Jordan King sat in a fairly large dressing room in front of a three way vanity mirror. She was fixing her light brown hair that was cut an inch or so above her shoulders and had blond highlights, something that was always the object of her tomboy friend's amusement. Jordan adjusted the denim jacket that she wore over a black camisole. Around her slender neck was the silver necklace her boyfriend gave her. She was so excited to see her friends again, even though it would only be short. Ahh, I love my job, she thought. Jordan went from an intern for small-time magazines four years ago to a paying news reporter for Alternative Press magazine. She picked up the notebook on the vanity and turned around to face the door as it opened.

In walked five familiar people. The one at the front, the only female in the group, looked around, and once her chocolate brown eyes landed on Jordan, her face lit up in excitement. Mikey Halliwell had changed somewhat since Jordan last seen her about two years ago. That was when her band, Rise Against, had just released their debut album. Mikey had grown at least two inches taller since high school. Her long black hair now reached to her hip with neon red streaks in it. Mikey wore a red tank top with black words across from it that said "Tomboy" and black capri pants with converse. Around her neck was the same gold necklace with the shovel Zigzag had given her.

Same old Mikey, Jordan thought as she stood up and hugged her friend. "Hey Pear!" she said energetically. Jordan let go of her (or more like Mikey did) to get a better look at the four guys she came in with.

They all were watching the two women in front of them in amusement. The one at the far left was Ozz Green. Nothing had changed with him except for another eyebrow piercing on the same eyebrow the first was and a small black cross tattoo on his neck. He still had the same bright orange hair he had since high school, and was still the shortest of the whole group, only one inch shorter than Mikey. To the right of him in Jordan's point of view was Ricky Dilzweld. Nope, nothing's changed. Still the preppy-looking boy with collared shirts and non-ripped pants. So weird for a drummer, even weirder for someone who hangs out with people as crazy as his band mates. On his other side was Zigzag McRath. He was still the tallest and still had his crazy dirt blond hair. The only thing that changed since high school was the tattoo of a vine that started on his left wrist and then snaked up his left arm. Jordan smiled at him. Zigzag nodded then turned his attention back to Mikey, who was lounging on the long red sofa behind them. Jordan shook her head at him then looked at the last person left.

Michael Traubenfeld walked over to her as the rest of the guys joined Mikey on the sofa and pulled her into his arms. "I missed you a lot," he whispered.

Jordan smiled up at his blue eyes and gave him a kiss, feeling the lip ring piercing. They were still together, but it was hard since their jobs left them with barely any time for breaks or vacations, especially now for Michael and the band since they would soon be recording in the studio for their third album. "I missed you too," Jordan replied as she pulled away to get a good look at him. He was still the same since she last saw him by chance two months ago at a mall. He had longer hair, still true-blond and still had black streaks.

All heads turned towards the door as it opened once more. Eddie Traubenfeld stuck his curly brown haired head inside and looked directly at Jordan. "You only have thirty minutes until the opening band is done and Rise Against has to go on stage, so make it quick," he told her.

Jordan nodded her head and walked back to her seat at the vanity as Michael took his seat at the very end of the couch, farthest from his girlfriend. Mikey was at the other end closest to her, then Zigzag, Ozz, and then Ricky. Jordan smiled at them all and took out from her jacket pocket a small voice recorder. She put her notebook on the vanity and pressed record on the black device. "Well this is Peaches here for AP magazine once again to report about rising bands in the rock world, and do I have a band that literally has the name rise. I am here with my great friends from the band Rise Against. They have been in the music business for three years now," she turned to the five musicians. "Well you guys, and gal," she added with a huge smile in Mikey's direction, "Would you like to introduce yourselves to the people who have no clue who you are?"

"Sure," they said. They took turns introducing themselves, starting first from Mikey then down to Michael.

"Great," Jordan said. "Now, I'm going to ask you the question your fans and many others have been wondering since you guys first appeared in the scene with your first album. How did you guys exactly get signed on Arista Records?"

"Well that's a pretty easy one," Ricky started.

Mikey, Zigzag, Ozz, and Michael nodded.

"It first started with all of us going to the Warped Tour, like, six years ago," Mikey said. "Michael and I were with the other people who were waiting in line to get their shi- uh, I mean stuff signed by the bands." The guys and even Jordan laughed at Mikey's near mistake.

