In A Heartbeat

To
those who believed in the possibility

before it became a reality.

~Chapter One~

Eaven

Today is the first day
in the next chapter of my life. My best friend, Ivy, and I are leaving home to finish college. We will be roommates and have the time of our lives. She has been staying at our house since November of our senior year in high school. My parents agreed to help us both with college if we would take two years of basic courses at the local junior college. Now we are moving to Springfield, Missouri to attend Missouri State University.

Ivy’s
home life has been anything but stable and my parents have taken her in as one of their own. I am so thankful for everything they have done for both of us, but we are ready to take the world by storm. Ivy and I have been there for each other since after the first day we met in sixth grade. She has been dealt a rough life and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for her.

"We love you girls! Please do
well in school and stay away from the parties." My mom is going to miss us. She won’t admit it, but she will. My parent’s named me Eaven and decided to spell it like heaven without the ‘h’. I am sure she would reconsider my name now if given the chance. Ivy and I have been quite the handful the past eight years, but mom loves us. Dad is just dad. He goes with the flow and is pretty easy going. I have to say not many parents would take in another child when they already have two girls to raise themselves.

My parents have helped us move everything into our new apartment
today. I am not sure what Ivy and I would do without their help. They are doing everything they can to help us get an education.

We hug mom and dad goodbye, but never make any promises we know we can’t keep. Watching them drive
away, I notice an amount of weight leave my shoulders that I never knew I held. I am free! Free to be me! I am so ready!

"Eaven, get ready
, we are going to the club!" Ivy is ready to get our party started.

"Hell ya, let's do this!"
I say, bursting with excitement thinking about the possibilities.

We race up to
our apartment to beautify ourselves. After my shower I notice that I missed a call from my cousin Luke. He goes to school here too. He left a message saying that his band ‘Rebel Walking’ will be playing at the club tonight.

"Ivy, Luke wants us to go to Smitty's tonight to watch him play. Are you in?"
I ask her hoping she says yes, because I can’t wait to see him on stage.

"Oh yea! We are going to find us some boy toys!"
I can hear the naughtiness in her voice as she struts off with pure confidence.

"Luke said that if we can get there, t
he party bus can bring us back.” I yell at Ivy from my bathroom.

Ivy has beautiful dark brown hair that flows over her shoulders. She has a curvaceous body
that moves unlike most girls I know. Her skin is always flawless and she seems to have a tan like she just spent the week at the beach no matter what time of year. It is not fair that she has it and knows it. I wish I had her self-confidence. She has on jeans with heels and a tight fitting t-shirt. Damn, I could never wear that tight of a shirt.

"A
re you ready? I am ready to go.” She looks over at me and instantly the look of distaste flows throughout her face.

“
Um, what are you wearing? You are not going out with that top on. Here put this on." She hands me one of her hot pink shirts that is cut so low that her cleavage is always showing in it.

"Ivy, I can't wear that. Your shirts are too small for me. Plus my girls would fall right out of the front of that damned thing."

"Oh no you don't, Ev! Your ex is not here to tell you what you can't wear. You are wearing this and going to love the attention you get
all
night long. Now hurry up, our men are waiting."

"I can't Ivy, that shirt is just too much, or should I say not enough?"

"PUT IT ON! You are going to step out of your little box and enjoy life if I have to drag you out of it each and every day."

I put it
on. I know she will never give up on this issue. The shirt makes me feel completely self-conscious and I don’t know whether to pull it up to hide some of the cleavage that is showing or pull it down to cover the top edge of my jeans.

"Hot damn! Your girls are ready to say
hello
to the world tonight!" I frown at her cat calls and hooting like a fool. She grabs my arm and yanks me out the door.

I can't believe I am doing this. I have been able to live a little in
our home town, Ridgedale, but always hid under the façade that my mom or ex would never let me do certain things. Ivy is going to enjoy ripping me from my comfort zone. I may as well just enjoy this, because she will never let up.

"How are we going to get there?"

"Oh Ev, just let me handle this. There is bound to be someone in the parking lot we can get to take us to the club."

"What? Are you insane? I am not riding with some freak to the club."

"You will see, it's going to be just fine. Smitty's is just three miles from here. Someone will be more than happy to take us, especially when they see our gorgeous bodies."

The only person she sees in the parking lot is this guy
getting out of a piece of crap car. He looks like a very smart guy though, sporting some killer eye glasses. She doesn’t miss a beat.

"Excuse me, would you be so kind as to drop us off at Smitty's? You see my friend Eaven here needs to go because her cousin is playing guitar in the rock band that is out there tonight. We are all dressed up and we have no way to go."

Then she cocks her head to the side and puts her lips out just enough to make them look even more plump. She grabs his arm and slowly slides her finger up, then back down it. The poor boy doesn't stand a chance. She will eat him alive. He stutters a bit and is very nervous because of Ivy's advances.

"Uh, o
k."

