***Thank you almacorlen2 for this request.***

Hi, my name's Alma and I'm seventeen.
I live with my mum, my dad and sister in California. We moved here last spring because my dad got promoted.

He used to have an office job at a building society, but he got offered a much higher and better paying job. My dad took it too, he wouldn't miss out on a chance like this. As soon as he accepted we had no choice but to move here.
Before we knew it, our bags were packed, our house was sold and we were on the road.

Now, I've made friends with kids in the neighbourhood and have started trying to find myself a job, since my parents have told me I need to think about my future and because I'm as lazy as fuck.

That's what I'm doing, looking at the jobs column in the Los Angeles Times.
Music blasted from my speaker in my bedroom, as I lay on my bed circling jobs.

"Dog walker? No. Too messy." I muttered crossing the job out with a red felt tip pen.

"Newspaper boy? No, I'm female thank you very much." I crossed that job out as well.

"Bartender? Not. Dishwasher? Yuck. Host..." My pen hovered over that job before that too had a red scribble over it.

Soon, the only option left was Child care.
I've never been good at talking with other children and staff, mostly cause I'm an introvert and seriously lack people skills. I'm not bothered though, especially since I don't like people too much. I mean, I like people I just - oh whatever, just forget it.
Anyway, I've never been that good at discipline with younger kids. I wasn't going to take a chance, so that job got a red pen scribble.

Sighing, I tossed the times onto the floor and lay on my back humming along to the music.

I honestly had no idea what I was going to do now. How was I supposed to get a proper job in later life, if I couldn't even choose something I wanted to do when there was nothing?

"- Floating around in ecstasy. So don't stop me now. Don't stop me, cause I'm having a good time, having a good time-" I sang quietly to myself.

I'm a big Queen fan.

I lay on my bed, my mind whirring as the music washed over me. Soon, one of my all-time favourite ACDC songs started up: Back in Black.
Mum doesn't like this song because she says it's sexual. And you know what I say *puts up the middle finger.* Exactly.
I mean, ok, but it doesn't stop it from being a good song, right?

Anyway, I love them. ACDC is, almost my favourite band in the whole world.

I smiled and nodded my head along to the song, before switching it over to November Rain.

"Alma, turn that racket down!" Shouted a slightly high pitched voice from across the landing.

That'd be my sister, Amy. She's very girly and loves all things that are supposed to be cute. Boys and kittens are at the top of the list.
Her room smells of hairspray and is covered by tons of posters that decorate the fairytale pink walls.

I'm exactly the opposite of her. In other words: all things she hates.

My room is painted grey and smells of strong perfume and mothballs. The smell is so strong in fact, that even our husky dog Harry, has stopped coming in to sit on my bed.
Clothes, comic books and random stuff cover my bedroom floor. You have to be very careful when coming in or out of here because of one wrong move and you'll probably end up breaking something.
It's like playing the floor is lava. Except the floor is random stuff.

My mum is constantly telling me to clean up, but I just say: "Why should I if it's just going to get messy again? Can I have something to eat?"

My mum, btw, is the queen of comebacks. So she just shrugs and replies: "Why should I feed you if you're going to die?"

That's what makes me bother to occasionally tidy up.

Anyway, I too have posters on my walls, but most of it is rock bands and stuff.
My favourite quote is "Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I am kind to everyone, but when someone is unkind to me, weak is not what you're going to remember about me!"
I don't remember who quoted it, but I still like it.

I reluctantly stood up and went to turn the music off, but then I had a better idea.

Instead of turning it off, I cranked up the volume higher and jumped onto my bed, starting to headbang to Guns N Roses my long brown hair flipping up and down. "- AND WHEN YOUR FEARS SUBSIDE AND SHADOWS STILL REMAIN, I KNOW THAT YOU CAN LOVE ME WHEN THERE'S NO ONE LEFT TO BLAME. SO NEVER MIND THE DARKNESS, WE STILL CAN FIND A WAY, CAUSE NOTHING LASTS FOREVER, EVEN COLD NOVEMBER RAIN," I yelled loudly.

The neighbours (who didn't even bother to say hello or introduce themselves when they moved next door to us) once complained about me to my parents and threatened to call the police for 'disturbing the peace.' And if that didn't work they wanted to take us and the problem to court. As if. The courts have much more serious cases (murder, grand theft, etc) to deal with and don't need petty pensioners wasting their time moaning about my 'loud, earsplitting, soul-crushing' music. Besides, it was only 'disturbing the peace because they were old and didn't understand or appreciate actual music.

"Alma!!!!!" My sister screamed, bursting into my room, her chest heaving with anger. "Turn...it... down!"

"Sorry, I can't hear you!" I shouted through Slash's guitar solo.

Then she did something that should have been considered an eternity of jail time.

She turned my music off.

She turned it off.

The little #!?#?$?!#!!!!

"Looked like someone had an accident with dad's leaf blower," she said rudely, as I jumped off my bed, my hair sticking up in literally every direction possible.

