Meera's boots tapped against the sidewalk with a beat of their own as she sped walked down it looking for something to do; at least a mile from where she began.
The sea of people around her were enjoying their Sunday by going out and having breakfast with friends and family while her own family failed to just text her to make sure she was even alive.
She sighed, finally stopping to catch her breath and gather her thoughts; but as she did, a beautiful tune began to grace her eardrums, coming from just a few businesses down from her.
"Ren!" Her lips slipped what she wanted to scream out inside as she immediately took off in the music's direction at full speed like she was running for her life. It has to be him; it's so beautiful!
Faster and faster her small frame carried her down the sidewalk, the music getting louder and louder while strangers moved out of her way or risked being barreled down. Their stares full of seething judgement barely fazed her as the thought of being in Ren's arms kept her going while her lungs begged for a full breath of air.
And then she reached the source. A small studio between a laundromat and burger joint; Too small for someone of Ren's caliber, but she still held onto hope that he was in there.
Meera inhaled deeply, calming her frantic breathing before she pushed the door in to enter just as the music stopped abruptly. The simple, metal front desk was occupied by a young woman who appeared even younger than Meera and was playing games on her phone; she didn't even look up from her screen as she greeted the desperate girl doing her best to act normal.
"They're in the back," a loud click sounded as a red door behind the clerk unlocked, indicating that Meera could walk through it. "I wasn't expecting someone like you to show, but they said their next member would be in, in just a second. Go on back." She was annoyed, so Meera kept her mouth shut and did as she was told, sneaking past like she would be found out by scent, and slid through the door before she even opened it fully.
As the door clicked again behind her, locking, she started walking down a long, white stone hall that closely resembled a jail with cement floors. Several glass doors lined the blank walls that housed sound proof rooms, each one occupied by different bands and singers rocking out like they were performing in front of millions themselves.
She was confused. She knew the music was coming from this building, but with the way the rooms were, she had no idea how the music was escaping out and onto the street, and so clearly on top of it.
It wasn't until she neared the end of the hall and took the sharp turn into another one that she put two and two together; not that it required that much thinking.
At the very end, an emergency exit door to a back alley was being propped wide open by a black leather guitar case, with a band in the hall; a woman about Meera's age, and a buzzed-cut man, both dressed up in checkered, ripped jeans with studded boots upon their feet, and a leather jacket over their dark shirts- Though the man had a black suitcase hanging from his closed fist.
The woman was yelling at another man dressed the same, but seemingly cowering for their life on the floor, his back against the wall in front of the hysterical woman. Meera froze at the sight, seeing herself in the person on the floor.
She couldn't make out what they were arguing about, or what the woman was even upset about, but something took her over, and as tears of fear leaked from her eyes, she screamed out.
Meera didn't scream any words out, but it was enough to stop the group completely, turning to the rabid woman and visibly question her sanity. Though before the group could ask anything after processing the screech, the anxiety-ridden red-head darted between the woman and the cowering man, stopping with her arms out, eyes closed.
Rebecca used to do the same thing with her when they were in school, but unlike her best friend, Becca was feisty and wasn't afraid to kick someone's ass before the aggressor could even flinch.
"I don't know what's going on, but please don't hurt him!" Meera's eyes were closed so tight her eyelids wrinkled with her eyebrows.
The woman started to laugh uncontrollably, causing Meera to peek just enough to see what was happening. She was gorgeous. She was wearing dark makeup upon her eyes; liner and shadow, while her lips were painted with just the right amount of maroon lipstick. Her beauty was so natural, only amplified by her artistic capabilities; unlike herself who was as good as a toddler with makeup. As she spoke, her voice was raspy, but enticing, "we aren't going to hurt him!" The woman was far from mad as she spoke, her voice more reassuring than anything
"Huh?" Meera let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as her arms fell back down to her sides, relieved she wasn't about to be knocked out.
"This dumbass forgot to get my burger without onions. How am I supposed to stuff my face with slimy booger worms?"
The cowering man chimed in, whiny, "you haven't tried them before! How do you know you don't like them!?"
The woman's brows instantly changed back to anger, her eyes throwing death-filled stares at him, "because I don't want to eat boogers, Leon!" She then turned back to Meera, her eyes soft once more. "I can't sing when I'm hungry, want to come eat with us? The burgers next door are orgasmicly delicious."
Leon ran a hand through his spiked, light green hair as he stood up, "i'm not hungry, Cassie, but-"
"Whether I ask you or not, you're going."
Meera started to inch herself away from the group, "It's okay, I need to save my money to get a train ride home later," Meera's cheeks started to turn pink as the gravity of what she just did started to consume her.
Cassie tucked a strand of her shoulder length black hair behind one of her ears as her gaze followed Meera like a hawk. Before Meera could get more than 5 feet away, Cassie snagged the guitar case up, and stomped down the hall after her, grabbing Meera's hand in hers as she started to nearly drag the awkward woman down the hall herself. "I didn't ask if you were going to pay, I asked if you were hungry. So now, you're going to join me, Leon and Mick!"
Meera looked over her shoulder, back at the two guys who just shrugged their shoulders before following Cassie and the singer's hostage. But as the group rounded the hall towards the entrance, another man was heading towards them, dressed similarly, but with pink, spiked up hair; Meera quickly gathered he was the missing member the front desk lady had mentioned.
The man paused, his face indicating that the events he was witnessing was just another common occurrence, before twisting himself around and joining the men as they trailed behind the women without questioning anything.
"So nice of you to join us, Miles," Cassie remarked without looking at him as they exited back into the lobby. Miles didn't answer, but the sassy singer immediately directed her snarkyness at the employee. "Good job not doing your job today. This chick is pretty cool!" Cassie, dressed like she was about to scream into a mic for fun, held her fist out towards the young lady, prompting a very awkward fist bump.
Satisfied, Cassie led everyone outside and towards the restaurant next door, Freddie Burger; including the stray they had just adopted off the streets against her will.