For the next few days of my wonderful adventure, I had still been confined to the house. I didn't find the nerve to go exploring on my own on account of pure laziness. Cora had taken me to the garden she talked about, I had to admit it was a pretty decent place. Colorful and fresh flowers that decorated the clean cut grass. A white classic gazebo in the middle that allowed some breathing room and momentary peace of mind. I'd figured I'd spend most of my days here if my dad or Cora had let me. I knew Cora at least would, I sensed her obligations to try to get me to like her, which wasn't very hard to do. Like I said, I had taken a liking to her, something I was surely going to have to keep secret from my mom.

I knew I couldn't go for more than one day without her freaking out over my safety. Ten thousands 'I'm fine, or I'm okay' would simply not suffice to the crazy woman. If I was honest, I ignored her a couple of times just to not feel or hear my phone ringing every hour. I was this close to turning off my phone completely but then she'd really have a heart attack.

I took the good with the bad basically. I tried to spend time with my dad doing things we'd usually do when I was visiting him. Since we didn't go anywhere, we talked over football games on the couch and pizza. I felt like a stranger at times getting to know him all over again. I could only hope I found some more activities to do to occupy myself instead of drawing on the front porch.

Like now. We were currently at the supermarket getting…well whatever Cora put on the list. I didn't particularly have patience for stores, just like this one. I received quite a few stares from elders who must've been dazzled to see a colorful person such as myself. Yeah, not. I was dressed like any other teen, maybe influenced too much by Los Angeles.

"Do you feel like chicken tonight?" my dad asked as I only half listened to him while we trailed down the frozen aisles as I gave him a nod.

"Sure." I shrugged to please him. I quietly listened to Nirvana as I daydreamed involuntarily. We had stopped at the fruit section when my dad forgot some item (I wasn't paying attention to care what it was) while he left to get it, I was looking around aimlessly until he came back.

I felt eyes boring into my back, I was usually pretty good about stuff like that. I believe it contributed to my small paranoia of human beings. I turned my head to see a girl with brown hair and honey eyes staring at me, I saw her cheeks blush before she looked down. I furrowed my eyebrows, clearly this girl couldn't be thinking what I was thinking…

I turned my head back and shook my head slightly as if it would shake away the obscene thoughts in my head, but the feeling of eyes on me lingered. I exhaled deeply and turned back once more as the girl gave a slight wave.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare…it's just…you listen to Veruca Salt?" she asked amazed as I nodded and turned down Volcano Girls to hear her speak more clearly.

"Yeah, I love them." I nodded as she cracked a smile.

"Pardon me, but you don't understand how relieved I am to meet someone with taste." she laughed as she held her hand out.

"I'm Aimee." she said politely as I shook it reluctantly.

"I'm Gianna, but please call me Gia. Nice to meet you." I smiled.

"Likewise. I do believe I've never seen you around, this place is a little bit of a small town, or I'm just nosy." she teased.

"Well I'm actually visiting my dad for the summer." I explained.

"Oh, where you from?" she asked curiously.

"Los Angeles." I replied.

"Wicked." she smiled. "So the summer huh? Whereabouts around here are you staying at?" she pressed as I wondered if I should tell her. She seemed a little too eager, but I had to admit it was kind of amusing.

"Umm…De Soto street? By this church?" I replied lamely as her eyes brightened.

"No way, you live on my street! How did I not know this?" she asked herself with a frown as I shrugged my shoulders and chuckled nervously.

"I haven't gone out much so." I offered as she just nodded.

"I see, well that's got to change doesn't it?" she laughed. "What other music do you listen to?" she asked curiously.

"Umm I mostly just listen to rock. I can't stand Britney Spears." I said rolling my eyes. "So Nirvana, Hole, Garbage, No Doubt, The Donnas, and Veruca Salt of course." I smiled as her jaw dropped.

"You, are like my soul mate." she replied mystified. "We have to hang out now. You are just too rare, I mean only my brother likes the same music I do, well sort of. Everyone else around here sticks to the classics and what not." she sighed.

"I've noticed." I nodded in agreement.

"Aimee!" I heard someone say as she rolled her eyes.

"What the hell is taking your skinny ass so long to get a damn loaf of bread? Dad's getting testy." a boy said as he came closer, I realized this boy was Chris. I immediately blushed and looked down.

