One Year Later – 1972
"Is this…Penny Lane?"
Penny sat down on her bed, phone in hand, and wondered who the beautifully smooth voice on the other end of the phone belonged to.
"Yes. Who is this?"
"My name's Russell. I'm with a band called Stillwater. You've probably heard of us."
Penny laughed until she realized he was serious. "Oh, oh yeah. Um, I think I have."
She had, but barely. Stillwater was hardly a blip on anyone's radar but she knew every up and coming band. It was her business.
"Good, good. Well listen, we're heading to California this weekend and we'd like you to come visit us. I'll leave you a pass at the door." He sounded so self-assured that she was tempted to just hang up on him, but something about his voice made her smile.
"Okay, that'll be great. Can you leave about four passes though?"
"Yeah, no problem. You're bringing some friends?"
"Yeah, they're great, you guys will love them."
"Good, good. It'll be on the eleventh. See you then."
Penny nodded though she knew he couldn't see her. She knew it was time to hang up but she had just one more question.
"Wait! Do you mind telling me how you got this number?"
He paused for a minute before answering. "Oh…yeah. Zane Roberts gave it to me, you know…the manager? Said if I was going to California I had to look you up. He said it just wouldn't be California without a little bit of Penny Lane."
Penny laughed, "Okay then. Well I'll see you soon Russell."
"Okay, so first things first. Don't let them know you're a huge fan of their music, even if you are. These guys are used to girls falling all over them and complimenting their work. If you don't, it's different and it'll stand out. That's the most important thing...to stand out and get noticed."
The group of young girls in front of Penny nodded like bobble-heads, eyes wide with wonder at the words of their teacher.
For a few months now Penny had been running a "school" for aspiring Band-Aids on the weekends at the Riot House. They would all gather up before the parties got really wild and Penny would let them in on a few of the most important secrets it had taken her years to learn. Sapphire couldn't understand why Penny wanted to help "the competition" and she would take no part of it.
Penny wasn't entirely sure why she did it either, except that when she looked at these young girls with too much makeup who tried too hard…she saw what she would have been like three years ago without Sapphire's help. Someone needed to show these girls the ropes, if only for the greater good of rock and roll.
"How did you get noticed?" One girl asked, her expression full of admiration.
"I don't know exactly what did it…it helps to be confident though. And my coat couldn't have hurt." Penny laughed, glancing at her now infamous green velvet fur-trimmed coat that lay crumpled on the bed behind her.
The girl opened her mouth to ask another question but was silenced when Sapphire burst through the doorway, eyes wild and feathers flying.
"Penny! Did you forget what we were supposed to be doing tonight?" She gasped for air, grasping the door frame for support.
"What? Calm down, what is it?" Penny stood up, eyebrows knit in concern, crossing the room to fan her friend's sweaty forehead.
"Stillwater! We're late. They're probably already on stage." Sapphire sighed, ignoring the gasps of jealousy and awe from the "students".
"Oh my God, I completely forgot!" Penny groaned. "Go get Beth and Polexia, I'll meet you in the lobby."
Sapphire hurried from the room and Penny turned to the girls who still sat patiently on the hotel room floor. "Okay, class is dismissed. Umm…go have fun!" She waved her hand in the air carelessly and took off down the hallway after Sapphire.
Sapphire was right. By the time the girls reached the venue, Stillwater was already well into their performance. Luckily, Russell had remembered to leave four passes and they had no problem slipping through the back door.
By the time the band filed off stage, Penny, Sapphire, Beth, and Polexia were waiting for them. The lead singer Jeff stepped into the room first, wiping the sweat off his forehead with a towel. The bass player Larry followed him, looking peaceful and somehow bland. Ed the drummer was next, silent but obviously pleased. The last man through the door was Russell and Penny felt her heart skip a beat.
He was grinning from ear to ear, a grin that made Penny catch her breath. When he looked up and his eyes met her own, she felt herself melt inside.
The part of her brain that was still functioning recognized that something bad was happening. This feeling was wrong. She shouldn't feel this much, shouldn't care this much. She was going to get hurt. But when he crossed the room and turned that charming smile on her, she mentally told herself to shut up and smiled back.