Band X

Chapter 4: Homicidal Vegans

My parent's "this is not a big deal" reaction is surprising but I'm far more shocked that they agreed to let me take my mom's car to Isabelle's house the next day. I promise to be home by 9:00 and head off in the direction of the address she texted me last night.

Google Maps takes me to a far fancier part of town than where I live. In fact, the farther I drive, the nicer the houses get and I feel my heart starting to thunder in my chest. As if I weren't nervous enough with this whole I might be fronting a band thing while I talk to my classmates who are almost strangers to me, now I have to worry about doing so in what is probably the richest neighborhood in our town.

I try to concentrate on the voice coming from my phone telling to turn left on Spruce Lane and then make a sharp right on Evergreen Terrace. This last street is where Isabelle lives and the houses here are huge. When my phone tells me my destination is on the right, I slowly pull into a circular driveway in front of a massive white house with enormous pillars on either side of the front door.

I sit in my car for a while, staring through the windshield, willing myself to go in. I'm not sure I can do it. I don't belong here. If I'm being honest I don't belong anywhere but especially not here among the rich and with people my own age who actually have friends and do cool stuff like start a band. It's an unrealistic goal anyway, I think. Then I feel stupid because I'm feeling sorry for myself. I hate it when others do that, but is it self-pity when it's the truth?

I'm still debating whether or not to get out of the car when a tap at the window causes me to emit a short scream. The person on the other side jumps back a few feet and stares at me. She's a short woman with gray hair and is wearing a plain black dress. She rotates her hand in a circle, making the universal symbol for rolling down the window. Even though I don't know anyone who has a car like that, I know what she means and press the button on the inside of my door so my window slides down.

"Hello! Are you Carter?" She is very cheerful and smiley.

"Yes?" I sound like I'm asking her a question rather than answering hers.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Helena. Isabelle had me keep an eye out for you. Now that you're here I can bring you to the back patio."

"OK." I slowly get out of the car and follow her into the house.

Once we get inside, I look around the massive front entryway and think the entire downstairs of my house could fit in this one space. The black and white tiled floor is spotless and the only sound comes from Helena's shoes tapping as she walks. My Converse make no noise as I follow her through an impressively clean white kitchen to the back patio.

I want to turn around and go home but Isabelle leaps out in front of me and shrieks. "You're here! The guys are already here so we can start."

I follow her outside. I thought the front of the house was amazing but almost pass out from shock when I step out onto the gray stone. I'm not quite sure where the sprawling back yard ends but I do see another monstrous house way in the distance and there are no close neighbors on either side of the property.

The corner of the patio is set up with a bandstand. Eli is behind a massive drum set and Thomas has a bass around his neck. Both look as stunned as I feel and I make quick eye contact with Thomas but look away when he smiles and gives a funny little half wave.

"Don't you just love it??" Isabelle throws a arm around me and hugs me too tightly. A banner with bright red lettering on it hangs above the stage.

"Homicidal Vegans?"

"Do you like it?"

"Uh. No."