She woke up late in the morning to a death metal song killing her surround sound. She fumbled around for the remote before switching it off, sighing in relief that she didn't have a headache.
What she did have was a sore neck from sleeping in an awkward angle, and her dark hair was mussed from sleep; picking up her phone, she saw that it was 11.30. Mari groaned loudly just as her stomach grumbled. Lunchtime. Or just really late breakfast time.
As she was tipping milk into her cereal bowl, she noticed the abandoned clipboard lying on the bench; it would be a bit desperate for her to call everyone up today, it hadn't even been 24 hours since the auditions. But then again, there wasn't much time left to the competition.
Mari continued to stare at the board as she ate her cereal, her decision coming to a head as she ate her last spoonful.
May as well bite the bullet and do it now.
Her eyes lazily looked the list up and down, and she picked up a pencil to put a tick beside each of the names that she picked. It was a fairly easy decision, even though there was a lot of choice involved.

He wasn't at home when his phone started vibrating in his pocket, ringtone trilling loudly to make him blush and feel embarrassed. He excused himself from the game he was playing with his friend, and went outside to answer the phone call.
"Hello?"
"Matt, it's me, Mari! From the band audition yesterday?"
"Oh, really?" His brow furrowed. "I didn't think that you'd be calling me this early. I mean, you only held the auditions yesterday, isn't it a bit soon?"
"The other bands entering the competition aren't exactly waiting around, so I thought the sooner the better, you know? Anyway, I was wondering if you still wanted lead guitar?"
"Yeah, of course I would!" Sohinki was kind of surprised that he had been accepted into the band, because like some musicians, he didn't think he was that talented. He didn't even really like playing in front of his friends.
"Cool! Then, are you free this Thursday for band practice?"
"I should be." Who was he kidding, he'd make time for the practice. "I'll see you there, Mari." Matt hung up in a happy mood, sliding the cellphone back into his jean pocket as he went back into his friend's apartment.

When she rang Joshua, he wasn't as quick to pick up. It was about a minute before he answered, and she was impatiently tapping her foot on the floor when he decided to do so.
"Who is this?" he asked as soon as the call had gone through. There were gun noises and grunts in the background, so Mari guessed that she was on loud speaker and he was playing Halo or something.
"It's Mari. You know, you came to my garage and played drums for me, and now is about the time where I ring you and tell you whether you're my drummer or not?" The 'pew pew pew' sounds stopped immediately and there was a rustle as the man picked up his phone properly.
"Technically, I wouldn't be yours," he joked as the Asian girl rolled her eyes. "I didn't think you'd be calling me back this early, though. Did I get in?"
"I saw that cocky little comment that you left me," she replied, practically hearing his grin through the phone. "And you were kinda right. Yeah, you're in. My house on Thursday for practice?"
"I'll cancel if I'm doing something. See you before lunch."

Her call to David went to voicemail straight away, a very strange voicemail.
"This is Lasercorn here, I'm either busy or I don't like you. Press 1 if you are here to harass me because you lost a game to me online and you think I'm a cheater. Press 2 if you are one of my actual friends and I know you personally. Press 3 if your name is Mari, because you're probably here to tell me I got into the band."
She pushed 3 and was about to leave a message for him when she heard a familiar voice say,
"Did I get in?"
"Hi to you, too. Why does it say Lasercorn on your voicemail?" There was a chuckle from the other side of the line.
"Ah, now that is a story for band practice. Which reminds me, when is band practice? I'm free Wednesday to Saturday."
"How are you so sure that you got in?"
"When I asked you, you said that there was only one other bassist in that day, so I'm obviously better. You still haven't answered my question." His confidence was refreshing, and Mari felt herself grin when she said,
"Thursday."
"Sweet, I'll be there. Remember to buy Fruit Snacks! Every great band needs Fruit Snacks!" He hung up on her before she could say anything else.
Lasercorn sure sounded more interesting than David Moss, name wise.

Matt was casually reclining on his own couch, having returned home a few hours ago and he had also ordered pizza for dinner. He was still on his happy high that he had been accepted into Mari's band, even if the other members of the band were complete strangers to him.
The T.V was showing an old action film that he hadn't seen in a while; he laughed at the comedy lightly.
The man's eyes strayed to the coffee table as his phone began to vibrate violently, an unknown number flashing on the screen. He was going to dismiss the call and continue watching the movie, but knew that there was a small chance that it was important. Not to mention he would feel bad about it later.
"Hello," Sohinki answered the phone with a sigh.
"Matt, you won't believe it, but I finally got into a band!" The man paused.
"David? Is that you?"
"What?" The caller on the other side sounded confused at his questions. "Of course it's me! I'm one of your contacts on your phone, aren't I?"
"About that..." A while back, he and David had gotten into a fight over... something personal that he didn't want to think about, not now. Needless to say, the two of them hadn't exactly stayed in touch over he had deleted the number.
"Oh. You deleted my number. I should have guessed, after what happened. Matt, if it means anything to you, I'm really sorry. It was more my fault then yours."
"Thanks, but I don't want to hear about it," mumbled Matt, massaging his forehead. "What's this I hear about a new band?"
"Well, there were heaps of flyers around town about it, and I was coming out of work when I saw one of them and saw one. So I went to the address and auditioned, and there was this kinda hot Asian chick there, her name started with a M... damn, what was it?"
"Mari?"
"Yeah! How did you know?" Sohinki's heart sank at the thought of being in the same band as David. That had happened before, and hadn't ended in the greatest way. If there was a repeat of that incident...
"Because, I got into that band as well," he said heavily.
Oh. Oh." A long time passed in silence, neither of them really wanting to speak. "Well, uhm, it might work out-"
"It wouldn't. But... there isn't exactly anything that we can do, Mari asked us into her band, not the other auditioners... David." He said the man's name in all seriousness. "Promise me you won't do what you did last time."
"Yeah man, that's the least that I can do to make it up to you." The doorbell rang, making Matt swivel his head to look at the front door.
"I've gotta go, my pizza's here. I guess that means I'll see you on Thursday, then."
"Bye Matt," David said wistfully, and the man waited until he heard dial tone.
He tipped the pizza guy more than usual, and sat down to another lonely night with pizza and television for company.

The light was off, the curtains were drawn, and he was on his own in a large, seemingly empty apartment. Tom had come by earlier to pick up his stuff while he had been at work. The man was still staring at the note he had left behind, taped to the fridge.
He didn't like being alone; hell, he never had. He always tried his hardest in relationships, keep the other person just as happy as they kept him. This time, it had been just as much of a hopeless cause as the other times.
He threw back his head as he took another shot of vodka, feeling the back of his throat burn and sting like the flames of Hell were trying to burn him up from the inside. Already, a quarter of the vodka was gone, but he didn't care as he went to pour himself another glass. (SHOT GLASS)
The only good news that he'd had all day was that he'd gotten into the band; there was something that could distract from his own mind. He swigged another shot, coughing afterwards. The man's pocket began to vibrate, probably another worried call or text from Tom.
Tom could go fuck himself.
He was determined now, as he drank the memories away, that he would stay home and live on takeaways until Thursday; he'd call in sick to work and lie. He just didn't want to be out in public right now.
Joshua felt himself sway precariously as he went to return the vodka bottle back to it's rightful place in the kitchen; he'd drunk quite a lot, to his surprise. He hadn't even realized that he'd thrown back over half a bottle.
Oh, how time flies when you're mildly depressed, he thought bitterly to himself.