"Looks like someone is going to have an accident with the stairs if you don't leave me the fuck alone!" I hissed.

Then, Amy did the worst thing ever. She yelled for mum.

"Mum! Alma pushed me down the stairs!" She screamed, running out of my room and down the stairs.

Shit. Now I was in trouble.

"Alma!" Yelled my mum. "Did you push your sister down the stairs?"

"No!" I shouted back.

"Come downstairs when you're talking to me." She said.

I threw my pillow at the wall in frustration. Then I kicked said wall extra hard. Whomp! "Alma, if you put a hole through that wall then your paying for the repair with your pocket money!" Mum shouted.

I immediately stopped kicking the wall. I didn't need Mum taking all my coppers that I'd saved up to buy the 'Aerosmith' cd by Aerosmith and spending it on some stupid wall repair. Groaning loudly enough for her to hear, I stomped down the stairs in a huff.

"Dream on, mama kin," I muttered as I jumped two steps at a time down the stairs.

I couldn't disguise my anger as I entered the kitchen, where my mum and sister - who was snivelling in the most pathetic way, it would've made a cat sick - stood.

"What?" I asked, crossing my arms and glaring.

"Don't talk to me in that tone, this house has enough problems without you acting like Madam Minx, waiting to wait on hand and foot," said mum crossly.

"This house has enough problems without me getting blamed for everything and some people -" I looked at my sister, who was still faking tears.
"- acting like bitches and trying to be perfect."

I instantly regretted that. I'd touched a nerve, cause that's when things got physical.

"That's it!" Screeched Amy, her terrible acting replaced with anger, her face contorted.

She walked towards me like a lion about to pounce on its prey, a dangerous glint in her eye.

"You wouldn't dare," I hissed.

"Oh yeah? Try me," she spat back, pushing me.

Out of defence, I pushed her back and yanked her arm forward.
There was the most horrible click, as I did so.
My mouth by her ear I whispered: "If you want to settle it like this, we'll settle it like this."

"Oh, we will bitch, we will," she answered back, punching me in the stomach.

I let go of her arm and doubled over in pain. "Uggghhh..." I moaned in agony.

"Amy, Alma, stop this instance do you hear me?" Asked mum, trying to get between us.

We didn't hear. Or at least, we tried very hard not to.

Amy took advantage of the moment to dig her pointy nails, which were painted a sparkly pink, into my hands and shoulders.
I bit my lip hard, trying not to give her the satisfaction of seeing me in pain.
Slowly, my lip started to bleed, blood staining my mouth.

I put a finger to my lips and felt the warm crimson liquid stain my chin and fingers. I gasped quietly to myself.

Amy's nails were digging further into my skin, so I grasped her hands and pushed them roughly away from my shoulders. As I did so, I accidentally, I swear, chipped a large chunk of her nail off.

Oh crap! Now I was in for the high jump.

She stared opened mouthed at her missing nail and then took a swipe at my face.
I ducked down, so she hit the cupboards instead.
Another click echoed through the kitchen.

"Owwwww!" She screeched.

I laughed and aimed at her.
But before I could react, she wrestled me to the floor.
We rolled about on the floor for a good several minutes, cursing, screaming and attacking each other viciously.

"Girls! This is not the way young ladies behave!" Mum shouted, pulling Amy off of me and yanking me up by my Guns n Roses t-shirt.

Mum had us by the scruff of our shirts. Well my t-shirt and Amy's white crop top, which showed way too much of her shoulders.
I hate my body being exposed like that, it always makes me feel like I'm wearing nothing at all, which is a sensation that is extremely unpleasant to me.
Amy of course, couldn't give a tinker's toot about what she wore and how much her body was exposed.

"I'm sick of you both roughhousing, especially today," she hissed

"What's going on?" Asked Dad walking in, a mug of coffee in his hand.

Oh, double shit.

"Steven, the girls are always fighting with each other I'm sick to death of it. They push, shove, hit, punch, slap, pull, shout, screech, scream and call each other every name under the sun. They both act like wild animals. I've had enough." Mum tightened her grip on my shirt and Amy's crop top.

Dad put his coffee down and looked at us. First, he looked at mum's angry, yet distressed face, then at my bloody lip and finally at my sister's missing nail and slightly scratched up face.

Dad sat down in a chair and put his head in his hands. "Girls," began dad in his soft, rough voice. "You've pushed me and mummy to the extreme. Every day you two fight and every day we have to get between your arguments and stop them. You're both seventeen for god's sake, not five, even though you both act like it most of the time.
Alma, - "

Uh oh.

" - why on earth weighting with your younger sister? You the eldest child, which means you set an example to the younger sibling on how to behave, not how to not behave."

I hung my head, not because I was ashamed of myself, but because I hated being shown up.

"And Amy," continued dad. "I'm surprised at you. You've always been such a good little girl and to see you acting like how your mother described as, 'a wild animal' ...well... I'm very disappointed in you."

