From Elvis In Memphis

-Fiona-

You could say I'm a country girl at heart, or STILL a country girl at heart. I've always preferred rocking out to Brad Paisley and Elvis much better than bopping my head to pop garbage. All I know about my life before is that I was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and that mama couldn't keep me, so she asked for a closed adoption. I never thought my old family wanted anything to do with me, but fifteen years later my daddy managed find me through the adoption service. We video chat every month and he always asks me about me life, tells me about his, and he wants to meet me someday. My adoptive parents agreed to letting me meet him, but only after I graduate. Well its still a year away, and I'm in Memphis, Tennessee, just a few short hours from Little Rock. It's hard not to think about, knowing that I haven't been this close to my father in seventeen years. Memphis is so exciting, there are people everywhere, buskers are strumming acoustic guitars to Dolly Parton and Elvis songs. Every store we pass sells Elvis merchandise and souvenirs, I guess tourists come through these streets often, being so close to Graceland. A part of me really wants to go to Graceland, and I know that Moxie wants to go too. She practically lives for this sort of stuff, I mean she's pretty much a rock star already. But we know we don't have the time, the theatre is just down the street, it looks like something out of an old movie with a large marquee outside bearing weird titles such as "Sugar Pin Up" and "Dazzlin' Dancin' Divas." What kind of theatre performs such weird shows?

"Moxie, did Ralph say what kind of theatre this was?" Kendall asked, she cocked her head and looked at a poster of girls in gaudy and skimpy costumes.

Moxie didn't say anything, she just pushed the door open with one hand, the parcel in the other. She walked up to the ticket booth, the woman sitting in the booth looked as old as the theatre, she tediously coiled her silvery hair around her finger, she looked up at us with a judging look, then she stared down the boys and rolled her eyes.

"We're here to see Tessa Bronwyn?" Moxie asked, she seemed a little intimidated by everything around her. She could tell that this wasn't a normal theatre.

"She's getting ready backstage." The woman told her in monotone, she picked at her nails like she couldn't care less about the conversation.

"Can I go backstage?" Moxie asked, the woman looked up at her judging, eyeing her up and down.

"Only dancers allowed." The woman replied, looking back down at her nails like no one was talking.

"I am a dancer." Moxie replied, the woman stopped picking her nails and stared at Moxie for a moment. I didn't know if she was going to laugh or roll her eyes.

"You sure? You don't look like no Burlesque dancer, you probably couldn't work a pole if you tried." The woman said, all of our eyes got wide. What did she just say? None of us knew what to say. The woman's eyes scanned all of us girls until they landed on me, a small smirk appeared on her face. "Is she a dancer?"

What? WHAT?

"Because one of our best dancers took off and we need a replacement for one show only before we finish for the season." The woman explained. "Don't worry, the choreographer will teach you all the moves, you'll have all day to practice, you get on the stage, do a two-minute dance and get off, we'll even pay you."

"I don't know…" I said, I could hear my voice trailing off, I knew that if I just said yes then we could go backstage give the parcel to Louise, or Tessa if Louise isn't there. However saying yes would mean dancing, and I don't think that this theatre is what we thought it was.

"Fine. I'll do it." I finally said. What the hell have I gotten myself into?

-Moxie-

I went backstage with Fiona, all around us there were girls wearing feathers, and glitter, and fringe, shirts and skirts that were way too skimpy, their makeup was done to the point where you couldn't tell what they naturally looked like. The room smelled like hairspray and Victoria's Secret perfume, it was an awful stench, but the girls were too busy gluing on fake eyelashes to care. An African man rushed up to us the second we walked in.

"Which one of you is the replacement?" He asked, but he eyed me, why me? Was it my height? My skinniness? The fact that my eyes are purple? It was obvious why the woman at the ticket counter thought Fiona was a dancer. She has a nice body and she has a cute innocent look to her, like she was a kid trapped in a model's body.

"That would be me." Fiona spoke up. The mans eyes travelled her body, he smiled at what he saw, it was a little disturbing.

"Perfect," He proudly proclaimed "You are so perfect, I have a splendid idea for you, come let's get you into costume."

As he pulled her away I was pulled aside by a girl with chestnut-brown hair in a pin-up style. Her short red dress was covered in sequins and fringe, you could tell it was way too small, if she tugged down or up on the dress something was going to be exposed, although I guess that's the point.

"What's in the parcel?" She demanded. "Louise told me she was getting something from Ralph, now tell me what it is."

"Tessa?" I asked, she nodded. "You are- And is Louise a-"

"Whore? Hooker? Stripper? Yeah pretty much, her life is so fucked up." Tessa said nonchalantly, she grabbed a bottle of whisky from the makeup table and took a swig. "Ralph, Louise, and I were best friends back in New York, that is until Louise stole Ralph from me, caught them together in my bedroom." Her eyes got misty, which wasn't good with the shit load of eyeliner she had on.

