Tommy sat with Z and Kimi in the choir room, "so you guy's ready for the battle of the bands?" Tommy asked.

"No," Z said sulkily, 'Suzie quit, said her parents want her to focus on academics."

"You're shitting me." Tommy said.

"Nope, we still got Po, but I doubt we can win it without a lead singer like Suzie."

Tommy scratched his head, "whelp this will be harder than I first thought." He said, "I'll see you guy's tomorrow try to find someone to replace Suzie," he stood up and walked out of the building, going down the street to the Bus stop 'how am I gonna find another lead singer?' he thought to himself.

"WATCH OUT!" someone shouted and suddenly Tommy was lying flat on his back, someone lying on top of him.

"I am so sorry!" the person (a girl) said, "are you okay?"

"Ask me in about five minutes." Tommy groaned, trying to sit up.

"Again I am so sorry," she said, getting off of him, "I was hurrying to the college, and I didn't see you…"

Tommy looked up at her and his heart stopped, in front of him was the most beautiful girl ever, her brown hair cascading down her shoulders and back, her green eyes were filled with concern and were apologetic, her clothes also caught his eye, a black tank top and a ripped pair of skinny jeans, at her side was a skateboard, momentarily forgotten, "uh…It's alright…I wasn't paying attention…" he said.

"Well I'm still convinced it was me who hit you,' she said, holding her hand out, "I'm Rachel by the way, Rachel alcroft,"

"Uh…Tommy…Tommy Pickles." Tommy said shaking her hand, "so uh…why were you going to the school in such a rush?"

"I wanted to sign up for choir before it was too late, see I'm new to this town, and I wanted to get everything taken care of today.

"Oh...so you like to sing?"

"Yes." She said eagerly, "music is my passion.'

"What kind's of bands do you listen to?"

"Oh all kinds, Avenged Sevenfold, Luke Bryant, Toby Keith, Eminem."

"Man you like a lot of different Genre's.'

"Of course!" she said smiling, 'got to love them all." She righted her skateboard and got on, "well I better get going Tommy, I'll see you later!" and with that she was off again.

Tommy watched her leave with a smile on his face, his phone started ringing and he answered it.

"Yo Tommy, we just got ahold of Po, he's still up for it."

"That's good," tommy said, "and I think I found our new lead singer."

Tommy woke up with his buzzer going off, he groaned and sat up, he looked at it, '5:30" he muttered, usually he would get up and go to work, but that was out of the question now, "fuckin' green." He muttered, he heard a knock on the door and he stood up, walking over to it, before he even got there it opened.

"Hey Tommy." Kimi said, walking in and laying down on the couch, 'How's life?"

"Kimi, how are you, come in," tommy muttered.

"Sorry, I was getting tired of waiting, I was out there for like an hour."

"Shoulda staid out there." He muttered, walking into the kitchen, he opened the fridge and again the stink hit him, "Fuck," he muttered, slamming it, "I gotta go shopping…"

"Then go, wasn't pay day yesterday?"

"Not for me." Tommy muttered.

"Why? Another pay cut.'

"No, my entire division got laid off."

"Now that's bullshit." Kimi said, she picked up Tommy's pack and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it.

"Come on Kimi do that outside, not in here."

"Why?" she asked.

"My daughters asleep in the next room, and she doesn't like me smoking anymore."

"Fine," she said, standing up and going outside, "you wanna come along."

"Hell yeah, I need one." Tommy said following.

"So why'd they fire you?" Kimi asked, holding his pack out to him.

Tommy took his pack and pulled one out, "said there wasn't enough in the budget to keep us going." He lit the tip of the cigarette, "but I know that's bullshit."

Kimi nodded, "so what did you do?'

"For one, I beat the shit out of my boss and got thrown in jail."

She laughed, "Damn, I can't believe you did that! How'd you get out?"

"My cousin," he said, "she almost kicked my ass when she came to get me."

Kimi laughed again and tommy smiled a little, he looked at the Japanese girl, she still looked the same from when they were in high school, the only difference was that her brown hair was longer, but everything was still the same, her brown eyes still had that twinkle of mischief in them, "so what are you going to do for a job?" she asked.

"I have no idea, Angelica was talking about the high school hiring, but I don't think Pangborn would want me back there."

"Well the high school's better than nothing, I work there, it's not that bad, you can mop and sweep for another two years," she said, "or, you can join me and Z and start up the band."

Tommy sighed, "Kimi…how many time am I going to tell you and Z that I can't?"

"Come on, you can leave Elizabeth with Dil or your mother, and then you can make a lot of money playing!"

