Chapter 2

The next day at school, Melody saw Raven and her little Flock of minions sitting at a table in the courtyard as they talked about the upcoming party as well as various fashion infractions Raven had thought that her girls had committed, along with her solution for this issue.

"All right Callie, Caro, you know how we're all supposed to match and since Halloween is coming up, I bought you both gifts. Open them and enjoy girls, the treat is on me." she laughed as her two minions opened their gifts.

"Halloween themed socks, headbands, scarves, and necklaces? You shouldn't have Raven." they exclaimed sarcastically sweet as they looked over the gifts.

"Oh it was nothing darlings, you know I'm always good for it. All right now put them on so that we're coordinated as we should be. I can't look anything but my...our best don't you know? Now you all know we're meeting in my suite tonight to get ready at...Oh hello Melody Sparrow, did you need something?" Raven asked, suddenly spotting Melody watching them from across the courtyard.

"Oh nothing Queen B. I was just wondering when your party was tonight. Is it at eleven like you said?" she coyly asked.

"Yes...but don't say it too loudly because we don't want just anyone coming to it, if you know what I mean. We want to keep the the riff raff element out...and keep things of only a certain level of class and sophistication. That being said...there is something I forgot to tell you. My party tonight is going to be a costume party...so make sure you wear your best...costume...tonight." Raven said, slyly.

"Costume party? Thanks for letting me know, Queen B. I wouldn't have wanted to have arrived as the only person not in costume." Melody replied knowingly as she realized that her idea to smuggle her three friends in for that night would work even better if it was a costume party.

~o~o~o~o~

That afternoon after school, Melody met Hollie, Molly, and Polly over at Hollie's house, which turned out to be a quite nice penthouse apartment along Madison Avenue. While there, the girls readied themselves for Raven's party and the roles they'd have to play to gain entrance. Some of the girls were skeptical, but Melody was confident it would work for the most part.

"Melody are you sure this is going to work? I don't know what Raven will think because she might think our routine is too much like her old routine from when she and her posse used to perform at holiday concerts for school several years ago." Molly commented.

"Yes, and are you sure it's a costume party? I know how she is, and Raven has a tendency to trick people sometimes, usually for the amusement of her own friends. That's why I don't know if this will work, Melody." Hollie commented.

"She said it was a costume party and I believe her. Still even if it isn't, you'll still be my entourage and you'll probably not even have to sing, just look pretty and stay in the background and actually go to one of Raven's parties for once. You're all in the school choir, so obviously you do know how to sing to some degree." Melody commented as they dressed and readied themselves.

They arrived at the party that night slightly early, but of course the party's host and her entourage were already there. When the bouncer saw Melody have several other people with her, she just told him they were part of the entertainment which she'd said she would provide for the evening, thus they gained admittance into the hotel club where the party was located at.

To someone like Melody Sparrow, the party was like an extravagance such as she hadn't ever seen in real life. Perhaps the movies, or a television or internet show, but rarely in real life. There were ice sculptures, music, extravagant food, liquor, a DJ, light show, games, a makeover station, and perhaps a few people were in costume, if you could call people as live sculptures 'in costume.' For the most part, Melody and the other three were in awe of the whole proceedings, until Raven spotted them and approached to haughtily call them out.

"My my who do we have here? Melody Sparrow and her little chickadees, the Ollie girls...or should I say the Andrews Sisters? Nice costumes girls...but I don't remember inviting you three when I extended an invitation to Melody...so why did you tag along? Just to keep her company?" Raven mused.

"Actually they did. I brought them along because my parents didn't want me to travel across the city by myself...and since they hadn't been to one of your parties in awhile, Raven, I just thought I'd invite them along." Melody admitted, deciding to take the honest approach.

"Your parents wouldn't let you out of the house unchaperoned? How adorable! No wonder you always have a tag along! First your brother, and now these two! Is that how it's done in Pennsylvania?" Raven laughed.

"Not always but..." Melody stammered, but was interrupted.

"Raven, do you think we should send them something that will...send them on their way? My mother taught me a little cocktail that might do the trick." Callie suggested.

"No more Nair-tinis Callie. Those things are cute but boring and totally lame. I want something epic." Raven sarcastically replied.

