Chapter 59: Punk Fever
Setting aside the idea of the Time Ciggarette for now, Ethan turned to Avril and asked, "So, why did you ask me out? Was it just for a drink?"
Avril shrugged and nudged him playfully. "What, is that not allowed? Do you need a reason to have a drink?"
"Fair enough, but are you even old enough?"
"Of course! I'm turning of age this year."
Ethan chuckled at her rebellious attitude.
They had a few more drinks while chatting about recent life events, her band, and her upcoming album.
"Those jerks, I'm going to show them I'm the best," Avril grumbled, referring to the girls at her school who'd been gossiping about her. According to her, they were cheerleaders for the basketball team, always vying for attention from the boys.
Ethan didn't mind her blunt language. Her tough attitude aligned with her music and her personality, which he found refreshing. They ended up swearing at the girls together, laughing the whole time.
As the evening darkened and the city lights brightened, they had finished their drinks, so Ethan hailed a cab and took Avril back to her neighborhood. Just as he was about to leave, he noticed her staggering a bit, so he decided to walk her home.
However, as they passed through an alleyway, Avril suddenly stopped and leaned over as if she was about to throw up. Ethan quickly pulled her towards a nearby tree and patted her back.
"You should probably drink less with that tolerance," he said with a smile.
Avril looked at him with slightly flushed cheeks. "Haven't you ever been drunk before?"
"Nope," Ethan replied, tilting his head. "I can handle my alcohol."
"Oh yeah?" Avril grinned mischievously, then suddenly pushed Ethan up against the wall and got close to his face. Her right hand reached down and squeezed hard.
Ethan inhaled sharply. "You've got quite a grip."
"How about now? Are you starting to feel anything?" she teased.
"Yeah, a little," he replied with a smirk.
She gazed into his eyes, then lifted herself onto her toes, closing the distance between their lips. The warmth of her breath sent a spark through him.
Before long, she undid the button on her jeans and slipped her hand around his waist, pulling him closer.
"You're playing with fire," Ethan whispered, glancing around the dimly lit street. The excitement of the moment was electric, reminding him of scenes from his own films.
"Playing with fire? I'm here for more than just that, Ethan. I want it all," she whispered back, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Ethan felt the rush of the moment, and as he leaned in to kiss her, a bark pierced the air.
"Woof! Woof!" It was a small dog barking from the bushes, as if calling out to its owner.
"Damn it, it's Wanda," Avril muttered under her breath, clearly recognizing the dog as her own.
Ethan turned to see a woman in a flowing dress tugging at a leash. "Come on, Wanda. Let's go for a walk. Quiet down, sweetie!"
"Is that your mom?"
"Yeah, you guessed it."
Ethan and Avril exchanged a look, both frozen in place to avoid making any noise.
"Let's go, sweetie. Avril's not home yet. Stop making a fuss."
Luckily, her mom pulled the dog away after a moment, and as soon as they were gone, Ethan let Avril down. He turned to leave, but she caught his arm.
"Is that it?"
Ethan looked back and noticed how her eyes sparkled under the moonlight.
"I don't care, Ethan," she declared confidently.
Having dealt with his share of insincere women, Ethan found her straightforwardness refreshing.
He moved closer to her, and under the moonlight, their breaths mingled, and their shadows intertwined.
However, before things could progress further, they were interrupted again – this time by a kid who wandered into the bushes to retrieve a lost frisbee.
The two of them had to call it a night, with Ethan taking Avril back to her doorstep. "Call me if you miss me."
"I'll call you tonight," she replied instantly.
"Alright, but if I don't pick up, I'm busy with work. I'll text you when I'm free," Ethan warned, not wanting to make any promises he couldn't keep.
After heading home and freshening up, he soon got a call from Avril. She chatted with him for a while, but didn't keep him on the line for too long.
After half an hour, she was ready to end the call. When Ethan asked what she was going to do next, she replied, "I'm going to practice guitar, Ethan. I play an hour every night, plus I have to write songs and prepare Wanda's breakfast for tomorrow."
"Wow, sounds like you've got a lot on your plate," Ethan joked. "Even busier than I am."
"That's right. And once my new album drops, I'll be even busier… don't you think?"
Sensing her nerves, Ethan reassured her, "Don't worry, Avril. You've already done your best, and that's more than enough! Your fans are going to love it."
"You sound more confident than I do," she laughed.
Ethan replied, "I know good music when I hear it, Avril. And this is it!"
He wasn't wrong. Just three days later, their phone calls became a thing of the past.
The song Complicated was everywhere.
"Things are just that way, 'cause that's how life goes!"
"Keep it cool. Are you gonna scream? Remember what you did back then?"
Walking down the street, Ethan noticed that every corner was filled with young people singing along to the song, riding their skateboards as they passed by. It seemed like every record store was playing it on repeat.
It was as if the song had exploded overnight, without any warning or buildup. No one had expected it to blow up so quickly – not even Ethan.
He wandered into a record store, thinking he might pick up a vinyl or CD of the album for his own collection, and found a crowd gathered around a television.
As he approached, he realized they were watching the Complicated music video and talking about the song.
Curious, Ethan grabbed a seat at the bar, where the curly-haired Indian store owner waved a hand for quiet before starting the music video from the top.
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