𝑪𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 -𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓹𝓽.𝓸𝓷𝓮
𝓅𝒶𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔:𝓐𝓷𝓭𝓲 𝓐𝓰𝓸𝓼𝓽𝓲 × 𝓜𝓙'𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓲𝓷!𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻
⟹ 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓹𝓽.𝓽𝔀𝓸
Summary: Andi swore off of love after Emilia left. When her band blew up over the summer she travelled throughout Mexico leaving a trail of rebounds but now the school year was starting and MJ's younger cousin was her newest target.
You stared out the window as your older sister pulled into the driveway of what would soon be your home for the next three years—Elite Way High.
“You shouldn’t come out,” you said before your sister could unlock the doors. “I don’t want any extra attention.”She gave a half-smile, almost sad.
“Okay, well... I guess this is goodbye then, kid.”
“I’d say I’m gonna call you every week and all that, but we both know I won’t.”
“I’d still appreciate a call every once in a while. Or a text. This place can be tough. If you need someone, I’m here.”
“You got me out of that house and here. You’ve done enough. I want to do this on my own.” And for the first time in a long time, you weren’t lying.
This was a fresh start. No more rules, no more walking on eggshells. You weren’t a scared kid anymore or a protector—you were finally free.And deep down, you really believed you’d be okay this time. Maybe this was the moment you’d been waiting for your entire life. This was the “things will get better” every social worker and school counciler had talked about.
“Besides,” you added, cracking a small smile, “I’ve got MJ. I won’t be completely alone."
. ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
The freshmen were clumped together in a loose circle, some wearing awkward smiles and shuffling restlessly, but most standing confidently, like they already belonged here. A girl—who you assumed was a senior—stood in front, talking about how amazing the school was and how you had barely earned your spot. But with your earbuds still in, you could barely hear a word.You let your eyes wander, scanning the crowd for anything or anyone remotely interesting.
It didn’t take long for your gaze to land on a familiar face slipping past the group.
Andi.
The same Andi who’d been living rent-free in your head ever since MJ first sent you a picture. You only caught a quick glance as she walked by, side by side with Jana—MJ’s other bandmate—but it was enough. She was even more attractive in person. Effortless. Cool without trying. The kind of girl you noticed, even when you didn’t want to.
Distracted by Andi, you didn’t realize something had fallen out of your pocket until you felt someone tap your shoulder.
"It fell," a guy said, handing you some money. You had smelled him—or rather, the weed he had smoked—before you even got a good look.He had that kind of look that screamed trouble. Golden-brown skin, like he lived in the sun, and messy dark curls. His eyes were a deep brown, almost black, and there was a small cut through his eyebrow. Tattoos covered his arms, black ink standing out against his skin, and there was a small one under his right eye that looked like it had been there forever.
"I'm Dominic," he said casually.
You ended up sticking together as the tour started, mostly in silence. Dominic just slightly behind, whispering comments every once in a while. He seemed funny, maybe a little rude, but you didn’t mind.
"Do you think all of our egos will grow that big by senior year?" he whispered.
"You're almost there, and it’s only your first year," you shot back.
"Wow. That hurt."
"I'm so sorry, you two in the middle," the tour guide suddenly said, loud enough to snap everyone's attention toward you. You and Dominic froze as the guide stared into your souls. "I didn't realize there was something more interesting happening than you being given a tour of the best school in Latin America."
You and Dominic shared a quick glance, trying to hold back your laughter. Hearing Dominic chuckle under his breath only made it worse, and judging by the tour guide’s glare, it definitely didn’t help.
"Anyways," the guide said sharply, "if you two are done talking, some of us would like to finish this tour."
"Mhm," was all you could get out without laughing.
The group kept walking till you reached a glass display case of a famous band from the school. People started taking pictures and talking amongst themselves.
"We should take a pic, you know, document our first day."
"Awee, lemme guess—your mom told you to get pictures," you teased. Rolling his eyes Dominic handed you his phone.
He stood in front of the glass case, hands in his pocket looking down while you took the picture. He did a few more poses slowly getting more ridiculous with each one.
"A few more, come on please... For me."
"Fine."
This time you stood with him using the back camera of ur phone. After a what felt like twenty photos but was probably like five the group was being told to move again. You started following, but then your phone buzzed in your hand.
You glanced down.
Unknown number
It’s dad. Text me back when you get this, we need to talk.
You froze.
"Let's go," Dominic said, glancing at you and then at your phone. His expression shifted slightly. "Need a minute?" he asked, his voice lower, like he already knew the answer.
"Yeah... go ahead, I'll catch up," you said, forcing a tight lipped smile.
He nodded once before jogging to catch up with the group, leaving you standing there blankly staring at your phone.
You knew he'd find you at some point but it wasn't supposed to be now. You thought you'd have time. But he'd always fund you. Except this time you're not a scared little kid.
Your hand instinctively moved toward the cart tucked in your pocket before you remembered you were still out in the open. Deep breaths would have to work for now. At least until you could find somewhere more private to smoke.
