For What It's Worth..

I watched as everybody conversed, while me and Nova looked at the wooden box my sister gave to me. My heart felt heavy since I hadn’t seen it in so long. It basically held everything I held in value. I thought I had lost it years ago.

“What’s in it JenJen?”

“Everything I hold dear, well; what I hold dear material wise.” She looked at polished oak box that I’ve had for over ten years.

“I even have your first baby picture in here.” I smiled softly. She looked up at me expectantly. I chuckled, running my hand over the wood. I flicked the little lock mechanism and I slowly opened it revealing a bunch of pictures and knick knacks I collected over the years. I looked for the picture I mentioned too Nova and quickly found it near the top.

“Wow, Auntie, you look so pretty.” She stared at the picture of me holding her hours after she was born. My hair was a bright red, and cut short, with a bang that used to always tried to cover my left eye. I was tired looking but extremely happy to finally meet my niece for the first time.

“Do you think I could dye my hair like that, except blue?” She asked, I looked at her bewildered. Her hair still had a faint blue tinge to it from the blue streaks Chris put in from months before.

“You’ll have to ask your mom.” I finally said, smirking a little. “Okay!” She nodded. She got up off my lap to go bug her mother about the hair dye thing. I watched as everyone was in there own little conversations. Even George and Mia were conversing with Josh and Angelo. I was glad that they got along, knowing that both of them never open up too just anyone right away.

I noticed that Chris wasn’t there anymore, so I dragged myself out of the Lazyboy and walked past everyone, who where still so into their conversations they didn’t even notice me move. Chris’ parents had left an hour ago, they just came too wish me a happy birthday and gave me a Coles gift card. I smiled, loving the fact that they actually went out of their way to get something that I would actually use.

I turned around the corner, and saw Chris staring frustratedly at the coffee perk. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and I saw all of his tattoos, and just how amazing his body looked just standing there doing absolutely nothing. I saw him growl in frustration. I smiled timidly, “Need some help, love?” I asked. He jumped a little when he noticed he wasn’t alone.

“Yes.” He sighed slightly. “This damn thing never works for me when I need it.”

I walked up to him, putting my hand on his chest, giving him a quick peck on the lips. “Go sit down at the table, and I’ll get you some coffee and a sandwich?” I rubbed where my hand was, gripping his shoulders, noticing that they were a little tense.

“Okay?” He gave one last look at the coffee percolator and back at me. “Thank you.” he kissed me on the forehead and walked over to the table, while I set to work.

I fixed him up a bologna, cheese, and cucumber with a little mayo sandwich. I got the perk working easily, and I heard Chris grunt in annoyance at it. I gave him a soft smile, putting the finishing touches on the sandwich. I heard little footsteps behind me, and I knew right away it was Nova. But she wasn’t behind me when I turned around, I looked beside me and she was over by Chris, looking up at the tall man with curiosity, her voice hushed so I could barely hear her.

Then I watched as she put up a tiny hand and started rubbing his back from where she could reach, and I felt my heart thud in the best possible way. He looked down at her, giving her an adoring smile. “Thanks, Nova.”

I wanted to watch this scene and have it burned into my memory bank forever. But the coffee beeped at me, signalling it was finished. I turned around and poured some into a mug and got some creamer out of the fridge and reached up to the cupboard for the sugar. Stirring the contents in until I was content that it was perfect, I grabbed the plated sandwich and coffee, walking it over too Chris.

“Here you go.” I set the plate and mug in front of him, and I walked around to stand behind him and wrap my arms around his neck. “This looks amazing.” His right hand came up and held on too my arm, twisting around to face me. “Not as amazing as you.” I blushed at my own comment too him. He leaned back against my chest, staring up at me with those hypnotizing eyes.

He started rubbing my arm, trailing his fingers up and down it. His smile looked so goofy looking up side down I started laughing. Once he realized what he had done, he smiled wider, and pulled my head down towards him with his left hand, tangling it in my hair.

“I love it when you smile.” My face burned. He tried to pull me down to kiss him, but the sound of someone knocking at the door, startled us. He sighed closing his eyes. I kissed his forehead. “I’ll get it, you eat.” I tried to sound stern but I was smiling so much, it didn’t come off the way I wanted.

I moved away too go answer the door. When I opened it, my eyes widened exceptionally. Standing at the doorway happened to be Michael Kuza. My eyes must have betrayed my surprise, because he let out a dry laugh. “Uh, hey is Chris home?”