"So basically Ralph is a liar and Louise is a whore, great." I said partly to myself. Why do I always go for the wrong type of guys? Wait. The Lady said that a dancer ran off, that means- "Louise isn't here is she?"

"No, she got on a train to Las Vegas." Tessa replied.

Are you fucking kidding me?

"Can I drop this package off with you?" I asked, it was more of a plea though. I already caused one detour I don't need to cause another. "You can mail it to Louise."

"Sadly the little skank is a runaway, take the money and run kind of girl. Basically I have no clue of her whereabouts, but if I know Louise she'll be in the biggest show she can get." Tessa explained, a young woman taking a drag offered her me a cigarette, I declined, but Tessa took it. As she lit it up she asked, "I'm guessing that you didn't look in the parcel? Open it."

I didn't question her and picked at the packaging tape, Tessa helped and we got the package open. I lifted the contents out and- Holy shit. It looked like a bra-meets sheer leotard- meets thong. The chest was huge, the sides had fringe, and it was covered in sequins and sparkles, it screamed whore couture. If that wasn't enough there was also a sparkly pair of silver high heels, at least six inches tall. I looked at Tessa, who didn't look nearly as surprised as me.

"I should have expected this." Tessa explained. "She's set on being the next Gypsy Rose Lee, except taking off more than just a glove. As much as I hate the girl you need to get something to her and it's not this."

Tessa took the empty parcel and dug through her duffel bag, taking out a sweater and jeans and placing them in the box with a pair of converse sneakers. She scribbled something onto a piece of paper and placed it on top of the clothes and taped the package closed.

"Here, take this to Las Vegas, Nevada. I'd search for her name in lights, but just in case take this picture." Tessa explained, she handed me a picture taped on her mirror.

In the picture was a twenty-one year old girl with a light brown bob cut and stormy grey eyes. Louise was kind of pretty, she would be prettier if she didn't look like a whore in the outfit that she was wearing. I tucked the picture into my pocket and looked at the other pictures that decorated the mirror. I recognized Ralph, Louise, and Tessa in a few photos, giving each other bunny ears, lying on the beach, at an amusement park, but what really caught my eye was a picture three little girls. They were sitting on a familiar porch, smiling and hugging each other, one with the same dark hair and eyes as the one standing beside me, a younger version of the girl in the photo, and a perky and pretty blue-eyed blonde. She was so happy and full of life, I wonder where she was now, hopefully not stripping. But then I looked at those eyes again, ocean blue, so ocean blue that even the ocean is jealous. I had seen those eyes, they were Ralph's eyes, that means… Rachael…

"They were best friends Louise and Rach," Tessa explained as she looked at the picture. "I'm sure that Ralph told you that his sister is dead." I nodded, Tessa smiled in a sad way. "Louise didn't have the best upbringing, and Rachael made her happy, but then Rachael died and Louise fell into depression and developed all these problems from there."

"Why did you follow her?" I asked, if Tessa is nowhere near as awful as Louise then why was she here? Dancing in a skank show for horny tourists who can't get a kick out of Graceland."

"I thought I could talk some sense into her, I thought that maybe she would come around eventually," Tessa sighed and looked at Rachael's picture. "Rachael would have wanted me to help her out, but I can't anymore, that's why she left because I didn't want to follow her to Vegas. I'm quitting and moving back home as soon as the season closes tonight."

Under her breath I heard her mumble something that sounded like "I'm sorry Rachael." Before I could say anything else I saw Fiona emerge from the dressing room wearing a skimpy costume that looked vaguely like a flight attendant's outfit. The skirt was short and sequined and the top was low-cut, like if she moved she could risk having a nip slip. Also her hair was done in a sexy blow out style and her make up was heavy, especially around the eyes.

"I feel like a Barbie doll." Fiona said, she was completely un-amused.

"Look on the bright side," I told her, stifling a giggle. I couldn't help it she looked hilarious. "At least you're not a playboy bunny."

()()()

-Mouth-

There's a truth we can all acknowledge right here right now; guys hate watching dance. Its boring, especially after years of watching a sister's dance recital, or in Kick's case a pageant. But now we can't keep our eyes off of these girls, who wouldn't? Their wearing short skirts and cleavage-revealing shirts. Some of them use poles and others are actually talented dancers.

"Which one is Fiona in?" Kick asks, looking at the brochure we were given.

"Jet Set," Christina replied. "It's the next one up."

She's been texting Moxie throughout the show, Moxie is still backstage with Fiona helping her get ready and practice. I cant believe this, I'm going to watch a totally hot girl do a sexy dance and hopefully take something off, it's any guy's dream come true. That's when the song starts up, I've never heard it but it has something to do with planes and the girls are wearing skimpy flight attendant outfits. I recognize Fiona immediately, she's the only red-head, she looks hot I wish I could- Wait no. Nope stop it mind don't go there.

