Left For Dead

*Shannon POV*

Lately it's all been echo this and echo that. I don't like things not being in order, and right now our situation is all over the place. I have trust issues. Which is another thing for another time. Me and Lauren were close, we basically grew up together. Then she just up and left, it was our dream. We shared it. Well that's what I thought, then she just left us all for some boring shit. Yeah Echo seems nice I guess, but she's shy at the moment, which I understand considering she has never been in a band and has just randomly been pushed into a band of girls who have been in this game together for a long time. It must be hard. But I guess that's life. I wrapped myself further into the blanket that was currently wrapped around my shoulders, the girls left a long time ago so I was sitting here watching re runs of victorious. I stood up, and tried not to fall over because of the pins and needles that we're currently in my foot. I started to walk around the dark room and around the counter into the kitchen space, I crouched down, hearing my knee crack
“ok well ow?” I opened up the freezer and grabbed out the last tub of ice cream I have. Considering I have nothing else in due to a certain someone eating all of my food. I heard my neighbors arguing again, they argue every night. That house consists of a boy around the age of eighteen and his foster mum and dad and foster sisters. They basically only fostered for the money, he wanted to go into the dancing business but they wanted him to make more money, and to go into law enforcement.
How do I know this? Well, like I said everybody knows everybody and everything here, but that's not how I know. I was walking to get coffee, on the way to the studio a couple years back and I saw him dancing in the park with this whole crew of people. I had noticed him from next door so I just kind of walked over and introduced myself. Seems kind of weird but that's what I am. Ever since then I have treated him like my little brother. I always tell him to run away but he can't. So every couple days, I go down to where their crew practises and talk to them like they were my own little brothers and sisters, and honestly they were some of the nicest kids I knew. I know when a person I see needs someone. Someone to be there for them, it takes time for me to start allowing them into my life, but as soon as I do. I hold them, close and won't let go. I have a wall built up and it's not coming down anytime soon. As soon as had reached the couch I groaned, I'm going to have to start packing soon, and then I have to help all the other girls or else I know they will forget something, the day of warped the bus will stop off at each house separately to pick each of us up, and I just want to make sure that we are all set, because I don't need anymore stress than I have right now. I leant my elbows against my knees and started to rub my face. I heard a soft knock on my balcony window, I slowly approached it and opened my dusty curtains to reveal a face of my ‘little brother’ I opened the window and invited him in. Leon is a black teenager with a hole lot of spirit and he puts everything into his dancing. We both sat down on the couch. “You heard?” He looked over to me sadly. I just nodded and gave him a sympathetic smile,
“I hope you know I’m going on tour in a few days”. He slumped back and just muttered
"I know”. I sighed. I bent over to pick my ice cream off of the floor and noticed a leaflet he had given me the other day when we were talking about helping him start off his own dance career. He won't accept money from anyone and has no way of getting there himself. I scanned over it and I realised we stopped at this location during warped.
“Oh my god!” I stared at Leon wide eyed. “You're coming on tour with me and the girls for abit”. He gave me the face of the most confused person I have ever seen. “Well I just found the leaflet you gave me the other day, and we stop at that location during the tour” I shout slightly bouncing up and down. His mouth dropped open and he just hugged me tight and wouldn't let go.
“No way” he just repeated over and over again.
“Anything for my baby brother” I pulled away from the hug and smiled proudly at him.


