Thanks to Jacky Higgins for BETA-ing!
Everyone who CCed is in. Don't be surprised if I start sending emails.
ATTENTION: Anyone who CCed in the first chapter, please send me an email with some good songs that you'd want to sing! Also, the CC IS CLOSED!
"SMARTY! How's my favorite little Smart Girl?" Two-Bits joked, wrapping an arm around her waist. Michelle, or Smart Girl, grinned down at her. At five feet, Two-Bits was exactly six inches shorter than Smarty.
"How's my favorite little dumb girl?" Smarty teased. Two-Bits scoffed.
"I'll have you know that I am an honor student!" she replied. Smart Girl chuckled. It was quite the boast considering who she was talking to.
"Barely," she replied. Two-Bits scoffed.
"I have an 'A' in band," she pointed out.
"And I have an 'A' in everything else. What's your point?" she shot back. Two-Bits opened her mouth to respond, then ducked her head.
"Burned…So, where're the rest of the V's?" she asked, switching topics as she led Smart Girl to the table where Boomerang, Dodger, and Jenny were circling a large pepperoni pizza like a pack of hungry wolves.
"Got you your float," Dodger said as they sat down. Smart Girl grabbed it and took a swig before answering Two-Bits' question.
"Don't call them the V's. Anyway, Barlin and Cat should be here soon; we're shopping for outfits for the dance. Shadow said she might not be able to make it," she explained. Two-Bits jerked the float out of reach before she could snatch it away again.
Smart Girl was guitarist and back up singer for Vertigo, another four-person band they were competing against. Barlin played the drums, Cat played guitar and was lead singer, while Shadow played bass. Technically, Vertigo and Capricorn Rhyming were rivals in the Band War, but no competition really showed between them, or any of the other girl-bands that were participating.
The real competition in Capricorn's eyes (and pretty much everyone else's) was between Capricorn Rhyming and The Preventionists.
The Preventionists were a punk-rock band of all guys, and they had an ongoing, a less-than-friendly rivalry, particularly between Boomerang and Kid Blink, The Preventionists lead singer. The two had never been on brilliantly friendly terms mostly because of Kid Blink's habit of being flirtatious to the point of obnoxious. He had always had his eye on Boomerang, but Boomerang was just too blind to see it. Instead she assumed he just flirted with everyone. Needless to say, this pissed her off. When the two bands formed, it was an excuse for competition. It was a chance to see who was better.
And they took that chance.
For three years, neither band had won the competition. Another band had beat them out each year, which was incentive for them to work harder. The mentioned band graduated last year, all but their drummer, and so Capricorn and The Preventionists were back in the running.
"Hey!" Smart Girl called. She waved to Barlin and Cat, then turned back to Jenny, Boomerang, Dodger, and Two-Bits. "Hey, I'll catch you guys later. Bye!" She jumped up and hurried off, greeting Barlin and Cat with, "Is Shadow coming?"
"So…" Dodger trailed off and turned her gaze to Boomerang, who was demolishing her slice of pizza. "So, how's Blinky-boy, eh?" Boomerang stared at her in mid-bite.
"Huh?" she demanded, lowering the pizza slice. Dodger picked a pepperoni off of her own slice, ate it, and then explained.
"When was the last time you saw him?" Boomer frowned, glaring pointedly at her three best friends.
"Like, a billion years ago. Why would I pay attention to the last time I saw Kid Blink?" she demanded. Jenny, Dodger, and Two-Bits all exchanged knowing looks.
"Oh, I dunno…Just wondering…" Jenny said, delicately. Boomerang took a defiant bite of pizza and glared at her.
"Well, I don't remember," she replied. Two-Bits opened her mouth to protest, but a new voice interrupted.
"Ready to get creamed, ladies?"