"Hey, I'm here for the audition." a young girl said entering the garage where Roger Davis and his high school band practiced. Roger was usually lead singer but the guys had taken a vote and decided that having a girl singer would get them more gigs.
"Yeah, hey. Come on in." Roger smiled looking up from his guitar.
"Hi, I'm Ava. I saw your flyers up at school." the girl smiled looking up at him.
"OK, let's see what you got." Roger said walking towards her.
"Do you guys know any Pat Benatar?" she asked looking over at them as Roger handed her the microphone off of the stand.
"Yeah, we know some. Which one do you wanna do?" he asked smiling at her.
"Hit me with your best shot?" she asked looking over at them.
"I think we can do that one." Jimmy said smiling at her as he sat behind his drum set.
"OK, let's do it." she smiled as Roger started the intro. "Well you're a real tough cookie with a long history of breakin little hearts like the one in me. That's OK, let's see how you do it. So put up your dukes, let's get down to it. Hit me with you best shot. Why don't you hit me with your best shot. Hit me with your best shot. Fire away. You come on with your come ons, you don't fight fair. That's OK, see if I care. Knock me down, it's all in vain. I'll get right back on my feet again. Hit me with your best shot. Why don't you hit me with your best shot. Hit me with your best shot. Fire away. Well you're a real tough cookie with a long history of breakin little hearts like the one in me, so before I put another notch in my lipstick case, you better make sure you put me in my place. Hit me with your best shot. C'mon, hit me with your best shot. Hit me with your best shot. Fire away. Hit me with your best shot. Why don't you hit me with your best shot. Hit me with your best shot. Fire awaaaaaay." she sang knocking everyone's socks off. Here was this beautiful blond haired blue eyed girl, who looked so demure and reserved and she opens her mouth and belts out one of the most awesome rock chick anthems of their time.
"That was incredible Ava. What grade are you in?" Will asked looking over at her from his bass guitar.
"10th. I just moved here from Cleveland." she said looking over at them putting the microphone back on the stand.
"Cleveland? As in, where the rock and roll hall of fame is, Cleveland?" Roger asked breaking his silence.
"Yeah, that's the place. So you've heard of it?" she smiled looking over at him. He had short blond hair and piercing green eyes.
"Yeah, you can say that. I've always wanted to go there." he said smiling down at her.
"It's really cool. So does this mean I'm in the band?" she asked looking up at them.
"Definately." Roger smiled looking down at her.
"Great, so when is rehearsal?" she asked looking over at Roger.
"After school on tuesdays, thursdays and some saturdays. It depends on when my dad has to work. He parks in the garage and we have to push everything in the corner.
"So why don't we rehearse on monday, wednesday and fridays?" she asked looking up at him.
"Because June has guitar lessons on monday, my mom has her friends over for her bridge games on wednesday and fridays there's usually school dances or something going on around here." he said looking down at her.
"You guys have really busy schedules, huh?" she said smiling at them.
"Yeah well, we try to keep busy. Our parents don't like when we just sit around. That's why my mom lets us play out here. We're just close enough for her to know we're not getting into any trouble and just far enough away that we're not blasting her out of the house." he laughed as the other guys looked at them smiling.
"Right. Got it. So what kind of music do you guys play?" she asked shoving her hands in the front pockets of her jeans.
"Rock. A lot of cover song. I've been wanting to add some Pat Benatar and Joan Jett songs, so you'll be perfect." he smiled looking down at his guitar as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"Cool. I can't wait to start rehearsing with you guys. You're really good." she smiled looking up at him.
"Yeah well most of us have been playing since we were kids. Me and June have lived next door to each other since we were born and Jimmy moved here when we started 1st grade and Will's my cousin, so he's always around." Roger laughed introducing all the guys.
"Is your name really June?" she asked smiling at him.
"Actually it DJ for Dominic Junior, but Roger's been calling me June since forever, so everyone just calls me that." he smiled holding his rhythm guitar.
"It's cool that you guys have known each other so long." she smiled looking around at all of them.
"How about we do a couple of more songs and then we can go in and raid my moms cookies? She bakes them fresh." Roger smiled looking up at everyone.
"OK, I'd like that." Ava said smiling at them as Roger started playing another song. Ava stood in front of the microphone and started singing. Before she knew it they had sung 5 songs.
"You guys sound great. Roger, why don't you introduce me to your friend?" Mrs. Davis said clapping from the door leading to the house.
"Thanks mom. Um.. this is Ava. She's our new lead singer. Isn't she great?" Roger raved introducing her to his mother.
"You sounded great Ava. You sound like that girl on the radio Roger likes to listen to." she smiled looking over at Ava.
"That's Pat Benatar mom." Roger told her taking his guitar off.
"Thank you Mrs. Davis." Ava said smiling at her.
"Mom, is it OK if we go in and have some cookies before everyone goes home?" he asked looking up at her.
"Sure sweetie. Just follow the boys Ava, they know where I keep the cookies." Mrs. Davis said smiling at Ava.
