"Hey guys. Lets sit and talk." Says Erica
"Okay." They say while sitting down.
"Paige, I know you know every nook and cranny about people in this school. Tell me what Liberty's deal is." says Erica
"Does anyone know what Liberty's deal is? Liberty is the uptight prude girl who's obsessed with J.T." says Spinner
"Part of what Spinner said is true. But, she's an over achiever who wants nothing but the best and to be the best. She never goes to any parties or any dances, unless she's selling tickets or whatever. And she runs the grapevine. Why do you ask?" says Paige
"Because, I want to be part of the grapevine, so I can write a music column. And I have a deep pit feeling that Liberty won't let me on the grapevine because I go out with J.T. And she like fancies him."
"All you have to do is be yourself. Tell Liberty that you want to write the music column in the Grapevine, and she'll most likely give it to you." says Spinner. " Because no body else wants to do such a column."
"What about Ashley, or Craig? or Whoever"
"Ashley trying to start a band and is part of the dance commitee and Craig is in a band and wouldn't want to write a column. It's all in the bag for you."
"Yeah. Okay. Well, bye."
Erica was on her way to her table when she saw Marco sitting with Dylan and some other guys.
"Marco, you left my get together without saying goodbye. what happened?" says Erica
"Dylan came by to the club and took me away. He gave me this look that was too irresistable to resist." replies Marco
"You went to another club didn't you?"
"I'll tell you about it later."
"Okay. Bye."
By the end of lunch. Erica ended up talking to everyone in the cafeteria. Except Liberty. turned out she wasn't in the cafeteria, She was in the computer lab. So after she talked to Terri about getting over her fear of rejection or being hurt again, she went to the computer lab and talked to Liberty. Liberty was talking to Erica in a impatient tone.
"Liberty. I know we are not the best of friends. Or friends at all. But I heard you needed a person to write a column for the grapevine." says Erica
"And you want that job?" replies Liberty "Yeah."
"well, I don't allow sluts on the Grapevine.
"
"I beg your pardon? Just because I go out with J.T. and you don't, doesn't mean I am a slut. J.T. is the only person I've been with since I moved to Canada. So I don't know what the fuck you are talking about."
"My point. You have J.T. And I don't appreciate that."
"Look, you've known J.T. way before I did. And you didn't try to win him over. That's not my problem or fault. All I know is, that no one wants to write a column in the Grapevine because of you. But I am willing to take a risk."
Liberty stares at Erica with fire in her eyes." I'm giving you one shot. I want you to discover a band and write about them. E-Mail me the story by noon on Friday. And you've got the spot."
"You really are an uptight over acheiver. But I'll get the story done. Oh, and call me a slut again. And I'll kick your ass. Ask Manny. Oh, wait, you were there." she flashes Liberty a charming smile.
After school Erica started walking home. When Erica arrived home. J.T. was on her front step. Erica goes up to J.T. asking why he didn't come to school today. He said he took the day off from the whole partying weekend and such. Erica told J.T. how much she missed him, and how she might be able to write a music column for the grapevine. While they were talking. Erica finds out that Michael is her next door neighbor. She waves at him as he walks by. J.T. askes who that is. Erica explains how he is the new kid and such and such. And how she is planning to get him with Terri, because Terri really likes him and met him at The Exotic Rose. J.T. askes if there was any work that he missed. Erica said only classwork, teachers didn't hand out homework because they heard that mostly everyone in school went to the Exotic Rose. They talked and talked until Erica's dad wanted her to come in and eat dinner. They say good-bye to each other and Erica goes inside the house.
Part 31... So, Erica eats dinner and goes upstairs to do her homework. It's around 7:00 when she goes upstairs. She goes to open her window when she notices that Michael has a room right across from hers. Then she looks closer and notice that he's undressing. They look each other in the eye for a split second and she just turns around and sits infront of the computer. Then she signs on.
Erica The Adorable: Emma, guess what?
SparkleSpazZ: What?
Erica The Adorable: You know that new kid, Michael? Well it turns out that he's my new next door neighbor, and I saw him changing.