"She's a really good dancer." I hear Kendall say, to which we all nod.

Good is an understatement, she's excellent. She can do the splits and back handsprings, she's really flexible, and it's obvious that the dance is relying on her flexibility because the other girls can't do nearly as many things as she can. Than the dance ends, but it feels way too soon, and the curtain closes and we stand up. I can see Ronaldo checking out Christina out of the corner of my eye, he's probably imagining her in one of those gaudy outfits and it takes all of my willpower to stop myself from hurting him. That's my little sister and he better not- but they already have… I just don't want my little sister to get hurt.

It takes a while but Fiona and Moxie finally emerge from the backstage door. Fiona is back in her regular clothes and wiped off all the makeup she had on, but her hair was the same as it had been on stage. While I was staring at Fiona everyone else was staring at Moxie, who was still holding the parcel.

"Guess what?" Moxie said, she smiled, trying to lighten the mood but it was a fake smile. "We're going to Vegas baby!"

"No fucking way!" Kendall yelled lividly. "Nope, we are going to Seattle, I don't care if this slut eats shit in Vegas but we are going to Seattle."

"Kendall, listen I-" Moxie started to explain but Kendall cut her off.

"No!" She screamed. "No one is going to Vegas!"

"Actually you are," Said a calm voice, behind us was a pretty brunette girl, I recognized her as one of the dancers. "Hi, I'm Tessa and my ex-best friend needs what's in this box to realize her life got fucked up along the way and she needs to get back on track."

This must be Tessa Bronwyn, the one Ralph told us to look for. But why should we trust her? She's in the same boat as Louise.

"Why should we trust you?" I asked, she looked at her feet, then pulled something out of her jacket pocket. When I got a better look I could see that it was a cheque, she held it up so we could see.

"This is the last cheque I will ever get from this place, or any theatre," Tessa explained, folding up the cheque and putting it back in her pocket. Before she did I caught a glimpse of the money she made, it's not a lot. "I'm quitting and going back to New York, I'll enrol in community college, and Louise needs to know that she can change but she has to make a choice. If you could just go find her and give her the package it would mean the world to me, and to Rachael." Tessa then glanced up at the sky, as if expecting to see Rachael's ghost or something, but instead she slung her large duffel bag over her shoulder and walked out the door.

I look at Kick and Kendall, trying to get a sense of what their thinking, we've been on this whole adventure together and it's not over yet. Would Vegas be so bad? I mean we are underage but we could still have fun. If I know Kendall she's going to be the buzz kill and say no.

"I guess we're going to Vegas." Kendall finally said.

Wait what did she just say?

"Kendall's right," Kick agreed. Of course Kick agreed he's freaking in love with her. "What did Tessa put in the box?"

"Clothes," Moxie replied with a smile. "Real clothes and not some slutty costume, and a note, I didn't read it but if it helps Louise than-"

"Moxie," Gunther cut her off. Moxie looked at him with a pleading look in her eyes. "What if this doesn't work? Your going all out for a slut and a male bimbo- I mean Louise and Ralph, what if Louise doesn't listen?"

"I'm not doing this for Ralph or Louise," Moxie said sternly. "Tessa feels like she owes Rachael, I'm doing this for them."

I could tell Gunther was angry, and jealous, Moxie's doing all this for Tessa and Ralph and he's jealous that she hasn't paid him any attention on this trip. I don't blame him for being jealous, but he doesn't realize that the longer we're on this trip the longer he has time with her. I can tell that Gunther is about to give in, it's obvious he can't say no to that face. Instead of saying anything he walks to the door and then turns around.

"Onward to Vegas!" He proclaims dramatically. Moxie smiles and hugs him, I can see the blush growing on his face.

()()()

Moxie's Play list # 8

"Viva Las Vegas" or "I have a feeling that Kendall's gonna severely injure me later"

Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley

Queen of Las Vegas by The B-52's

Night Life by Elvis Presley

Stop in Nevada by Billy Joel

Supersoaker by Kings of Leon

All my Life by Foo Fighters

Song 2 by Blur

Fuel by Metallica

For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) by AC/DC

Cherry Bomb by The Runaways

Say by John Mayer

Hey Jude by The Beatles

Moxie's side notes: Apparently Las Vegas translates to snow-clad in Spanish, wait does it even snow in Las Vegas?

Avery: School starts next week :,( summer is over how sad. I realize I get slow with updates during the school year, well it's because I go to an arts school and my teacher gives us lots of work, on top of all that I have my other subjects to worry about, I have competitive dance. Really my schedule is hectic but all I want is to make all of my readers happy because I love all of you. I'll update soon.