My sister then burst into noisy tears.
"Stop that silly noise at once," said mum firmly.

"Yeah, stop acting like a bloody baby., I commented, earning a slap from Amy and some telling offs from my parents.

"Harmony, dear, we need a talk," said dad gesturing to the living room.
Mum let us go and told us to stay put.

Did she think we were going to 'stay put?'

Nope.

I and my sister edged to the living room and silently eavesdropped on our parent's conversation.
I'm not ashamed to say this, but I've eavesdropped hundreds of times. At school, at home, out and about, ect.

We couldn't hear much, because the washing machine was on and Amy's jewellery was clinking behind me.
I shushed her and pressed my ear to the door.

"What should we do with the girls?" I heard mum say. "Both of them have gone wild. The two of them roughhouse day and night, like elementary children."

Amy is way too girly and prissy. She wears clothes that show off her body and Amy is undoubtedly very beautiful, but she wears so much makeup that it makes her look like a ho and that she's going to the club. She's not one of course, but you know what I mean. Anyway, her obsession with designer labels and Barbie dolls are so excessive in number and so bloody expensive that we've almost blown the bank."

It was quite enjoyable to hear my mum slagging my sister off, but at the same time, it was painful to hear.

"Alma, on the other hand, is a completely different story. She never listens and never does what she's told and is the exact opposite of her sister, which is probably why they disagree a lot, no doubt about it. Her room is a tip and smells of mothballs and strong perfume - I found a half-eaten pepperoni pizza under her bed when I vacuumed the house -"

I'd been wondering where that'd gone.

"- I was disgusted, I was. She wears clothes that were designed by vampires and t-shirts that have all sorts of slogans written on them. She doesn't take care of her possessions and has her converse trainers hanging up on the peg on the back of her bedroom door. Her music is always up way too loud and she takes no pride in her appearance, she just lives in her little bubble, locked away in her room. If the girls would only get along, then I think we'd all be a lot happier." Finished mum.

"I understand darling, I do." We heard dad say. "The girls are going to argue and fight sometimes, everybody will at some point or another. But -"

We couldn't hear any more of the conversation, so we decided to retreat to the safety of the living room.

"A ho," scoffed Amy. "I'll show them ho."

"That was my pizza, I was going to eat that," I moaned.

Then, our parents came back into the living room smiling.
My sister and I turned to look at our parents coming in.

"Amy, Alma, me and daddy have made a compromise," said mum looking happy. "You won't be missing out on this exciting day, but you're going to have to do extra chores and miss out on several days of TV as punishment for fighting, deal?"

"Deal," me and Amy agreed. I can practically hibernate in my room for days without watching TV, so the punishment wasn't that much of a bigger deal to me.

"Anyway, do you girls remember The Hollywood Vampires?" Enquired mum curiously.

I and my sister looked at our mum shocked. Was she serious?

Who could forget that legendary awesome trio?

"The Hollywood Vampires?" Asked Amy, stupidly. "Alice Cooper, Joe Perry and Johnny Depp Hollywood Vampires?"

"No, there's another band and guys with all coincidentally the same names and appearance., I said sarcastically. " Of course the Hollywood Vampires, idiot." I rolled my eyes in disbelief.

"Well, they are coming over for dinner. You know, a little get together."

It took a while for this information to absorb into our system. Then:

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!!!!!" Amy and I squealed happily, hugging and jumping around with excitement.

Mum and dad exchanged looks and grinned.
"I'm pleased you excited girls because they will be here in 2 hours. Now both of you go upstairs and make yourselves look presentable." Mum ushered as out of the room and quickly up the stairs.
"Oh and Alma, please change out of that awful top. I don't want Johnny, Joe and Alice thinking I helped raise a ragamuffin," she shouted after me as I raced up the stairs.

Too late for that I thought.

I should mention that Johnny was considered a cousin to my family, even though he wasn't biologically related to us. We didn't see him often, since he was always off filming somewhere in the world, or on tour with his band.
Anyway, I haven't seen him for a couple of years, but we were always very close. I was looking forward to a catch up on all that had happened to us both over the past two years. I loved listening to him describe his adventures. I loved him telling me all about the big wide world.
"The world isn't in books or maps, it's out there." Johnny had pointed out to me, quoting a line from The Hobbit, the last time he had visited, pointing out the living room window, as we sat watching The Jimmy Fallon show on telly.

Admittedly, I have a big... HUGE crush on Johnny. I've had feelings for him ever since I first met him, which was roughly when I was about...nine?
I don't know, it's something like that.

Unfortunately, Amy also has feelings for him. She noticeably has a bigger crush on him than I do.
Every time Johnny comes over, she goes all out in an attempt to "impress" him, but everyone knows that he won't fall for that cliché shit.

Shutting my door behind me and double-checking my curtains were closed, I pulled off my t-shirt and tossed it on the floor.