"I'm socializing what of it?" she asked Chris now looked at me as I waved at him and laughed nervously like an idiot.

"Oh it's you." he said raising an eyebrow as Aimee stared at us confused.

"You know her?" she asked.

"We met a few days ago, I was a gentleman and introduced myself." he said proudly as I smiled at him while she rolled her eyes.

"Gentleman, please." she scoffed. "She seems too normal to want to be friends with you." she retorted as he put a hand to his chest.

"That hurt, not. And how do you know? Did you ask her?" he replied as he looked at me. "Am I too weird for you?" he asked me as I blushed even more and just shook my head.

"See?" he said sticking out his tongue.

"Well you obviously know my birdbrain brother Chris, there should be no need for introductions." she said to me sarcastically.

"Hey, I'm a very appealing person." he stated, which elicited a giggle from me, causing him to smile and stare at me as I looked back down.

"Aimee, Chris, what the hell? Did I send you on a mission to Goddamn China to get some bread?!" I heard a voice shout as Aimee and Chris looked at each other before laughing.

"We'd better go." Aimee sighed. "But hey! You should totally come hang out with us today, I mean if it's cool with your dad and all." she told me as I shook my head.

"No, I think he'd be okay with it." I nodded.

"Awesome. Well you probably know how to get to our house." she laughed, a melodic laugh that was contagious. "It's the last house on the right with a grey car." she explained.

"Cool." I smiled.

"Can you come by around 3 or 4? My brother's band is having band practice, you can meet some more people." she shrugged.

"Yeah, you should definitely go." Chris put in as he looked at me while I chewed on my lip, I hadn't really been this situation before.

"Yeah for sure." I nodded once more as they smiled.

"Aimee!" the voice shouted again.

"Got to go, see you later!" she waved as Chris smiled at me once more before him and Aimee were dashing down the aisle as I shook my head but smiled.

Someone actually wanted to hang out with me…

We had gotten home with a hurry as I looked at the clock, excited for 3 o'clock to come around. It felt 'normal' to have someone to talk to, and Aimee seemed like the type of person I could get on with. I walked into the kitchen where Cora and my dad were preparing dinner as I nervously tangled my hands together.

"Dad?"

"Yes, honey?" he replied as I chewed on my lip.

"Do you think it would be okay if I went over to a friend's house for a little while?" I asked as he looked at me confused.

"Friend?" I nodded.

"Her name is Aimee, we met at the store and she said she lives on the block. We have a lot of stuff in common, she invited me over for a while." I explained as he looked at me warily then to Cora who shrugged at him.

"I don't see anything wrong with that, might be good for you to meet some people." she offered as she winked at me as I smiled while hiding it from my dad.

"Well I'd guess it be okay, as long as she lives on the block." my dad clarified as I rolled my eyes inside my head. Great, my dad thinks I'm still 10 who's not allowed to leave the street.

"Yes dad. She's really cool." I replied in an almost begging tone as he sighed.

"Alright, but be careful and be home at 8 okay?" he told me as I smiled and hugged him.

"Yes, thank you daddy!" I said before I ran upstairs as I heard Cora giggle behind me. I locked my door and changed out of my clothes and into something more 'cool.' It mostly consisted of regular jeans, a black slim fitting shirt, and a matching black sweater. I slipped on my black converse before staring at my hair. I decided to release it out of its ponytail so it cascaded down to just about my ribcage. I smoothed out the black tresses and looked at my face. I decided to put some eyeliner on to give my eyes some edge; hey, I wanted to make somewhat of a good impression. When I felt complete, I slipped my phone and iPod into my pocket and trotted downstairs.

"I'm going, I'll be back at 8." I stated to my dad and Cora while reaching for the doorknob.

"Be careful Gia!" my dad called after me as I replied and was out the door with a sigh of relief. I took in the warm Las Gatos sunshine before walking down the street to Aimee's house. I made it there in a minute tops before I was knocking on the door. A minute later, Aimee appeared with a large smile.

"Hey! Come in." she ushered me in as I smiled before stepping in, the smell of cookies greeted me.

"Are you hungry or thirsty?" Aimee asked as I shook my head.

"I'm good, thank you." I replied as she nodded. The house was neatly decorated with many pictures and an impressive coffee table.

"Nice house." I told her as she smiled.

"Thanks."

"Aimee, who's this?" a woman with very blonde hair and matching honey eyes appeared as she looked at me curiously.

