Disclaimer: I own nothing but Paint Yourself Brave

Authors note: This story is on a playlist to go with the whole band theme. Hopefully I'll have the first chapter done and edited for you by tomorrow. Review and tell me what you think so far!

Intro: Hello There by Cheap Trick

Hello there ladies and gentlemen
Hello there ladies and gents
Are you ready to rock?
Are you ready or not?

The feedback from the speakers nearly made my ears bleed. My band mates and I wince at the offending sound; Justin quickly turns down the volume. He sends us a sheepish grin from the club's sound booth and I playfully flip him the bird. Sound check begins promptly after everyone finishes setting up.

Hello there ladies and gentlemen
Hello there ladies and gents
Are you ready to rock?
Are you ready or not?

My real name is Jaclyn Carrie Monroe, but my friends call me Jack. I met Hoover, Graham, Justin and Quinton four years ago on New Mecca after I pulled several "harmless" pranks that landed my ass a year in a juvey hall. Back then, I was Jack B. Badd, still buzz cutting my hair and wearing baggy clothes even though it was beginning to look obvious that I was not a boy.

Would you like to do a number with me?
Would you like to do a number with me?
Would you like to?
Would you like to?
Would you like to do a number with me?

I had this therapist, Geninen. She was the first person to introduce me to music and after handing me a guitar, we discovered that I was a fucking natural. She said that instead of doing outlandish and destructive stunts to channel my feelings of anger, abandonment and other depressing shit, I should make music. After that, I was glued to the guitar. Learning songs by ear and once I exhausted main stream music, I began improvising. Once Geninen saw an "improvement" in my attitude, she introduced me to Graham, her nephew. The rest, as they say, is history.

Hello there ladies and gentlemen
Hello there ladies and gents
Are you ready to rock?
Are you ready or not?

We picked up Justin after six months of practicing together. Justin had this transmitter radio that still received signals from Earth and he let us listen to it and learn songs from the late 20, early 21st century. He became our tech guy and rock music expert, even though he'd never picked up an instrument in his life.

Hello there ladies and gentlemen
Hello there ladies and gents
Are you ready to rock?
Are you ready or not?

This group of guys, they ground me and distract me from a part of myself that is still waiting. From the part of me that wants to cause a riot and chase a ghost that has long since denied me his company. I took the hint and I started over.

Would you like to do a number with me?
Would you like to do a number with me?
Would you like to?
Would you like to?
Would you like to do a number with me?

I don't buzz cut my hair anymore, though I don't allow it to grow past my shoulders. I don't wear boy clothes anymore, although I do swipe sweat pants from Quinton every once in a while. I have fully come to grips with my body and my gender, but people still no better than to mess with me. I'm not Jaclyn, the little girl who ran away from home to avoid abuse. I'm not Jack, the boy who dreamed of traveling the universe or Jack, the girl who idolized an ex-convict. I'm not even Kyra, the girl who was self destructively pissed at the world and almost landed her ass in slam. I'm Jack, lead guitarist and backup singer in a band called Paint Yourself Brave. And life has been fucking brilliant.