"How about laced martinis? I think I might know a recipe that's a real knockout..." Caro suggested.

"I agree that could be epic Caro...but I want them to leave, not pass out in the nearest elevator. No I have a better idea...since you are all dressed like the Andrews Sisters of old, why don't you grace us with a song and a dance. This party is getting...boring...so perhaps if I and my Flock find you amusing, you can stay at Raven's Nest." Raven slyly replied. In her opinion, this was a calculated move to not only prove what type of mettle the new girl possessed, but also a more than likely way to humiliate Melody Sparrow in front of everyone. Self satisfied, Raven and her Flock settled into a bank of seats to watch the performance, their boyfriends flanking them on all sides.

Reluctantly, Melody and Hollie, Polly, and Molly took the stage, as Melody walked over to the DJ and requested that he play 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy' as she walked back to stand in place with the other girls. The song started and although they were nervous at first, they soon really got into the song, showing that they all really could sing. Despite the highly retro cheesiness of the song, some of the audience started getting into it, including even Adam Archibald, much to Raven's chagrin.

When the song ended and the DJ played another song, which Melody showed her prowess on as well, Raven was so annoyed that Melody was showing off at what was supposed to be her party, that she piped up afterwards "Good job Melody Sparrow, so you proved you can sing...but can you grace us with a dance? You're not done yet!" clearly trying to bait her.

At that signal, the DJ flipped on a song that was clearly meant for a stripper, as some in the audience started to chuckle nervously. At a loss for what to do, Melody started to slip off her dress, but felt very uncomfortable doing it, as everyone watched on, some noticing how nervous she was. Suddenly, the lights started to blink and a siren wailed, indicating that either there was a fire in the building or someone pulled the fire alarm.

"Good, saved by the bell." Melody thought as she tried to make her way off stage and out of Raven's Nest, when suddenly she felt someone grab her elbow and usher her through a side door and out the back through the kitchen. When they got outside, Melody looked up and was surprised to see that her hero in shining Armani was none other than Adam!

"There are you all right?" he asked.

"Oh I am now. Thanks Adam." she shyly replied.

"Oh it was no problem. It was the least I could do after tonight." he replied.

"Thanks. Yeah that was quite the party. Is Raven usually so..." she pondered.

"Sometimes. That's Raven for you though. Still I thought you did an excellent job singing." he replied.

"Thanks Adam." she replied.

"You're welcome. I'll see you later, Melody." he said as he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, before he ran off to find Raven and try to calm her down from her latest bout of histrionics.

Melody soon met up with the other girls who asked her if she was okay and if Adam Archibald had really escorted her out of the building and so forth. Melody shared what she wanted to, but saved the little kiss Adam had given her as her own little secret. The rest of the night, Melody decided to spend it over at Hollie's house, where they did makeovers, chatted, and had some good old fashioned girl time together.

~o~o~o~o~

Monday rolled around, and when they arrived at school that day, Melody and her friends were greeted with the rumors after the latest Gossip Girl bomb was dropped on members of the school.

Spotted: Melody Sparrow and company making their musical debut at Raven's Nest and making quite the impression. Still, our little Sparrow can sing, but what tune will she use to explain this?' (accompanied by a photo of Adam leaning in for a kiss.)

"What in the world? How did anyone see that?" Melody gasped as she checked her text message and was aghast by the fact that someone had snapped a photograph of the moment when Adam Archibald had leaned down to kiss her after Raven's party had abruptly ended.

Suddenly, it felt like everyone had seen it and was staring at her as she walked across the courtyard and met up with the other girls who seemed to try to shy away from her for a moment. It was then that the Queen B, Raven herself, made her way across the courtyard to give Melody a piece of her mind and thus turn her into the school pariah for the time being.

"You kissed my boyfriend, Adam, and you dare show your face around here? I'm so surprised that you had the nerve! If you ever come within ten feet of my boyfriend again...you will rue the day, little Sparrow! You will rue the day!" Raven exclaimed, clearly incised.

"I'm sorry, Raven..." she stammered but was soon interrupted.

"It's Queen B to you, lowly peasant." she exclaimed haughtily.

