Roommates?
Zooble was pissed. They played the drums, not the goddamn bass. It's not their fault that their bass player quit, why couldn't Jax’s roommate fill in for him? Why did they have to play the drums? They knew damn well that he could play the bass because Zooble and him would often play guitar and bass together while Jax was trying to write lyrics. So why the hell was Jax running his mouth, saying that they just had to play drums tonight.
“Hey zobs, are you listening? Zoobsssss.” Jax snapped as he spoke, trying to get their attention.
“Yes Jax, I hear you. You and your bullshit excuses.” Zooble glared at the guy in front of her.
“Ugh you're always so difficult. It's one show, why's it such a big deal?”
“Cause I play the drums.” Zooble emphasized the last word. “not the bass.”
“You play both toots, so what's with the animosity?”
“The fact I'm the drum player. The fact that HE!” They motioned towards his roommate's door, “can also play bass.”
“But you're better.”
“So?”
“The better person should play.”
“I'm better than him on drums.”
“Eh debatable.” Jax Said with a smirk, clearly Just trying to antagonize them.
“Bullshit.” Zoobles eyes twitch out of annoyance. They hate how he can get a rise out of them, and how he knows he can get a rise out of them.
“Yeaaahh, but.” He smirked, “Maybe I'm just trying to make you tick.”
“Oh fuck you.”
“No thanks. Not my type.” Zooble rolled their eyes.
“Oh yeah, cause you clearly have a type.”
“I do.”
“What might that be?”
“Drum players.”
“You asshole!” Zooble shouted as Jax kneeled onto the ground, laughing his ass off. Zooble waited until Jax had shut up before they spoke. “Spill, why are you making me play Bass. You know I don't like the limelight. I already agreed to cover guitar. So what gives?”
“Our friends are going to be there.” He was clearly lying.
“You never cared before.” He face palmed and slowly dragged his hand down his face with a sigh.
“It's the first day of school Zoobs. All the freshies are going to be there, and I wanna make a good impression.”
“You wanna hook up with a girl who doesn't know your shit reputation.” Zooble smirked as they spoke.
“My reputation ain't that bad.” Jax waved a hand dismissively. “ ‘Sides don't act like you don't.” Zoobles smirk fell and Jax took that as his opening. Placing a hand on zoobles shoulder as he spoke. “You'd love to bring a girl back to your dorm, wouldn't ya.” Jax watched as Zoobles' face got slightly red. “Show 'em around the shop and brag about your art and music. All the more reason to cover for bass, let em see that face of yours in the spotlight.” Zooble pulled their shoulder away and rolled their eyes.
“Shut the hell up Jax, you know I'm not like that.” Jax shrugged with one eye closed and smiled.
“Yeah, yeah, you're boring. Trust me I know.” Zooble scoffed.
“Whatever.” Zooble paused and composed themselves before they spoke. “I'll cover bass this one time, but after this you're on your own. I play drums, or I quit. Got it.”
“Oh hell yeah, I got it.” Jax fist pumped into the air before throwing open his roommate's door to yank him out into the main room and tell him the plan for tonight.
This is gonna be an interesting night.
///
Zooble begrudgingly set their case on the stage. They had talked to Pomni and Ragatha, telling them how to set up the amps and helping them move them to the correct spots on stage. Jax was too busy being a self obsessed egotistic jerkward to help anyone out, caring more about his hair than how loud the microphone was.
“Can't say I'm surprised.” Ragatha said, noticing that Zooble had been staring.
“He never changes.” Zooble responded simply, setting their guitar in the stand, draping the auxiliary cord over it. “Where'd Pomni go?”
“Oh?” Ragatha looked around. “I didn't even realize she left, she's probably out on the floor, knowing her.” Zooble nodded in agreement and walked over to the curtain, Ragatha following behind.
“Look.” Zooble pointed to their brunette friend.
“Who's that they're talking to?” Ragatha Inquired. Zooble looked over slightly. She was in a Melanie Martinez shirt and the faded pink in her hair implied she might've been in the alternative scene.
“I don't know. Maybe she’s new.”
“She's so cute though. Look at little stars in her face. Seems like she'd be Pomnis type of person.” Ragatha said with a sigh.
“She looks like a theater kid.” Zooble retorted.
“Have you met Pomni?” Zooble paused for a moment.
“Yeah, fair point. If I'm subjected to the Hamilton musical one more time, I might stab my ear drums.” Zooble stared blankly, recalling the countless hours Pomni had played that musical.
