CHAPTER 1.5: The girl next door

Jonny had hit rock bottom.  


Without the band behind him he couldn't get a gig even in the crummiest of dive bars.


He was an outcast, spending his nights bar hopping

and bed hopping

and elevator hopping!

He had turned into a bitter shadow of his former self.


It had been months since he'd touched his drums and his drinking had spiralled out of control.


He awoke one morning and looked at himself in the mirror

His eyes were bloodshot and he was past due a shave.  His mouth was as dry as a desert and his chest was stinging - wait what was that pain?


Then it came back to him, the night before he'd ended up at a tattoo place down town

The tattoo artist had been reluctant to work on him but a few simoleans had changed his mind.


Jonny was determined he had wanted a permanent reminder of how his former bandmates had treated him

He had a huge dagger inked on his chest to symbolise the betrayal he felt.


As he looked at his reflection staring back at him he knew he needed to change, he knew he should take a shower have a shave and go out and find a gig.  But he just couldn't face the thought of another rejection.


Instead he threw on some clothes and headed to the bar.


The lunchtime crowd in Waylons Haunt had mostly dispersed back to their day jobs, only a few stragglers remained. 

Jonny started knocking back drinks, he planned on drinking until he forgot the mess that was his life.


After a few more cocktails the sound of the door to the bar opening registered in his head - he didn't bother to look up not wanting his binge interupted.

 Behind him a young girl entered. 


She was unsure at first, it did look like him from behind although his hair was shorter and he was covered in tattoos.  Could it really be Jonny?

She plucked up the courage and called his name.


Jonny spun round and regarded the girl, he hadn't seen her around here before and he knew most of the girls that frequented the dive bars!


There was something very familiar about her though.


He took a closer look

"Leila?  Is that you?"  he asked


"Yes it's me Jonny!"  She exclaimed


He could hardly believe his eyes since they hadn't looked upon Leila Katz since the day he left Twinbrook.
Back then she was just a scrawny little girl, the girl next door infact.  Yes back in Twinbrook they had been neighbours since they were kids.


But she was not a kid any more, she was stunning.

Leila explained to Jonny how she had just moved to Bridgeport last week with two of her friends, she had heard all about his band and how famous he was out here.  Jonny guessed she must of been talking to his mom, he hadn't the heart to tell her that he was a failure.


"I was hoping i would run into you at some point" Leila explained


"Well now you've found me!  Let me get you a drink"  Jonny offered


"Erm actually i was hoping you might be able to help me out"  she ventured.

Before she got chance to ask her question the door to the bar opened again.


"Oh Jonny, these are my friends Taylor and Asha" she announced

The dark haired girl who she'd introduced as Asha spoke up


"Actually we're her band mates, and i'm guessing from that shy look on your face Leila that you haven't asked him yet?" she said in a teasing way.


"Asked me what?"  said Jonny


"If you can give our demo tape to your producer"  the red head, Taylor chimed in.

Jonny was embarassed, he just didn't know what to say to them.  He could see they were looking at him expectantly.


"How about some food? You girls look hungry." he said "Hey Mandy put a pizza on my tab would ya?" he asked the barmaid.


"Sorry Jonny, your tabs maxed out." she replied


His cheeks flashed red with shame. 


Leila read the situation quickly and taking Jonny's arm she said "I can cook better than anything in this flea pit, how about you show us your place?"

A few hours later and the girls were all tucking into an autumn salad like they hadn't seen food in a month.


Jonny hung back in the kitchen hoping they wouldn't notice that he had kept on his shades and wasn't eating, he wasn't sure how they would react if they knew they had all walked into a vampires home.


After they had finished Leila asked Jonny if he would play the drums for them

But he flat out refused, it had been so long since he'd picked up his sticks - what if he couldn't cut it anymore?

But when Leila pleaded with him he found that he couldn't resist her beautiful hazel eyes.


That night as he played for the first time in months Jonny found that he had lost none of his talent and when it came time for the girls to leave he wished that they could stay. 


