" BluePrint?! Are you for real?" Max enquired. His eyes wide as he stared at the tickets in his hand.
BluePrint was a band which we had gotten into about a fear back. They weren't that well known, I mean, in terms of fame I'd say they were somewhat average, but we all loved them and they had to be the only band I mostly stalked on social media. They were unique in their own way, and in Max's hands were three concert tickets to literally watch them perform. Kira snatched the tickets from him and clutched them to her chest protectively. Then she turned to Jenna with the most adoring look, I suspected it was actually an honest one unlike all the others she usually wore whenever Jenna was around.
" It's my cousin's birthday on Sunday, her boyfriend went online to buy these tickets but most of his friends claimed they couldn't make it. And it'll be a shame to let them go to waste. "
" A shame indeed! " Max commented. They both seemed very excited, but I wasn't buying a word of what Jenna was saying. It was way too convenient.
" So I guess I can count on you guys to be there? It's gonna be at --"
" The Metal Magenta, yeah, we know!" Kira cut in, she was seconds away from bouncing up and down. Those tickets were NOT cheap, otherwise we would have attended a BluePrint concert ages ago. So for Jenna to just hand us three free tickets was nothing if not suspicious.
" It's a bit far, if you want we could pick you up and go together?" My two friends who had momentarily forgotten their dislike for Jenna turned to face each other. They seemed to be having some telepathic conversation because after some seconds of in-depth staring, they both turned to Jenna and nodded.
Sunday was the only free day I had, and even though I didn't have anything planned on the particular day, I didn't feel comfortable just taking the tickets from Jenna and attending. It had never been in my nature to take anything that was freely given to me unless it was Austin who gave it. Because him and I had passed the point where we were too proud to accept each other's help.... although it had mostly always been in reference to me. But after so much time together, I had come to accept that he liked giving me things. And not because he thought I didn't have them but rather because he felt like it. He had once admitted that it made him happy to give me stuff. But he was the only one I accepted things from without reservation.
" Cool, we'll pick you guys at around seven. "
She turned to me, that sweet smile still in place, then she asked me why I was so quiet.
" He must be really shocked, it's our favorite band you see, " Max took the liberty of explaining. And I knew Jenna was messing with us when she acted all shocked. I could see past her deceit, and there was no way I was going to believe it was all a coincidence. It was just a bit too much.
The birthday party, the friends bailing, three free tickets...BluePrint?
I don't think I had ever met anyone else who liked the band apart from Kira and Max. And even with that, I'm pretty sure I was the only one who was actually interested in their music. Kira was into two of the band members and Max was into Kira. He basically only claimed to like them because his crush did. Out of us three, I was the only one who could name five of their songs along with their lyrics. Kira could only tell you how many times the lead vocalist had posted on his Instagram page. She was an obsessed fan girl and Max was an obsessed teenager with a lifetime crush on his best friend.
" Then I'm sure you'll have fun there, " Jenna stated, then she took the tiniest step towards me and quickly flipped her hair back. But it wasn't in a proud way, it was a subconscious action since she just wanted to get it out of the way.
I looked at the tickets again, they were still pressed tightly to Kira's chest. There was just no way I was going to attend. I'd definitely regret it afterwards, but for the moment I was going to let my pride take over.
" Actually, I don't think I can go. I've got something urgent to do on Sunday."
All their faces fell, but Jenna's mostly. She parted her lips to ask me why not but was unable to. She must have assumed I was only saying no because I didn't want to go there with her. Which was unfortunately part of the reason. Kira glared at me, then she asked me what was so urgent I was willing to miss the once in a lifetime opportunity for it.
" Just some work, I'll be at the store, "
" You don't work on Sundays. "
" My boss asked me to, just this once though. We have new shipment coming in and I have to be there. "
" What about that girl? The one that works in the mornings? "
" She went to visit her family, won't be back till next week. "
I had never thought I'd be so quick at coming up with random lies. But I knew that was the only way to get myself out if that situation.
" But.." Jenna began but then stopped, it was as if she had lacked the appropriate words to express her disappointment.
" I'm sure you can miss just one day, he won't know. "
" Yeah, it's not like he goes to the store anyway. "
" Shipment, remember? "
" Have them bring it over tomorrow then. I'll even come over and help you with it. "
" Me too!" Max chirped in. They were not going to let me get out of that one so easily. I felt like they had stabbed me in the back since they knew I didn't want to be in such a situation .
" I can't do that, Sunday is the earliest the shipment can arrive, so I'm afraid you'll have to go without me. "
Jenna seemed sadder than the two of them. They were sad for me, they knew I wanted to watch the performance. It was odd they couldn't tell I was lying, they actually believed what I was saying. Jenna was however, sad for herself, clearly having me there had been her main aim, and now that I had crushed her dreams she felt down.
" Well, that's such a shame. " Kira commented,but one more look at the tickets and she was smiling all over again. She mentioned something about her friend and how she also loved the band, then she asked Jenna if it would be okay to ask her to take my place.
" You have to be there. "
The statement was directed at me. She was looking at me with these pleading eyes. Then she told me how lonely she was going to feel if I didn't attend, that she had only given them to us because of me. That was the confident Jenna I was used to. On hearing that, Max and Kira must have feared that they'd lose the great opportunity because of my refusal to attend,so they assured Jenna that I was going to be there. That we'd think of something to do regarding my job so that I could go. She seemed satisfied after hearing that, and after asking me not to miss it once more,she said bye and walked away.
" Dude! You're not actually planning on turning this down, are you?" Kira asked immediately after Jenna was out of sight. I sighed and asked them not to pressure me since nothing was going to change.
" What if we find someone else to take over your shift just for that one night? We'll even offer to pay him, " she suggested. That was her live for cute boys talking, she wasn't willing to let that chance slide by as she watched. I'm pretty sure she had posters of those two members on her bedroom wall.
And I wondered what they we would do if they found out I was actually lying about work.
" Kyle!" Kira called out my name in the most pleading manner, stepping forward and holding my hand, then she looked at me with an innocent expression which I guess I was supposed to fall for.
" When do you think you'll get this chance again? "
" Never! If you let it go now it'll never come back." Max replied her rhetorical question.
I shook my head, I also didn't want to feel like I was letting them down. They both seemed so excited about going. And because I always tried to be a good friend, I promised to think about it. They gave me till the following morning. It was Friday, so I technically didn't have much time to think about it.
On the entire walk home, that was all they talked about, I honestly grew bored halfway through and opted to get lost in my thoughts.
I wondered where Austin actually was and when he was planning on getting back. One more day of his absence and I'd go crazy. That concert would have appealed to me a thousand times over if he would have been going with me. I was starting to get mad at him for making me long for him so damn much.