Stuck on Replay

Chapter 3

The weekend passed by quickly with no abuse from Dad. These types of weekends we called the "Lucky" ones.

The lucky weekends started when Dad's abuse started. Every so often, we would be lucky that Dad didn't return home after Friday night for the whole weekend.

But weekends hardly stay very long.

Monday.

The most awful, dreaded day of the week.

As the last bell of the school day rang, I walked to my locker and started pulling out books and binders.

"We need to talk." I heard Harmony's voice say sternly behind me. I continued on, until all of the books I needed were put in my bag. 

I turned around to see the whole band with crossed arms and frowns upon their faces. My jaw clenched. "What's there to talk about?" I lied, crossing my arms and staring coldly at them.

"You know what I mean." Harmony stared into my eyes.

"I'm not joining the band." I shook my head.

"Why, because you care about your precious status?" She teased, and although it was a joke, I tensed up a little. 

"I care about my family and public embarrassment. If you knew, you would understand. But you don't so leave me alone." I replied. "James, they convinced you?"

"Not really." James looked down. "The band thing was really fun as much as I hate to admit it, but no, they didn't convince me, they dragged me along to convince you."

Kate looked at our faces and she had been quiet for a long time. "I'm not going to join you guys in convincing her. I have a different idea. Follow me." She lead us down the hall into an empty classroom.

"I'm dying to know. Okay, who wants to do this... This crazy band thing?" Kate stammered out. "Raise your hand."

Harmony and Michael raised their hands, as did Kate. "Okay." Kate said.

"What?" James asked.

"I'm going to flip a coin and let fate decide. Heads we do it, tails we don't." She took out a penny, and looked at all of us.

"1, 2, 3." Kate flipped up the coin and it flew up in the air.

Tails we don't, tails we don't. Tails we don't, tails we don't. I thought to myself.

But sometimes, fate/the universe (Or whatever spirit your religion allows you to believe in) has a way of running what happens in all of our lives.

The coin landed on the desk. As we leaned over to stare, we all knew what fate had done.

Staring up at us was Abraham Lincoln's face.

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The next Friday, when I looked into my locker, a note fell out, and fell on the floor.

In Harmony's spindly writing, it read:

Hey, meet me at the band room, if you don't come down, prepare for me to corner you on Monday. Band practice lasts until 3:55. Hurry down once you call your parents.

-Harmony.

I rolled my eyes. I still had doubts about joining the band. Harmony managed to convince James, with her puppy dog eyes and Michael's help in persuasion.

"You think this is serious?" A voice behind me said. I jumped, slamming my locker shut and whirling around. It was James.

"Woah, didn't mean to scare you." He chuckled.

"It's probably serious. Knowing Harm, she does a lot of threats, but this one is actually legit and serious for once." I looked at the note again. "Yeah this is definitely-"

"James!" I heard a fake voice call down the hall. Ugh. I thought. Here come the cheerleaders.

Kailey Rittal walked up to James with her little posse. I hated them. They thought they were so important, important enough to get away from homework; yeah, right. They were stupid, thinking they could get away from bad grades just because they were rich or their dad held a higher status in the school than the teachers. Whatever it was, anything that particular group had to say was almost always diabolical.

"Oh my god, okay, so, are you, like, joining the team this season?" She asked, ignoring the fact that I was right there and I had been talking to him.

"I'm not. I was thinking of taking a break." James lied smoothly.

Kailey turned to me. "Ugh, why? And why are you loser talking to someone like him?" She spat out, and a few small drops of saliva landed on my face. 

"I'm one of James' friends." I replied.

"Sorry, but you're not popular, nerd."

"I'm aware of that." I replied coolly.

"Why are you with her?" Kailey asked, as if I was a bug that should be squashed immediately by James' foot. I rolled my eyes.

"I... I..." James stuttered.

"It appears my presence isn't needed. Now if you'll excuse me, I should go. See you later James." I nodded at Kailey, and walked away, down to the basement.

Band practice was okay. Everyone showed up, and I guess that was good, but my mind was still on Kailey. Why did it matter about the hierarchy? It wasn't like the labels the populars gave us actually made a difference.

"Guys..." I trailed off, and they looked at me. "I'm not sure we should do this. I mean..."

"You're not going to leave again, are you?" Michael asked. My eyes wandered to my backpack, then to the door.

"Oh no you don't." Harmony exclaimed, and grabbed my wrist. "You're not leaving us again. Not in the dark like last time." Michael blocked the door.

James stared at me. I wondered if he was thinking about what happened earlier in the hall with Kailey.

I looked at their faces, and they all had faces of betrayal, except for Kate.

"Leave if you want, but you're missing out on something incredible if you do." Kate shrugged.

I took another look until I sighed. "Fine. I'll stay." Everyone cheered. "BUT-"

"There's always a consequence." Harmony loosened her grip on me and sighed. "Always with you."

"But," I continued, "only if the first gig goes well."

"If we ever get a gig." James muttered.

"No! No! We're going to get a gig, and we're going to do well." Harmony smiled. "Believe me."

"Okay," I smiled back nervously. "I believe you."