Elise lifts her head from her short nap. She wishes it could be longer but it’s always uninterrupted by the laughter of her classmate. Elise groans and rubs her eyes, careful not to smear her makeup. “Does she ever shut up?” She asks her friend who sits next to her.

“Yuna just likes the attention.”

“I wish she would just let me nap,” Elise sighs.

“Tell her to shut up then.”

Elise takes out her phone and checks her notifications. She’s been waiting on a text from her date all daybut hasn’t received it. “I’ll rather not get suspended again.”

Her friend laughs, “Enemies until the end, huh?”

Elise slouches forward and turns her head towards the still-laughing girl, Yuna. She’s sitting on top of her classmate’s desks, cracking jokes. Elise wonders how anyone could stand Yuna. She’s rude and vulgar and doesn’t treat anyone with respect. She acts like she’s better than everyone else and hotter. By all accounts, Yuna should be an outcast, a loner but Elise guesses that real life isn’t a storybook filled with stereotypes.

Yuna catches Elise staring at her and flips her middle finger.

Elise turns back to her friend and says, “What are you doing tonight? Want to hang out?”

“Aren’t you going out with that guy tonight? To that show?”

“I haven’t heard anything from him, I think he’ll ghost me.”

“He asked you out.”

Elise rests her chin on her palm and pouts. “I’m used to it.”

“He’s missing out. You’re a catch.”

Of course, Yuna eavesdrops on all of this. It’s good ammunition to use later just to piss off Elise. The best way to rile her up is to poke at her insecurities. The more Yuna finds the more fun it gets.

Class ends and she walks right behind Elise but isn’t paying attention. Elise and her best friend walk out of the classroom together but she suddenly stops remembering she forgot to turn in her homework. Yuna’s the one who suffers when she bumps into Elise’s back.

“Don’t you pay attention?” Yuna groans.

Elise moves out of the way and rolls her eyes. “You ran into me.”

“Excuse me for not being able to see the future,” she snarks.

“Whatever.”

“Fucking bitch,” Yuna says under her breath when Elise goes back to the classroom. “I hope she gets stood up.” Elise’s friend nudges on Yuna’s shoulder. “What?”

“You sure spend a lot of time eavesdropping.”

“Don’t get on my shitlist, Nat,” she tells her before leaving.

-

Elise stares at her phone while waiting just outside the line at the Wamu Theater. The guy who invited her out texted her that he’ll be late so she should find them a spot inside to meet. Elise hopes he doesn’t bale. She wants to go home but she already paid too much for an Uber here. I guess I’ll just go in alone, she thinks.

Elise gets in line and looks around at the people around her. All the girls are dressed provocatively and in neon clothing. The guys in tanks or jerseys paired with shorts. Elise is the only one who feels she’s out of place. It makes her want to go home even more.

As soon as she gets inside the theater she finds a spot towards the back where it isn’t too crowded. The music doesn’t even resonate with her ears. She thought she was going to hear a band but it’s just a guy at a DJ booth in the far front. The people around her are dancing and vibing but Elise doesn’t get it. The music is too chaotic and it doesn’t even sound like there’s any structure. It's like metal is just hitting each other as hard as it can. Like a robot is trying to beatbox.

“Nice, they haven’t started yet,” Elise hears a girl who chooses to stand next to her. “I told you we won’t be late.”

Elise tries not to look but turns her eyes to the person the girl is talking to. It’s some dark-haired boy who’s barely any taller than the girl. He’s handsome and pretty and so unlike anyone else she’s ever seen. Elise turns away when she realizes she’s been staring for too long.

A few minutes pass and her date hasn’t shown up. She texts him and asks where he’s at but doesn’t get a response. Elise starts to look around as she isn't getting the best cell reception inside. Her phone vibrates and Elise sighs as she gets the news she’s been expecting. He isn’t coming. She starts to look around when the music stops while the DJs switch.

“Waiting on someone?” the girl next to her nudges on Elise’s shirt.

“Oh, um, not anymore. He bailed.”

“Shit. I’m sorry. Are you here by yourself?”

“Yeah,” Elise laughs nervously.

“Chill with us then so you won’t be alone. I’m Grace.”

“Elise.”

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Grace takes a step back to introduce her friend, “This is Yuele.”

Elise notices Yuele has been staring at her this entire time. “Hi, nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” he says and takes his eyes off her.

Elise can’t. She’s never seen a guy like him. He’s dressed in all black with a white long shirt under his ripped black t-shirt with a band logo. Three chains hang on his baggy pants and completes it with heavy black boots. Elise hasn’t seen a guy with more than one earring on his ear. This guy has five on his left, three on his right. On his left are two hoops on his helix and three small chains on his earlobes but that isn’t what interests her. Yuele has black eyeshadow that deepens his tired eyes. Elise doesn’t know how long his hair is as it’s covered by a strap-back hat but assumes it’s long as she can see his strans of long hairs poking out and his jet-black bangs coming down the side of ears.. Yuele is a pretty boy.

She looks over at Grace who is the complete opposite of the boy. Grace isn’t dressed as provocatively as the other girls but still wears the same bright colors. Elise and Grace share the same hair color, light brown, and even share a similar hairstyle. Elise might be taller but can’t help to feel she’s looking at a mirror.

“Are you two together?” Elise asks.

“Yeah,” Grace answers unknowing that Elise was asking if they are boyfriend and girlfriend. “Is this your first show?”

“You can tell, huh?”

Grace smiles, “Yup! It’s okay. You can throw down with us. You’re here to see Zed's Dead, right?”

