A few weeks later I headed to work after having breakfast with Vic at Starbucks and inhaled the scent of old and new records mixed together when suddenly my nostrils flared and I stood shocked at the sweet smell of candyfloss. I stared across the room and watched as Sasha pranced over to a guy who from the back looked attractive but he was fully covered so I couldn't really tell but when he turned around I started chuckling and he looked up at me.

"Hey, Mar," He smiled his usually neutral shy smile at me. Sasha folded her arms across her chest and huffed in annoyance, she pranced off and left Tony and I alone while she went to take an order from a teenage girl with bright pink hair. I laughed and walked over to Tony.

"So, Tone what are you looking for?" I cooed up at him, he placed his inked fingers atop some rows of plastic cases and smacked his lips together before telling me he was looking for an AFI album. I grinned and walked him towards the 'A' section in the 'Punk/Emo' category. Why the category was named that was an unanswered question to me but that's just the way it was. I looked through the shelf and when I found three AFI albums I pulled the three out at the same time and handed them to Tony.

"I'll get all three," He laughed.
"Big fan aye Tone?" Tony smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, it's about time I got new records, my old ones are kind of scratched," I chuckled at him and patted his upper arm whilst I pouted.
"Alright, well if I get more i'll tell you about it, K?" I grinned, Tony nodded.
"Thanks,"

Tony followed me up to the counter and paid Sasha who was chewing on her gum like an angry, disrespectful teenager. She kept eyeing me as she gave Tony his receipt and I chuckled when Tony looked at me with a weird look on his face as in saying 'What's wrong with her?' I shook my head and looked Sasha straight in the eyes then said, "I already have a boyfriend Sasha. Tony's one of his best friends." Tony chuckled at that and a big smile spread across Sasha's lips, she turned to Tony immediately but he quickly looked my way, said goodbye and left practically running away from the boy-crazed-freak.

I laughed to myself and continued on with my day. It got busy from midday to around three and while I was trying my way to get to everyone, Sasha was prancing around the store, chatting up guys and getting their numbers. Most of them laughed at her but she was pretty so they didn't really complain that much. By the time I got to Vic's place I could hardly feel my legs anymore, I groaned in agony at how much they hurt and just wanted to sit. I loved my job more than anything, being surrounded by historic albums and albums that twenty or so years from now would be incredulously famous was an amazing feeling and sharing my thoughts on certain music was also great. I got to interact with great, like-minded people and it was nice but having to be on my feet for eight to sometimes nine hours straight was hard.

My feet literally dragged to the couch and out of nowhere, loud banging noises filled my ears, then I heard Vic's voice. A melodic sound that at that time just sounded dreadful since I was so tired and felt weak. I just wanted to sleep and mentally blamed Vic for being one of the top two reasons why I was so exhausted, after the sweet little 'i love you's' it became a staggering amount of 'fuck's' and other words that were too blurred in my head by what he was doing to me. I hardly moved, it was all him. Darn Vic Fuentes.

"Marina!" I heard Vic exclaim from behind me, I turned around and immediately regretted it when Vic practically jumped on me causing me to fall onto the couch. He laid there and kissed my forehead before Mike cleared his throat and sighed.

"So in love these two, it's disgusting!" Mike whined jokingly. I stuck my tongue out at him which he returned. I laughed and he came over to hug me since it had been a while since we had last seen each other. "How's little Marina doing?" He asked. "Good." I smiled and asked him about how he was doing to which he replied with the same thing I had replied with. A simple 'good.' After that it was goofy Jaime's turn to get a hug and then Tony's although I wasn't that close to him as the other two boys. He was shy and held back most of the time, even with them sometimes so it was hard to be fully able to connect with him like I had with Jaime and Mike, sure we got along well but I hardly knew the guy, only the basics.

"We were jamming out to the new song we just wrote thanks to Tony," Vic clapped Tony's shoulder and Tony blushed in a bit of embarrassment. It was actually really cute, he looked like a chipmunk.
"Mind jammin' again so I can hear this shit?" I cocked my eyebrow at my boyfriend.
"Sure," He laughed, "Guys, you hear m'lady," Vic grinned and walked to the studio outside in the backyard. The four of us trailed behind him and when we got in the guys hurriedly went to grab their instruments while I sat on a beanbag that looked like a soccer ball. Props to Jaime.

