Human // Rag'n'bone Man

ZOE

My bedroom door bursts open and a blonde tornado rushes in. The door slams shut, and the whirlwind comes to rest against it, breathing hard.

"I made it! Dragon Lady is on a rampage, but I escaped."

I pull my beats off while simultaneously opening my mouth to ask the whirlwind, aka the person who I am no longer speaking to, AKA Chelsea, what she's doing in my room, but before a word passes my lips, she's flings herself across the room and jumps on my bed. The bed I've been quite happily lying on all day enjoying my solitude. Damn Chelsea and her rushing in without a call or text warning. I may have come to a truce with New Guy, but the person currently in my face is another story. I am still pissed as hell at her.

She takes one look at the expression on my face and bursts out, "Zoe, I'm so sorry! I can't believe what a complete bitch I've been! I had no idea, honestly. Sometimes my crazy takes over and I can't stop myself." She flies forward and her arms wrap around me. Even if I wanted to storm off the bed in a huff I can't, she's got me caged in.

Now she's pressing her cheek to mine, nuzzling me. WFT is going on? This is not our thing, this nuzzling. It's so unChelsea-like that I'm struck silent.

"I'm really, really, really, really sorry! You have to forgive me!" As the words roll out, she squeezes me harder.

Her really too many reallys plea gives me my voice back, and a bit of my spine as well. "Whining won't win me over, Chelsea." There is a hard edge to my voice and when I say the words, I push her away and scoot over to lean against the far wall. I cross my arms and give my former BFF a hard glare. I half expect her to start with more really really pleas, or move on to her famous pout, or maybe throw some of her dramatic crocodile tears my way. But what I'm met with instead is a look of sincerity.

Holly crap, is that genuine regret shining in her eyes? Yes, it's there in her eyes, in the curve of her mouth, even in the tilt of her head. Okay that does melt my heart a tiny bit, but I'm not letting her off the hook so easily, so I sit on the other side of the bed watching her with a firm look of disapproval on my face.

Chelsea furrows her brows in confusion and disappointment. She is still laying on the edge of the bed and as she watches me, she doesn't move or speak for a moment.

We stay like that, as the minutes tick by, frozen like statues watching each other.

We hardly ever fight and when we have in the past, I've always forgiven her the moment she has apologized. But not this time. Things have changed. For one I don't feel like being a doormat anymore. Not that Chelsea treats me like one most of the time. She doesn't, not really. Chels is just...well she can be oblivious to other people's feelings. She does what she wants and forgets that other people might get caught up in backlash of her schemes whether they want to or not. My girl is a force of nature not unlike a mighty thunder storm. And sometimes if you get caught up in that storm those high winds will blow you on your ass.

But Chelsea never intentionally hurts anyone.

No like that Dumb Fuck Dylan...

After making my deal with New Guy, which I've had second and third thoughts about, I replayed my entire relationship with DF in my head. I've been so heartbroken that I hadn't realized I painted a picture of him--pun intended--that made him seem so much better than he was. I somehow forgot about all of the times that he promised to take me out but ended up canceling because he had a painting to finish. I blamed the creative artist in him. But he's not creative, or an artist...or a good person. He is just an ass, a selfish ass. And if I am being totally honest and tearing off those rose-colored glasses, I have to admit to myself for the first time that he's shitty at art, and at drumming, and especially at being a boyfriend. He was a really sucky boyfriend. One that I constantly made excuses for or refused to see just how selfish and shitty he could be.

I wish I would have seen what he was really like earlier, and not tied so much of myself up in being with him. He wasn't good for me. And now I have to face band practice with the guy and if we ever actually get a gig, I'll gave to plaster a fake smile on my face and play in public with him as well. Unless New Guy actually comes up with a plan to get rid the bastard out of the band. 

The way New Guy talked it up this morning, I got completely caught up in dreams of revenge, and I was so on board, but once reality set in, I can't imagine how the hell we will get Dylan out. Which means the only way I can get Dylan finally out of my life is if I quit the band. But every time I think of quitting the band, I get furious. Damnit, I'm not slinking away with my sour notes like a pathetic ex. I refuse to be that girl. I've been her long enough as it is. So I had just decided that quitting is not an option, when Chelsea burst in.

Chelsea is still eyeing me cautiously. I haven't budged an inch, but neither has she. Chelsea can be as stubborn as I am, so we could be here all night in this stare off.

I tilt my head, silently letting her know that she broke my heart almost as bad as DF did. She takes in a long, deep breath and lets it out slowly, her way of saying she knows how wrong she was, and she's more sorry than I can comprehend. I shrug my shoulders to say I hope so. But I'm done with the silent apology.

"You're going to have to earn it." I break the silence with my demand.

"Anything, Zoe. I mean it. Absolutely anything. You give the word and it will happen." She scoots closer to me on the bed and puts her head in my lap. To anyone else, it would look phony, too dramatic to hold true feelings. But I know Chelsea, inside and out. She doesn't nuzzle. She doesn't cuddle. This is Chelsea scared to death that she's gone too far. And before she barged into my room my answer would have been "hell yes, you have done it this time and really crossed a line."

It still is my answer, but my temper has died down and I'm a little softer now that she realizes how much she hurt me.

I smirk at her and say, "I know you just don't want any skeletons in your Senatorial closet for your future campaign. Whatever I come up with won't maim your reputation. Much."

Chelsea scoffs and waves a dismissing hand in my face. "Whatever. The Senate is no longer on the table. They have no power anymore. I'm going for network news anchor now. With all of this fake news floating around, someone has to get the real story. Besides, the media is who influences change. Politics is so over."

I shake my head and try not to laugh. Typical Chelsea. "That opens up a whole new realm of possibilities. Maybe I can put you to work ousting Dumb Fuck with me and Guy Who Is Your New BFF. I think DF has always been a little scared of you anyway."