“Yeah, he’s in the kitchen.” I turned and walked back in, gesturing for him to follow. I’ve heard of Kuza before, him being good friends with Chris and everyone, that and he was a merch guy for awhile. I heard the door shut behind me. “Chris! Someones here for you.” I turned the corner too the kitchen, and I saw Nova start rubbing Chris’ back again. I smiled. “Hey, man long time no see!” Kuza strolled right in.

“Hey Kuza, glad you could make it.” I heard the sound of someone knocking on the door again.

“You’re popular today.” I commented as I walked back over to the door. I opened it and it revealed the one and only Kylie.

“Jenny! Happy Birthday!” She jumped in my arms, clinging to me with her arms and legs. “Thanks, Kylie.” I laughed in walking back into the living room. “Well, thats a sight.” I saw Ghost cover up his laugh.

“Hey, shes your girlfriend, Ghost.”

“And I thought I was the only one she greeted like that.”

“Maybe she likes me better.”

“Oh, ho ho. Those are fighting words.” I saw him get up, his motion playful.

“You wanna go Ghost?” I let go of Kylie who finally let go of me in the same instant, laughing. “You guys are a riot.”

I put up my fists, stancing my feet apart. Ghost did the same. “Bring it on JJ.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me.

“Oh ho ho, now those are fighting words, bring it on Ghosty.” He lunged at me and we both fell to the ground, trying to get a hold on each other, too incapacitate the other. We rolled around on the ground, and I was aware that some where moving their feet to avoid our roughhousing. I was finally able to get him in a hold of him by pulling him on top of me, wrapping my legs around him and restricting his hands against his chest. All I could see was the back of his head.

“Again, Devin gets weird around you.” Ricky commented.

“Agreed.” I heard Kylie giggle. I looked up at the ceiling, and twisted my head so I could find Mia. “Mia could you please explain this?”

“She has this weird hyperness vibe that only certain people feel when they’re around her. It appears that Devin gets it as well.”

While she was explaining, Devin was trying to break free, which ended up with him face planting himself into the floor with me on top of him. “You really outdid yourself this time, Sola, now we’re kinda stuck.”

A muffled ‘what?’ came from the floor. “When you turned, you took me with you, now I can’t move my hands to free myself, dumbass. And if I try believe me its going to be both awkward and painful.”

“Fwack.”

“Did you just say quack?”

“No! Fwuck!”

“Duck.” I asked, snickering.

“Youfff knowf wat, gof fwack youfselvfs!” The whole room went up into a light laughter. He turned his head too the side, so he could speak clearly. “I hate you right now.”

“Really, you think I like looking like this.” My imagination was through the roof, and it sent me into delirious laughter.

“Yes, I’m sure you like looking like you’re trying too fuck me in the ass.”

I roared with laughter, trying to roll off of Devin, which still hand me tangled up because my arms were still under him slightly.

“Who's fucking who in the ass.” I heard an unfamiliar voice come into the living room. I tried looking up, and saw the stretched gauges and the numerous piercings and saw that it was Kuza.

“CHRIS, your girlfriend is trying too fuck me up the butt!”

“Ghost! Theres children here, you know!” I heard Chris yell back.

“If you don’t hurry and get off my hands, I’m going to shove my knee up your ass!” Moving my knee near his butt, so he got the point. He rolled off my hands, and I clenched and unclenched my fingers too get the feeling back in them.

“You’re a butt, Devin.”

“Meh.” He rolled over, smirking at me. I scrunched up my face, trying to look annoyed. “Auntie, what are you doing on the floor?”

I looked over at Nova who was standing beside Kuza, and I wanted to laugh out loud at the height difference. Now I knew why everyone thought Chris and Kuza looked alike, the tallness was ridiculous.

“Devin and I had a disagreement, thats all.” I smiled, pinching Devins side. He jumped. “But we resolved it, didn’t we Dev.”

“Say yes Devin or you’re going to get your ass kicked again.” I heard Angelo say. Ghost seemed to be thinking over his options and apparently went for the smarter one. “Yep, thats right.” He grinned childishly at Nova, who yelled happily in response, and ran over to me, jumped onto my belly. I let out a short gust of air as she landed on me.

“Hello there.” I breathed out, chuckling. Crazy kid; but I loved her more than words could explain.





Some how the day went by extremely quickly, and I was sad that my family had to leave tomorrow. But what do you expect when it was on such short notice, is what they told me. So I just opted out on being happy I had them there for my birthday.