"Mom, this is Gia. She's visiting for the summer, she lives on the block. I invited her over, is that okay?" she asked as the woman smiled.

"Well of course. I'm Anne, nice to meet you." she said extending her hand at me as I shook it, convinced this town was fond of handshakes.

"Likewise." I smiled politely.

"Well Aimee, offer her a snack and don't let your brother pester her." she warned as Aimee mock saluted.

"Okay mom." she sighed as she grabbed my wrist and tugged at it gently.

"Come on, let's go down to the basement, that's where all the guys are." she explained as I nodded and let her lead the way, we walked down the small steps before I heard several laughs and a guitar playing.

"Yo." Aimee said as the familiar five guys stared at me curiously as I blushed once more, a habit I could not kill.

"Who that?" one with the blonde hair asked.

"Her name is Gia. She's come to hang with us, so be polite." she replied as she looked at me.

"Well I guess I shall introduce you. The one over there is Peter, then Simon, and the one with the freaky soul patch is Aaron." she teased as Aaron glared at her.

"Hey!" he said holding up a drumstick threateningly as I smiled. Aimee and I made our way over to the couch by the against wall, unfortunately right by Chris who eyed me as I sat down.

"H-how long have you been in a band?" I asked them.

"Meh, for a good three years now." Chris replied as the guys nodded.

"Cool."

"So Gia, where you from?" Simon asked as I sighed, knowing I'd have to repeat myself 10,000 times to each new person I met.

"LA." I replied as this seemed to please them.

"Nice." Aaron commented.

"That's where they're trying to go." Aimee informed me as I looked at her.

"Oh, they're trying to go pro?" I asked her as she nodded.

"Keyword, trying." she teased as I giggled.

"Heard that." Chris glared at her as she stuck her tongue out at him while I shook my head, curious as to see how siblings handled each other. I'm an only child, I have no idea what it was like, but I almost certain I didn't want to know.

"So what do you play?" I asked curiously at Chris who shrugged.

"We play anything, well rock mainly. As a matter of fact, we'll show you." he said to me before getting up as the guys positioned themselves.

"Enigma dudes." Chris said to the guys as they nodded before Aaron counted them down and the instruments came to life.

"Do we know how to get the message across
We turn the lights off to find a way out
No time to get through, to grasp what was lost
Don't turn the light off and leave me in the (dark)

Hey, I'm pleading, my soul is bleeding
I don't want to be left alone,
not when I'm right next to you
What are you thinking, it's so misleading
Is it not for me to know?
I think it's just hard for you to show

We never spoke in the words that we want
We turn the lights off to find a way out
We've never chosen it to keep what we've got
Don't turn the light off and leave me in the (dark)

Hey, I'm pleading, my soul is bleeding
I don't want to be left alone,
not when I'm right next to you
What are you thinking, it's so misleading
Is it not for me to know?
I think it's just hard for you to show

Hard for you to show
And it's so hard for you to show
Why is it hard for you to show
Hard for u to show

I thought it would be nice
to lie down and close my eyes
It never occurred to me
that I am already asleep

Don't be the one to
Don't be the one to be let go (sleep!)
Don't be the one to
Don't be the one to be alone (sleep!)
Don't be the one to
Don't be the one to be let go (sleep!)
Don't be the one to
(Sleep in your arms tonight)

Hey, I'm pleading, my soul is bleeding
I don't want to be left alone,
not when I'm right next to you
What are you thinking, it's so misleading
I don't wanna be left alone

And I don't wanna be left alone

No one wants to be left alone" Chris finished singing as I almost turned to mush. His voice was soft, but strong. The guitars and drums blended together perfectly as it meshed with the vocals.

"Wow." I said stunned as they eyed me.

"Did you like it?" Peter asked me as I shook my head.

"Like? I loved it. You guys…are good. Really good." I told them, surprised that a garage band could sound this good.

"Thanks." Chris smiled at me as I smiled back before we both looked away.

"So Gia, how old are you?" Aimee asked me as she chewed on her pink taunt lip.

"17."

"Me too, your birthday?"

"October 24th." I replied.

"No way, I'm the 21st! This is so meant to be." she said shaking her head as I raised my eyebrow at her before smiling. I almost had to pinch myself when I realized I (dare I say it) made a few friends.

I guess things we're looking up for me…