"Don't tell me Victoria already scared you off." You turned to see Andi walking towards you. For a moment you didn't think she was talking to you at least until she was right in front of you leaning against the lockers.
There was no way this was happening now.
"The awful highlights were scarier than her " you said managing to crack a smile. You put your phone back in your pocket saving that problem for later. You couldn't focus on your father right now and Andi seemed like a cute distraction. "Someone should really tell her about that."
"Trust me, we've tried," she said stepping closer.
Andi smirked, a slow kind of smile that made everything else disappear for a second. She didn’t say anything, just let her eyes trail over you spending a little longer on ur chest before looking back up at you.
You wondered if she knew who you were. Nothing about your looks gave it away. The only indication of who you were was the bracelet hiding under your sleeves.
"I should probably get back to the tour, she'll might actually say something important." You weren't exactly excited to get back to the tour but knew you probably should. Andi was cute, but she was trouble. MJ had told you enough to know you should stay way.
"Trust me she won't."
You shifted, pretending to hesitate. "Unless you're planning on showing me around, I should probably go back. Do you know where they went?"
Andi let out a quiet breath that was almost a laugh. "Not idea... But I'm still a better tour guide than Victoria," Andi said starting to walk away.
Ditching orientation was a very you way to start the year. Now ditching orientation with Andi Agosti was something different. But if you went back to orientation you'd be restlessly thinking about the text.
With Andi you could escape. You'd be someone else for as long as she was with you. You'd pretend not to know about the drugs and the girls and when she asked about your past you'd stretch the truth making it seem nicer than it was.
"Did she already show you the music room?" Andi asked, glancing over her shoulder.
"Yeah but," you said, catching up to her. "When are we actually allowed to touch the instruments?"
Andi smiled, the corner of her mouth pulling up just slightly.
"You can now."
She turned a corner like she knew the halls by heart, leading you into a room full of instruments.
The space buzzed with the kind of energy you couldn’t fake — guitars, keyboards, drum kits all scattered around like they were waiting to be picked up. This was where people's dreams came true, where your dreams would come true.
"What do you play?" she asked, leaning casually against the wall close to the entrance, watching you.
Your fingers burned begging to touch every instrument. Even Andi couldn't distract you from this. You almost forgot she was there as you moved towards the instruments.
You touched the drums remembering how awful you were at them. They were beautiful but never for you. The guitar, though... that was different.
You grabbed one off the stand, the weight of it settling into your hands like it belonged there. Your fingers moved easily over the strings, tuning it quickly without even thinking.
The moment you started playing, you felt at ease, like you belonged. Your fingers found the chords easily, the guitar feeling like an extension of yourself. You started playing one of your sisters songs, soft at first, letting the familiar rhythm settle under your skin. The room seemed to shrink around you, everything fading except the music. Without thinking, you started singing — quiet at first slowly getting louder as you got into the song.
"So thanks for nothin. I knew I shoulda called your bluffing"
"Some things never change, you're crawling under my skin..."
You had never sung this song out loud without your sister. It was weird not hearing her voice blending with yours. You half expected it to sound bad or at least not as good without her but it didn't. Without her drowning out your voice you could actually hear the emotion behind the song. It was raw and not perfect but it was real.
"But I ain't had no business being in my feelings.”
"Living in my mental, baby, you would go insane. Overthink over the sink, I know I clogged the drain..."
You looked up and caught Andi staring at you, not bothering to try and hide it. You couldn't quite make out the look on her face.
According to your sister you had a way of distracting people in with your voice. Unlike her you couldn't do the catchy pop hits for you music was deeper. You wanted to capture people, draw them in and pull at their emotions.
"Enjoying the show, sweetheart?" you teased, unable to hide your smile, knowing full well she was. If there was one thing girls loved, it was a lesbian who played guitar.
The nickname had pulled a slow smirk out of her. She couldn't hide the way her cheeks flushed pink, the color standing out against her skin.
"You're really good."
"I know," you said, setting the guitar down and making your way toward her. Of course you were good. Music was in your blood. It was the one thing you had always done right. Music came to you more naturally than anything else. You had to be good.
Andi saying it still made you smile. She was an artist, one who had actually made it. There was no label, no connections to fast track her success. And she thought you were good. That meant something.
Andi didn’t move, watching as you came closer. You stopped in front of her tilting ur head slightly to look up at her. Her eyes moved from yours to your lips and back up begging you to make a move.
This was the part you enjoyed the most. Having a girl waiting made you feel alive, in control. You loved the moments before more than the physical intimacy itself. The way she looked at you, need filling her eyes, it made you feel high.
Just before you could lean in to kiss her your phone started ringing.
yes, I gotta get next to you
But you're so far away, yes, I gotta get next to you
“Nice ringtone.”
Searching for a heart another world away, you're alright
“Are you gonna get that?”
No. You already knew who it was and you had no interest in picking up his call. You pulled out your phone and swiped decline.
“Now where were we,” you said looking up from your phone and putting it into your pocket.
