Bring Me to Life Chapter 1: Could Life Get Any Worse?, a marching band fanfic

So this is a new story I'm going to give a shot, since I'm a total Marching Band dork, and proud of it. I'm in the Guard (W00!) Although I prefer to hang with my friends on the Line and in the band... (aka my boyfriend in the bass clarinet section... and best friends who play piccolo/clarinet (Who's also the future drum major!)) The song is Bring Me to Life by Evanesence. They really have some great music! And, no, this isn't a true story although my name is Tori, and at one point I did have a crush on a quint player, but his name was Josh. Anyway, that's irrelevant. I'm babbling. Sorry.

Darth Raven (aka Tori!)

Notes: Italics are Tori's thoughts! This is rated T because I can't control my cursing!

"Victoria Analacyia Esposito?"

I turned around to see the small woman holding a manila envelope.

"You are a sophomore, correct?" I nodded. She pulled a pink card from the pile, and wrote Victoria Esposito on it. I sighed.

They did this last year too. It's Tori, damn it.

I looked up hurriedly as she extended a hand towards me. I took the nametag she handed me, and clipped it to my shirt.

I angrily threw my duffle on the top bunk. I heard the door open, and turned to see who it was. Great. Just fabulous. My new roommate? Aria Finatcia. Dan Cook's girlfriend.

God, she is SUCH an airhead! And she has Dan, damn her.

I'd had a crush on Dan Cook since I was in seventh grade, and he was in eighth. And he didn't even know I existed. Such is the story of my life.

Aria was a tall, shapely blonde. Think model, and you've got her. She was a senior, but a total airhead. She could barely count past 32. Good thing most of our pages don't go past there.

I stomped out of the room.

I heard a tentative knock on the door of the lounge.

"Come in!" I yelled.

A very pretty girl with red hair opened the door.

"Tori!" My best (and only) friend in the world screamed. She flung herself at me, and we hugged.

Aly and I had been best friends ever since band camp last year when she saw me sitting alone at every single meal. She'd come over to sit with me, even though all her friends told her not to, that she shouldn't associate with the 'manly girl'.

No one had ever liked me for me, just because I like to do guy things. I love sports, and video games are my life. Bugs don't bother me, and I think gross stuff is cool. It's who I am. I don't really care. If people can't accept me, that's their problem.

"Com'on, it's time for dinner." Aly called over her shoulder.

"You go ahead, I'll catch up." I yelled as she disappeared down the stairs.

I stood up, and made my way down the stairs after her. I shoved my hands in my jacket pockets, and trudged down the sidewalk.

The lightly falling rain did little to soothe my anger.

I'm so tired of being an outcast. I'm tired of never being good enough. Well, fuck it. Fuck them.

I ducked into the dining hall. Grabbing a tray, I loaded up. Sliding into a seat next to Aly, I sighed.

"What?" She asked, concerned.

"I'm tired of being an outcast. Why can't I be like Emma?" I gestured to another sophomore, Emma Vivali, piccolo, surrounded by her numerous friends.

"Emma is so sweet!" Aly remarked.

"Yeah, sweet on Jason Stewart." I snorted as said boy walked in.

"No really, give her a chance. You should talk to her, she's really a nice person." Aly protested.

"Why, so some other jerk can diss me to my face? No way." I turned back to my dinner.

Aly sighed her best friend could be such a stubborn ass.

Dan was walking back to his dorm, passing by the girls' dorm. Stopping, he tilted his head to hear better. The low sound of an electric guitar floated through the open window. After a moment, a voice joined in.

How can you see into my eyes like open doors
leading you down into my core
where I've become so numb without a soul my spirit sleeping somewhere cold
until you find it there and lead it back home

(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
before I come undone
(Save me)
save me from the nothing I've become

now that I know what I'm without
you can't just leave me
breathe into me and make me real
bring me to life

Bring me to life
(I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside)
Bring me to life

frozen inside without your touch without your love darling only you are the life among the dead

all this time I can't believe I couldn't see
kept in the dark but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
got to open my eyes to everything
without a thought without a voice without a soul
don't let me die here
there must be something more
bring me to life

(Bring me to life)
I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside
(Bring me to life)

Her voice… It wasn't a 'perfect' voice, but the emotion… The singer had such a soulful quality to her voice, he could tell she sang from her heart. It almost sounded… like she was singing to him. It struck a chord in him he couldn't identify. Squinting through the falling darkness, he made out a girl perched on the window frame. Her long dark hair fell over her shoulders, the only identifiable feature. He took note of which window it was, and vowed to find the singer.

Aly sighed, lowering her guitar.

"I love your voice. You do Evanescence so well."

I grinned modestly. "Aly?"

She glanced up "Yeah?"

"I don't know what I'd do without you. Thanks."

She blushed. As she finished putting the guitar away, I stared into the gray sky. I noticed a retreating form. Dan? What?

Had he heard me? Did he realize I was singing to him?