Songs Of A Feather
Chapter 1: An Old Friend
-Northridge; A Few Days Before The Showcase- A young black and blue haired male sat back in a chair in front of a desk and sighed as he looks at the ceiling.
"Damn it! It's hard to think up a song on the time limit that I have! Come on, Bradley… Think!" he thought as he shook his head. Suddenly, a jazzy tune pierced through the air. A blue smartphone was playing a song as its screen showed a young redhead with brown eyes on it. He picked up the phone and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hii!"
"Wait… Caterina?! I didn't recognize your voice! Is that really you?"
"Yep! It's me, Bradley! How are you?"
"I see you kept the same number for about 4 years…"
"Ehehe… I know."
"By the way, I'm not doing so well…"
"Aww… What's wrong?"
"Well… I'm stuck. I need help with writing a song for the School Showcase in a few days."
"Where are you?"
"209 Victor Avenue in Northridge."
"That's not too far… I can come help you!"
"You would do that for me?!"
"That's what friends are for, right?"
"…"
"Don't be like that… What happened last time wasn't your fault."
"Cat… My dad is dead. How can I not say it's my fault? I was arguing with him and ran out that night… If I didn't run out…"
"Bradley…"
"Yes?"
"Don't beat yourself up… Your dad would not want you to be sad."
"Yeah… I know. But, it's hard to move on…"
"I know… But, try to move on. For me?"
"You always were the sweetest out of the 2 of us, Cat… Thanks."
"Yay! You're smiling, aren't you?"
"-Sigh-… You are an angel, girl. I'll see you soon, k?"
"Kk! Bye!"
"See ya…" Bradley hung up and puts the phone down onto the table.
"Ok… Now, the next verse should sound like…" Bradley said as he leaned forward and grabbed a pen.
-A Little Later- A long white haired woman was humming to herself as she chopped some onions on a counter in the kitchen. Then, the doorbell rang. She stopped chopping the onions and wiped her hands on a nearby dry towel.
"Coming!" she said in a southern accent. She opened the door and the redhead from the picture on Bradley's phone was standing there with a notebook in her arms. She wore a red jersey dress and a blue jean jacket over it as well as a pair of red high-tops that reached her lower thighs.
"Do I know you?" the woman asked.
"Umm… Is this 209 Victor Avenue?" the girl asked.
"Yes… Who are you?"
"My name is Caterina Valentine… I'm looking for Bradley Phoenix," she told the woman.
"Valentine? Wait… You're Cat! I didn't recognize you or your voice!" the woman gasped.
"Miss Seljina? Wow… It's been 4 years," Cat told the woman as she hugs her, "I didn't recognize you, either… You look so young!"
"Well, I've been exercising," Seljina smiled as she posed.
"Mom! Stop doing that!" Bradley called as he walked down the stairs to the front door, "That's embarrassing!"
"You try keeping your sexy figure at 40, young man," she told Bradley, "I feel like I'm 22 again!"
"-Sigh-…" Bradley sighed as he shook his head. He looked at Cat and gaped in surprise.
"Cat?"
"Bradley!" Cat smiled as she pounced onto Bradley and knocked him over.
"Oof! God, girl… You haven't changed a bit," Bradley told Cat as she looked at him.
"It's been so long! I missed you!" Cat told him.
"I missed you, too…" Bradley told her.
"Well… Since you're here, Cat… How about we eat dinner? I just finished making steak and onions," Seljina smiled as she closed the door.
"Sure! Your cooking is as good as my mom's cooking!" Cat smiled as she got off of Bradley. Bradley and Cat got to their feet and followed Seljina into the kitchen.
-After Dinner- "I see it.. I see it now… Umm… Well, crap," Bradley sighed as he sat back in his chair. Cat sat cross-legged on Bradley's bed as she looked at him.
"You see my dilemma? I get the melody in my head… But, the words can't come out! What am I supposed to do?!" Bradley told her.
"Calm down… Take a deep breath first," she told him.
"…"
"Better?"
"Better."
"Good… Now, let's try it again," Cat told him as she got off of the bed and stood next to him.
"You remember this song?" Cat asked as she pulled out her phone and clicked on the play button. An upbeat melody played from the phone.
"You remember that one?! That was our song back in junior high!" Bradley smirked. He stood up and cleared his throat.