Looking thoroughly through my clothes, I suddenly realised that none of the stuff I owned was even remotely 'acceptable' in mum's eyes (which is a shame cause I would have quite liked to wear either my Rolling Stones or Queen t-shirt.)
For a moment I thought about sneaking into Amy's pink and fluffy room and stealing something from her wardrobe but decided not to. I wouldn't be seen dead in her clothes. I'd rather wear high heels and eat carpet fluff for the rest of my life.

After realising that nothing in my wardrobe was even remotely acceptable, I just pulled the same t-shirt on that I'd just pulled off.

What?

Knowing my mum would not be happy with my choice of wear, I pulled on a very ugly 'two sizes too big' purple and white striped lumberjack shirt that she had bought for me several months ago.
The material was incredibly flimsy and itchy. It also had a 'clearance sale' smell to it, which somehow made it worse.

I glanced at myself in the mirror. It was not a pretty sight, to say the least.
The shirt ended just above my knees, which looked... strange?

Pulling the awful beet coloured shirt off, I held it up with my index finger and thumb, looking at it in pure disgust. Could anyone have designed an uglier piece of clothing? It amazed me that someone would actually buy this...thing and still be able to walk confidentially down the street. I seriously considered burning this item that had been lingering in the back of my wardrobe for ages (along with all the other hideous pieces of clothing mum had bought me). But I knew mum would throw an absolute fit if I did that. She'd probably say...yell: "I do all these nice things for you, buy you nice clothes, but do you appreciate it? No. You CHEEKY LITTLE MADAM!!!"

Trust me, I'm no stranger to mum's shouting fits.

I got to admit, compared to the hideous pyjamas I was once sent by a relative living in a different country, it wasn't that bad. And that's saying something.

Not knowing what else to do with the hideous shirt, I threw it back into the wardrobe.
I know, the wardrobe, seriously?
But trust me, once you throw something onto my wardrobe floor, you never see that thing again.
It's kinda creepy, but it is useful for you to hide things you dislike, like homework for example.
Hey, I've done it before, but that's not important.

Picking up my phone from my bedside table, I peeked a look at the time.
Time: 4:00 pm, Weather: cloudy, possibly heavy rain on the way. My mood: bored, but excited about Johnny's arrival.

Brushing my hair and pushing loose strands behind my ears, I smiled into my mirror.
This was the first time I liked and cared how I was looking, cause usually I'd fling any ol' thing on and be done with it.

Knowing I had nothing to do for the next hour or so, I ambled down the stairs to the kitchen to grab a snack.
As I opened the fridge to browse its contents, a voice behind me spoke.
"What are you doing Alma?"
I turned round to see mum, who was in the middle of setting the table.

"I was just going to have a snack," I said innocently, backing away to the cupboard, where the crisps were kept.

"No. You can wait till the guys get here, otherwise, you'll be complaining your full. And, that would be a shame, since I was making your favourite dessert, apple crumble," said mum, her voice going soft and slow.

I stopped dead at the words 'apple crumble.'
But I slapped myself hard mentally. I knew mum was just trying to blackmail me into not having a snack, but I wasn't going to give in.

"That's ok. I'm sure I'll manage," I replied, opening the cupboard slowly.

Mum's face fell. She was realising blackmail wasn't going to work with me.
"But you love apple crumble," she said in mock sadness.

I still managed to remain focused.
"You know, the Bible tells us to be thankful for what we have on our table. Well, that's the same thing here. I'm thankful for the crisps in this cupboard." I grabbed a packet and closed the cupboard door behind me with my left hand, my right clutching my crisps.

Mum rolled her eyes and looked to the ceiling in exasperation. Her plan had failed miserably.

"Bye," I said, making a waving gesture at her, before making a quick getaway and escaping to the safety of my bedroom.

"Cheeky little mind," I heard mum mutter, as she turned to finish her task of setting the table.

Closing my door and sitting on my bed, I looked at what flavour the crisps were. Oh...ready salted.
Well, I guess that's better cheese and onion or salt and vinegar.
Not that there's anything wrong with those flavours, I just don't like them.

After eating my crisps, I turned my playlist on extra loud, jumped up on top of my bed and started 'dancing and singing.'

Honestly, I don't think I could say I was dancing. It kinda looked like I'd sat on a cactus and then had a stick shoved up my arse.

As for my singing, I can kinda see how it was disturbing the peace. It was kind of like dragging fingernails along a chalkboard.
Like Eeeeeeeeee!!!

Anyways, it's not necessarily a good idea to dance about like a court jester straight after eating, but you know what, if I'm sick, I'll aim it all over Amy. Ha! Though I don't think Alice, Joe or Johnny would be too pleased if they were greeted by Amy who'd be covered in my stomach waste: this mornings breakfast and lunch. We had cheese sandwiches and orange juice - I had a Yorkie bar straight after to balance the fruit. Mum says she doesn't think that's how it works, but I say whatever cause it's my theory.