"All right, I'm sorry Queen B. I didn't mean to kiss your boyfriend. In fact, it was his fault. He rescued me out of your club, then afterwards he leaned down and kissed me! I was just as surprised it happened that way, I swear!" Melody exclaimed at the end.

"He rescued you, then he kissed you? Ha ha, likely story. My boyfriend is loyal to me and would never kiss another girl. We're both saving ourselves for my 18th birthday, which will be in at least another year. I'm not going to be like my mother and rush into things too fast." Raven exclaimed.

"Oh I see. You don't want to be like your mother? Well I guess we can all say that for one reason or another." Melody agreed.

Raven stared at her strangely for a moment, as if she was contemplating something or merely thinking about what to say next, when she suddenly piped up "Well that's all for now. But if I ever catch you hanging out with Adam again, you'll not like what happens next." as she and her minions left in a huff.

Melody went in to school then and tried to get on with her day as classes began and the day progressed. Her friends were supportive, however even they couldn't protect her entirely from the ways Raven and her minions found of making her life at school less than tolerable. And the worst thing was, even if they told the school officials, Raven had such and influence over the school that they'd turn a blind eye to it, unfair as that was.

After school, Melody went with Molly and Polly back to Hollie's apartment to work on homework and so forth. When they got there though, Hollie acted somewhat strangely as she led the girls through the apartment and toward the bedroom, passing the living room in which Hollie's mother sat wearing a dressing gown, her long blond hair in a disarray around her shoulders as she waved at the girls while sipping a drink of some sort.

Before anyone could ask, Hollie piped up "That was just my mother. She had quite the evening last night...and is still recovering from it. Don't mind her." as she ushered her friends into her room and they got down to business with their school work. Afterwards, they started talking about their latest crushes and one of the girls asked about Adam, when there was arguing heard from the living room, where at least two adults were heard in a deep discussion about something, which just caused Hollie to turn her music up louder and say "Oh its just my parents...they can be so annoying sometimes can't they?"

"Oh yes quite boorish I would say. My parents wanted to send me to boarding school once when they were going on a trip to Italy several years ago...but that never happened and they ended up getting a divorce anyway." Molly sighed.

"Well my parents argue constantly but they're either passionate or boring. Sometimes when they're boring and seemingly ignore each other, I don't know if they even love each other anymore." Polly sighed.

Melody didn't know what to think, but at leastwise her parents seemed to get along fairly well for the most part from what she could tell. She did become to worry though, even if perhaps it wasn't necessary to. Their conversation then went back to usual topics as they discussed what films they wanted to watch out of the collection that Hollie kept stored on her laptop, settling then for Breakfast At Tiffany's because most of the girls hadn't seen that in awhile.

After the movie, the girls went to a diner down the street where they ordered ordered coffee or milkshakes and a piece of pie because the place had an odd retro feel to it. While there they talked about what they wanted to do when they grew up, and their hopes for the future. Afterwards, they broke up and went their separate ways to get back home.

When Melody arrived home, her parents were watching TV and her little brother was already in bed since it was after his bed time. Her parents asked her where she'd been and she told them about hanging out with the other girls at Hollie's house and then stopping at a diner afterwards for a bite to eat, but of course she didn't tell about what the other girls had said about their parents or what they'd heard from Hollie's parents in the living room of their own apartment.

After talking to her own parents, Melody went and sat by the window in her own room, in the pitch dark. The only light coming in was the light from the neighboring buildings as she watched people walking around their apartments behind drawn shades and occasionally walking around outside or on the roofs of neighboring buildings. The city seemed to be alive with life even at night when she was usually asleep. Alive with life and teaming with possibilities of adventures to come, if one just reached out to what was available in life. So many opportunities if only a person would take it, but of course so many didn't. She began to wonder about the type of lives that people behind the window blinds led and if they harbored the same issues and fears that she did, that her new friends and their families did.

As she sat back and thought about it, Melody realized that this introspection was an indication that she was growing up a little bit and it both excited and scared her. To realize that life changes no matter what we do was a realization in and of itself. Sort of like becoming a new person in a way as well. Living now in New York was already starting to open her eyes to life around her indeed, so she began to daydream about the possibilities she had for the future again, even with people like Raven trying to bring her down.