Complicated Punk Life Of Me Rated PG13 ~*~ Ward and Jay ran up to the front of The Pearl and found out that Distort was playing. Distort was a hard-core local band. Aaron was friends with the bass player so they got in cheap. The four quickly went to the front and sat around chatting with some of the people standing around. Mai found a friend in one of the hard-core punk girls and they started making silly noises at passing preps that happened to come to the show. Aaron, Ward, and Jay kept to themselves and after awhile of standing around they got bored and went to the back of the club where there were some nearly dead couches. They all sat around and drank some beers. Ward chose not to drink though, because he was driving and he knew Mai would flip out if she had to go home with someone drunk. “Yea know, this place is really cool.” Jay said taking a small sip of his beer. “I know. I’ve only been here a few times since I moved here.” Ward replied as he pulled out a five-dollar bill from one of the scratchy seat cushions. “Hey! Five bucks! This is gonna buy our dinner Jay!” Ward said enthusiastically as Jay grinned. “Taco bell!” The two yelled in unison. Aaron shook his head and laughed at the two and downed the last of his beer as Ward and Jay stood up and started dancing terribly while Ward waved the five-dollar bill around. “Come on shit heads, the bands gonna start and I’m not leaving Mai all alone up there.” Ward and Jay stopped dancing and goofing off and nodded. They all went up to the front where Mai stood, now all alone. Her friend was off with her boyfriend now. “Hey Mai, need some company?” Ward said slinging an arm over her small shoulders. “You bet.” She said with a wicked grin. The band came out and the group made a nice blockade so no one would touch Mai and Ward kept his arms around her to keep her safe from the crowd. The band started and the pit got wild. Ward kept Mai safe most of the time and he didn’t let her go even after the band stopped and the pit was gone. He wasn’t about to lose her in the crowd because Jay had gotten ripped from them quite a few times. After a few more bands Aaron remarked that it was nearly midnight and they all decided it was time to leave. They all left the club sweaty from the pit and they headed to the taco bell right before it closed. They all managed to get ten tacos and four drinks and some mexi nuggets and then they all headed over to Aaron’s. Aaron’s parents wanted him home by two AM and they didn’t feel like eating in the truck because it was so cramped. But when they pulled up to Aaron’s Mai saw the clock and paled. “SHIT!” She cursed. “It’s one! My mom said if I wasn’t home by then she was locking me out! Where am I going to sleep?” Mai’s eyes filled with tears at the thought of sleeping on the street. The boys, although sympathetic had all slept on the street some time in their life and it wasn’t all bad. But knowing that his friend was female and scared Ward was the first to come up with a solution. “Any girl friends you could call?” He asked. “No. I only hang out with guys most of the time. The only girl I know is my Chemistry Partner and she and I don’t even know each others first names let alone each others phone numbers.” Ward sighed. “You can stay with me, but you’ve gotta be quiet and not leave my room cause if my mom or brother or sister saw you I’d be grounded for a month.” Jay grinned. “That and they’d ship me back to Washington.” Mai nodded her eyes scared. “I hope I don’t get in too much trouble. I’ll leave a message on my phone so they think I’m staying at a girlfriends house, what’s a good name to give them?” She asked as they piled out of the car and walked up to Aaron’s house. “Ashley?” Jay suggested using his girlfriend’s name. “Anyone have a pager number I could give them?” Ward nodded and gave her his pager number. “You have a pager?” Aaron asked as they walked through the house and waved to his parents. “Yeah, my mom got it for me so that she could page me in emergencies and shit. Truthfully I think it was just so she knew if I was coming home on some nights or not.” Aaron grinned. “Aww does Ward’s mother worry about her baby boy?” Aaron taunted. “Oh fuck off Aaron.” Ward said with a laugh. Mai grabbed the phone and called her answering machine service and left a message for her parents and gave Ward’s number and Jay’s girlfriends name. “Ok, lets eat before my parents kick you out.” Aaron said after Mai had finished with her message. “Woo! Taco bell kicks ass!” Mai said becoming her peppy self once again. After their taco’s Aaron’s parents said it was time for his friends to leave and practically forced them all out the door. “Now what?” Mai asked as they walked back to the white truck. “Uhh… back to Ward’s?” Jay suggested. “Yeah, my mom is probably asleep and my brother and sister are probably asleep too.” Ward said as he unlocked the door for Mai and Jay. “Ok.” Mai said her voice quavering. “You ok Mai?” Ward asked. “Y-Yeah, just a little nervous, I don’t want to get caught and