***

I was in the middle of dancing to Beyonce - don't judge, she's my guilty pleasure pop artist - when I heard Mum shout up the stairs "Alma, Amy, come down, they're here!"

I'd been dancing so much that I was bright red in the face and toppled right over and fell off my bed when I stopped and strained to hear what mum was saying over my loud music. Thump!

Sitting up, I rubbed my face and reluctantly turned off my music. Switching my phone off quickly, running my hand through my hair and spraying one of my favourite perfumes on, I walked out of my room with a big smile plastered across my face. This was going to be the best - day - ever! Come to think of it, I don't think Amy heard mum, so I might as well tell her.

"WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, WE'VE GOT FUN AND GAMES, WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING YOU WANT, HONEY WE KNOW THE NAMES!" I hollered, bursting into my sister's room, dancing like I was on stage with Axl Rose and the rest of Guns N Roses.

!@$%^£" Amy cursed when she saw who was at the door. "What do you want?" She asked rudely, staring at herself in the mirror.

"Mum said Alice, Joe and Johnny have arrived," I replied, nonchalantly picking at the awful pink wall paint.

"Oi, don't do that, you're going to ruin it!" Amy exclaimed when she saw what I was doing.

"Good, it's horrible. Why can't you act like a regular person and get rid of all this yucky wallpaper and all this fluffy pink junk?" I gestured to a pile of pink pillows and pink teddies.

"It's not junk," she said defensively, picking up her oldest pink teddy and hugging it to her chest. "It's a treasure. One man's trash is another man's treasure or something like that."

"True, but to me, it's 'One man's trash is always going to be trash, except when it's sold because then it's going to be someone else's trash.'"

"That's a stupid saying."

"Well, it's my saying so there."

Before Amy could answer back we heard Mum's voice.

"What are you two doing up there, making a sandwich? Hurry up and get down here this instant. I don't want people to think I'd let three gentlemen stand outside on my doorstep in the fold."

If I was making a sandwich up here I wouldn't do it in Amy's bedroom, I'd do it in my bedroom. And if I was making said sandwich then it'd be white bread (I don't like the healthy wholewheat stuff, even if it's supposed to make you live longer) with mayonnaise, no butter, bacon, chicken, lettuce, rocket, black olives, and lots and lots of pepper (the seasoning, not the vegetable.) I'd have a bit of salt, but yeah. You get the picture.

Anyway, there was silence. Amy and I didn't move.

"NOW!" Mum roared.

*Knock Knock*

"I'll get it!" I shouted dashing down the stairs and to the door.

"No, I'll do it!" Amy yelled, elbowing me in the stomach and out the way.

But mum got to the door before us.

"For god's sake, I told you to change your t-shirt," Mum hissed, noticing my shirt, her hand on the brass doorknob.

"And I did," I replied. "I pulled my top off and then I pulled it back on again."

Mum ignored what I said and opened the door.

As the door opened I felt myself shaking with nerves of excitement.

There on the porch stood Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and Alice Cooper, each looking well and happy.
"Hi, come on in." Said mum, smiling a big smile.

"Hi Harmony, thank you very much," said Alice, stepping inside, Joe and Johnny following after.

"Woof woof woof!" Barked Harry the husky excitedly, bounding in from out of nowhere and towards the guys.

Everyone laughed as Harry jumped up and licked them all, their faces now covered in dog slobber.

He had thought 'ooh, guests, better say hello' or something.

"Hi Harry," they half cooed, half laughed, getting on their knees to stroke him.

"Woof!" Harry replied, panting, his tail wagging happily. He seemed to be enjoying the spotlight.

"Come on you attention seeker," chuckled mum, interrupting the forty-second spotlight. "leave Alice, Joe and Johnny alone.

Harry gave her big, sad, round eyes.

"I'll give you a treat if you're an extra good boy," she added.

"Woof!" Harry happily padded after mum, into the kitchen.

"Sorry about that," Dad apologised, still giggling.

"No, it's fine," said Alice, adding thanks to his sentence when Johnny offered him and then Joe a couple of tissues to wipe off the dog spit.

"That's certainly a greeting we won't forget," Joe grinned, still quite amused by recent events.

"Yep. Certainly the best one," chuckled Johnny, taking off his glasses so he could clean them.

I still couldn't hide the stupidly big grin that was spreading across my face like butter.

"Hello, girls," they said, smiling at us, having not seen us before they were attacked and viciously slobbered on.

"Hi," I squeaked back, trying to contain my excitement.

"It's great to see you all again," said dad shaking their hands. "Anyone for a drink? Tea, wine, coffee, squash...water?" He asked before they could say 'you too'. "Anything you fancy," he added, engaging them in conversation and leading them away to the living room. He was probably going to show off his vintage action figure collection or something. BORING!!!!

I hope Alice and Joe are ok though, cause I bet by the time Dad has finished telling them about his brain-dead hobby they'll have lost a couple of brain cells.

They're lucky though, I've lost most of mine just looking at them every day.

