Chapter 4

            I put my jeans, t-shirt and Converse shoes back on. I’m lucky that my tabard and chain mail can be folded easily. I sigh as I look at the mirror that reflects my exhausted self. The leather bag is already in my school bag, ready to go. I sling my school bag and left the lavatory.

            Since I’m the lead singer for a famous band, I own a sporty Nissan Fair Lady. My car is in the packed school parking lot. I enter the car and drive to my mansion in West Tigris.

            It is tiring to have a double life, but I have no choice.

            The first thing I did once I open the front door is to take a nap on the couch, not caring about anything else.

            I feel someone shaking me. Instinctively, I punch that person.

            “Ouch, mate. You pack some serious punch, but you don’t have to punch me,” I hear Zack whines. I cuddle deeper into the pillow, nearly falling back to sleep.

            “Alright guys. It’s time for operation ‘Wake Anthony up by the Lady of Tickleness’,” Gabriella says.

            I’m awake instantly after I heard her and fall off the couch. Everyone laugh at me like hyenas, including Zack who is holding his red cheeks.

            I scowl at them while rubbing my butt. “What the hell, people? Why can’t you people just go away or jump off a cliff?”

            “Chill, dude. I tried cliff diving before and it was not fun having water in your ears for a week. Going away is not an option since Gab is here. After all, she is the Lady of Tickleness,” Daniel tells me before kissing Gabriella’s forehead. Her cheeks flush scarlet red.

            I shudder at the sight of young lovers. “Please kiss her somewhere else, man. She’s like a sister to me. Therefore, I will beat you up if you break her heart,” I threaten. He put his hands in the air, indicating surrender.

            “Spill,” Gabriella demands as she takes a seat next to me on the couch. I tell them everything that happened in the past, excluding the marriage part. By the time I finish telling my tale, it is already 3 p.m.

            “It’s time to gig, guys,” I tell them.

           “Yes, Uncle Anthony,” Zack, Daniel and Chase say in a singsong voice, mocking the children. 

            I glare at each and every one of them. They break into fits of laughter. Even Gabriella has a smile. Not bothering to contain my anger, I punch the guys in the arm. They whine at the pain which makes Gabriella and I roll my eyes. I swear sometimes that can be girls.

            Gabriella glances at her watch before yelling, “Get ready, people. The next gig is at Tigris Shopping Complex. Hurry up. Pronto! Time is precious! We have another twenty more minutes.”

            Everyone scurry off to their rooms to change. An angry Gabriella is Elopura’s very own Godzilla. Once, we pushed her limits too far that she pranked on us. She replaced our shampoos with hair dye which last for a week. My hair was bloody red for a week.

            When I traveled back in time, everyone was staring at my red hair even if I told them that I was wearing a wig. Wigs were not so fashionable at that time but I was saved from further explanation. I was lucky that mine was red. Zack was green, Daniel was blue and Chase was pink.

            Poor Chase had been blushing in embarrassment all week. We were extremely grateful that we didn’t have any gigs that week.

            I put on my black jeans and black button up shirt with a loose red tie. Now I look like Rebellious Lads’ lead singer, Anthony Weinbach. My signature red electric guitar is safe in the guitar case lying at the corner of my room.

            My room is bigger than my chambers in 1468. There are 2 guitars and 2 electric guitars hanging on the dark blue wall. A MacBook is on my study table by the window. I have two large cupboards with arranged books. I also have a huge wardrobe which holds my clothes, both from the past and present. Several photos of my family with my mother alive displayed almost everywhere.

            I trace a photo of mother with my finger. I miss her so much. I miss the times mother, father and I were a happy family. My digital watch beep, reminding me that I have a gig to attend.

            As if on cue, Gabriella yells, “Anthony! Hurry up or I’ll get up there and kick you down the stairs.”

            I run down the stairs with the guitar case in my hand. Gabriella looks like she is going to give me a lecture until she cast a glance at her watch.

            “You’re lucky we have another 5 more minutes or else I would have kick you here and now,” Gabriella grumbles, not sure whether to me or to herself. We sprint to the black van that is outside of the mansion. As soon as we closed the door, the van zooms to the shopping mall. I can already hear girls screaming our names. The band looks excited. I can feel the excitement rising in me.

            Someone from outside opens the door and we are attacked with flashes of cameras and screams. One by one leave the van with a winning smile. A few girls try to grab hold of me but luckily, two bodyguards come to my rescue. I remind myself to ask Gab to increase their salary for a good job. The four of us are guided to the stage. The whole mall is filled with fans of Rebellious Lads. Gabriella is standing in back stage, watching us perform. I take out my electric guitar and test it. The hum echoes along with screams from the fans. We grin at each other.

