AN: I don't really feel in the mood to write right now, but I will anyway since I got 2 new reviews. Proves I guess people are really following this. Plus, I've been in a pretty saddened mood ever since finishing 13 reasons why. (It's a novel for those of you who don't know. And yes, probably the saddest book I've read ever. Still nice though. Read it.) On with the fic…

"Now this looks unappealing." Rukia said, slumping her shoulders and sighing. Not only was the line to the auditorium Ichigo rented out too long, it was longer than any of them suspected.

"Come on. Looks can be deceiving." Tatsuki said, trying to be encouraging, but obviously failing. "I mean, I'm sure the line is sure to shorten some time or another. Legs get tired from standing up all day you know."

"Plus, it's still Recess. I bet the line will decrease to more than half by lunchtime." Ishida remarked, surveying the line.

"What made you say that?" Byakuya mused.

"If you look closely, most of the people auditioning are fangirls who don't have any particular talent in music anyway. I mean, just look at them."

Lo and behold, most of Ichigo's "fangirls" had to be forcefully ushered out of the auditorium by security, to which most of them protested loudly or violently.

"Okay, I give up." Rukia said, turning to leave, when an arm blocked her way.

"Hey, stop right there. I won't stand for any friend of mine being a sissy!" Tatsuki snapped, locking Rukia's arm in a death grip. The only thought going through Rukia's mind at the moment was the fact it was going to be a really long and tiring day.

Many moaning, groaning, shoving, yelling, migraine-causing, moments later….

"It's finally our turn!" cried Tatsuki, looking like a child deprived of food and nourishment for days. Dragging all of her friends and running pell-mell toward the auditorium entrance, they were stopped by security.

"Only individual auditions will be permitted according to Mr. Kurosaki." said the security guy in a very serious typical security-guy tone. Rukia had to work hard to stifle laughter. Since when has he ever been Mr. Kurosaki? She thought.

"You go first." Tatsuki said automatically, shoving Byakuya into the entrance. The only sign of protest out of him was an irritated grunt though, and he went into the auditorium without contest.

Minutes later, he appeared looking satisfied. "I'm in. So far, the only people who have been accepted into the band are me and Renji Abarai as the drummer."

"Whaaaa? Why? I had no idea it was that tough!" Tatsuki cried, biting her lip. For once, Rukia saw her friend nervous, and she was worried this might affect her audition.

The truth was, it didn't. Both Tatsuki and Ishida got accepted into the band without a moment's hesitation on Ichigo's part. Running the present band members in her head, she discovered that the band now had Renji as the drummer, Ichigo as the lead guitarist, Byakuya as the back-up guitarist, Tatsuki as the bassist, Ishida as the DJ on the turntable and occasional back-up singer, and that left… the singer position.

Peeking through the auditorium doors instantly made Rukia weak in the knees. Not only did Ichigo bother renting an auditorium for a band audition, but an auditorium packed with people. Faces she knew stared right back at her, some giggling courtesy of some of the popular girls who never failed to cause her humiliation and embarrassment every single chance they got. At that moment, she felt like running away or fading into oblivion.

Feeling her friends coaxing her on, she knew that there was no way she could back down without them calling her a coward. Without the whole student body of the sophomore batch calling her a coward. Taking a deep breath, she forced her way up to the stage, one heavy footstep at a time.

"Kuchiki? Honestly, is this some kind of a joke?" said Ichigo. To her, what he said and looked simply looked practiced and rehearsed in front of all of them. He knew that she was going to audition, and what her capabilities were. Still, she didn't like the fact he had to pretend in front of all these people that he barely knew her.

"No, it isn't a joke, Mr. Know-it-all, and yes, I do want to audition." Rukia said determinately taking the microphone to prove it. A chorus of oooohs and laughter from the populars' side filled the auditorium. What she saw in their eyes however, was shock. No one except her friends and Ichigo knew that she could sing.

"Well, if you're so cocky then Kuchiki, I'll pose a challenge for you." Ichigo replied giving her a lopsided smirk. "I want you to sing an alternative rock song that will render me speechless. Or if not speechless, at least my being not able to form at least one coherent sentence, except one sentence. That sentence being, "You're in.""

Confident now, her eyes never left his as she delivered a smirk of her own that unbeknownst to everyone in the auditorium, sent a cold bead of sweat down Ichigo's back. "Fair enough. And if I don't succeed?"

"Simple. Besides not having a position in the band at all, you get to do my homework for a month. Including the projects."

Oh snap, she thought. Homeworks were of no problem, but the projects the school gave them were torture to finish. Let alone finish for other people. Knowing she couldn't possibly fail, she looked him in the eyes and said, "Deal."

The students were all silent now, as she proceeded to adjust her mic and speak to the DJ in charge of supplying background music.

"You got a minus one of Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars?"

He nodded, and as soon as she gave the signal, the music started to play. Rukia didn't need a rehearsal beforehand. She's sung this song many times in her room and it was undeniably one of her all-time favorites. The crowd was still silent as she began the first verse…

Into the night
Desperate and broken
The sound of a fight
Father has spoken

We were the Kings and Queens of Promise
We were the victims of ourselves
Maybe the children of a lesser God
Between Heaven and Hell
Heaven and Hell…

As Rukia finished the song, loud cheers exploded from the auditorium. If you were one of the people listening from the outside, you would have thought a concert was going on inside.

Shock filled the room, including Rukia's own shock. She never thought that the very people who ignored her, or tormented her, were the very people screaming and singing along when she sang. Never in her life had she heard a crowd respond to a performance she gave like this.

Strangely, all signs of nervousness diminished. All she felt at that moment was exploding joy. This is how it's like to really perform, she thought, putting the mic back in its stand and bowing. True to her word, Ichigo was standing up, and clapping. Pleasant shock was registered on his face when he spoke the two words she's been wanting to hear the whole time since she entered. "You're in."

AN: Ahhh, I hope all you guys really enjoyed Rukia's epic win in this one. I know I did. I won't be able to update till next week due to exams though, so I'm leaving this chapter with you guys in the meantime for you to review! So chop chop and press the green button below as it beckons you to review. Ayt?