Mum left and went to the kitchen.

Only Johnny stayed behind.

"Is it that you, Alma?" Asked Johnny somewhat myths his brown eyes narrowing in confusion.

"Uh-huh," I nodded.

He grinned and let out an adorable fruity laugh.
"I was just joking. No, it's great to see you again."

I grinned.

Once apart, he pushed back his soft brown hair and looked at me kindly.
"How old are you now?" Johnny asked. "Last time we met, you came up to here," he put his hand to the top of his chest.
"Now you're here." His hand moved to his shoulder.

"I'm seventeen now Johnny. I was fourteen the last time we saw each other," I confirmed.

"Oh don't say that you're making me sound like an old man," he gasped, stepping back in mock disbelief.

I laughed.
"You're not an old man Johnny. You don't sound like one, you don't act like one and you most certainly don't look like one."

"That's very sweet of you," he said, scratching the back of his neck as he blushed profusely.

"Hi, Johnny," said Amy, twirling a strand of hair around her finger in a flirtatious manner.

Dang.

I'd forgotten Amy was there.

"Hi Amy, how are you doing?" He asked in his usual calm voice, dismissing what she was wearing.

"Better now you're here," she replied, letting out a sickeningly sweet smile.

I gagged and looked at her in disgust, noticing Johnny's embarrassment.

"Excuse me, Johnny. Do you mind if I and my sister talk?" I asked in a strangled voice.

"Of course not."

"Thanks. I'll be back in a minute."
I pulled Amy towards the privacy of the garden.

Once outside, I let go of Amy's wrist.
"What was that about?" I questioned, placing my hands on my hips and giving her 'the look.'

"What was what about?"

"Don't play dumb, you know what I mean."

"Yeah and?"

"And? Seriously? Amy, listen to me, he's a human, not a piece of meat."

"I know that dumbo, I'm not that stupid."

I sniggered but quickly turned it into a cough, trying to refrain myself from laughing.

Just as I opened my mouth to counter her response, dad called us.
"Girls, dinnertime. Don't forget to wash your hands before you eat," he reminded us, as we stepped back inside and took turns in the bathroom to wash our hands.

Like we'd forget about that.

***

Soon, everyone was sitting at the table eating.
We had a four-seater table, but had extended it and added three more chairs.

Dad was sat at the head of the table, mum and Alice on either side of him. Amy and I were in the middle, opposite each other. Joe was sat on Amy's left (my right) and Johnny was sat next to me.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I have to give mum credit for her cooking, it was amazing.
She'd cooked a roast dinner, which was unusual since we usually had a takeaway on a Friday night.

Thankfully, we were able to have extra helpings, which I took advantage of since I was starving.

"Anyone for dessert?" Asked mum when everyone had stuffed themselves to breaking point.

Everybody nodded eagerly.

Whilst mum was in the kitchen getting the dessert and stuff, a conversation started.
A typical dinnertime conversation was usually about school and if we didn't work hard then we'd wind up working in McDonald's.

What was that about working in and with fast food, but I have heard that they got sued for cooking their fries in beef tallow, so maybe not? And since I'm pretty much a vegetarian (most of the time) that makes me kinda uncomfortable.

Anyways.

"So," said dad. "Long journey?"

I assumed he was directing the question at the guys since the only long journey I'd had today was with how far Amy had dug her elbow into my stomach.

"Yeah," yawned Joe, absentmindedly twisting his serviette round and round, his gold wedding ring glinting in the light. "We flew in from New York around noon and on our way here the car broke down, so we had to wait for ages before the mechanic came to fix it."

"Man, that's a bummer," I said.

"Yeah."

"So, how was the concert?" Dad questioned, obviously wanting the low down of everything that had happened.

"Awesome," said Johnny, starting to play a tune with his cutlery like the kid he was.

"Johnny hid a couple of times from us during the show," Alice added, laughing slightly at this.

Johnny smiled shyly at this.

"Any chance of free tickets?" Dad inquired hopefully.

Why would you ever want to go to a rock concert? I wondered to myself, my elbows on the table. Aren't you like sixty going on six-hundred

"Steven! You can't just go asking for free tickets!" Snapped mum, placing bowls, a jug of custard and a dish of apple crumble in the middle of the table. "Now stop pestering them, they've had a long day."

"No, it's alright," said Johnny, taking a sip of his drink.

"Right, anyone for custard with their crumble?"

***

"Thanks, mum, that was lush," I said, slouching in my seat once I'd cleaned my bowl over twice, Amy's eyes continuing shooting daggers at me.

She'd been glaring at me through the whole meal, not even flinching when she slopped hot custard down her top. I assumed she was jealous because I was sitting next to Johnny and not her, but I honestly didn't see what her deal was.

I ignored the looks she continued giving me.

"Bbbuuurrrpppp!!!!" I suddenly belched.

"Alma!" Snapped mum. "Don't be rude. I bet Alice, Joe and Johnny's kids don't do this when they have guests. Say sorry."

