She's Got the Rhythm

Chapter Twenty-Three: In Darkness & In Light

Just a fair warning that a lot happens in this chapter. I'm sorry if you get uncomfortable reading it especially towards the end but it is what it is. I'm also assuming you guys are going to want an update right away so I will do my best.

Meanwhile, the Arizona heat was unbearable. I spent weekends at Hannah’s house because of her pool and the amazing barbecue her dad made. School was almost over, only a month or two left and I couldn’t wait for summer.

            Things were really looking up for the band. We still hadn’t gotten a call from the record label guy, but we made sure to leave our mark. We played more small shores as well as signed up for some local music festivals.

            What we were really hoping for was to get on Warped Tour; a summer music festival that tours around the U.S. for three months. It’s a crazy dream because I’m pretty sure any starting band like ours would love to play Warped. We were determined though; Blake’s dad was good friends with some of the guys that worked on the panel so there was a sly chance. 

            If not, it was okay. We had accomplished quite a lot for being a band for less than a year. Fortunately, our advantage was that we were clear and knew what we wanted our music to say to people.

            As for Ryan, I still saw him at band practice and whatnot but other than that, we didn’t talk. He tried to send me some “make-up” texts but I didn’t give in. There was absolutely no way I was going back to that.

            Hannah was proud as could be for me. She said she was ecstatic that I’d dumped him. Candace said it was all good, she knew her little brother could be a douche. “If he bothers you again,” she would say, “you just come to me, girl, and I’ll straighten him up.” I loved her to death, she was like the mom I’d never had.

            My dad quit his job and opened up a store that sold percussion instruments. There was plenty of room for him to give his drumming lessons, and business was booming. I figured this could be because Scottsdale and Tempe were prime locations for starting a band. After all, The Maine and The Summer Set had come from here.

            John was still on my tail, but not as much. He has a girlfriend named Jenny. Yeah, I can hardly believe it. Who ever thought that John was up for that mushy gushy crap? Apparently, he’s a sucker for her. I haven’t really gotten to know Jenny yet, but she seems nice-and she’s a drummer, so that’s a major plus.

            John, Jenny, and I help my dad out at his shop. I work there part-time, mostly while Jenny is there since she she’s in college and the only hours she can work are with me.

            “More tea?” Hannah asked me holding up the pitcher full of raspberry iced tea. It was a Saturday, about eighty degrees and we were lounging by the pool.

            I nodded and handed her my glass.

            “So, have any plans for tonight?” she questioned me, wiggling her eyebrows.

            “Okay, I know you-“ I pointed to her, “what’s going on tonight?”

            “Well, there’s this party, and I think it would be fun if we both went…” she trailed off.

            “What party?”

            “Paul Martin, you know who he is, right?”

            I rolled my eyes. “Yes, how would I not know who the most popular guy at school was.” Paul was a spoiled rich kid; he had at least four different cars (for himself) and lived with his parents in a mansion with a huge pool. However, he was known to throw some killer parties.