get you and I both in trouble.” Ward grinned. “Don’t worry, even if we got caught, I won’t let you get in trouble. I promise.” Mai smiled a little and gave Ward a quick hug. “Thanks Ward.” She said softly before she jumped in the truck next to Jay. Ward let a funny smile creep over his lips as he walked over to the drivers side of the car and he got in. “Dude, you look like you just got laid. Wipe that grin off your face!” Jay said with a laugh. Ward glared at Jay, his face burning unnoticed in the dark. He was glad no one saw his blushing face as he started up the truck and he started toward home. He got home five minuets later and they all piled out of the car quietly. “I’ll go in first and make sure no one’s awake. You stay here.” Ward said to Mai and Jay as he unlocked the front door. “Ok.” Mai whispered. Ward walked in and came back a few minuets later. “They’re all asleep, come on in. You’ve just gotta be quiet when we go up to my room.” Ward grinned and he grabbed her hand and led her toward the stairs while Jay waved to them and started down to the basement. “Where’s he going?” Mai asked nervously. “He’s sleeping in the basement.” Ward answered. “Why?” Mai asked. Ward didn’t reply and Mai just let Ward lead her up the stairs. Ward finally let go of her hand as he checked around the corner. He motioned for her to follow him and she silently followed him until they reached the first door on the left and the two walked in and Ward shut his door. “They won’t be able to hear us. Believe me, not unless you leave the room.” Ward said walking over to his closet. “Good, I don’t feel like getting you or I in trouble.” Mai said sitting on the bed. Ward didn’t say anything back; instead he looked through his clothes and threw a black t-shirt at her. “You can sleep in that so that your clothes don’t get all wrinkled.” Mai giggled nervously. “I dunno.” Ward rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, I’ll change in my closet and you can change in here.” Mai sighed, she wasn’t nervous about changing at all. It was the fact that she was going to have to wear only a t-shirt and sleep in a boy’s room. Ward obviously didn’t understand. “Ward, I-” Ward silenced her by going into his closet and shutting the door. “Tell me when you’re done.” Mai blushed more and she changed out of her boy’s shorts and her baggy band T, and changed into Ward’s t-shirt. “Done.” Mai called. Ward came out seconds later in a pair of pajama pants. “Cool, I’m gonna turn on some music just in case someone walks by my room.” Ward walked over to his stereo and pressed play and Dashboard Confessional started playing. “Dashboard Confessional? I thought AFI or maybe NOFX, but you’re playing some emo?” She giggled and she laid down on her stomach on Ward’s bed. “I can’t sleep when I play that.” He said trying to recover some of his hard ass pride. “Uh huh. Someone’s not at punk as everyone thought.” Mai teased. Ward rolled his eyes. “I never said I was punk, I’ve just been labeled one.” Mai sighed. “I didn’t offend you did I?” Ward shook his head. “Nah, I’m good.” He said lying across his bed. “So what time do I need to get up so you’re not caught?” Mai asked grabbing the alarm clock off his end table. “How about five thirty, you can just get dressed and go down stairs and have breakfast. I’ll tell my mom you came over early to practice your bass with me and Jay if she wakes up.” Mai nodded and set his alarm. “Ok we’re up at five thirty.” Mai said putting the clock back on the end table. “Hey, nice undies.” Ward pointed out. Mai blushed madly and pulled the t-shirt down over her butt more. “Oh fuck off.” She said irritably. Ward just laughed and stood up. “Just hide in here, I need to take a shower.” Mai nodded and Ward got up went into the bathroom. Ten minuets later Ward came back, his blue hair going every which way and no longer in the liberty spikes they had been in all day. “Hey Mai-” Ward stopped what he was going to say when he realized Mai was asleep, her deep violet locks were fanned out on the black pillow she was using. Ward sighed and looked around for a blanket and he found one a few feet away on the floor and he covered her with it. She moaned softly a rolled over onto her side, one hand was curled up next to her cheek. Ward smirked and grabbed his camera from off the floor. This was a moment he was going to keep. He quickly snapped a picture of her just as she woke up; he snapped another as she started to wake up. “What are you doing Ward?” She asked with a giggle. “Taking your picture.” He answered winding the film. “Why?” She asked. “Cause you looked pretty.” He answered truthfully. Mai gave him a dubious look but she dismissed it. “I’ll sleep on the floor.” She said adjusting her t-shirt and sitting up. “Nah, it’s cool. We’ll just share the bed if it’s cool with you. After that pit, we’ll both need a good nights sleep.” Mai just nodded and scooted toward the wall so Ward had room to lie down. “Night Ward.” Mai said snuggling into the covers. “Night Mai.” He answered. ~*~