"Sorry," I giggled.

"Now, has everyone had their fill?" Mum addressed the table, now calmer.

Everybody nodded.

"That's good. Now Amy, Alma, can you take all the empty plates for me and take them to the kitchen? You two can go and do your own thing after."

I smirked with amusement at the guys and grinned as I took there and my plates and balanced them carefully on top of each other, and manoeuvred slowly into the kitchen.

"Hehehe,"

"Don't drop them," Amy taunted, as she edged past me.

I knew she'd love nothing more than to get me into trouble for dropping the plates.

Amy's little taunt didn't have any effect on me, so I made it safely into the kitchen without dropping anything.
"Well done darling, now you can do what you want to know," praised mum, sending me on my way.

***

Almost forty minutes later Johnny and I had played Scrabble, snap, dominos, hangman and noughts and crosses in the game room upstairs.
Now, we were playing a game of billiard, whilst everyone was downstairs watching the telly.

"How have Joe and Alice not lost any brain cells from my dad torturing them with his lecture about his brain dead hobby of collecting vintage toys from the stone age?" I asked Johnny as I bent over the billiard table and aimed my stick at the billiard balls. I scanned the position of where the balls were and made sure to position my stick right in the middle.

Johnny, who was watching me intently and patiently, chuckled.

"Less of the cheek, Alma," said my dad, coming into the games room with two drinks. A coffee for Johnny and a tea for me. Decaf though, because I have sleep issues and caffeinated tea makes me kind of hyper.

"Thanks, Dad," I put my billiard stick down and took my tea, setting it down on the bookcase behind me.

"Thanks, Mr (Last name)," said Johnny, taking his coffee and sipping it.

Dad smiled and nodded and left the room.

I was just about to take a shot when Dad popped his head back around. "Oh, by the way, they're not toys Alma, their action figures," he reminded me. "And they're not from the Stone Age, they're from the sixties, seventies and eighties. They didn't have action figures in the Stone Age, or any toys or indeed any of the modern luxuries we have today."

You don't say. That's probably why it's called the stone age.

"Whatever you say," I muttered as dad left the room.

"Oh, and Alma, can I ask you something?"

Please don't.

"Sure."

"Do you know what kids in the Stone Age played with? I'm just asking for a friend."

Sure you are. But how the heck should I know?

"Rocks."

I had no idea what kid's in the Stone Age played with, but it doesn't matter, coz I don't care.

"Thanks."

Taking a deep breath and getting my focus back, I positioned the billiard stick and jabbed the balls hard.
I grinned as they split apart and fell into the holes.

Three of them didn't go in, but I was pleased anyway.

"Good shot Alma," said Johnny, patting my shoulder, as he went to aim.

Johnny then scored the same as me.
"Well done," I complimented.

"Thanks."

Just as I took my turn, Amy came in and made me lose my concentration, as I accidentally shot.

"Amy!" I moaned. "You just cost me a game. You made me lose my concentration."
I stood up and looked crossly towards the door, where my sister stood.

"Sorry," she said in a very un-sorry voice, not looking at me, as she closed the door behind her.

I watched her eyes fix onto Johnny, as she sauntered over to us.

Johnny put his billiard stick down slowly and backed away looking nervous.

"Hi, Amy," he said quite nervously, faining a small smile, a bit of fear in his eyes.

"Hi, Johnny," she said, in a flirty voice.

And without warning, she just leaned in and just straight up kissed him.

Whilst Amy was kissing him, Johnny looked like he was being strangled by a cobra. He didn't look like he was enjoying it one bit.

I sank to the floor and started crying, dropping my billiard stick on the floor with a clonk.

"Not bad. Let's do it again sometime, k?" She said pulling away. Smirking she mouthed 'loser' at me as she left the room, the door slamming behind her.

As soon as my sister left, Johnny screwed up his face with disgust and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
He wiped his slobbery kissy hand on his blue denim jeans.

By then, I was almost crying uncontrollably. I was curled up against the game cupboard, the billiard stick resting next to me. My sister's attempt to make me jealous had worked it the wit wanted it to
Then Johnny noticed me. "Oh my god Alma, I'm so sorry," he said, carefully pulling me up and taking me in his arms and hugging me. "I honestly didn't mean to upset you."

I hugged him back, crying quietly into his shoulder. "That's ok," I hiccoughed. "And it's not your fault, it's mine."

"Of course it's not. You didn't ask for this to happen, no one did."

Then, as Johnny slowly pulled me away, he smiled, his eyes were twinkling with excitement.
"Come with me. Let's ditch here and go somewhere else." He whispered into my ear.
I nodded in agreement.

Gripping my hand, we tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs. Looking left and right, making sure the coast was clear, we slipped out of the front door and down the street.
"Where are we going, Johnny?" I giggled, as we ran down the street hand in hand.

"You'll see," he said, mischievously, leading me further away from home and too wherever we were going.