"Kimi, I'm not leaving my daughter for a week to go play a gig that'll get me a pay for one days work."

"Come on Tommy, we need you back."

"Again Kimi no," he said, "Besides, I don't know where my old Les Paul is."

"I bet it's still at you're ma's house."

"I'm not lookin' for it." Tommy said, 'so just drop it."

"Fine, sheesh."

"So how's Z?"

"He's good, just got out of jail."

"What was he in for this time?"

"Punching a cop for being a douche."

Tommy sighed, "He's just not having a good month is he?"

'Nope," she said, "So do you need me to drop Elizabeth off? I can still do that."

"No, I can do it."

She nodded, then jumped off the porch "well then, I'll see you later tommy, try not to get tossed back into the slammer."

"Will do Kim." He said as she left, he sighed and walked in, "maybe I can get a few more hours of sleep before Elizabeth wakes up.

Tommy and Elizabeth walked down the street together, Elizabeth dressed in about the same way as she was yesterday, a yellow sundress and black sandals, her hair in a braid "Daddy, I learned how to spell my name yesterday!"

"Really?" tommy asked, "That's great.'

"I can spell it without any help!" she said proudly, "I bet I can spell your name.'

'Well that's good, because I forget how to spell my name."

Elizabeth giggled, "So how come Aunt Kimi didn't take me to school today?"

"Because daddy has the day off."

"Are you going to stay with me at school!" she asked excitedly.

"No, I got a few things I need to do."

"Oh…okay." She said simply.

"So did you make any friends yesterday?"

"Yep! I made two, ones name is Alyssa, she's quiet, and doesn't really talk but she's alright, the other ones name is Dane, and all he cares about is basketball."

"Well basketball is pretty fun." Tommy said.

"Yeah but he never wants to play other games, just basketball."

Tommy shrugged, "oh well, how about you join him?'

"I don't know how to play."

"I can teach you,' tommy said, "you're dad used to be one of the best basketball players in the city.'

"Really?" she asked excitedly.

"Of course, in high school I was on Varsity." He said, 'until a few things got me kicked off of varsity."

"What got you kicked off?"

"Oh…just some…stupid stuff." He said, rubbing his arm. "Point is I can still teach you."

"Can we do it this afternoon?"

"Of course sweetie."

"Yay!" Elizabeth shouted gleefully.

Tommy smiled, watching his daughter.

"That poor girl doesn't know her father's a dead-beat." Someone said behind him, making tommy stiffen up.

"I know, I bet he doesn't even have a job, probably too busy with his addictions, you know guy's like that are always addicted to something."

Tommy clenched his fists,

"Oh I know, and I bet the mother is even worse, probably a crack-whore."

"How about you two shut up!" Tommy shouted at them turning around, surprising the two, they didn't think he was listening.

"Uh…uh…what are you talking about?" she asked.

"Yeah, we were just walking along."

"Do you think I'm stupid or something?" he asked angrily, "I heard every word you two were saying."

"Look we were just…"

"Shut up!" he growled, "don't try to cover your ass."

"Daddy…" Elizabeth started.

Tommy stopped glaring at the two girls and turned to his daughter, she looked scared, "daddy, are you angry?"

"No baby," he said softly, going over to her and kneeling in front of her.

"But you were yelling at those two girls." She said.

"I wasn't mad baby, I'm sorry for yelling," he said, "come on, lets get you to school," he stood up and he and Elizabeth started walking, he turned around and flipped off the two women as he walked.

After dropping Elizabeth off Tommy walked into the High school, students were milling around, talking to friends and teachers, a few of the Football players were throwing a football to each other, Tommy walked passed them and into the office.

'Are you Mr. Pickles?" the secretary asked.

"Yeah," tommy said.

"Go on in." she said, "principal Pangborn is waiting."

Tommy walked in.

"PICKLES!" Pangborn shouted, "why are you in my office again! How many times are you going to get in trouble!"

"Pangborn, I'm not a student here anymore."

"Oh…that makes sense…" Pangborn said, "What do you want?"

"I'm here to apply for a job."

"oh, so your whole 'I'm going to be a rock star' thing not work out?" he asked smugly.

"Apparently not." Tommy muttered.

"Why should I give you a Job Pickles? What have you ever done for me?"

"I got you and Ms. O'Keats together." Tommy said.

'Actually it's Mrs. Pangborn now…" Pangborn muttered, "fine, I'll see what I can do, if you get the job I'll call you next week, but if you mess up Pickles…"

"I know, I know," tommy said standing p, "thanks Pangborn.' He said walking out. He walked down the street and onto his old street; he needed to see his mother.