“I’ll miss you guys.” I whined, leaning in the rental car they had when they got here. “We’ll miss you to, I had a lot of fun with everyone here, they’re all so nice.” Mia gushed. I smiled. “Yeah, they’re amazing.”

“I’ll miss you Auntie!” Nova crawled over Mias lap and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll miss you to, cutie.” Kissing her cheek repeatedly, making her giggle madly.

“Bye, JJ!” everyone yelled as I backed away from the car, and they pulled away, I stayed there awhile, waving at them. Watching them disappear down the road.

I pulled Chris’ leather jacket around me, feeling a chill that had nothing to do with the cold. I heard the trees branches crack against each other, making me wonder where the wind came from.

I stopped moving for awhile, trying to gather what was going on around me. I felt like there was someone watching me; and I definitely didn’t like the feeling. I turned around in a circle slowly, trying to see if I could catch anything. All I saw was the neighbor hood, and Chris’ house. Nothing seemed out of place.

I heard more rustling, like someone was kicking at bushes, making the leaves go crazy. I turned towards the noise. I started walking towards the noise, not really thinking if it was a good idea or not. Curiosity getting the better of me. As I walked, the rustling of the leaves seemed too get less rambunctious as I got closer.

What was wrong with me? I was walking towards a noise that I had no idea the cause of it.

“Hey, Virginia!” I jumped, and whipped around to see Kuza running up too me. “Jesus- you scared the hell out of me.” I let out a shaky breath. I turned back around when I noticed the rustling had stopped completely.

“Sorry, what were you doing?”

“I thought I heard something, but when you came running up it stopped.” I shivered, slightly freaked out.

“Weird.” I liked Kuza, he was quiet and shy and it came out in his voice. It was completely adorable. It definitely wasn’t my first impression that he would be shy, it almost took me off guard. Many times I try not to judge a person by their looks, but sometimes I can’t help it. I thought Mike was outgoing at the very least. But I was glad I was proven wrong, I guess he was reserved in a sense.

“So, today was your birthday, right?”

“Mhm.” I smiled, “Indeed it was. Well, mine and my sisters birthday.”

“Happy birthday, then.” He reached in his pocket, and brought out a long rectangular box with black lace ribbon. “Franccescadid the wrapping. I’m no good at it.” He let out a small embarrassed smile.

“Oh, you didn’t have too Mike.”

“You can call me Kuza, and I wanted to. The way Chris talked about you, well I don’t know, I just felt like I should get you something. And Josh told me you play the drums so.” I pulled at the ribbon, being careful to not rip the beautiful accessory. I opened the box, and picked out two pure matte black drumsticks.

I was immediately awestruck. “Whoa, these are awesome.”

I tucked the box under my arm, and held the drum sticks out as if I was about to play. I raised my hands up and then raised them down, and started twisting them and turning them, putting on a little show, feeling them out, testing the way they moved in my hands and how easily they moved through my fingers.

The need to break them in was immediate, and I knew they were going to be used as soon as I got near a drum set.

“These are amazing, Kuza.” I gaped at him, smiling like an idiot. I must have looked childish, but I couldn’t help it, I was legitimately excited. These drum sticks where just beautiful.

“I’m really glad you like them, I didn’t really think of what color you would have wanted, or brand. So I just went with black, the color might wear out quicker, but they should last you a long while.”

I couldn’t help it. I hugged him. I didn’t even care that he didn’t hug back right away, or the fact that I dropped the box that they came in. I just felt extremely happy and lucky too have an amazing day and I needed to let someone know, even if I just met that person today.

“Thank you.” I laughed, pulling away. “Sorry, if I took you by surprise, I don’t usually hug people out of the blue like that.”

“No worries, did you want to head inside, I think they have cake?” He questioned himself, sounding unsure of his words.

“I hope not.” I laughed, walking towards the house after picking up the box that held my present from Kuza, “I’m not a fan of cake.”

He followed behind me. “Well, I’ll eat your piece for you then.” He laughed.

Turns out, there was cake, but it was one that I could actually enjoy. Ice cream cake. I stared at Chris with wide eyes. He just looked at me, simply saying. “I was paying attention.”

I couldn't help but smile broadly. Of course he was.

Notes

I was going to make this chapter longer, but I don't know, I always get a little sketchy when I get to an important part in the story and then my brain just ceases to function.

But I wanted to give something so here it is.

Enjoy?