Chapter 25

Andie was shaking her head.

“Andie you know that Tarin is capable of doing this. She planned it all. I mean just think of how many time she made girls go bezerk over her.” Zo spoke quickly.

Andie sighed and cocked her hip to the side, crossing her arms over her chest. Zo continued to talk and soon Andie held up her hand to silence her.

“Zo! Zo! I believe you.” Andie said loudly then she hushed her voice when Carmen and Velvet looked at them. She smiled softly at them over Zo’s shoulder and then peered at the small woman seriously.

“Ok so if you believe me, then what the fuck else is there to worry about?” Zo asked confused.

“She didn’t even call or ask me about that chick, she just automatically trusted the girls word. What does that say about me?” Andie was getting angry, Zo opened her mouth to answer, but couldn’t get a word out. “Well, I’ll tell you what that says about me. It says she never trusted me. Which means whatever we were was shit to her.”

“No, Andie, I don’t think that’s what it says”

“Zo, just stop. I’m going, I’ve made up my mind.” Andie’s voice sounded cold and unfeeling.

Zo looked down trying to find the words that would keep Andie from running. She lifted her head and turned to look at Carmen, who looked back at her. Zo could tell she was nervous and that was there was a type of fear in her eyes. She twisted back to Andie.

“I can’t go with you this time.” Zo said quietly.

Andie looked at Carmen and then smiled at Zo. She reached to push her bangs out of her blue eyes. It was so strange how over the years, Zo had become the little sister for her after Rae had died.

“I know. I was going to tell you that I wanted to do this alone. I want you to take over my apartment, get you out of your crazy stepmother’s place. I realize that you and I have been running around together for seven or so years, but it’s time for you to do your thing and me do mine.” Andie nodded towards Carmen when she spoke.

Zo just stood still listening to Andie. “What about the band?”

Andie placed her hand on her forehead. She hadn’t realized how hard all of this was going to be. “We aren’t splitting. It’s just a break. I will come back, Zo. Plus, you’ll still be able to play here at Velvet’s. Your voice is amazing and even better than mine. You can carry things on your own.”

Zo snorted at the comment and then nodded, letting the information sink in.

“I will come back.” Andie said again quietly.

Zo swallowed hard. “Are you going to talk to Shane?”

“Yes, before I leave. At this point I would probably try and rip her head off.” Andie fiddled with a stud from her belt.

Zo bit her lip and looked around guiltily. When she didn’t get a response, Andie looked at her friend and saw the guilty stare of Zo.

“Wait a minute. You said you talked to Shane? How did that go?” Andie’s eyebrow cocked up.

“At first it was” Zo tried to hide her swollen hand. Andie caught a glance of the hand that Zo slipped into her pants pocket.

“Zo let me see your hand.” Andie said seriously.

The pixie girl sighed in defeat. “All right I kind of punched her once.”

Andie groaned and covered her eyes.

“Ortwice.” Zo mumbled.

“Jesus Christ, Zo.” Andie shook her head. “Thanks for sticking up for me but you didn’t have to hit her. Is she ok?” Andie asked, Zo saw the flicker of love for Shane in her friends eyes for a moment and then it disappeared.

“Just a black eye and bloody lip, really no biggie.” Zo said shrugging her shoulders.

“Yeah right.” Andie rolled her eyes and walked past her.

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Andie unlocked her door trying to keep the empty boxes from falling out of her hands, but with no luck. They tumbled to the floor and Andie growled as she pushed her door open, kicking two of the boxes inside.

“Christ.” Andie mumbled and turned to shut the door, bending over to pick one of the small boxes up. She stood up and stopped dead in her tracks, staring in the direction of her window seat.

There stood Alice with her arms crossed over her chest. She was even tapping her foot like an angry mother. Andie sighed and let the box drop to the floor.

“Hey Al.” Andie smiled softly and blew a piece of her coal black hair out of her eyes.

Alice dropped her arms from her chest. “Hey Al?” Alice scoffed. “Hey Al?!” Alice said louder.

“Yeah, hey Al.” Andie grinned.

Andie plopped herself on the edge of her sofa and waited for the ass chewing to begin.

