Chapter 1 "Made it to Today"

Excerpt: "Louis didn’t remove his gaze from his reflection, he unconsciously sat himself on the edge of his bed. For a moment, his reflection made him take a hard look at himself."

Chapter 1

“Made it to Today”

The air was cool, and breezy. It wafted a gentle scent of wet leaves. All the trees had passed for the season, and the flowers had withered and died. The sky was overcast, gloomily hanging in remorse for the fallen summer. Yet, here and there a few hopeful rays of sunlight shone through to the barren ground.

That’s what Louis M-, saw. He placed the last dusty cardboard box on the floor of his bedroom, his new pad. He couldn’t help but fall under the hypnotic spell of the outdoors. He walked over to the window and gently lifted it. His face was brushed with a cool rush from the breeze, he smiled brightly. His nostrils filled with the cool scent of rain. He watched a couple of cars drive passed his window. Lowering the window, something gleaming off the glass caught Louis’s eye. It was only the reflection of his single gold lip ring. Louis didn’t remove his gaze from his reflection, he unconsciously sat himself on the edge of his bed. For a moment, his reflection made him take a hard look at himself.

Louis was twenty years old, in three months he’d be twenty one. His face was round and pale, his lips were very thin, and colored a bright pink. From them hung the little gold lip ring. He was pale, very pale. However, his complexion glowed. His hair was jet black, he gelled it with almost a can of mousse a day. It was thick, and fell to his shoulders, a mass of black bangs fell into his eyes. His eyes were the deepest shade of brown, almost masking the pupils. Louis slowly stood himself up. He was a little under average height, thin with just a little weight around his waist. He was wearing black, the only color he ever wore. A pair of black jeans with a long metal chain hanging from them, and a black polo.  

“ Lu.” A low voice echoed in Louis’s ears. He snapped awake from his reverie. He clenched his chest before turning around, he let go, his heart palpitated. Yet, it was only Nathen, holding a small cardboard box.

“ Where you want this?” Nathan asked, oblivious. 

Louis hopped up. “ Just set it there.” He waved his arm towards a plain bureau. 

Nathen was Louis’s bandmate and ‘semi-friend’. When they first formed their band three long years ago, the two were almost inseparable. Yet, of the passed year arguments had put a hard strain on their friendship. Louis always used to joke with Nate that his face resembled David Bowie’s; the high cheek bones, aquiline nose, rather sharp, shifty eyes. Nate never enjoyed the joke, and often jibed Louis.

Nathen scuffed, he didn’t look at Louis. Setting the box down, he wiped his hands on his green T-shirt. 

“ You can sit if you’d like.” Louis said, catching that something was wrong.

Nathen’s gaze was fixated on the floor, so it seemed. It was certainly distant. He plopped himself on the bed. Something within Nathen, something with Louis’s moving away had killed something inside him. His head was swimming, he didn’t understand it. Nathen did know, though, it was coming to an end. A sure, but slow end.

Louis heard a door hit. Don was coming in through the kitchen. All the boxes had been brought in. Louis and Don had already set up all the acoustics and equipment in the living room.

Louis looked over at Nathen, who was staring distantly at the ceiling fan. At the same instant Don came in. Shirley was behind him.

“ Shrill-Thrill.” Louis said referring to Shirley. She smiled at him. She was pretty, well, more than pretty. Beautiful. Her face was a slender oval, her complexion a light tan brushed with rouge, and a light pink lipstick. Her eyes were smoked, and her lashes were thick and plentiful, furling slightly at the ends. She was wearing a lime green tank, under a fish net shimmery sweater. She had large silver hooped earrings. With a matching pair of metallic silver high heeled boots, tucked in them a pair of unfamiliar designer kind of jeggings.

As she walked to Louis’s bed, her wavy blonde hair bounced from her shoulders.

Don stood in the doorway.

“ All done, Louis?” Don asked.

Shrill Thrill was looking at him, she was looking at Louis. Her eyes were glued to him. His eyes becoming entranced by her bosom.

Louis shook his head, “ huh? Oh, yea we’re done Don, yeah.”

Shrill Thrill giggled.

From seemingly no where, she pulled out a nail file. Her attention was stolen.

“ Louis,” Blowing on her nails, she didn’t look up at him. Nathen lying next to where she was sitting, had hardly fidgeted since everyone came in. Shirley blew on her nails again. “ Why didya want to move away? Tch,tch. You make me want to cry, baby.”

Don lifted his head. 

Louis scanned his eyes about his room. It was small, there was only enough room for a queen sized bed, a dresser, and one directors style chair. The walls were white, but he imagined putting up his Kiss, ACDC, Rolling Stones, and other posters from back in the day. Perhaps even painting the walls red or black.

A memory flashed in Louis head. He saw flashing neon lights. Shrill Thrill was dancing. Nathen was tipping a cheap bottle to his lips. His friend’s eyes were burning with Hell’s fury, and clouded with smoke. The music was building louder and louder. It felt as if once again he was being backed into a corner.

“ I need some time.” Louis finally said, a hint of confidence was growing in his voice. “ For myself.”

For the first time Nathen looked at Louis. “ Gotta get those creative juices goin?”

Louis smiled, “ Yeah, thats it.”

“ We’ll miss ya.” Don added.

Louis walked over to his bed, sat down on a small corner and took Shirley in his arms.

“ Really miss you.” She said batting her butterfly eyes.

“ Hey,” Louis said drawing her closer, a sincere smile drawing on his face. “ I’ll still be around everyday.”

He let her go.

Nathen bolted up, glowering at Louis. Shirley got up too.

They began walking out, no one said a word. Shirley turned around. “ See ya.”

Louis smiled. He didn’t acknowledge Nate. Yet, there was still a lot of unpacking he had to do. He had a moment. Louis passed a glance at his window. He was met with a flash of lightning. Looked like a storm was coming. But, Louis liked storms they didn’t bother him. He scraped for a pen and notepad.

He whispered to himself: “ I Made it to Today.”