"You are making too much fuss, for we don't give a tinker's cuss. We've been out, yes each of us with a bad, bad man," sang Megha, recalling the song from choir practice. She would stay after school everyday for the musical. She was one of the lucky people who made the cast, and even though she was only in chorus, at least she made it. Singing was one of her few talents and she loved to sing more than anything in the world. In fact, she loved singing even more than she loved writing, and writing was her strong point.

"Don't you think you could use some voice lessons, Meg?" Megha whirled around to find her friend, Gabriel, smirking at her.

"Very funny, Gabe. Next time, at least tell me when you hear me sing, so I can stop, and save your poor ears the torture," she retorted. Even though Gabe was her best friend, she absolutely hated him sometimes.

"So, where you off to in such a hurry," said Gabe, struggling to keep up with Megha's quick pace.

"Home, where else? I want to get home, and I have a lot of homework, and I need to practice my violin, and there's a writing contest on Saturday, and I have to take a math competition tomorrow morning," she replied briskly, and quickened her pace.

"Oh, I see, you're trying to be some super brain," Gabe remarked sarcastically.

"Actually, I'm not. I have to practice, otherwise I'll look stupid being first chair and not knowing what to do. I'd like to earn another medal for writing, and I really want to get to the state level. If I do well on the competition, I'll get extra credit for math. And of course I need to finish my homework, I'd be stupid if I didn't," Megha said loftily.

"Ha! Haven't you got a social life, Meg? What do you do all weekend, watch the discovery channel? Are you free this Friday? I'd love to sit and watch Wonders of the Antarctic with you," said Gabe, his well-known sarcasm and smirk kicking in.

"Wonders of the Arctic, good one," snorted Megha. "Actually, on Friday, I'm going to Max and Hope's party. You coming?"

"Me? Go for a study group? I think not!"

"Well, I think so, because, it's not a study group, it's a party. Besides, Rilla will be there. I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss that," said Megha with a smirk of her own. It was common knowledge that Gabe liked Rilla, but didn't have the guts to ask her out. Rilla was only the most popular girl in school, and all the guys were dying to go out with her, so Gabe didn't think he had a chance.

"Really? What time is it? You're going right?" he asked, his tone changing quickly.

"My, what got into you suddenly? Oh, it seems like Friday is a perfect chance for you to go out with Rilla. Why don't you call her?"

"Yeah, I would, but I don't know her phone number. Besides, I don't think I really want to anyways," he said, trying to assume an offhanded tone, but Megha saw through it immediately.

"You're just too chicken to ask her out, and you're afraid she'll reject you. I mean, she's got every guy hanging on her every word. How come she isn't going out with anyone? People ask her everyday, ye know."

"Yeah, well, I don't know. And I don't have her number, so what am I supposed to do, show up at her doorstep?"

"It just so happens that I have her phone number right here!" yelled Megha, waving a slip of paper.

"Gimme that!" said Gabe suddenly, but Megha just stuck out her tongue and ran, violin and all, down the street towards her own house.

"Try to get it if you can, sucker!" Gabe chased her down the street, hoping that she wouldn't drop the little piece of paper with the precious phone number on it.

Finally, out of breathe and exhausted, the two of them stopped in front of Megha's house. The two of them paused for a minute or two so that they could recover from the run.

"Alright, fork it over," panted Gabe.

"Why should I? How do I know you're just gonna keep it and not call her at all?" said Megha, smirking besides the fact the she was out of breath.

"Oh, so you want me to call her and ask her out, right?"

"Why not?" she said innocently, "You like her, you're dying to go out with her, the party is this Friday, and she has no one to go with. Put the pieces together, Gabe. You're calling her, and taking her to Max and Hope's party."

"What if she rejects me?" said Gabe timidly. Even though it was not his nature to be nervous and timid, he was a complete chicken when it came to girls.

"Like that will ever happen," responded Megha, rolling her eyes. "If she doesn't have anyone to go with, then she won't go at all. And it's not like she thinks you're a dork, which you are," she paused, as Gabe shot her and evil look, "So I don't see what's so bad about asking her out, I mean, you're life isn't gonna change if she rejects you, and you'll be all the happier if she accepts. Very simple, you see?"

"If it's so simple, then why aren't you going out with Trey?" asked Gabe mischievously.

"Because I don't like him, and there's no point in it, so," Megha said, eyeing Gabe as she opened the front door to her house, "Don't even think about it." Gabe almost giggled at this.

"Uh huh, just keep going."

"Right, whatever you say, suit yourself. I've got to start studying, so see ya tomorrow!" called Megha, and shut the door behind her.

She turned around, dumped her fifty-pound backpack on the floor, and simple relaxed to enjoy the solitude of her home. After a busy day at school, after the noise and bustle of all the activities she was a part of, Megha liked being alone best. She couldn't find any way to express herself more than to simply sit alone, and think of nothing. Occasionally, writing down those thoughts about nothing would help, but then Megha would have to take the time to interrupt the nothingness, and although she was usually diligent, she was too lazy to interrupt her own personal peace. Just then, ask she basked in the glory of absolutely nothing; the phone rang, breaking her out of her reverie.

"Heello?" said Megha as she answered.

"Hey Megha? It's me, Mandy. I called to ask, you know that movie I was talking about?" came the voice of Amanda over the phone.

"Yeah, Newsies, right? So what about it?"

"Well, I found a REALLY good website about it."

"Yeah, so…" asked Megha.

"So I emailed it to you, so that maybe you can see why I'm crazy about that movie, and you haven't even seen it," said Mandy enthusiastically.

"So what do you want me to do about that?"

"What do you think I want you to do?"

"I'd love to watch it, but I'm too busy this weekend," said Megha.

"Yeah, Max and Hope's party, right?"

"You got it! Look, I really got to go now, I have to start studying and practicing," said Megha, trying to wrap up the conversation. Once she got Mandy on the topic of Newsies, she was stuck, and would never stop talking.

"Right, I should go too. Buh-bye!"

"Bye!" said Megha. I really should study, and not procrastinate anymore, she thought. She was really looking forward to Max and Hope's party on Friday, but she didn't think it would turn out the way it did.