Page 86 of Five Summers

Sadly, Ace and I are living in the biggest dump that surpasses anything I’ve encountered before. And trust me, I’ve seen some shady shit. The place is deteriorating, with walls riddled with holes and the sound of clanging pipes whenever the water is turned on. Adding to that, this apartment is infested with shady characters, like drug dealers, prostitutes, and folks from all walks of life. I suppose if my father or even Poppy’s mother were to witness my current living situation, they would probably deem it a perfect match for me.

Ace bolted out of our apartment yesterday when he heard someone playing the drums. Turns out, the music was coming from the apartment upstairs. By sheer luck, Nate, a skilled drummer, and Theo, a talented bass player, were actually seeking to form a band. Can you believe the odds of that? Suddenly, we stumbled upon the perfect additions to our band, the ones Ace and I were eagerly waiting for. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to meet them that day because I was totally wasted.

But today Ace is taking me upstairs to meet these two guys. I know I should be more excited about it because everything is finally falling into place. However, there’s a dark storm cloud hanging over my head as I step into each new day.

I haven't touched my guitar since we got here, it's just too painful. Whenever I see that guitar, I feel so guilty because it reminds me of what I did. But Ace said I had to bring it along with me when I meet these two guys today. I just hope the efforttoday pays off in the end, and why the fuck did he not bring along his own guitar?

I'm standing next to Ace, gripping my guitar tightly, as he knocks on the door of the apartment above ours.

He looks my way. “You could show a little more excitement. These two inside might be the perfect fit we’ve been looking for.”

I opt to remain silent, still angry with Ace for texting Jade and filling her in on the recent events. I have no doubt that Jade, being the gossip she is, would eagerly share the details with everyone. If word of this reaches Poppy, I don’t even want to imagine what she must be thinking. Before Ace can say anything else, the door swings open.

In front of me stands a guy with short blond hair, proudly displaying his tattooed chest while wearing a pair of sweatpants. There's another guy next to him, with shoulder-length brown hair, same style as mine, also shirtless and only wearing boxers. They both seem to be around the same age as Ace and me. The guy in boxers has his arm around a cute little blonde, who is wearing a snug red dress that clings to her figure. And I notice straight away she’s way too skinny, her figure resembling a stick with no curves whatsoever.

“Hey,” says the first guy in surprise when he spots Ace and me standing by the door.

I see the blonde girl lean in and give the boxer guy a kiss, leaving a smudge of red lipstick on his cheek. Then she goes to the other guy holding the door and also kisses him.

“Don’t forget to call me,” she says, running her fingers down his tattooed chest.

The blonde gives Ace a once-over, and then her blue eyes meet mine. She smirks in a playful way, letting me know she's interested. But I choose to look down, focusing on the floor in front. I used to be all about that, looking for a place to put mycock, but now I can't even bring myself to do that. I'm totally screwed. Completely broken. And it’s killing me.

“Xander, this is Nate,” Ace says, introducing the first guy in sweatpants.

“Hey,” I add, shaking his hand.

“And this is Theo,” Nate says, pointing at the guy next to him.

“Hey,” I add, reaching out to shake his hand.

“Theo plays bass and Nate’s on drums,” says Ace.

“Hey, cool guitar, dude,” Theo says. “You guys want to come in?”

Nate steps back, holding the door open wider for us to come in.

“Sure,” Ace says, entering the room.

As I venture further into the small apartment, I can’t help but notice how similar it is to our own less-than-ideal living space. Countertops cluttered with pizza boxes and beer bottles, clothes and miscellaneous items strewn across the floor. Positioned near the back window is a set of drums, providing these guys with a view of the nearby park. In contrast, the window in our shabby apartment falls short, unable to offer a glimpse beyond a boring brick wall.

With his guitar in hand, Theo walks out of the room and takes a seat beside me. I’m taken aback by his spontaneous gesture of offering me his guitar, which leaves me pondering his intentions. However, he quickly breaks into a mischievous grin. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” he playfully remarks.

His playful joke makes me laugh.

Right from the start, I instantly take a liking to Theo, but I’m not quite certain about the other guy, Nate. Personally, I think Nate's a bit too serious for me.

I pass my guitar to Theo, and in exchange, I grab hold of his. Resting it on my lap, I strum a few chords. It’s pleasant,but it doesn’t quite compare to the guitar that Poppy gifted me. Casting a glance at Theo, I witness his fingers gracefully pluck the strings, and a smile appears on his face when our eyes connect. He, like me, truly appreciates the craftsmanship of a well-made guitar.

As we jam on our guitars, our fingers effortlessly slide across the frets, creating a sweet rhythm.

Meanwhile, seated on the adjacent couch, Nate and Ace are engrossed in a deep conversation about the band, the music, and various other topics. Every now and then, they pause their discussion to watch Theo and me playing our guitars.

Theo and I spend a few hours jamming together, and I take the chance to teach him a few chords from my songs. He catches on quickly, and soon we’re jamming together. Nate wastes no time and joins in, getting up from the couch and heading over to his drum set. His exceptional drumming skills make it clear why Ace wanted to get to know him before anyone else could snatch him up.

Ace heads down, grabs his guitar, and then we jam for the rest of the afternoon. The way these two boys interact and support each other is truly remarkable, making them the perfect duo for our band, Broken Oasis. We instantly connect, and it’s clear that Nate and Theo are enthusiastic about joining our band and learning more of our music.

As I play the guitar and sing, it feels good, and the familiar melody takes me to a peaceful place. Deep down, I know it’ll take time to heal and let go of Poppy. However, with our band members now in place, I can effortlessly immerse myself in the power of music.

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