"Come on. Please?"

"No."

"Why?"

"You know why." I said eyeing my best friends sternly. Apparently, it's my eighteenth birthday over the weekend and they want to throw a party for me. For me.

After I have specifically told them that I don't do parties. They know yet they don't want to know. It's strange how they can be in a whole conversation to you and not hear a goddamn word you say.

"I can't. It's Saturday and I have work. So why are you bothering me?"

"Come on, Lia. You only turn eighteen once." Chase quipped.

"I don't want to spend my eighteenth birthday getting drunk and wasted with a bunch of idiots. No offence."

Ryder laughed. Outright laughed in my face.

"You do know that getting drunk and wasted is the definition of an eighteen birthday."

Sometimes I wonder why I'm friends with these two. But I would be lying if I said I didn't know the answer.

They've always had my back. Every time. They may pretend to be all tough as nails on the outside but when it comes to me, they have a soft spot.

Take for instance, the time I had a run in with the schools Miss Popular.

"Watch where you're going, you idiot." I hissed. She just ran into me without even as much as an apology.

That was my first day of school.

She rolled her eyes at me. I was having none of it. I'm never the kind of girl to take crap from anyone and definitely not some blonde haired monkey in my path. Not this morning at least.

No offence to blondes. I'm even blonde but I don't like her.

"Are we gonna have a problem here?" Another voice called. Then I found that the owner of said voice came to happily join the conversation.

"Well, if you keep your dog on a leash, I don't think we will." I rolled my eyes.

The look of surprise on Chase's face was not to be missed.

"She's not my dog."He rolled his eyes.

"Whatever she is, man. Just keep her under control." Another voice joined the conversation.

What is with this school and butting into conversations.

"She's with me." The other voice said as a handsome devil attached his arm to my waist as you guessed, it was Ryder.

No, I'm definitely not but I like where this is going so...what the heck?

Diva McStupid over there was making moves on Chase. Unfortunately, he wasn't interested which is weird because the present Chase would grab that without thinking twice.

"Sorry babe, gotta support my guy. That's The bro code." He smirked, making his way to us.

She rolled her eyes and honestly, I would have laughed if the boys weren't already.

She just turned on her heels and left.

"You don't wanna mess with that girl. She's trouble." Ryder said.

"Yeah. She's a terrible human being but great in the sheets." Chase quipped, earning a gasp from me.

He shrugged and I rolled my eyes. Ryder just laughed and from then on, we've been the inseparable trio ever know in this crappy school.

Where was I? Oh, yeah. Refusing my two best friends them throwing a party for me.

"You can throw the party if you like, but I won't be there."

"Then why are we throwing the party if you won't be there?" Chase reasoned.

Seeing there was no way I could get out of this, I sighed.

"I know I'm gonna regret this but, fine. I'll go."

"Cool, thanks." Ryder finally spoke up.

The bell rang.

"Let's get to class."

"You go. We have something to do."
Knowing I wouldn't like what they were going to do, I practically ran to class.

And I was right because a few minutes later, the gym was flooded by none other than my best friends.

They're gonna get into so much trouble...

Everyone was told to leave the school because someone set off the sprinkler system.

"I can't believe you." I growled. I don't know why I'm complaining. I had a free day today.

I could go and home to get some rest before having to work later.

"Thanks guys." I said meaning it.

They looked confused. I didn't want to explain.

"Can you drop me home?" I asked and they nodded.

"I have work later today." I announced.

"Okay. We're coming to watch."

•••

I had enough time to go home and get some well deserved sleep. Caleb and Dylan weren't home, neither was my mom.

I made my way into the club. I always like coming here. It's like my way of letting out the pent up anger.

"Hey, Jacob."

"You're early today, kiddo." He chuckled.

"Yeah, I had a free day today."

"You can go get ready. Show's about to start."

I nodded. Jacob has always been a father figure to me when mine wasn't there.

Very soon, the club was packed. It makes me wonder, do people not have anything to do on a Monday than come to a music club?

It pays me so who am I to complain.

• Play the song •

My fingers danced across the keys of the piano as I started.

Everytime I come here, it's like I open a new wound. One that's haunted me for long but it makes me feel better. Better because I can actually let a part of my pain out.

Waiting till the demons come
Wait for us to them run in our direction

The funny thing about demons is that they haunt us. We continue fighting them. Trying to overcome them. It's a continuous battle with ourselves.

So, tell me.
Did you ever really love me ?
Did you ever really want me?
Now that I see you clearer.

I wonder
Was I even really happy?
Didn't get the chance to ask me.
Now that I see you clearer.

Was it just smoke and mirrors?
Oh?
Was it just smoke and mirrors?

Did you ever really love us? Your wife and kids? All those happy days, the memories we made together. Were they just smoke and mirrors? Deception? Did you really love us like you said you did all those years ago? Was it just a façade that you put up? Were we ever even a real family? The laughs, the joys, the tears. Our first words, our first steps, our fist awards. Everything, a rouse.

All a deception, wasn't it?

The demons I battle everyday because of what you did to us. Because of how you left us. You have no idea what we've been through since you left. You have no idea what I've been forced to become. I've been forced to grow up because you weren't there.

If you ever really loved us, you would have come back. You wouldn't have left. You would have stayed. We could have worked it out as a family like we always did.

Darling, I have been afraid.
I could only call your name.

Those nights when I cried my eyes out. I could only call your name.

Thank the Heavens that you stayed.

But you didn't stay, did you? You left. You left without as much as a second glance.

But if I'm telling you the truth,
when I cut the tether loose,
It was me saving you.

But neither of us really saved each other. We did nothing for you. That's why you left. But when you left, you all but destroyed your wife and kids. The countless times, I spent crying holding your picture in my hands.

The times I spent crying over you. The tears I shed as a little girl waiting—just waiting for you to come back to us.

The cause of my tears. Was your love just smoke and mirrors?

Now that I've grown up and seen the real you, now that my superman wasn't there anymore, I realise that it was all deceit. All just an act. The happy family script was what we played. Nothing more than that...

I left the stage, already in tears only to be met by a comforting Ryder and an equally concerned Chase.

The just held me there and let me cry it all out. I couldn't be more grateful for them in my life.

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