Silence is Suicide.

Chapter Twenty-Four.

Jeremy furrowed his brow to his little brother. "What are you talking about, Ed?"

Eddy's eyes flashed, "Bro! We're going to California!" It was obvious to me that he could not contain his excitement. He talked faster than normal; his words blended with each other, making it difficult to understand.

"Eddy! Slow down!" Jeremy said standing up and he grabbed Eddy by the shoulders. He tried to contain him and attempted to calm him down.

Eddy breathed a few deep breaths.

"You okay now?" Jeremy said monotonously.

Eddy rolled his eyes while nodding. "I've been fine."

"Whatever." Jeremy said also rolling his eyes, then joined the three of us on the couch.

"Are you all ready for this?"

"We have been. Spit it out already!" Pete whined.

"Okay, okay." Eddy's crooked smile, like Jeremy's was not able to be hidden from us. "One of the club owners in California came up to the club we were at last night during our gig. Apparently, she asked for our number. SInce I'm tight with Phil, last night's club owner, he gave her my number. This morning I got the cal. She wants US to preform for their Battle of the Bands type thing! She said she WANTED us! She practically BEGGED me!"

The rest of us were in shock. We all stared at each other. Our mouths gaped open.

"You're shitting me." Pete said taken aback by this news.

"Damn, this is HUGE!" Darren screamed, jumping from the couch.

Pete immediately jumped up and kicked the air. "Dude! This is fucking amazing!"

Jeremy put me in a head lock and rubbed his knuckles on my head. "Fuck. Yes. Bro! You have no idea how amazing this is for us! Thank you."

Jeremy, I do have an idea. I've known you for awhile now... It is not a problem for me. Anything to keep my brother happy.

I smiled a toothy smile at him.

I was also excited. I was going to California, a place I've always wanted to go.

We each were allowed to bring one other person. Jeremy chose Ambrosia, Eddy chose Pops, Pete picked his girlfriend, and Darren and I had no one so far.

**

After a few hours of Saturday morning practice, we all dissmissed. I wrote to them that I was going for a walk. I grabbed my backpack and walked down the stairs and outside. I started toward my old school. Jeremy pulled me out of that school, so now I was homeschooled.

I walked into the school from the music doors. It was mostly quiet. Only a few hums or squeaky instruments were heard. On Saturdays, students are allowed to practice in the practice rooms with permission ahead of time.

I peeked into each of the rooms. My heart skipped a beat.

Rae.

I haven't heard or seen her since the incident in the hospital... Her back was turned away from me. She was oblivious to my existence behind her.

I knocked on the doorframe. She jumped, I startled her a bit. Her head turned and faced me, "E... Emerson? Is that you?"

I gave her a half-smile. I began to walk toward her slowly.

She hesitated, but ran and flung her arms around my neck. "I'm so sorry." she whispered.

I just nodded, I know...

When she unwrapped her arms, she sat on the floor. I followed her down.

"Why are you here?" she asked. "Technically, you shouldn't be here... You've been unenrolled..."

I unzipped my backpack and pulled out the trusty whiteboard.

"Because I needed to ask you something... And I don't have your number or address. I figured you'd be here..."

"What would your question be?" She asked with curious eyes and a raised brow. "It must be important since you've gone through all that trouble just to find me."

I exhaled, "Nuclear Winter gets to play in a show in California... A Battle of the Bands type thing... I wanted to know if you'd like to be my guest...?"

"Oh," she let out an awkward sigh/chuckle. "Andrew's playing in that show, too..." She sighed and said, "I'm already his guest... by default." she said very softly and looked down.

I felt dissatisfied. Then, anger and disbelief. This ass hole is ruining my life and he can't treat a girl with respect. With my luck, of course he'd be going to California too.

I nodded, faking calmness.

"I guess I'll see you there then. I'm really happy you're going to be there, Em."

Me too... I said half-smiling, although my eyes were empty.

She bit her bottom lip, "You'd better get going..."

I did just that. I left without a goodbye.

**

The seven of us have been in the crowded Nuclear Winter van for five hours. We're all crowded and we aren't having as much fun as we were three hours ago. It's only eight in the morning and we're all fatigued. Eddy, Darren, and Pops took driving shifts to maximize our time on the road. Apparently, we have about ten hours left until we reach our final destination: Los Angeles, California. In the back of my mind, I have a feeling we won't make it in exactly ten hours. The roads are going to be packed.

We've been eating greasy fast food that makes you feel disgusting. To use the bathroom, we either stop at the gas station or we just park in the shoulder of the road and go. We all smell terribly and feel groggy.

Gracella, Pete's girlfriend, has gotten sick in the van before. I felt really bad for her... and everyone else in the van.

I watched out the window. I was amazed at all the things I saw. The world was so beautiful and different where ever you go... and I haven't seen anything yet.

**

Thirteen hours in the jam-packed, smelly, disgusting, van; we finally arrived. We were in the largest city in California. It was amazing... Breathtaking.