“So. When the fuck were you going to call me?” Andie opened her mouth to answer, but Alice just kept talking. She began to pace back and forth. “I thought that you and I were close enough that we could talk about all of this.” She glanced at Andie who was going to speak, but decided otherwise and slid down onto the couch, draping her leg over the arm of sofa. “But, nooooo.and then there’s Shane. She’s a mess you know? I mean I know you are pissed and hurt, but you and I both know that fucking Tarin has some evil vendetta out for us. She is like Dr. Evil or something.” Andie tried not to laugh as Alice continued to pace. “This is going to make Shane go back to her old ways. She’ll be drinking and fucking everything insight. And why because she made a mistake. She isn’t perfect Andie.” Alice sat down next to Andie, who had given up on trying to respond to Alice.

The strawberry blonde sighed. “On a personal note. I just can’t take this shit anymore. Bette and Tina ending. Tina and Velvet starting to become a fucking whatever they are. Now you and Shane are done. All of the Tonya and Dana stuff. The only normal couple is Zo and Carmen, but Zo just came back from tour so they haven’t even had the time to do anything abnormal. Jenny is her normal weird self, which puts a lot of stress on me, because I’m always trying to understand what she is saying. You know being the friend of all of you can almost drive a person to become a heroine addict. I can’t do it. I think I may just need therapy because of all of this bullshit. If I go to one, I’m sending you all the bill, you can split it up however you want.”

Andie chuckled and put her arm around Alice, pulling her close. “It’s good to see you, Allie.”

Alice rolled her eyes and leaned back. She suddenly noticed the empty boxes near the door. She thought for a moment and then became confused. Andie’s gaze followed Alice’s and she let out a deep breath.

“Tell me those are for a move to a new apartment.” She said quietly.

Andie rubbed her hands on her torn jeans. “They are for a move to a new apartment.” Andie spoke carefully and stood up.

“What part of the city are you moving to?” Alice watched her.

Andie turned around and smiled weakly at her friend. “Capitol Hill in Seattle.”

She watched Alice close her eyes.

“Before you even start, the decision is final. I’m leaving in three days to hang with the Distillers. I will be living in Seattle for awhile in a place that Velvet is setting up for me a long with a job at the club up there. Zo is staying here with the rest of the band. She is taking over my apartment and will still work at Velvet’s. The band isn’t over, we are just chilling.” Andie laughed slightly. “Jesus, it’s been almost seven years that Zo and I have traveled together. But I’m 25 and she is 22 now it’s time to see what’s out there without each other.” She sighed. “And Shane. Well, I believe that Tarin did plan this, but she didn’t even trust me. No questions, nothing. I can’t and won’t be with someone who doesn’t trust me. Plus she has all these things going for her now. She should enjoy them without the restraint of me. I don’t hate her, but I’m too angry to talk to her today.”

Andie finally stopped her voice wavering, but she stood tall and pretended to be confident with her decision. She reached up and brushed back her bangs. Alice stared at her sadly.

“I need to pack just a few things. I’m letting Zo take care of most of my stuff.” Andie rested her hands on her hips.

Alice stayed silent and looked down.

“Just answer this, when are you going to tell Shane? Please don’t make me keep this from her.” Alice pleaded.

Andie nodded. “For some reason I think that Zo may tell her. They have become friends and that’s what Shane and Zo both need. But I will talk to her eventually, just not today.”

Alice stood up from the couch. “All right. So where do we start packing?”

Andie smiled.

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Carmen held tightly onto Zo’s hand as they walked down the street. They had stayed silent for the majority of the walk. If they talked it was about anything but Andie leaving. They pretended to be interested in several different shops where Zo could pick up something to wear for the gig. They slipped into a small shop called the Buffalo Exchange. Zo was flipping through racks when Carmen stood close by her. She reached over to Zo’s long bangs and pushed them to the side, out of her stormy blue eyes. Something that a lot of the women she knew seemed to be doing lately.

“Are you going with her?” Carmen simply asked pulling out a black Ramones shirt.

Zo acted as if it was an everyday question, not looking up from the racks of clothing. “No, I’m staying.”

Carmen tried to contain her excitement. “Why?”

“It’s time for us to see how we do alone.” The small girl yawned. “And I want to see where you and I go.”

Zo held up a black and yellow plaid shirt. “What do you think?”