It had been several days since anybody had seen sign of Bailey at school. She didn't even show up for work at Rhomba's, a popular designer store downtown.

"I heard she had a nervous breakdown and threw herself off a balcony!"

"I heard she ran away with a Latin guy and they were going to elope!"

"Well I heard that she's pregnant and her parents kicked her out and now she's living on the streets!"

"What a shame! Poor Bailey Baker, the girl must be torn."

- - -

Four girls were huddled in the band room laughing about something. You could tell they were all really close because they either had their arms around each other or had their head laid on another girl's shoulder. Logan was in the middle, dancing to the drums which were being played by Zephyr.

"Logan you crack me up!"

Logan bowed then suddenly screamed out "Aluminum!" And crossed her eyes with her tongue out. The girls laughed. Logan was extremely random and you never knew what she might do next.

"Do you think this looks weird?" Asked Laney, a tan girl with black fingernail polish and it baggy black pants with skater shoes. She was pointing at her eyelids where she had wrote "Screw" on one eyelid and "You" on the other. Logan's eyes lit up and she wrapped the girl up in a big hug.

"You're damn straight it's weird!"

"Whoo! That's what I was going for..!" Laney smiled and looked proud of herself.

"Take your seats, please. Practice will begin shortly." Everyone stopped talking and turned their heads to their band director, Mr.Rickman. He was standing on the podium flipping through a drill chart. Logan grabbed Laney's hand and they ran off to the back of the room where all the percussion equipment was. Logan played the xylophone and sometimes the chimes. Every once and a while she got to march the bass drum.

"Unhand me!" Laney cried dramatically, pretending to faint. Logan slapped her on the head and turned away to the chimes. She made them 'twing' as she ran her fingernail over them.

The two friends acted how they wanted and didn't care what anyone thought of them. In band however you don't have to worry about that much anyway because everyone loves each other with the deepest respect. Laney and Logan were still over-dramatic most of the time because they were in drama

and that's just how they were.

"Quit checking out my hiney." Logan sneered playfully and whacked Laney with her xylophone mallet. Laney winked and the two girls laughed. Soon it was time for practice.

"Sir, can we get out early today? Laney, me, and Oliver are in a play this afternoon and Ms.Stevens said we had to be down there and getting ready." Logan asked suddenly. Mr.Rickman stopped flipping through his drill chart and looked up.

"Sure Logan, I trust that you aren't lying to me." He raised an eyebrow to get his point across. Logan put on a look of utter horror.

"Mr.Rickman! Me lie? You know better than that." Then she cleared her throat and said "By the way, you are looking twenty years younger today in that sweater vest." The class laughed.

"That's enough, Logan." Mr.Rickman loved Logan and all his students as if they were his own children. Logan gave him a 'gotcha' sign with her hand and turned to her xylophone.

Class was drab as usual, apart from the simultaneous laughter that occurred every once and a while. Mr.Rickman usually allowed his students to goof off and have a good time. Everyone loved Mr.Rickman. He was a tall slim man in his fifties with a gray beard and usually wore sweater vests. His forehead rose every time he smiled, and his eyes crinkled up at the edges.

Laney ,Logan, and Oliver entered the auditorium five minutes late and ran up the steps to the stage. Ms.Stevens was standing there with a box in her hands overflowing with costumes. She turned as she saw them coming and frowned.

"What time did I tell you three to be here? I'm going to guess on this, but you have to be at least ten minutes late. I'd check my watch but as you can see I'm busy trying to get everything done by myself." She sounded a bit hurt. Logan sighed and reached out to help Ms.Stevens with the box.

The four worked together putting all the props in the right places, then went backstage to get into their costumes. Logan stood in front of the mirror holding the poofy dress against her. She stuck out her tongue and shook her head. "The last time I wore a dress I was seven."

"Well the last time I was a tree was two weeks ago. I sometimes enjoy morphing into oaks." Laney commented sarcastically, walking out from behind the curtain. Logan stared at her. She was in a foam tree outfit that was brown and green and she had fake apples hanging off her "branches". Logan started to laugh.

"If only I had a tire, then I could go swingin'."

Lacey grunted.