"Thank you Mrs. Davis." she smiled as she followed Roger. As they ate cookies in the Davis kitchen, they all talked about songs they wanted to do. Roger was picking all Pat Benatar songs, which was fine with Ava, but the other boys wanted to do harder songs. They had finally agreed an some Pat Benatar songs and some songs that Roger and Ava could sing together.
"I gotta get home Rog. My dad asked me to take the garbage out this morning and I still haven't done it. I'll see you at school tomorrow." Jimmy said putting his glass of milk in the sink.
"Yeah, I gotta go too. I gotta start my homework. See you tomorrow." June said rushing out of the house.
"I should be going too. I have to be home before my mom gets home from work." Ava said looking up at Roger.
"Do you want me to walk you home? It's getting dark." he offered as Will sat at the kitchen counter of the Davis home.
"Sure, I'd like that. Maybe you can show me a short cut." she smiled as they got up from the counter.
"Mom, I'm gonna walk Ava home, OK?" Roger called out putting his leather jacket on.
"OK Roger. Just come right home, OK? I'm gonna start putting dinner on and you have homework to do." she called out from the living room.
"OK mom. I'll be right back." he yelled as he and Ava left out the front door.
"Thanks for offering to walk me home. I really appreciate it. I don't know the area that well. I was afraid I'd get lost." she said looking over at him.
"Well my dad always taught me to be a gentleman and offer to walk a lady home." he smiled looking over at her as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket.
"Your dad sounds like my mom. She's all prim and proper." she laughed looking up at him.
"There's nothing wrong with treating a lady like a lady. That's what my dad says anyway." he laughed as they rounded the corner.
"So how come you're not singing for the band?" she asked looking over at him.
"Me and the guys figured it would be cool to have a girl lead singer. We were afraid we'd have to listen to every wannabe rock chick in the school, but luckily you came in and you really got it. You're really talented." he told her smiling at her.
"Well my mom used to be a singer and I was taking singing lessons in Cleveland until we moved." she said looking up at him.
"Why did you move from Cleveland?" he asked watching her.
"My parents got a divorce and my mom got a job here." she said looking down.
"I'm sorry." he said as he smiled at her.
"It's OK. Things weren't right with my parents for a while. Actually, I was kind of happy when they told me. Between the fighting and the not talking to each other, they were making me crazy." she said looking up at him.
"Do you know where we're going?" he asked looking over at her.
"I thought you knew." she laughed looking around.
"Great. We're lost. What's our address?" he asked laughing.
"238 Pinetree Rd." she said continuing to look around.
"Pinetree is the next street over." he smiled looking over at her.
"Oh, OK. See, we're not lost." she laughed as they walked over to the next block.
"Listen, me, June, Jimmy and Will walk to school together and I was thinking since you're in the band too now, we can walk to school together." Roger said looking over at her as they approached her house.
"I'd really like that. You guys are the first people I've met since we moved here." She said looking up at him as she walked up to her door.
"Um… I was thinking. There's a school dance on Friday night and I was wondering if you wanted to come? I mean, me and guys are going just to hang out but I would really like it if you came with me." He said looking down at her smiling.
"Yeah, I'd like that. Thanks Roger." She smiled looking up at him as her front door opened and her mother stepped out.
"Avalon, where have you been?" she asked looking down at her.
"Mom, what are you doing home so early?" she asked looking up at her.
"I thought since it was your first day of school, I'd come home early and make you a special dinner. But where have you been? I've been worried sick." She asked looking down at her with her hands on her hips.
"Mom, this is my friend Roger. Roger, this is my mom Sue Parker." Ava said looking up at her mother.
"It's nice to meet you Roger. How do you know Avalon?" Ms. Parker asked looking over up at Roger.
"We go to school together." Ava cut in before Roger could answer.
"Well that's nice. Would you like to come in for a soda or something?" Ms. Parker asked looking up at him.
"No, thank you Ms. Parker. I have to get home. My mom's making dinner and I have home work to do. I'll see you tomorrow Ava." Roger said smiling down at her.
"OK. Thanks again for walking me home Roger. I appreciate it." She smiled before going inside.
"He's cute." Ms. Parker said looking over at Ava.
"Yeah, he's OK." Ava said starting to go upstairs.
"Are you dating him?" she asked looking up.
"Mom, he's my friend. We just met." Ava told her looking down at her.
"Well, don't be surprised if he asks you out. I think he likes you." She smiled as Ava turned to go upstairs.
"I have homework to do. I'll be in my room." Ava said going to her room. She hated lying to her mother like that, but she knew how her mother would react to her joining a band and Roger being a musician. Her father's a musician and although he never cheated on her mother, she was not fond of musicians. She sat in her room thinking about Roger. He was so nice and her mother was right, he was cute. But he was her bandmate. So she had to keep things professional with him.
"Avalon, dinner." Ms. Parker yelled up the stairs as Ava closed her book and got up to go downstairs.