I sighed deeply once I finally sat down and grinned as the guys started playing. The melody was soft at first but got intense on the second verse. Jaime's and Vic's screams mixed well together and Tony's guitar riffs were amazing. Mike banged the drums like he banged girls on a daily basis and from what I heard from him and numerous sources, it was pretty damn hard and good. Jaime slapped bass with passion and Vic played the guitar and sung beautifully as he looked into my eyes.

When they finished the song they all eagerly stared at me and I wondered for a while why but then it hit me and I started clapping. "That was really good, I loved it!" I grinned. They all seemed pleased with themselves and I was glad. I was proud of them. I always was, they were wonderful and really talented individuals. They deserved all the best, no doubt about it.

The next day Vic held my hand as we walked up the driveway to his parents' house to see his dad. We walked inside and his mom greeted us both with warm, gentle hugs then she lead us upstairs into her and her husband's room where Mr Fuentes laid under a blanket and his head was propped up by two large pillows, so was his left leg and all of his right arm was in a cast. I flinched at the sight and Vic noticed. He pulled me into his arms and held me there but in the end we ended up sitting next to his dad on the bed.

Mr Fuentes looked up at his son and smiled when he saw him. I felt bad. Really bad. His dad was so hurt and I knew that Vic was feeling immense pain and was as worried as his mom and I were. Vic and his dad started talking in short sentences as his dad found it hard to speak and I spent that time rubbing and squeezing Vic's hand as tightly as I possibly could to show support. Suddenly the door opened and I turned my head up to look at Mike standing in the doorway looking at his dad. The look in his eyes said it all, he felt terrible, I could practically see his stomach churning and read his thoughts clearly. He strode over to the other side of the bed and took a seat beside his father, I slowly stood to my feet and slipped out the room to give the three men some privacy and special bonding time.

I skipped down the steps of the wooden staircase and smiled halfheartedly when I saw Mrs Fuentes in the kitchen. A white apron with pink floral patterns around her small waist and her white hair sitting just on her shoulders, she smiled at me and extended her shaky, wrinkled arms to me. I walked straight towards her and wrapped my arms around her neck, she shook against me and her fragile arms wrapped around my torso. I rubbed her back trying to calm her down but she broke down, crying onto my shoulder and trembling as I held her and then we we pulled apart she pulled out a tissue from her apron and dabbed at the tears and without saying a word she walked past me to the kitchen table where she sat and put her head in her hands.

My immediate thought was to walk over there and take a seat next to her, let her talk about what was going on in her mind and so I did just that. We spent the next hour just talking about how she was feelings. She told me she was scared and worried. Mama Fuentes said that she wouldn't know what to do if Papa Fuentes didn't make it and the worst part is that she had little to no faith he'd get better and in the state he was in I felt the same but I tried so hard not too let myself think that fully and to think positive for Vic. For Mike. For Mrs Fuentes and of course for Mr Fuentes who was a great man.

After a while Vic and I had gone back to his home. I tried talking to him but he'd shut me out so I got my things and headed to my place. A really good house but not as good as Vic's. I loved my place but I loved Vic's more. That day was meant to be good, we were meant to see Vic's dad progress and then head out somewhere the next night but I knew that wouldn't happen and I didn't try calling Vic either. I was positive he didn't want to talk and just wanted to be alone for a little bit and he'd call me the next day. But the next day passed and I let that slip. More days passed and I started to feel worried but I let them slide too until after an entire week and a half Vic decided to call and tell me he wanted to go to the movies and if I was up for it. Of course I had agreed, I missed him very much and just wanted to be there for him.

After a few hours of getting ready Vic was knocking at my door, I swung it open and we quickly left. I looked up at Vic as we walked to his car in silence and leaned up to kiss his cheek but he dodged my lips and I got hurt. I didn't understand why he was being distant, I get his dad was hanging on a thread but he had no reason to be like this with me, I didn't do anything wrong all that I wanted was to be there for him.

We got to the movies and sat there without a word. Vic only held my hand but didn't even laugh and it burned me so much. When the movie ended he took me back to my place and the only thing he did before leaving was to cup my head in his hands and give me a long kiss on my forehead. He brushed his lips against mine gently and then quickly turned and left murmuring"Bye, I love you." At least I knew he still loved me but everything ached, we were so good two weeks ago, he showed so much affection towards me and I just wasn't used to this Vic at all. And I didn't want time to pass so I did get used to it, it bummed me out. Nipped at my heart and thoughts.

I really wanted things to go back to normal soon.