            All of us are at our own position. I take my position at the front of the stage with the microphone.

            “Welcome to Tigris Shopping Complex, everyone,” I greet them. I’m responded with screams. “We are Rebellious Lads and here is our first song.”

            I look back to nod at Chase. He starts beating his drum sticks so we know when to start. Time flies as I sing my heart out. I think of the happiness during the time mother was still alive. Sadness replaces my mood when the song becomes gloomy and sad. At the end of the concert, I thank the crowd and leave the stage. When I look at the time, it is already time for dinner. Gabriella, Chase, Zack, Daniel and I decide to order take-out at home.

            Now we are watching a comedy movie after dinner. All of us laugh until we gasp for our breath. In my time, the band and Gabriella are my family no matter what.

            My phone suddenly rings. I excuse myself to answer the phone. There is no name displayed on the screen.

            “Hello?” I ask into the receiver.

            “Anthony?” a voice answers back.

            “What do you want, Jared?” I snap at him. Gabriella glances worriedly at me. Chase mutes the TV for everyone to listen to me speak to my so-called father.

            “I have a favor to ask,” Jared says, his voice neutral.

            “And I don’t care,” I tell him angrily.

            “Listen to me; you have to bail me out. Please Anthony.”

            I feel like there is no blood running in my system as I pale. “How the hell did you end up in prison?”

            “I had more drinks than I’m supposed to,” he admits.

            “Why can’t you just ask that lazy wife or daughter of yours?” I point out. At this point, my blood starts to boil until I can feel my face burning red in anger. Now the media is going to find out and I’m planning to change my last name as soon as I hit 18.

            “Betty left for another man. Jen went with her. You are the only family I have, Anthony.” Jared sounds like he is manipulating me. Too bad I’m not falling for his tricks. I’m not surprised that the witch left him.

            “You lost me seven years ago, Jared. Goodbye.” I hang up. After seven years, now only he’s trying to get me back. No way! I’m not that little boy who looks at his father proudly anymore. I have a family now. Two, in fact if you count the one in the past. They have been there for me after all these years.

            I inhale and exhale deeply to calm myself down. A pair of skinny arms surrounds me. I turn to see Gabriella hugging me. She knows exactly how I feel. Now my good mood is ruined.

            When I finally calmed down, Gabriella let go of me.

            “You’re just like Lila, Bree and Sue except that you’re not pregnant,” I tell her, to release the tension.

            Chase laugh. “What Anthony means is that your weight is similar to theirs,” Chase teases Gabriella.

            Gabriella goes up to him and smacks him at the back of his head. Gabriella sits next to me, grumbling to herself about Chase and his future wife. Daniel, Zack and I laugh at Chase’s pouting expression. The atmosphere is lightened with teasing until it is time for bed. I’m grateful for my friends or else I would have been grumpy all night. We are so tired to go up to our rooms that we crash in the living room.

            The next day is a Saturday, one of my favorite days. Why, you may ask. Chase, Zack, Daniel and I always write a song on Saturdays. Some becomes a hit; some is just a song we create for fun. We are in the playing room, brainstorming.

            “What about ‘Your smile lights up my world’?” Chase suggests.

            “Dude, are you in love? You have a creepy smile and a dreamy face on when you say that,” Daniel says, shuddering at that thought.

            “I agree with Daniel,” I interject. Chase has been daydreaming during class which earned him detention.

            Zack has an evil grin. “Who is the girl, Chase?” Zack asks. There he goes again. Zack always wants to know who we are with and there is nothing to stop him.

            Chase blushes.

            “Aww . . . Our Chase is finally growing up!” Zack exclaims, putting an arm on Chase’s shoulder.

            Chase’s cheeks turns even redder as he shrugs Zack’s arm off of him, trying to act casual.

            “Let’s just forget it,” Chase says, attempting to change the subject.

            “No, tell us who is that girl, or we will spy on you until we find out,” Zack threatens.

            Daniel clears his throat. “By us, you mean you, Zack? Anthony and I are not a part of your grand plan.”

            Zack pretends as if he didn’t hear Daniel. “Daniel has Gab, Anthony has Princess Lia, you have a girl . . . I’m the only man standing!”

            “Wait, what?” I shout at Zack, standing up. “I’m not with Lia! We are just friends!”