"I wanna see your animal side (Bradley)
You let it all oooout!
I wanna see the dirt under your skin
I need your broken promises…
I want the guts and glory, baby!
Baby…
This town is wasted and alone!
But we are alive!
Here at Death Valley
But, don't take love off the table yet…
Cause tonight!
It's just fire alarms and losing you!
We love a lot
So, we only lose a little!
But, we are alive!
(We are alive!)
We are alive…
I wanna see your animal side! (Cat)
Let it all oooout!
Oh, there you go… Undress to impress
You wear that crown; but, you're no princess!
So, put the 'D' in dirt now baby…
Baby!
Let's get you wasted and all alone!
But, we are alive!
Here in Death Valley!
But, don't take love off the table yet…
Cause tonight…
It's fire alarms and losing you…
We love a lot
So, we only lose a little.
But, we are alive!
(We are alive!)
We are alive…
We're gonna die
It's just a matter of time
Hard times come
Good times go
I'm either gone in an instant
Or here 'till the bitter end…
I… I never know
What I've got will make you feel more alive…
I will be your favorite drug, I will get you high!
I will get you high!
-Dance Break-
We're still alive! (Bradley)
We are alive! (Both)
Here at Death Valley!
So, don't take love off the table yet!
Cause tonight…
It's fire alarms and losing you!
We love a lot!
So, we only lose a little!
But, we are alive!
(We are alive!)
We are alive!"
Cat and Bradley stopped singing to hear clapping from behind them. They turned to the doorway and saw Seljina smiling as she leaned on the wall.
"Uh… How long have you been standing there?" Bradley asked as he looked at her.
"Long enough… You two would make a great couple," Seljina teased Bradley and Cat as she walked up to them.
"Mom…" Bradley said as he shook his head.
"…" Cat didn't reply as she looked at Bradley.
"I can't tease my own son?" Seljina smirked.
"Sometimes you act younger than you look," Bradley told her.
"Really?" Seljina asked seriously.
"Uh…"
"You are gonna get grounded with that tone, young man," Seljina told him.
"Sorry, Mom…" Bradley told her.
"Anyway… Are you planning to stay the night, Caterina?" Seljina asked.
"Yes, ma'am! I told my parents that I was spending the night at one of my friend's house," Cat told Seljina as she looked at her.
"Good… Where do you want to sleep?" Seljina asked as she turned to Cat.
"I… Will take a guest bedroom, thank you," Cat smiled.
"Fine with me!" Bradley smiled.
"As long as you're comfortable," Seljina smiled. Seljina waved back at them as she walked out of the room.
-A Few Days Of Preparation Later; Hollywood Arena- Bradley was sitting down on a stool with a red electric guitar in his hands.
"Mmm… I hope I don't screw this up," Bradley sighed as he looked at his guitar.
"What do you mean, she can't perform?!" a voice called as Bradley stood up from the stool. He looked around and saw a group huddled around 2 girls and a brunette and a tan skinned male.
"She's allergic to pineapples," the young brunette said as she placed a hand on the older brunette's back. The older brunette couldn't speak… Instead, she made these strange gurgles out of her swollen mouth.
"Well, perfect! What the chiz should we do now?!" one of the directors yelled angrily. Bradley looked at the 2 brunettes and sighed.
"All right… I guess we should cancel her performance," another director said.
"No… I'll take care of it," the young brunette said as she stood up and looked at the directors.
"But, we don't have a costume for you!" a woman said.
"You let me worry about that…" Bradley said as he looked at the girl, "Follow me."
"Uh… Okay," the girl said as she stood up, "Who are you?"
"Phoenix… Bradley Phoenix," Bradley told the brunette.
"Tori… Tori Vega," she told him, "That's my sister, Trina."
"I am shocked," Bradley joked.
"Bradley!" Cat called as she rushed up to him out of nowhere.
"Cat? What is it?"
"Your mom wanted to give this to you for good luck," Cat said as she hands him an orange left glove.
"The same glove she wore at her first concert? I guess she wants me to have it… She never leaves home without it," Bradley said as he looked at the glove. He slips the glove onto his hand and looked at it with a smile.
"Ok… Wait here," Bradley told Tori as he rushed off.
-End Chapter 1-