Ivy leans over and gives him a peck on the cheek. He about drops his laptop on the ground. I'm pretty positive she will be in his visions for many nights to come, and I mean that literally.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Talon

“Taron
, get your ass ready. We have to be there in less than an hour. Smitty won’t put up with your shit. We are lucky he is letting us play in his club.”

“Bro
, quit being so damned pushy. I will be ready.”

I am tired of babysitting
his stupid ass. We may be twins, but we couldn’t be more different if we tried. He loves to party and has a new girl, or should I say girls, every time we go out. I just haven’t been able to let go like he has. Our high school years were no different. He lived it up. I liked the calm lifestyle I had with Nicole.

“Dude, Luke will be here shortly with the party bus. Is
Holden going to meet us out there?” Taron yells at me from his room.

“Yea, he is going to get lil Lilly and meet us there.”
Holden is our older brother, and Lilly is like our cousin. We grew up with her and our parents were best friends. We vacationed every year together. She is pretty special to us Walker boys. I pity the guy who tries to hook up with her. He will have three angry big brothers on his ass. She plays bass in our band.

Our friend Luke is the guitarist, Taron sings and prances around like he owns the stage, and I bring the beat on the drums. I love playing
the drums. It is one of the things I can do to escape my life and just live in the music. I can actually let go.

“Luke is here
, Taron, come on.” I yell as I head out the door and hear him hit the door right behind me.

“It takes time to look this good brother. You should try sometime.” I didn’t remind him that people constantly confuse us for each other at first glance. People who know us
usually don’t because of our different personalities.

“Hey Luke! Thanks for hauling our asses to the club! I plan to get toasted and tempted tonight!”
Taron says jumping in the bus.

“Tempted my ass, Taron you are tempted with the mail box.” Luke owns an old
RV that we always take out when we go. Each time we take it out crazy shit happens on the way home. We all take turns driving home, except for my twin that is. Taron is never in a position to drive. If he didn’t drink too much, he has his mind and body busy with other issues.

We get to the club and our table is reserved since we are the house band tonight. Taron gets an order of tequila shots at the bar.
This is going to be an interesting night.

Holden
and Lilly join us for a shot. Luke remembers that his cousin is coming and texts her to see where she is. She replies saying that she is outside. We have never met his cousin.

We met Luke last semester. We have been trying to put together this band for a while now. Someone told us he is a kick ass guitarist, and they were right.

I see Luke come back in with two beautiful girls. He has obviously been holding out on us.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Eaven

Ivy’s new ‘friend’ Owen safely gets us to Smitty's. Luke texts me asking where we are just as we arrive. I tell him we are stuck at the back of the line waiting to get into the club. He came outside and led us past everyone. He whispers something to the bouncer at the door and we are in.

"Girls are you trying to get yourselves laid tonight looking like that?"
Luke says as he frowns at both of us.

"Luke you can lay me
down anytime." Ivy says. She loves to boldly flirt with him. I am not sure what I would do if they ever did hook up.

"You two need to get a room, I am
going to hit the dance floor. What time will the band start?" I ask, hoping to break up whatever they are going to say to each other.

"I am going with you
, chica, we will tear it up together out there. Luke, honey, will you see if you can get us some shots?"

"Sure, the band will be out in an hour, so
enjoy your beats while you can. We are pure rock and I know you girls don't dance to that, but before you do come with me to our table to get your shots and meet some of the guys."

"Oh yea
, we will meet the guys, Eaven are you ready?" Ivy doesn’t even let me answer. She grabs my arm and off we go.

Luke introduces us to the group.
"Guys this is my cousin Eaven and her best friend, Ivy. Girls this is Taron, Talon, and Holden. Taron is our lead singer, Talon is the drummer, and Holden is their pain in the ass older brother."

It is obvious that Taron and Talon are twins. They look identical except Taron is smiling and playful looking and Talon is quiet and just observing
me.

Taron is standing immediately rubbing on Ivy and whispering in her ear. Ivy has the most sensual smile on her damned face. She is going to di
tch me and I know it. Seriously?

Ivy turns to me a
nd says "I'll be right back. He wants to show me their ... uh, dressing room."

"I bet he does."
I smile at her and she knows I know what she is up to.

I look down and see Talon
still staring at me. He is sitting there with his arms crossed with such a serious look on his face. He is gorgeous. He has dark hair that is just long enough for me to run my fingers through. I begin to imagine what it would look like all messed up from my hands and notice how his sexy green eyes are piercing right through me. Why is he staring at me like that? I can't even look in his direction anymore because it is like he is taking away all of the oxygen in the room. My heart is beating so fast and it is extremely hot in here all of a sudden.

"I thought you were going to dance, Cuz."
Luke interrupts my confused thoughts.

"I don't know. I should probably wait on Ivy."
I say distracted by my recent reaction to my cousin’s friend.

"You always have to have her to do anything fun, don't you?"