Standing By-an Avi Kaplan fanfic

Chapter 2: PTX

  I wash my face under cold water and fix my hair before heading upstairs. I barely recognize the tall, handsome boy who has the same blue-grey eyes as I do and the pretty petite blonde beside him.

  "Omigosh!" Lorraine exclaims, beaming. "RUBY!" She runs towards me and wraps me in a tight hug.

  "Lorraine! My God, you've grown!" I tell her, hugging her back.

  She lets go and I proceed to hugging Dylan.

  "It's been too long," he says. "What's new?"

  I break away. "I know, right? Way too long! We'll do some catching up as we eat Gran's cupcakes," I say.

  We sit around the dining table and Gran joins us with a plate full of freshly baked cupcakes, topped with vanilla icing and sprinkles.

  Lorraine takes a huge bite out of the one she picks. "Mm, I almost forgot how good your cupcakes are, Gran!" she says, mouth full.

  "Glad you kids are here," Gran replies. "How was the drive, Dyl?"

  Dylan swallows before speaking. "It was alright. Few icy patches here and there, but it's only three hours from Smithers to here. Not a hard drive, and hey, we survived."

  We all try to fill each other in about everything as much as we can. My move here, Dylan's high school graduation and university enrolment, and the whole works about Lorraine's new private school.

  "Oh! Ruby!" Lorraine says excitedly after I finish telling Dylan about my new modelling job. "I forgot to tell Gran this, but Dyl and I came down because... PENTATONIX IS COMING HERE ON TOUR!"

  I almost choke on my cupcake. "COME AGAIN?!" I shriek.

  "PTX IS GONNA BE HERE ON FEBRUARY 6, WHICH IS TOMORROW!" Lorraine yells.

  "Oh my GOD!" I exclaim and jump out of my chair.

  Lorraine and I scream with delight. Pentatonix is our absolute #1 favourite band.

  I've been obsessed with them since I saw them on the Sing-Off in 2011. After they won and started recording, I subscribed to their YouTube channel, bought every album of theirs, and followed them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. My fellow Pentaholics Marina, Chase, Sam, and Kingston (who I met last year in choir) and I created our own YouTube channel and Instagram account, and posted our covers of their songs, such as Say Something, Save The World/Don't You Worry, Child, and Love Again. Lead mezzo soprano Kirstie Maldonado and bass vocalist Avi Kaplan both followed our Instagram account, which we called Take 5, and Pentatonix as a whole liked our video of Say Something on YouTube, and of course we freaked out.

  Listening to their music always makes me smile and I'm transported to another world. They inspired me and helped me through tough times, and I can't believe that they're coming here for a concert! It's like a dream come true...

  Dylan and Gran laugh as Lorraine and I dance around squealing. I snatch my laptop off the coffee table in the living room and go on Google and search for eTickets.

  "Ugh, why had I not known about this earlier?" I grumble. "I mean, I practically stalk them on social media-surely I would've seen their concert announcement or tour dates."

  Lorraine giggles. "Haha, true. It's possible you missed it... There's a lot of news that goes around all the time. It happens."

  I frantically search the Web for tickets, but come up empty-handed after 20 minutes.

  "They're all sold out," Lorraine groans. "See Dylan, I told you we should've pre-ordered the tickets!"

  "Man, that sucks. Sorry Lor, sorry Ruby," Dylan says apologetically.

  Gran peers at the computer screen over my shoulder. "Girls, it looks like you can't go to their concert, but see here, they're having a convention the day after at the CN centre; it's free, and it's not that far. I have to run errands and Dylan is meeting with a few friends, but you two could take the city bus."

  Lorraine and I look at each other, and we mirror each other's expressions of pure excitement-Cheshire Cat grin plastered on our faces, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. We shriek again and collapse onto the floor, laughing.