Michael chuckled. "Yeah, so both of us were getting our 'stuff' signed by Blink 182 – yes, we're big fans of them and their work - when this guy who worked backstage came and was freaking out about Less Than Jake's tour bus going awol on them," he said. "So Mikey and I convinced them to let our band play in their place."

"After our performance, someone who represented Arista Records noticed how much the crowd loved the song that we played and started striking up a deal with us," Zigzag finished. "Then the rest was history."

"Wow, that's so cool," Jordan said, having not heard the story before. She turned to Mikey. "So how is it being the only girl in the band?" she asked.

Mikey rolled her eyes and gave Jordan a lopsided smile, leaning into Zigzag for more room; he didn't mind it at all. Jordan noticed this action and made a note to talk about it to Mikey later as she waited patiently for her to answer the question. "I could only say that it's cool," Mikey replied. "There are advantages to being the only girl like being an inspiration to all those rocker girls who want to be in a rock band but don't have enough motivation . . ." The interview went like that. Jordan would ask questions to the band from questions she had written earlier in her notebook, sometimes to an individual person, and he or she would answer her back. Their interview was stopped when Eddie stuck his head inside once again to tell them the band would be on in ten minutes so they should wrap it up. Jordan stopped the recorder, put it in her pocket, and stood up along with the band. "It was fun seeing you all again," she said happily, hugging everyone one last time. "When are you guys coming back home for a visit?" she asked as she got to Michael.

He shrugged and gave her a deep kiss. He saw out of the corner of his eye Mikey watching at them with a sad look on her face. Michael pulled away and told Jordan, "I don't know, but I'll tell you when I find out."

Jordan nodded and waved goodbye as Ozz, Ricky, Zigzag, and then Michael filed out of the room to the stage. Mikey was about to walk through the door but was pulled back in by Jordan.

"Why'd you do that?" she asked. "I have to get on stage!"

"This'll be quick okay?" Jordan said, closing the door so no one could hear. "Mikey, I saw you getting very cozy with Zigzag back at the interview. What happened with you and Jason? Did you guys break up?"

Mikey looked down at her feet, feeling a deep sorrow well up inside her and her insides go cold at the mention of that name. "We broke up alright," Mikey said in a quivery voice. She looked up at Jordan and gave her a watery smile. "We broke up about three months after we graduated," Mikey told her.

Jordan gasped. "And you didn't tell me this?! What was it about???" she demanded.

Mikey crossed her heavily jeweled arms over her chest. "He called me over the phone one day and said he had to go to the military-"

"The WHAT?!?!"

Mikey nodded. "Yeah, the military. I asked why and he said it was the only way for money."

Jordan was pissed off. "That is bull, there are other ways than being a recruit!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air dramatically.

Mikey nodded silently. "I told him that," she said, her voice with a quieter tone to it. "But he wouldn't change his mind. Then I gave him a choice. Either the military or me." Mikey held up her left hand for Jordan to see. The other girl's eyes widened when she didn't see the silver ring on Mikey's ring finger that Jason had given her when they had started dating.

"W-What happened to him?" Jordan asked, a bit hesitantly.

Mikey let out a deep, quivery breath. "A year after we broke up, three months before the Warped Tour, Peter called me in the middle of the night. He told me Jason had been killed when he was on guard with another soldier." Mikey squeezed her eyes shut and covered her face, taking in deep breaths to keep herself from crying. Not here, not now.

Jordan walked over to her and wrapped her arms around Mikey, rocking them back and forth. "I can't believe this," Jordan muttered under her breath. "Mikey, it's gonna be okay," she told her. "You'll get over this like you did with Zigzag."

Mikey pulled away from her and gave her a look with a mixture of pain, sadness, and anger. "Oh yeah, like when you told me at the cemetery that I'd eventually move on after Tobias died!" she shouted. Mikey regretted yelling at her when she saw the hurt on her friends face. She sighed and shook her head. "Jordan, I'm sorry. It's just that it's been so hard on me these last years. With our music, touring, Jason dying, then all of a sudden Tobias dying in that plane accident. It's sometimes too much to bear. But thanks for being there for me," Mikey said. "I've stayed here too long; I need to get up on stage. I'll talk to you laters okay?"

Jordan nodded and gave her friend a final hug. "Rock on skater girl," she said encouragingly.

Mikey opened the door and looked at her over her shoulder with a slight smile. "You know I always do," she said in a lighter, more cheerful voice.