            Zack rolls his eyes at me. “Yeah, tell yourself that.”

            Chase releases a small sigh of relief at the change of topic. I glare at Chase. What a lucky guy! Zack can be a pain sometimes

            I sit back down on the couch, now my intense gaze focus on Zack. “Lia and I are strictly professional. Like Gabriella and I.”

            “Guys?” Daniel says to draw our attention.

            “What?” I snap at him, instantly regretting it. I’m supposed to be mad at Zack; not Daniel. I give him an apologetic look.

            “The song,” Daniel reminds us.

            Zack sings, “I love you like I love cheese.”

            The three of us stare at him. I consider if we should hire a psychiatrist.

            “Cheese?” I repeat the word as if it is a foreign word.

            He throws his arms in the air and defends himself, “Everyone loves cheese!”

            Daniel folds his arms across his chest. “What about those who are allergic to cheese?”

            “Then they have to live with it!”

            Daniel, Chase and I sigh at the same time unconsciously. Zack always thinks of weird things. I wonder if his mother dropped his head when he was a baby . . .

            Zack snaps his fingers suddenly. “That reminds me! What is your girlfriend’s name?” He grins evilly at Chase, who looks at Daniel and me to save him. We shake our head at him; it’s his battle now. Poor Chase. He thought he was saved from Zack earlier.

            “I met her a few weeks ago! We are not even together!” Chase admits. His eyes glues to the floor.

            “Name,” Zack says.

            Chase stares into space for a few seconds; thinking whether he should tell Zack now itself or later after getting pestering from him. Chase sighs in defeat.

            “Her name is Charissa.”

            “I want details!” Zack says in a singsong voice.

            Chase sighs louder this time. “We met in a local bistro. It was crowded so I asked her whether there is anyone sitting at a place opposite of her. She said no and we started talking. There, happy now?”

            Zack smiles in victory at him. “Extremely. What a coincidence! Both of your names start with C, H and an A.”

            “Does she know that you’re in a famous boy band?” I ask him curiously.

            He smiles sheepishly. “She didn’t recognize me until a fan girl caught me in the street. It was the second time we met. Charissa was so shocked that she fainted there and then!”

            “The second time? How many times did you meet her already?” Zack questions. Zack is now in interview mode.

            “Fifteen times in the past three weeks,” Chase answers before blushing hard. He must have fall hard on this Charissa. He counts how many times they met!

            “When are we going to meet her?” Zack bounces in his seat, excited to tell Charissa about many embarrassing stories.

            “It’s already one o’clock. Time for lunch,” Daniel interjects.

            Zack pouts at him. “You just ruined the suspense, Daniel.”

            “I’m hungry! If I’m not fed in five minutes time, you better watch your mouth, Zack,” Daniel threatens.

            Daniel is hungry all the time. If you don’t feed him after the time limit he gives you, he will turn into a grump. He snaps at all of us, except for Gabriella. Gab used to give him the silent treatment whenever he becomes a grump until he apologizes to her.

            All of us leave the playing room and walk to the kitchen where our personal chef has already prepared our food.

            “Hello, sweetheart,” Daniel greets Gabriella cheerfully, then plants a kiss on her cheeks. “Smells wonderful!” As if to prove his point, he takes a deep breath and lets out a moan.

            “I knew you would be hungry. That’s why I make your favorite dish,” Gabriella says, removing her red apron.

            The four of us scramble to our seat at the counter. “Is it lasagna?” I guess

            “Pie?” Chase adds.

            “Cheese?” Zack guesses. His face is bright as a button.

            Chase, Daniel and I glare at him. Gabriella looks at us in curiosity. She is used to Zack’s weird answers but wonders how he got the idea from.

            “He thought of it while we were writing a song. I love you like I love cheese,” I mock Zack.

            He scowls at me. “I so don’t sound like that!”

            The four of us laugh until we have tears in our eyes. Zack gives all of us a murderous look.

            “Dude, you sound like a girl,” Daniel comments.

            “Even Gab doesn’t talk like that!” I add, wiping the tears in my eyes.

            “Are you sure you’re not a girl?” Chase asks him. It is silent for a second before the four of us laugh harder.

            Zack grumbles under his breath, waiting for us to recover.

            “Anyway, I made spaghetti,” Gabriella announces, scooping a few spoonful of spaghetti into our plates. The guys, including myself dig into the Italian dish. Daniel is the one who eats the most among us.

            We spend the rest of lovely Saturday together, almost like a true family.