Elise shakes her head, “I’m here blind. I don’t even know what this is.”

Yuele hears this and rolls his eyes.

“This is dubstep, it’s not for everyone. Although we’re just here to see the next artist. They’re our favorite.”

“Hopefully they’ll be better than the last, this isn’t the stuff I usually listen to,” Elise nervously laughs.

“You’ll probably won’t like it either,” Grace laughs. “It’s really heavy and dark. They’re called Elvllvli3 (Elevelie),” when Grace finishes, the music starts with a rise.

“No one’s up there,” Elise comments when she sees the music started with no one at the booth.

“It’s an anonymous act. No one knows who they are, but it’s hype.”

The rise drops and the music hits Elise through her chest. It’s so much different than the artist before. It’s so dark. It’s evil. It’s a machine gun shooting waves of darkness that are tearing through Elise’s body. The bass shakes her body and unconsciously her head starts to move up and down in sync with the heavy kick and even heavier snare.

She notices everyone around her is doing the same. They’re all absorbed by the music just like her. It just gets heavier and heavier from that point on. Her head moves up and down more violently and wonders if it’ll snap off. She hears the vocals and it’s similar to what she has heard in death metal. It catches her off guard.

At one point, Grace grabs her hand and turns toward Elise. The two headbang as hard as they can together. When Elise lets go, she catches Yuele staring at them. Elise extends her hand toward him with a big smile. Yuele smirks and takes it.

“You’re not bad, Basic,” he whispers to her ears when they finish headbanging.

His words catch Elise off guard. He said it so sexually towards her. Elise brushes it off. It’s nothing new. She gets hit on all the time.

The set ends and everyone gets a chance to breathe. Grace turns to Yuele and says something to him then turns to Elise. “I’m going to the bathroom, you need to go?”

Elise shakes her head, “No, I’m fine.”

“Okay, wait here.”

Elise turns her head towards Yuele who isn’t paying any attention to her. She barely had a chance to see if he had any fun as she was absorbed by the music. The way he acts makes her wonder how he ever managed to get Grace to date him. Introverts and Extroverts don’t mix, at least not in real life. She thinks of all the Manga she’s read and how their relationship is exactly a stereotypical romance story.

“Yuele, right? How long have you been dating, Grace?”

Yuele’s eyes move first before his head. “Does it matter?”

“Um, no. I’m just wondering how you got together. You two are like polar opposites.”

Yuele chuckles and takes his hands out of his pockets. Elise notices the three black rings on his left hand. “Trying to steal me away?”

“What?! No!” Elise jerks back.

Even though Elise is taller, Yuele lowers his upper body as if he’s looking down on her. She thinks it’s a bit silly when he has to look up. “You’ve been staring.”

“You started it.”

“You have a bad memory,” he laughs and stands up straight. “I’m surprised you liked the last set though, you looked bored stiff when we first got here.”

“I’m surprised too.”

Elise focuses on Yuele’s smile too much. “You’re staring again. It’s like you’ve been waiting for me you’re entire life,” Yuele smirks.

Elise catches herself blush and turns away. “I’m going to the bathroom!” As she runs away, she can hear him laugh.

He isn’t an introvert at all! He’s a cocky little dick. What does Grace even see in him?

The line to the bathroom is long but Grace pulls Elise in right as she was leaving. “Is this okay?” Elise asks.

“It is if you don’t want to miss the opening song. I’ll wait outside.”

Elise just splashes her face with water to cool down. Her cheeks are still burning and her mind is still scrambling with thoughts of Yuele. Who does he think he is? He’s short and super skinny. Just because he has a pretty face doesn’t give him the right to act like that! I should tell Grace that he was flirting with me!

Elise takes a deep breath and looks at herself through the mirror. Her hair is all over the place, no wonder all the girls here have their hair tied up or in buns. At least her makeup is still on point. It’s no wonder Yuele was hitting on her.

“Yuele was flirting with me,” Elise opens when she finds Grace waiting for her at the stage entrance.

“Oh yeah? That’s hilarious.”

“You’re not mad?! He’s your boyfriend.”

Grace laughs, “Yuele? No, we just go to raves together.”

“But you said-”

“Did he really hit on you? That’s a first. Congratulations,” Grace pulls out her phone. “What’s your Snap or Insta? I’ll love to hear the details later.”

“Oh, uh,” Elise pulls out her phone to check. “I just changed it. Elise.Lyes. It’s for both.” She watches the notification of a new follower and clicks on Grace’s page to follow back. Grace.Ciotta. It’s nice and simple.

“Eleveli3 was so good, right? I didn’t think you would like them but you went hard just like us.”

Elise can barely remember the music she heard. She was too into it. “I’ve never heard anything like it. Who’s playing next? Is it just as good?”

“Zed's Dead. It’s far different, but I think just as good.”

“This is fun, how often come to these things?”

“Well dubstep doesn’t come here often but we usually go to illegal underground stuff. Stuff with techno and house.”

Grace’s words nearly fly over Elise’s head. All she could understand was that shows like this don’t happen often. Grace is cool, maybe she’ll show me more of this stuff if I ask. I can see Yuele-

Elise stops herself from finishing that thought.

Grace and Elise meet up with Yuele as soon as Zed's Dead comes up on stage. Elise watches Grace say something to Yuele’s ear but can’t hear because the crowd erupts with cheers. His eyes move Elise’s and gives her a smile that weakens her knees.

Elise turns her body towards the crowd and only has one thought in her mind.

Oh, fuck.