Chelsea sits up quickly, crossing her arms in the process. "Wait, who?"

"DF, you know, Dylan." I emphasize the idiot's name. "You forget about him already?"

"No, no, no. The other one, the guy who what?" She leans in a little closer.

Oh, that one. I hadn't realized I'd said that out loud. I mean, I never seem to refer to New Guy by his actual name and lately I've been adding more descriptive nicknames about him in my head because he's not really new anymore. But I hadn't planned on making those nicknames public knowledge. I sigh, resigned to the fact that Chelsea won't let it go now that I've actually said one of them out loud.

"Guy Who is Your New BFF," I say with my hands in the air. I look up at Chelsea and she's just staring blankly at me.

"Emerson?" She practically shouts his name after at least twenty seconds of silence. "He is not my new BFF. That is not what this is all about." Her arms are flying everywhere, and I lean back so I don't get smacked in the process. Then she leans in, gripping me by the shoulders and pulling my face close to hers. "You know this was all about you. There's a connection between you two, Zo. Don't deny it, because when the two of you are singing it is e-lec-tric," she draws out the word. "So full of zap that every fucker in that garage feels it. Dylan turns green when you're singing together, Roger and Josh bliss out from how amazing it is. It is undeniable."

My face is neutral as she's speaking, but my heart is pounding out of my chest. I've felt that pull, too. But I've ignored it, denied it, rationalized it as something else. But if Chelsea feels it too, how much longer can I pretend it's not there? Now that Chelsea voices it out loud she is not going to let this go.  I cringe at the thought of how many times she is going to go on about how "e-lec-tric" the two of us are singing together.

"And BTW, I'm in. All in. I want Dylan out as much as you or Em does." There's a twinkle in her eye as she speaks. She's always hated Dylan, but I have to give her credit, she's never once said, "I told you so." Even though she had totally told me so many, many times.

However, her little speech inspires my first demand. "Start by never calling him Em again." The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

Chelsea twists her head, one eyebrow rising. "Oh, really. And what, pray tell, would you prefer I call him? Guy Who Plays the Fuck Out of the Drums? Guy Who Zoe Might Set the World on Fire With?"

Okay, shit I now regret that first demand. "Funny." I get off the bed, heading to the door to escape from Chelsea. I stop in my tracks and spin back to face her as I remember the words she spoke when she barged in. "Dragon Lady is on a rampage? About what?"

Chelsea turns pale, freaking me out. Then she leans forward and whispers. "She tried to get me to drink one of her brown concoctions. I took a sip, I had no choice, she cornered me. But all that is holy, omg, that was the worst. It TLS. What the hell does she put in that slop? I wouldn't be surprised if she was trying to poison me."

Ah. Dragon Lady hasn't had anyone to torment with those shakes in a long time. She stopped trying to get me to drink them when I poured one directly over her rabbit food a few years ago. Maybe I should have Chelsea come over more often. Dragon Lady might get off my back and hop right onto Chelsea's.

"It's not good, but it isn't poison. She just wants a health buddy so she can get your testimonial for her marketing strategy." Dragon Lady runs a marketing and consulting company, which she also owns. All of her clients are into image; make up, diet, hair products. Everything that makes the outside of a person look like something new and shiny. Her whole job is all about making the outside shiny, who cares about the inside? Who cares about the person, all we are supposed to care about it how they look. DL gets a lot of free stuff, a lot of free products in her job, but I refuse to touch any of the samples she tries to pass my way. All that crap does not make you happy. Because she uses it all and she can't even enjoy the fact that she works from home. She can't be like some normal person and lounge in her pajamas all day. On no, not her. She must always dress for success, no matter when or where. No matter if a single person sets eyes on her during the day. Dress for success. That's her entire life summed up in a fortune cookie.

Make it count, because this is it. That's mine. And I intend to make my mark. Forget DF and his new GF. Forget heartbreak and loneliness. It is time I stepped up and made this life count.

"Come on," I say to Chelsea. "I have your next task all figured out."

Chelsea jumps up and grabs the bag she tossed when she rushed into my room. "Whatever you need or want me to do, just name it."

I have to admit I like this side of Chelsea, the Chelsea who is now working so hard to get back into my good graces. "I need a change, and you're about to get your hands green."

"Oh man, this does not sound good. Green?" Her voice is hesitant, but she's still following me out the door.

We make our way stealth like through the house and past the kitchen where Dragon lady is whipping up another shake. And we finally find ourselves outside at my car.

"Green." I liked the part where Chelsea said singing with New Guy turns DF green. It gave me an idea. It's time for a change and I was getting tired of the blue tips on my hair. The blue tips were DF's idea. Green tips will really annoy the hell out of Dylan because green is his least favorite color. It's about time my outside reflected my inside, too.

I'm about to start a new chapter in my life and a little peroxide and some dye, and I'll get myself a new look. New look, new attitude. I'm no longer putting up with anyone's crap. I'm not longer going to be a doormat. I'm not going to quit the band. Hear that Dylan! Not quitting the band! Watch out Dylan this new and improved Zoe is coming after you!

Zoe doesn't seem as convinced about her newest alliance as she did earlier. And, whoops! Her little nickname slip could come back to haunt her! Probably not.

But yeah, most likely. Chelsea has a long road ahead of her before Zoe let's her off the hook, and that's only if she doesn't go cray cray again. I think we all can predict how that might play out.

I have to speak about this song choice. A friend on Wattpad sent me a link to this guy a couple of years ago. I thought it was just okay. But I started hearing it all over the place, thinking there's that bone guy again! This song has grown on me. And it's about messing up, which Chelsea is owning right now.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]