Being around them had reminded him of how he had felt when he moved to the city, like nothing was beyond his reach.  Mayvbe with them around he could feel that way again?

as the girls left Leila couldn't stop from blurting out "Gosh isn't Jonny amazing."


Taylor looked at her quizically "Are you kidding?  I mean he can play and all but look at this place, it's a dump!"


"Yeah" Asha chipped in "There's no way he's a big time rock star.  I bet he doesn't even know any producers"


The girls laughed but Leila heart was beating so loud in her chest she could barely hear them.

The next day when Jonny woke up he felt like he had a whole new lease on life, like it might actually be worth showering!  And when he checked his mail box his day got even better. 


He had received a cheque from Bridgeport records.  It seems that "No vacancy" had been a smash hit, and since Jonnys drumming skills were on the record they had to pay up!


Usually his money burned a whole through his pocket fast and ended up straight in the till of Waylons Haunt, but Jonny had a crazy idea - crazy enough that it just may work!

The girls waited impatiently at the bar - Jonny had asked them to meet him there but he was over a half hour late.


"Leila come on lets go, he's not coming" Asha whined


"He'll be here" Leila said not really sure that she believed it herself


Just as she was about to relent Jonny breezed in

"Ladies" he exclaimed giving them a cheeky grin. "Ok i know i'm late but i have a proposition for you all.  How would you like to be in the next big band to rock Bridgeport?" he proposed.


The girls looked uneasily at each other and Taylor ventured "Aren't you already in a big band? I mean we only looked you up coz we thought you could open some doors for us."


"Look it's a long story ok." he exclaimed "Just trust me, if you stick with me we'll all make it big!"


He seemed so different from the Jonny they had met the night before, so self assured and so enthusiastic, they couldn't refuse.


That night "Jonny and the Traytors" was born - but would they be the next big thing?

Jonny poured all of his money into extending his house so the girls could move in

He even had a jam area built and fully equipped with the best instruments.


The newly formed band soon started jamming together day and night, building up their skill and working on a sound.


Jonny's confidence grew and grew, with Leila and the girls around he felt like he could achieve anything.


But there was one small problem, the girls still did not know his secret!  He kept his shades on as much as possible but he had come close to being busted a few times.

Like the time Leila walked in on him in the shower!


Luckily she had ran out in embarrasment and hadn't been able to look at him for three days afterwards.


But he knew he would have to tell them before someone else did.

He pulled Leila to one side


"Leila there's something you need to know about me." he confessed "I don't want it to change anything between us but i'm sure it will"

Leila pulled him close and whispered "Whatever it is Jonny you can tell me"

Jonny couldn't help but to stroke her cheek.  Leila was the most trusting and kind person he had ever known and as much as he couldn't bare the thought of losing her he equally could not hide his true nature from her any longer.


"I'd rather show you" he said grabbing her hand he pulled her into his room.

He turned away from her and removed his shades.


"Leila when i first came out to the city i was just a naive boy, if only i had known then what i know now things could be so different."


Taking a deep breath he turned to face her

"But this is who i am now, this is what i am"


as he looked in her eyes he was surprised that she didn't flinch or recoil from him, to his shock she came closer.

Leila looked deep into his glowing eyes, she felt as though she could see into his soul, to her Jonny was beautiful.


Taking his face into her hands she said "I wouldn't change a thing"

And with that she kissed him!


Jonny and Leila stayed up all night talking, he told her all that had happened to him since he moved to Bridgeport and she listened patiently.


The next day they told Asha and Taylor about Jonny's condition and to his surprise they accepted it. 


It seems they were all big fans of something called twilight.  Jonny had never heard of it he was just relieved that he wasn't about to be kicked out of yet another band!


This was all such a far cry from the way Summer had reacted to him, he began to realise that maybe he hadn't been the problem at all maybe it was her.


And Summer definately had a problem!


She had become more and more paranoid about her daughter.  She still refused to allow Audra to go outside but this meant she was stuck in the house looking after her. 


Summer knew she should love her daughter but the kid gave her the creeps, sometimes Summer would catch her biting her teddy bears neck!


And when Audra aged into a child

She was sure that her daughter was evil!

Chapter1.4

Chapter1.6