The day started out just like any other. Zoë woke to the slight aroma of hazelnut coffee hanging in the air, the tell-tale sign of coffee beginning to brew. It also meant that her mother would be late for work again. Once she had finished with her usual, awakening hot shower and dressed, she headed downstairs, donning her favorite gray sweatshirt, to wait in the kitchen for her best friend, Elizabeth, to arrive at the house.
The kitchen was cozy and small, with slightly outdated appliances and a window above the sink that provide both a view of the front yard, and a small supply of natural sunlight that was enhanced by the yellow paint on the walls. The clock above the stove read 7:45. "Great," Zoë mumbled aloud for herself, "She's running late today." As soon as the words left her lips, there familiar crunch of gravel that indicated a car pulling into the driveway. "Yo Zoë! Hurry up! Do you want us to get to school on time or what?" yelled Lizzie out the window of her mom's navy blue Volvo. Quickly she grabbed her messenger bag off the table and ran out the door.
"Man Liz do we have to listen to this lame band everyday on the way to school?" Zoë asks. "Hey! If you got issues with the musical genius of COOL BEANS Zoë, then I would be most happy to admit you to the nearest mental institution down on oak street," she with a deadly serious face. In fact Liz's face was so serious that Zoë couldn't hold her laughter in any longer and it exploded in a monstrous HA! that was accompanied with a burp that left both of them in tears. "Haha ok, I think we've spent enough time here and should probably get to school before its too late" Zoë says while giving her the look. "Okay, okay enough already I'm going I'm going" says Liz speeding out of the drive way, "but you just reminded me. I wanted to show you this awesome new article 'bout the members of COOL BEANS. It includes this exclusive interview with the lead guitarist Takuya that just happens to state exactly what he's looking for in a girl." "Jeez Liz, can't you give him a rest already!?" Zoë said while turning to look at her, "he is a complete fake that probably wouldn't even give the time of day to any girl who had a brain and wasn't a celebrity." But Zoë's words were lost on her as she turned up the music to jam out to her new favorite song.
By the time they finally made it to school it was 8:15 and school officially starts at 8:05. "Thanks again for the ride Liz, oh and I wont need a ride this afternoon cause I'm volunteering down town to help with the Autumn Day Festival." "Ok, cool beans, haha you get it? The band is called COOL BEANS! Haha I crack myself up." Liz says, a huge smile spreading across her face. "I'll she you at lunch than." The second Liz leaves to go to English class Zoë turns in the opposite direction to visit the main office, hoping to get some more information about her volunteer work that afternoon. While walking she almost slips on a magazine littering the hallway. "Oh great! My school just happens to be the one plagued with the worst cause of litter bugs!" Why can't anyone pick up after themselves, its not like it would kill them, thought Zoë. As she reaches down to pick it up she recognizes the magazine as the exact same one that Liz was practically shoving in her face that morning. It was adorned with pictures of the band, COOL BEANS, as well as with the titles of all the articles inside. Picking up the magazine and checking to see if anyone was insight, Zoe cautiously starts leafing through the magazine until she gets to the article Liz was talking about. There were a total of 5 pages dedicated to the band. "Who woulda thought," Zoë mumbles as she starts reading a little about the band. Flipping to the end of the article she reads, "not only is the band going to donate half of the proceeds from their next tour to various charities across the globe, but the band is also scheduled to make an appearance at the local town of Dumfries' Autumn Day Festival …" There is no way that this is happening. I'm just sleep deprived thought Zoë. "Oh God." There was no way around it. She would just have to deal with seeing the band at the festival and if all went well she could probably avoid them altogether. "Okay, no need to dwell on this; I still need to find out what I'm supposed to be doing at the festival this afternoon." With a determined nod to herself, Zoë continues her short walk to the main office realizing that this shocking revelation only took two minutes. "Hey Mrs. Rye! I was wondering if you had my assignment for the Autumn Day Festival this afternoon?" A motherly looking woman with a kind face, short brown hair, and glasses too big for her face turned to look at Zoë. "Oh hello Zoë dear, I'm so happy to see you. I just got the list not five minutes ago! Apparently there were some last minute changes. Anyway here you are," Mrs. Rye says, holding out a list to Zoë. Quickly scanning for her name Zoë finds it at the bottom of the page. Written next to her name is her assignment: to escort and assist the band COOL BEANS. "Oh no…"