Ten minutes later, we stopped running and slowed down.
"Ok, now close your eyes," said Johnny, turning round to face me.

I was slightly nervous and I think Johnny could see that.
"Hey, I won't let anything happen to you. Trust me."

I smiled and shut my eyes.

"No peeking."

I felt his warm hands cover my eyes, as he led me to our destination.

***

Several minutes later and, "Ok, you can open your eyes now."
Johnny removed his hands away and I opened my eyes.
I gasped in delight.

"Oh Johnny, this is wonderful."

As Johnny removed his hands from my eyes, I saw a beautiful sunset setting behind a huge bright lavender field.

The sunset

The lavender field

"Do you like it?" Asked Johnny.

"Yes, it's beautiful," I replied, smiling.

I won't say much about what happened next and afterwards since you can already guess. I'm not necessarily a sappy writer, so I cringe when writing this kind of stuff. To cut the baloney and put it mildly, it turned out we have both had the same feelings for each other for years. It was a bit awkward since we had like a....forty-year age gap or something. Anyway, cause I don't like writing sappy lovey-dovey nonsense you can imagine the rest of this, I guess you could call it a 'romantic evening.' I don't know.

******************************

When we got back to the house it was time for Johnny and his band to go.

"Alma, what are you doing with that man?" Asked our nosy old neighbour Pat, who was peering over the fence at us, her apple pip eyes looking at us suspiciously as Johnny and I walked down the alleyway between the two houses. "Your much too young for a boyfriend. I'm telling your mother you've been chatting up older men and young lads."

I rolled my eyes, I was always getting accused of stupid stuff like this. "Whatever these nosy old gits ask you, no matter how many times they pester you, just deny deny deny," I muttered to Johnny.

"And your much too old for one," I replied, folding my arms. "Aren't you like a hundred and sixty?"

Before Pat had any time to process what I'd just said, I grabbed Johnny's hand and we ran like the wind. Both of us laughed at my witty comeback as we ran.

"Deny deny denying" Johnny repeated as we climbed back over the garden fence.

"Hmh," I grunted, as my feet touched the soft emerald green grass.

"Johnny, Alma, where have you two been?" Asked mum, as we came inside.

"Just in the garden chilling," I replied nonchalantly.

Luckily, mum bought my story.

"Johnny, we've got to bounce now." Said Joe, setting down his drink.

"Joe's right." Said Alice, taking a sip of whatever he was drinking.
"We need to find a place to stay tonight and we need to wake up early to get to Los Angeles International airport, for the 6 am departure to Heathrow Airport.

"But we're going to have to get a taxi to a hotel and the rooms are probably all full if I'm quite honest." Replied Johnny.

That was quite true of course.

"Well, you three could stay here tonight if it would help you three out." Offered mum.

Joe, Johnny and Alice all looked at each other and then leant forward and began whispering.
"Agreed." They said.

******************************

By the time nine o'clock struck, everyone was either watching telly, getting a drink, getting ready for bed or were already in bed.

Mum and shadowed their bed to themselves, whilst Joe kipped on the sofa (unfair, because Amy had been a constant asshole all day and deserved to sleep on the couch instead) Alice had the guest room, Johnny had my room and I shared with Amy.

I hated being stuck in Amy's room. It was so strong smelling that I hid my head under my pillow for the entire night, as I slept on the floor.

******************************

The next morning, it was time for Johnny, Joe and Alice to leave for the airport.

After quite a rushed breakfast for them, the taxi service was called and coats and shoes were pulled on.
Soon, the taxi was at the door and it was time to say goodbye.
Amy didn't say goodbye. She was very angry after finding out that Johnny and I hung out last eight o'clock.

"Goodbye Alice, Joe, Johnny," I said, giving them all hugs and small pecks on the cheek. "It was so good to see you all. I hope we see each other again soon."

"Same. And when we have long periods I promise that we will visit." Said Johnny, giving me an extra hug.

As mum and dad said their goodbyes, I went to grab my phone from the living room, since Johnny had just slipped me his phone number.
Once I finished typing in the number Johnny quickly gave me a hug and kiss in Johnny Depp fashion.

We pulled apart just as Alice came in to lead Johnny to the taxi.
"Come on Johnny, the taxi is not going to be there forever. We're going to miss our flight otherwise." Said Alice, giving Johnny his bag and phone.

"Ok coming." Said Johnny, taking his stuff from Alice's hands.

"Goodbye Alma, I'm going to miss you. Feel free to call or text me." He whispered hugging me for the last time, before walking away with Alice and Joe. I stood at the window watching him getting into the taxi besides Joe and Alice.
He quickly wound down the taxi window and stuck his head out, giving me a wave, before the taxi drove off into the distance and became a spot, then nothing.

*** I hope you enjoyed this requested story, it has taken me a very long time. I enjoyed writing it and thought it was really sweet.
I hope you are all staying safe whilst in quarantine.
See you soon loves😘😘😘*****