EDITED: APRIL 4, 2009
ATTENTION: I CHANGED THE BAND NAME!!!
THANK YOU TO:
Luckystar222
Youichiix33
Well, atleast, there's someone who reviewed :D thank you so much!
CHAPTER 2
"Good evening everyone! How's summer?!?" I asked the crowd. A lot of "woots", "oh yeah", "great" and more brawling that shows the greatness of freedom from school of the youth. But summer is going to end soon.
"We are the Technicolor Dolls!" I said as I played the guitar for sound check. Our band started to play a melody. I gave Anna a rhythm for her to do some adlib. Nobara followed with the bass, and Nonoko started with her drum roll.
I can sense that this would be a great night. The sky is filled with stars, I can smell the beach, and the bonfire added effect to the whole summer air.
This is our greatest gig, yet.
"Before we start with the main act, lets all sing a happy 18th birthday to our dear friend, Yura Otonashi! Oh yeah! Happy birthday! You're legal now! If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have a gig today! Thanks for everything! Woo! Love you!" I said over the mike and everyone gave me another "woo" as if to agree with me.
"Okay, so everyone, lets sing Happy Birthday on the count of three. Ready? One, two, three. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to you. I love you Otonashi!" I said as I nodded to my bandmates to signify that we're gonna play now.
What a shame we all became such fragile, broken things
A memory remains just a tiny spark
I give it all my oxygen,
So let the flames begin
So let the flames begin
Oh, glory
Oh, glory
This is how we'll dance when
When they try to take us down
This is what will be, oh glory
Somewhere weakness is our strength,
And I'll die searching for it
I can't let myself regret such selfishness
My pain and all the trouble caused,
No matter how long
I believe that there's hope
Buried beneath it all and
Hiding beneath it all, and
Growing beneath it all, and...
This is how we'll dance when
When they try to take us down
This is how we'll sing out loud
This is how we'll stand when
When they burn our houses down
This is what will be, oh glory
Reaching as I sink down into light.
Reaching as I sink down into light.
This is how we dance when
When they try to take us down
This is how we'll sing out loud
This is how we'll stand when,
When they burn our houses down
This is what will be, oh glory
The crowed went wild after that song. Technicolor Dolls played two more songs and party music went on. "Thank you everyone! Have fun tonight!" I said as people clapped and cheered for us.
I really love this feeling. The feeling of being applauded! Well it may seem like I like attention but not really. I just like to share my songs to the people. And seeing that they appreciated it, I just feel so heavenly.
"Hey Mikan! Let's go over to Otonashi and greet her properly." Nobara said as they dragged me towards her.
"MIKAN!" Otonashi ran towards me. "Thanks a lot for putting up a good act up there on the stage! I'm really happy you know!" she said as she hugged me. "Nice song too Mikan, another composition of yours?" she asked. I gave her a big smile as a reply for her compliment. "Did you like it?" I asked. "Hell yeah! I was… Oh here he is!" A tall, slender man came towards us. He seems like he's around 25. He stood beside Otonashi. "Happy birthday!" the man said. "Thank you." She replied with a smile.
"Aren't they the ones who played?" The man asked Otonashi, and she replied, "Oh yes!"
"Mikan, Anna, Nonoko, Nobara," Otonashi said as she gestured to each one of us "This is Mr. Akira Tonouchi, a family friend of ours. Tono, meet Mikan, Anna, Nonoko, and Nobara!"
"Good evening everyone! Nice to meet you! You can simply call me Tono." Tono said with a smile. "Nice to meet you to! Uh… Mr. Tono" I said. "Hey, disregard the Mr. after all, I'm still young!" Tono said with a laugh.
"Otonashi! Come here!" some other friend of Otonashi called. "Okay! Wait a minute." She replied and then faced us. "Hey guys, I'm being called over there. Why don't you all just stay here and be friends huh?" She said as she left. "We'll be fine Otonashi!" We replied.
"So Tono, how old are you?" Anna asked him. "I prefer to be called 'young'." He said with a laugh. "I'm only 26! And I can see you ladies are 18?" and we all nodded. "What do you do for a living?" I asked him.
"Well, I'm a talent scout of a very big entertainment company in America." He said. "Oooooh!" was our expression. "Actually, the reason I came to you is to ask you. How does America sound?" he said as he looked at us.
