. "Besides what do you care?"
"I care. I like to know where my friends live so I can see them besides at school." Joel smiled.
Benji sat in the back playing with his guitar. He hadn't said a word, but when he did he nearly scared the pants off Pixley. "Actually he wants to see your room one of these days." Benji grinned.
Pixley looked behind her. "Benji, I didn't know you were there. I'm sorry."
Benji just shook his head. "S'ok."
Joel glared at his brother. "Ya know Benj, if you didn't look just like me, I'd kill ya."
Billy and Paul were already at the club waiting inside. Joel and Benji took Pixley in the band entrance with them. They told security she was with the band so she didn't have to wait until six to get in.
Joel intoduced Pixley to Billy and Paul. "If security asks, Pix is with the band." Joel whispered to them. Billy grinned and nodded.
"So Pix, what do you see in Joel?" Paul asked.
Pixley was taken aback by the question. "What? Nothing. I asked him for a pencil, then he ran into me and asked me to come tonight."
"But you agreed. And besides I see the way you look at him." Paul grinned.
She folded her arms. "And how do I look at him?"
"It's just that look people get when they like someone."
Pixley scoffed and went to chat with Billy. "Hey Billy."
"Hey Pix. So what's with you and Joel?"
"He's JUST a friend. Ya know F-R-I-E--"
He cut her off. "I know how to spell friend. I just wanted to know why you came tonight."
"Because I was invited."
"That the only reason?"
She was going to say yes but she had to really think why she came. "Because he did me a favour and then he wanted me to come, so I did. Is that implying I like him?"
Billy scooted away from the girl. "I just asked a question."
"Well I got the same thing from Paul. And I know my mom is gonna ask. Then my dad will think I'm lying and he'll hi--" She stopped. "I'm thirsy, you thirsty? Want a drink? I'll go get you one." She walked away, mentally kicking herself for almost going too far into her personal life.
Billy watched her walk away. "Uh, Joel? Could you come here a minute?"
"Coming." Joel walked over to Billy. "What?"
"I was just talking with Pixley, she said that Paul had asked about you and her and then her mom will ask when she gets home and her dad will think she's lying and then he'll..." Billy closed his mouth and waved his hand in the air as if he expected the word to appear in his hand.
"He'll what?" Joel was confused.
"She didn't say, I think she started to say hit, but I'm not sure, she stopped talking then started babbling about getting a drink. But don't tell her I said anything."
"I won't. But if she does say anything else, tell me. OK?"
"Yeah." Billy nodded. Joel walked away in thought.
Pixley came back with two bottled waters. She smiled and handed one to Billy. "It's all they had."
Billy took the bottle. "Thanks. Uh... what were you saying about your father?"
She almost choked on her water. "Nothing. I'm gonna go see what Benji's doing." She walked away from Billy quickly. She took a deep breath. "Hey Benjers. Did I just say Benjers? Oh my God. I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry?" He looked at her quizzically.
"It sounds like something you'd call your puppy. That's why."
Benji smiled at her. "It's no problem." He ran a hand across his forhead. "Aren't you hot?"
Pixley looked at her clothes. "No."
"Liar." He said, "There's sweat on your neck."
"Yeah, but there's nothing I can do about it."
Benji looked her over. "You're wearing two shirts. You could take off your long sleeved one."
She took a sip of her water. "I'm fine, really."
"OK, do you know what Joel's doing? I haven't seen him since we got here."
She shook her head. "Sorry. I can go find him for ya though." Benji nodded. Pixley walked off in search of Joel. He was bending over searching through his bag. Pixley didn't see Joel and she fell over him.
Joel fell on top of her legs. "I am so sorry." He saw a pained expression on Pixleys face and quickly stood to help her up. "Are you OK?"
Her eyes were closed; she took slow shollow breaths. She opened her eyes and tried to smile. "I'm fine." She swallowed. "Benj was looking for you."
"Are you sure you're OK? I mean, you looked hurt. Did I break anything?"
"I'm fine. I just," She paused. "...landed hard. That's all."
Joel looked into her eyes. They were no longer violet, but green. He focused on them for a second. "Your eyes were violet this morning."
"Contacts." Pixley smiled. Joel nodded, understanding. "You better find out what Benji wanted."
Joel smiled and left Pixley. Pixley sat on the floor and a single tear rolled down her cheek. She rolled up her pant leg and examined her leg. It was bruised and scarred.
Paul came walking by. Pixley rolled down her pants, wiped away the tear and stood, painfully. "Hey Pix."
"Hi." She said, almost limping towards Joel and Benji.
"I did hurt you. I am so sorry."
Pixley waved her hand. "No, it wasn't your fault. Just a.. gym injury."
She hated to lie, but that's all she could do. Worst of all, she hated lying to Joel. Pixley had always noticed him and he never spoke to her before last semester.
Benji watched her eyes. He knew she had to be lying, but he couldn't tell. It was too dark backstage.
Joel knew in his heart it was more than a gym injury. "OK." He said, knowing something was wrong, he just didn't know what it was.
After the club opened Heather was there. "Pixy." She waved.
"Heather." Pixley limped over to her friend.
"What happened? Why are you limping?"
Pixley rolled her eyes. "Joel fell on my leg. Of course that was after I fell over him cause he was bending over."
Heather grinned. "So he's heavier than you imagined?"
"No! It's just a gym injury."
"Yeah, I know all about the 'gym' injuries you get. So did you lie to him?"
"Heather I had to. I can't let him know. What was I supposed to do? Was I supposed to tell him I get hurt?"
"'Get hurt'? That's a good one Pix. I told you, you can come stay with me." Heather put a hand on Pixley's shoulder. "You should tell him the truth so he doesn't think he hurt you."
"I told him it was just a gym injury and it was no big deal." She brushed a stray hair out of her eye.
"You can't lie to him forever." Heather frowned.
"Heather, it's not like we're a thing. We're just friends, I don't know if we're even that. Hey shut up, they're on in like seconds. I just said like."
Good Charlotte came out on stage. Pixley and Heather stood on a table in the back and waved. The guys smiled and waved back.
After their set, the guys joined Pixley and Heather. A few bands later, some good, some bad, Pixley got over heated and passed out, hitting her head hard on the floor.
Joel knelt beside her. "Pix. Pix. Pixley wake up. C'mon Pix. Don't do this."
Heather put her sweatshirt under Pixley's head. "We gotta get her out of here."
Joel nodded and picked up Pixley. He carried her out the door and past security to the car. Heather went back with Billy, Paul and Benji to get the instruments.
Joel sat in the back seat with an uncontious Pixley. "C'mon, Pix. I need you. You can't do this to me."