Vanna-

I turn the amplifier a notch and strum the guitar.
“VANNA TURN IT DOWN!” My mom yells from the kitchen. I laugh and do as my mother says. I put my guitar pick in my mouth and reach for my phone as it rung.
“hello? “ I mumble, confused on the area code.
“Vanna? It's Lauren.” I spit out my guitar pick and put my acoustic guitar next to me. My heart fills with anger and sadness.
"hey Lauren, what's up?” it's been weeks since we had talked. Has she called the other girls? Why was she even calling me right now?
“just wanted to congratulate you guys on going to Warped! Heard the news, sorry I…”
“thanks Lauren.” I say interrupting her apology. I really didn't need to hear it. “We're super excited.”
“I bet! Did you guys get another bassist?” She sounded so confident. Like this was her plan all along. Was it really?
“We did. She's great.” I said, happiness filling my voice. Echo was an amazing addition to our band. Sure she was a awkward shy little bean, but so were we in the beginning. Ally had hung out with her and she said she was super nice. I knew Shannon wasn't very fond for her just yet, but I hope she does soon. Warped is around the corner and I don't want any bad vibes.
“Hopefully I get to go to see her and you guys of course. During the summer. My mom said she would help me pay for the trip. I'm really sorry. I let you guys down, but this was once in a lifetime opportunity.”
“How's the new environment?” I ask her and she sighs, she knew I was trying to change the ‘sorry for leaving.’ topic.
"It's different but I love it. I miss you guys.” I roll my eyes. Miss. Wouldn't have left if she was going to miss us and forget on our dream together.
“Us too. Well, I have to go. I'm packing for Warped and I'm so behind. I'll message you.”
"Bye Vivi!” I mumble a bye and she hangs up. I put my phone down and my hands meet my face. I look around me through my fingers and smile. Warped. Holy cow. This was happening. Someone knocks on my door and slowly opens the door. “Vanna, your dad’s here.” I smile and get up from my bed and follow my mom to the living room where my dad was taking off his tie and sitting down.
“hola pa.” He smiles up at me as I sit next to him, and give him an awkward hug. “I missed you, how was the trip?”
“It was exhausting. I got the deal though.” His eyes shone with accomplishment. That was my dad.
“That's great,viejo!” My mom says as she gives him a glass of iced water. I talked to my dad, catching him up with everything that he missed. From the departure of Lauren, to having Echo in our Left For Dead family. He listened every word and smiled at the right moments. My mom was my mentor, my dad was my best friend. He supported me from the beginning. He encouraged Damien to apply for the army. We were in our positions right now cause of the pressure of our father and the encouragement of our mother.
“Well, Vanna. Seems like my little girl is growing up. I want to meet this Echo girl, she seems like a nice young lady.”
“she really is, pa. Sure, she's shy and very awkward. But I mean, don't you remember Shannon?” My dad laughs.
“How can I not? Esa nina es algo muy especial. Tiene corazon y vida de una nina que tiene 4.” ( English translation: that girl is something special. Has a heart and the life of a four year old) After hours of catching up with my father and even Damien showing up for dinner,my parents went to sleep and I stayed with my brother in the living room. We said no word, watched movies,until my eyes got droopy and I fall asleep on my brother’s shoulder.
*
I apply more hair dye to my hair and hum to one of our songs. The blue was starting to get greeny and it was time to touch it up a bit. I had to keep my signature blue hair… or else LFD Vanna would never be the same. I laugh at my own thought and my phone begins to ring. I press the green button with my elbow and continue doing my hair.
“Helllooooo???”
“Hey Vanna!”
“Elie! Hi!”
“Hey, just wanted to let you ladies know that you do have to send those papers.” I stop moving my hands. “Have you sent them?”
“I did.. But don't they already have a copy of our information?” “it's like a verification.”
“I guess.. Hey, what next color should I go? Blue is too cool for the summer.” Ellie laughs and I do too.
"I don't know.. Nothing til bright though. Don't do yellow.” “yellow and red is Shannon…. I should go pink! Or better yet…. Blonde!” I laugh. “I'm staying blue for now.”
“maybe you should do purple next. Anyway, you ready?”
“not really.” I whisper. I was home alone for a few hours, and I could just talk to Ellie.
"what's wrong my little smurf?” I roll my eyes. Like I haven't heard that one before.
“I'm leaving and Damien leaves a few weeks after. I don't want to leave my parents alone. My dad just came back from Brazil.” She sighs and I do too as I continue to tell her my worries. I knew living the music life was going to be tough, but everything became tougher when Damien said those words that put him in the army. Another handful of time without my brother, another war he goes to fight.
Dammit America.

Notes

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