Is this some kind of a joke? I looked at my band mates. They seem to have been fallen in a state of shock.
"Is this a joke?" I asked him after a minute of silence. "Apparently not! Why would I joke over a serious matter?" he said as he fished for his wallet and handed me a calling card.
"Alice Wonderland Entertainment. Akira Tonouchi…." I said as I read the other details quietly. My band mates were looking over my shoulder to have a glimpse of his calling card.
We were dumbfounded. Another speechless moment fell on us.
"I have my ID with me if you think I'm bluffing." He said with a confident smile. And he really showed us his ID! I don't know if it is embarrassing that we can't really believe him and all but you wouldn't really reply with a 'Yes!' eagerly if someone invites you to go to America.
"I'll be here 'til the end of summer. I can't promise you a contract since I'm not the one who makes those. I am a scout, searching for potentials, outstanding and unique people. Apparently, I didn't expect to find some talents on my vacation!" He said with a laugh. "You're great guys! Ask you parents about it will 'ya? It'll be a waste if you don't, seeing so much talent and charisma from young girls like you!" He said.
"We'll give you a call about it." I said in behalf of the band. Since I'm their spokesperson (but that does not necessarily mean leader), I speak in their behalf. "So where do you intend to study? You're gonna be in college right?" He asked, signifying that the topic is dismissed and Anna and Nonoko were back in their usual excited and hyper selves. I placed the call card on my wallet. The rest of the night was a blur.
I woke up the next morning with a major headache. This must be what they call a hang over. I tried to recall what happened last night. I danced, drank two shots of tequila, danced again, and a dim memory of my mom calling and saying that they're already there.
Oh yeah, and someone asked us to go to America.
America.
AMERICA!
This made me stand up and search for my wallet. And it really was there! Alice Wonderlands Entertainment! Akira Tonouchi! I rushed to the kitchen to find my mom. "MOM!" I shouted even though my head hurts badly.
"Good afternoon Mikan!" a voice shouted from the kitchen. "Ah! Mom!" I said as I ran to her. She was cooking soup. "For your hangover." She simply stated when she noticed my confused look in having a soup for the afternoon. "Don't worry dear, there are still viands over there. This just for your hang over." She said. Her brown eyes stared into mine with such happiness. He brown hair tied up as a sign of proper etiquette when cooking. Grandpa always says that we really look like each other. But I got my father's attitude.
" So what happened last night?" Mom asked me. "It seemed like you had fun! What happened?" she said as she served me soup. I ate it. Dammit. Stupid headache.
"OH! MOM! Somebody in the party asked us to go to America." I said with mixed happiness, excitement and nervousness.
"WHAT?!?" my mother said as she rushed towards me. I stared at her expression. I don't know what she's feeling.
"Otonashi's family friend, his name is Akira Tonouchi and we call him Tono, turned out to be a talent scout and he asked us to go to America!" I explained with excitement. I tried to hide it for I know she will be sad, but I just can't, performing is like, MY LIFE!
She was silent, searching for the right words to say. The silence was so uncomfortable.
"Are you going to allow me?" I said. I thought about this. I'm going to be far away from mom and home. My mother would be alone here. I would have to give up study.
After a minute or two, my mother sighed. "Look Mikan dear," she said with a sadness and exasperation visible from her action. "You're only 18! You need college education, for heaven's sakes." She reasoned out.
This is a major de ja vu. I think I heard this line before.
"Mom, this is a once in a life time chance. Once Tono leaves. Besides, it is not yet final that I'm really going to leave college, mom! Tono is going to bring us there, show us to the management, and there, they'll decide if we are worthy of a contract and a label." I said, I really want to go to America. I feel like this is destined to be.
My mother sighed after staring at me for what seemed like an eternity. "I understand your happiness." She said with heavy sadness in her voice. "Mikan, do you really want this?" She asked me.
"Yes." I said with all my determination. There's no turning back once I've made this decision. This is final.
"If this is what you really want." My mother said as she hugged me. I know that she's crying for I can hear her sob over my shoulders. "You've really grown, Mikan! My baby, you've grown up so much now." She said. I hugged her back now. I'm so happy that she allowed me. All these, she's willing to do, just to make me happy. "Thanks mom, you're really the best! I love you!" I said with all my heart.
I thank God for giving me such an understanding mother.
Forget hangover now.
PLEASE REVIEW!!! :((