“Relax, it wasn't that bad. Besides you love ‘Be more chill’ and ‘Dear Evan Hanson’.” Ragatha commented, nudging Zooble on the shoulder with a chuckle.
“I guess. But she seems like she'd audition, and would fully commit to the bit. Method acting type thing, yaknow?”
“Is that so bad?” Ragatha asked.
“No, just an observation.” Zooble was never good with people. Anytime they made a commit about someone it came off like judgemental, even though it wasn't. Ragatha knew this, which is why she was keeping Zooble in check. Something they were grateful for.
“I’m sure Pom will introduce us to her after the show anyway.”
“Probably.” Zooble said, looking at the unknown girl.
Ragatha’s not wrong, she is kinda cute.
“Anyways, you're on in 10. Ima go over to Pomni. See ya!”
“See ya.” Zooble responded as they watched their friend disappear to the other side of the curtain. They walked over to their bass and shouted at the other two to get in place.
“You got it!”
“Sheesh, take a chill pill Zoobs.” Zooble placed their strap over their shoulders and let the bass hang, feeling the weight pull them down slightly.
“Shut up Jax and get ready to play.” The lights flickered on and the curtain pulled back. The all too familiar sound of drums sticks clashing cued them Into their first song.
///
The crowd cheered as their final song came to a close.
“Thanks for coming out, you dopes.” Jax Said before flipping the crowd off and walking away with a smirk. Zooble placed their bass and guitar in their respective cases and stood up to go put the cases in their car. They placed them nicely in the back seat, making sure they wouldn't fall over and knock the strings loose. They walked back into the venue, planning on saying hi to their friends, but instead was met with a crowd of people screaming incoherently over each other. Asking for signatures or selfies or anything of the sort. It was a small town, but the locals' reaction to any kind of show was insane. They signed whatever was presented and feigned a smile for the camera, playing along until it all stopped. Once the crowd cleared up a bit, Zooble was finally able to locate their friends. And Jax. They were all standing in a bundle, talking casually, even the new girl Ragatha and them had been staring at earlier.
“They you are.” Ragath said with a warm smile.
“I was beginning to think you had died.” Jax added.
“Thought or hoped?” Zooble asked.
“A little bit of both.” Jax smiled and Zooble nodded their head slightly.
“Hey Zoobs, great show!” Pomni exclaimed. The new girl nodded her head in agreement. Zooble decided they might as well introduce themselves. She had already met everyone else, it'd be rude to ignore her like they did with most people.
“Hey.” Zooble said calmly. “I'm Zooble, though I have a feeling you already knew that. Who’re you?”
“Oh. Uhm. My name's Gangle, nice to meet you. I really enjoyed the show.”
“Thanks," Zooble said with a small smile.
“She's an artist, and she's really good.” Pomni said.
“Is that so? Me too.”
“I heard. They were talking about your tattooing.” Gangle smiled as she spoke.
“Of course they were. Do you practice?”
“No, I've been looking into it though.”
“Show me your art sometime, maybe I can show you the shop.” Zooble had no idea why they were offering this. They never did this, especially not with people they had literally just met. The shop was their sanctuary and their art was their release; both music and tattooing. There was just something about this girl that seemed magnetic, something that drew Zoobles attention. They wanted to get to know her. They wanted to share their interests and hobbies was also learning about hers, it was odd.
“Sure,” Gangle responded, speaking in something just above a whisper.
The group talked for a while. Zooble asked Gangle about bands and Artists she liked. They quickly realized that Gangle liked older pop punk music and new wave tehnotronik. Zooble was more of a punk, grunge, and goth person, but they could definitely get behind some of the stuff Gangle listened to. She seemed chill enough, a little quiet and awkward but cool nonetheless. She spoke with such enthusiasm everytime she spoke and Zooble couldnt help but smile at the blatant interests in whatever topic was at hand. Eventually Pomni said the words on everyone's mind.
“I think it's time to head back to the dorm.”
“Yeah, I agree.” Ragatha said she stretched her arms out.
“I guess.” Zooble said, knowing damn well they would lie awake for the next several hours.
“Yeah, sleep sounds nice.” Gangle said as she recalled her long first day.
“Which dorm are you?” Pomni asked.
“The west wing.” Gangle said simply. “Room 57.” Ragatha and Pomni chuckled a little. “What's funny?” Gangle asked.
“Nothing, we're just roommates.” Ragatha responded.
“First Zooble and I, now you and her. We're gonna make everyone on our floor hate us.” Pomni chuckled at the thought.
“Doesn't seem so bad.”