The Rockstar Chronicles

Lesson 101

Kandee popped back into the room as soon as Sarah left and I wondered if she had heard what Sarah said. If she did, she gave no indication.

"Ok, guys!" she said, clapping her hands. "Run to the locker rooms and get ready. You have about 20 minutes and then we'll start. So be back in this room in 20!"

It was like a bomb had dropped on us. We literally just stared at each other in shock for what seemed like several minutes.

"Well, I guess this is it," Hardyn said, breaking the silence as he scooped his towel and water bottle off the floor. "At least the public won't know I was involved with this band. Maybe I can get a third chance, huh?" He smiled wryly at us and then shook his head. He knew that wasn't going to happen.

"I'm glad," Ryder said as he rubbed his head with his own towel and then flung it against the wall. "I'm through with this stuff. I should be acting, not practicing this crap."

Hardyn froze, scoffing at him. "This crap? Have you seen your last few "projects"? And besides, I didn't know you had other offers coming in."

The rage on Ryder's face scared even me. "Oh, yeah? I don't have to do this. It isn't my last chance. Do you know who I am? Do you know who my brother's are?"

"You're not your brothers," Grady said slowly.

"Thanks, Grady," Ryder said sarcastically. "I didn't know that. What do think of this, Bridge?"

Bridge sank to the floor, crouching as he took a long drink of water. "I think I don't have to do this. I can..."

"Live in your cabin on your trust fund?" Hardyn interrupted him and I could tell he was ready for a fight. They all were, except for Tom of course. He simply watched, his eyes wide.

This band mattered more to him than probably anyone else, but no one seemed to notice or care. He was overlooked, as usual. Just like me.

Bridge stared levelly at him and remained calm. "What happened, Hardyn? Spend all yours already?"

Grady stepped forward as if to stop the fight, but they turned on him.

"And we all know you don't want to be here, Grady," Ryder said as he scowled at him. "What? Do you have another deal in the works? Have you and your mom been sabotaging us?" then he turned to me. "And your sister?"

I felt as if I had been slapped. The blood rushed to my head and I tried to swallow, but it felt as if I was choking. All my tears had stopped up in my throat.

"I know you can't wait to get out of here," Ryder challenged me.

"Lindy has every right not to want to be here," Grady said as he stepped between us. "She didn't have a choice."

I found my voice. "Neither did you, Grady. Maybe they're right. Maybe we are the problem."

Bridge shook his head. "Neither did I. If I want to try music, it's on their terms. At least until I'm 18." He didn't name who they were, but we all knew.

"Neither did I." Hardyn said.

"Me either," Tom added.

"Or me," Ryder said.

"So it looks like none of us want to be here, but we are here," Grady said. "I don't know about any of you, but I've had fun these past few months. I liked working with you guys and I think I'll like moving forward with you." He paused, shuffling awkwardly. "Me and Lindy," he glanced at me. "If we don't stay here, in this band, we don't know where we'll end up. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't want to move on to something else. I think of you as... well, as my friends."

"It could be worse," Hardyn said.

"Yeah, it could be worse," Ryder said, grinning slightly.

He stuck his hand out and the rest of us added our hands, one by one, till we all stood in a circle.

"It could be worse," we chanted and then broke.

It was showtime and lesson 101 of any stage kid is the show must always go on.

*****

Thanks for reading guys! What did you think of this section? How do you think their performance for Mr. Kane will go?