Chapter 2 – What Happened?
The gals go to the practice studio, 2B.
"Make sure you turn on that strobe light in front of us, Sammy!" says Alex.
"Right! We need to get used to it! We'll have a strobe flashing in front of us for the show!" replies Sam, as she turns the strobe light on.
"All set, Spies?" asks Clover, as the gals get ready to start practicing.
"SPIES?" remarks Alex. But once again Clover and Sam give her a glance, and she recovers, "Oh! Yeah! All set!"
But practice doesn't go as well as planned. Clover is misplaying chords throughout the session, Sam is missing the bass line about every third measure, and Alex is missing about every fourth drumbeat. In addition, the girls are having a hard time harmonizing and getting their timing down.
"That was a disaster!" says Clover as the practice session mercifully comes to an end, and the girls return to their dressing room.
"What happened? We know the songs like the back of our hands, yet we played it worst than the first time we tried!" exclaims Alex.
"Maybe it's the strobe light and the novelty of the experience. We'll do better tomorrow," says Sam reassurungly, as the girls leave the studio for home.
"We sure can't do any worse!" says Clover.
But Clover is wrong. The practice the next day goes much worse! Clover misses about every chord, Sam misses almost all of the bass line and Alex keeps change the drumbeat, throwing everything off! It's as if they never played their instruments before!
"I can't believe it!" remarks Alex agitatedly. "I played worse than the first time I took up the drums!"
"Not as bad as my bass playing!" remarks a tense Sam.
"What's gotten into us?" asks a thoroughly puzzled Clover. "I can't even play simple chords anymore!"
The band experience is also starting to affect their personal lives as well. There is an Honors Biology exam the following day, Sam's best subject. But when the grades are given out the next day, Sam failed the exam!
"Sammy? That's so unlike you!" says Alex, hearing about the result.
"What happened, Sam?" asks a concerned Clover.
"I....I don't know, gals! On almost every question I got wrong, I initially had the correct answer, but changed it because I was unsure of myself!" Sam responds sadly. All three of the gals then trudged to their next class.
Clover takes a hit during the final rehearsals for the school play, "Romeo and Juliet". She had won the role of Juliet, but the rehearsal is going poorly. Witness part of the balcony scene.
"Romeo! Romeo!........Are you there?" Clover blunders.
"CUT!!!!!" shouts the play director.
"Clover! You know that line is 'Romeo! Romeo! Where for art thou, Romeo?' not 'Are you there?'!" the director continues.
"I....I know, Mr. Anderson! I wasn't sure!"
"I'm afraid I'll have to give the starring role of Juliet to your understudy, Mandy, unless you improve! Pity! You were doing so well before, too!!!"
Mandy smiles cattily. "Haaaaaaaaaaaaa! I knew I should have gotten that part anyways! I'm destined to be a star!" she comments loudly to her friends, but was aiming the remark at Clover. Clover hangs her head and trudges off sadly without a retort.
Alex too is having problems. The school is having their annual aerobics competition in the Advance Aerobics class. Alex is the reigning champion. But the first round goes poorly for her. She can't even perform the simplest aerobic exercise!
"Alex, I'm afraid you are disqualified from the competition this year!" says Ms. Grieves sadly. "Your movement was so awkward and clumsy! Are you injured?"
"No, Ms. Grieves. I...I just wasn't sure of the moves to make!" says a crestfallen Alex as she heads toward the showers.
And so it goes for the gals as the week continues. Their confidence has taken a major hit.