SparkleSpazZ: Does he have a nice bod?
Erica The Adorable: Now you know I can't say that Em, I go out with J.T. silly goose. Anywho. Liberty said that I have to find a new up-in-coming band write about them and e-mail the report to them by Friday afternoon.
SparkleSpazZ: That's cool. Do you know any bands though?
Erica The Adorable: I know TONS of bands. But none that are up-in-coming.
Just then she hears a band playing, she likes the sound. Of course, it's no other than her next-door neighbor Michael. She tells Emma that she'll be right back and leaves and goes next door. Where she sees Michael and 3 other guys rocking out in a garage. To Erica it sounded like punk rock with a little bit of metal in it. Which to her was a good sound. But they didn't have any lyrics, just a harmony. Then they stopped.
"Hello. What brings you here?" says Michael
"Your band. Whats it called?" Erica askes
"The Automatics."
"You guys don't have a singer?"
"No. We are going to have some kind of rehearsals for it this Friday."
"Cool. Play some more."
" let me introduce you to my friends first. The guitarist on my left is Dean. The bass on my right is Stephen. And the drummer is Dave."
"Hey. Play some more. I have to find a new band for the grapevine by this Friday. I think you guys might be it."
So she listened to the band some more. She wrote down some notes on their band. But as she was listening to them. She also wrote a song that she called "tasteful sin". Which was out of her character, she never writes songs. So, she asked the band a few questions and comments. And by the end of the night. She had already e-mailed the column to Liberty by the end of the night. In a matter of fact, she e-mailed it to her 3 times just to be sure. She was about to turn on the Franz Ferdinand cd that Toby suggested listening to. When she heard something tap her window. It was of course Michael.
"Just because we're neighbors doesn't mean you can throw stuff at my window." she said
"I noticed you were writing a song. Can I read it?" he asked
"No. How about this: I try out for your band this Friday. And that's when you can hear it."
"Deal. I know you saw me changing."
"I know that you know that you saw me see you changing too. So whats your point?"
"Did you like what you see?"
"A pale chest with tanned arms? Yeah. That just turns me on." she said sarcastically
"My body's not that bad. You're such a tomboy. How'd you get a boyfriend?" he said
"By my great personality and so-called sex appeal."
"Your smart one-liners are making me like you more and more."
She was shocked. "You mean like me more than a friend?"
"Nah. Well, yeah. You've got a nice figure for a tomboy."
"Hey. You came when it's about to be winter. Before then, I was wearing short skirts and combat boots and net stockings. " She saw the smile on Michaels face. " You're liking that aren't you?"
"You want some coffee? Or better. Some Faygo?"
"Uhm, sure." She could not resist a Faygo offer.
So she quietly walked out of her house in a flannel and some random skirt with writing on it and such. Michael was already there on his front porch. He walked her into his house and let her have a seat on his couch. He was about to watch Conan O' Brien. And he went into the kitchen and came out with 4 bottles of Faygo. So they were sitting there. Talking and laughing at Conan O' Brien. When they later on found out that The Strokes were going to perform on there, they were excited. So excited that they didn't notice how close they were sitting next to each other. The Strokes performed "Under Control". When Erica mentioned how she loved the song and how sweet and beautiful it was, Michael said that Erica was beautiful.
"Why would you say that? You just met me today." she asked
"I saw you at the club dancing. You looked incredible in that pink Strokes shirt and your multi-colored hair dancing so sexy with you blonde friend in the blink-182 shirt. I wanted to approach you. But thought that could wait. Then I saw you making out with your boyfriend."
"What about Terri???"
"She's sweet and all. But it wouldn't work out. We have too many differences."
"Oh. But. Uh. I..." She didn't really know what to say.
"Can I kiss you?"
"No. I have a boyfriend"
"What if I kissed you anyways?"
"I don't know. I can't tell the fucking future."
So he kissed her. She was into it for a while. Until Michael put his hand up her skirt. She immediately jumped up and said that she had to go. The whole time that she was running home, she was saying that she was such a horrible person.