[ToKyObOxRoBoT]

“So call me tonight”, said my best friend of four years Amy Newhabe,”maybe later we can go shopping.” She continued as she scrambled through her locker. “Can’t”,
I replied,” I have practice. Remember? It’s Friday, we always practice on Friday.” She knew that I had band rehearsal; she was just let’s say ‘protective’ over me. Seeing how I was the youngest of the both of us, I guess she felt like my older sister. “Gosh, Sarah I don’t see why you joined that group anyway. You ain’t gonna get anywhere with them, you’re too talented. “She also didn’t like the fact that I had to spend more time with them than her, but now that my band was starting to get recognition I wasn’t gonna pass up my chances of stardom. “I guess I’ll take that as a compliment, but they’re my friends and I’d be happy if you’d support me.” I hated it when she rambled on about how they were the ones that were dragging my career down. “Oh, I support you. I just think you can do better.”
“Amy, I’m fine with my band. The fact that we are getting noticed should make you jump for joy. I know that’s what it did to me.” It always baffled me how someone could be so jealous of another person’s success the way she was jealous of me. Though she never said it, I knew she was.

A few minutes later the bell for class rang. I slammed my locker and ran down the hall. My teacher stood anxiously outside the classroom. I couldn’t really tell, but I think he was waiting for me. As if he knew I would be late. Then again I was late just about everyday.

Mr. Cortan, he was my biology teacher. He was a tall, broad, rounded man. His head was as shiny as a new penny (he had hair but very little), he was always well groomed, and from what hair he did have on his head and face was I’d stay a strawberry blonde color. Everyone in class called him ‘Mr.C’, and we all thought he was a pro wrestler in a former life. He was rumored to have slammed some poor kid against a locker because they had gotten into an argument. Above all of that he was cool though. He was always the kind of guy who could take a joke and deal it back.

Each and every day we’d crack jokes and just laugh at him. I’d wait for the perfect moment to sneak a gut busting joke and I always managed. Today’s practical joke was the usual, a portrait of him on his board. The drawing always seemed to make people pee themselves. It was just a simple stick drawing with the same broad shoulders and thinning hair, but he was a super hero ‘Super Canadian’. He had a side kick named ‘Bullwinkle’. I got my laugh out and Mr. C just laughed too.

At 2:45 the last bell rang and everyone rushed out of their classes, to their lockers, and then to their modes of transportation. As I was getting my books out of my locker I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around to find Amy hovering over me. I shut my locker, and got my bag up to follow her out. As we were walking I turned to her and said.” Amy, have you noticed the whole time we’ve been here nothing has changed. Four years, and not one change the whole time. I mean nothing more than a fight or drugs here and there, our school is boring.” She gave me a look that signaled she understood what I was talking about. When we reached the door she stopped and said, “Yeah, just think in a week we will graduate and be outta here for good. I don’t know about you but I’m leaving, I’m not going to spend my life here. I’m gonna make it big! Like Marilyn Monroe but without JFK and the drugs.” This time I gave her the understanding look. “Shit! It’s raining! Sarah my hair is gonna be ruined!” I just rolled my eyes at this.
“Suck it up and just run to your car.” I told her. So she opened the door and ran as I ran beside her.

I opened my car door and got in. I sat there for a second and let the smell of cigarettes filled my nostrils. I dug my keys out of my purse, cranked the car up, and drove off.

It didn’t take long for the rain to become heavy and beat the windshield of my car. I began to worry about Amy. She was a sweet girl, but she drove horribly. In our sophomore year she totaled two of her dad’s cars, and was lucky to get out of both of them alive. I put the thought out of my mind and turned on the radio.
Chapter 2
After about fifteen minutes I pulled into my band mate’s, Katie, yard. I saw her lawn was also accompanied by the wrecked up pieces of shit cars owned by my other three band mate’s Jamie, Bryon, and Chris owned. Let me explain, besides Katie and myself the others are complete and total slackers. They think they own the world just because they actually know how to play. Jamie is on guitar, Bryon is our bassist, Chris is on lead guitar, Katie is on drums and last but not least me. I’m lead vocals, in the other band I had I did vocals and lead guitar but they were just complete assholes. They never listened to me, and the only real reason Amy liked that group was she got to get in the drummer’s pants. As soon as I dropped them she didn’t talk to me for almost a month. I didn’t really care because I have a lot of friends and she was mad at me for a stupid reason. Bryon and Chris are just two total goofballs who follow me everywhere I go. They are cute but I’m not interested in them. The last band mate I dated ended up a disaster. Jamie has his own lover. She’s nice but she’s all wrong for him, but hey it’s none of my business who he is with. Katie has a companion as well, Andrew. He’s a nice guy and they are real sweet together. Me, well I was single and I had my sights on one guy but he got a girl before I could tell him how I felt.

I walked in the door to find them Jamie and Chris staring into the tv watching the news. I didn’t really hear much but what I did hear was that southern Florida would be getting flash floods. This really didn’t bother me since we lived in Georgia. I smacked Jamie on the back of the head and asked, “Where’s everyone else?” He looked up and rubbed his head. “Ms. Denamere came home and took those two to get all of us some food.” I sighed and sat down next to Chris. He smiled at me and waved so I waved back. “Hi Sarah! How was your day today?” he asked in an awfully creepy yet cheery sound. “Hi Chris, my day was ok. How was your day?” He looked at the floor then back at me. “It was ok; I almost got fired today because my boss thought I had pot in my truck. He called the cops and they searched me, they still didn’t find my stash!” He started laughing. I just rolled my eyes and turned my attention toward the tv.

Ten minutes later the others pulled up and walked in. They were carrying so much food that they could’ve solved world hunger. Ms. Denamere handed me a bag of Mc Donald’s and told me to pick whatever from the bag.

After everyone was done eating we headed to Katie’s garage and set up for practice. We set up and I told everyone to play our demo for the show next week. We were in a contest and got second place and they guy who ran the club told us he wanted us to play for him next week in the finals. If we won we’d get to go to Atlanta, GA and talk to record executives and play for them. No one had any idea how badly I wanted to win. If it meant getting my songs out to people all over the world, I was going to do it. I waited for my cue in and began to sing the words to my song.
“Choose…if you can’t I’ll choose for you. If you want me decide. It’s my turn to shine it’s my night to show you who I am.”

When we were done I looked at my watch. It was 7:30! My mom was going to kill me. I quickly grabbed my phone and called her.
“Mom, yeah practice ran late Ms. Denamere took us out to eat. I’m sorry I didn’t call, I didn’t know it was so late.” There was a long pause on the other end. Finally she said, “OK hun but hurry up. The news says it’s gonna get real nasty soon.” She hung up; I stood there staring at my phone as if that woman wasn’t my mother. If that was my mother she wouldn’t care what excuse I had. Either way even if I was dying she’d beat me anyway for making her ‘worry’. I hurried into my car and rushed off.

On my way home I saw this store, I’d never seen it before so I wanted to check it out. It wasn’t a big place really. It had big wide glass windows and posters from older bands filled them. I looked above me and the sign said ‘Speaker Rape’, a wonderful name for a place. I decided to call my mom and tell her that my car had broken down and I needed to change the tire. She just sighed and said, “Ok Sarah but hurry it’s really starting to pour down out there.” and hung up. I tucked the phone into my pocket and walked inside.