Elizabeth sat at the schools basketball court with Dane and Alyssa, "come on Elizabeth!" Dane shouted, "Come play!"

"I don't want to mess up my Dress playing basketball." She said.

"Quit being such a girl." Dane shouted, "come on, Alyssa's playing.'

"Because you made me…" Alyssa muttered quietly.

Elizabeth shrugged and looked around the playground, most of the kids were running around and playing different games, Elizabeth stood up and walked over to Dane, 'why do you like basketball so much?"

"Because it's fun." He said.

Alyssa walked over, "I'm winning." She said.

"No your not!"

"I scored five times while you were talking to Elizabeth." She said.

"That's not fair!"

"Life's not fair," she said simply.

Dane was about to say something when a rock hit his head, "Ow!" he shouted,

Someone started laughing and Elizabeth turned around, seeing a sandy haired kid laughing at them, his clothes looked new, and he had a pair of sunglasses, "dork!" he shouted, throwing another rock, this time Dane dodged the rock.

"Throwing things isn't nice," Alyssa whispered, suddenly very quiet.

"Hey!" Elizabeth shouted, "Quit throwing rocks!"

"Shut up!" he said to her, "your not the boss of me!"

He threw a medium sized rock and it hit Alyssa in the head, Alyssa started crying, holding her head.

Elizabeth glared at him, then stomped over.

"What are you going to do? Go whine to the teachers?" he asked laughing.

Elizabeth reared back and punched him.

Tommy was asleep on the couch, the room looked cleaner then usual, the beer bottles that he always forgot to throw away were in trashbags, the rotted food was already in the dumpster, and the floors were vacuumed and swept up, Tommy rolled over and fell off the couch, instantly he jumped up, "what the…" he muttered looking around, he yawned and rubbed his eyes, looking at his watch, "oh shit, I gotta go pick up Elizabeth." He ran out the door and ran down the street to the elementary school, as he got across the street Ms. Ramone walked over, "Mr. Pickles." She said, "we've been trying to get ahold of you for two hours, do you not answer your phone?"

"No, my phone got disconnected last night, why are you trying to call me? I thought school ended fifteen minutes ago?"

"What?" she asked confused.

"That's why you called me right? Because I wasn't here to pick her up?"

"No, she got into a fight during Recess."

"Oh man," he said, "I'm sorry, where is she now?"

"She's in the principals office." She said.

Tommy sighed and walked into the building, going into the office, "I'm here to see the principal," he said to the secretary."

"He's waiting on a parent to come pick up his daughter." She said.

"I'm the parent in question."

She looked up and looked him over, "I can see why she's in trouble." She said, "Go on in."

Tommy glared at her then walked in, inside Elizabeth was sitting in the corner, looking down, her yellow sundress was dusty and had blood on it, "Elizabeth! Are you alright?" tommy asked worriedly, running over to her.

"I'm fine dad," she said.

"Are you bleeding?"

"No, it's the other kids' blood."

Tommy nodded to her.

"Mr. Pickles," the principal said, "your daughter savagely beat my son for no reason!"

"He was throwing rocks at us!" she said, "he hit Alyssa in the head! And I didn't savagely beat him!" she looked down, and then muttered. "I only got one punch in before the teachers came."

Tommy looked at the principal, "it sounds like a good reason to hit him.'

"Mr. Pickles, I do not care what your daughter thinks my son did, my son is a good kid, he wouldn't be throwing rocks, he said your daughter just attacked him!"

"What did the other kids say?" Tommy asked angrily, "Did you ask them what happened."

"I didn't have to, I trust my son."

"So just because your son said what happened, means that whatever my daughter says is wrong?"

"Well looking at her father I can tell that she's probably used to lying."

"What do you mean looking at me." Tommy growled.

The principal shrank back, 'I-I only mean…"

"Shut up," tommy said, "come on Elizabeth, let's go."

Elizabeth jumped off the chair and the two walked out, ignoring the principals' shouts of protest.

Elizabeth was quiet as they walked out, tears falling from her eyes.

"Why are you crying baby?" tommy asked her.

"You're going to get mad at me." She pouted.

"No I'm not going to get mad at you," he said softly.

'I started a fight, I was sent to the principals office."

"You didn't start it, that little…kid that threw the rocks started the fight, you defended yourself."

"So…you're not going to get mad?"

"Of course not." He said, "on one condition.'

"What is it?"

"Did you hit him your hardest?"

Elizabeth smiled, "yeah, punched him in the nose."

Tommy smiled, "that's my girl." He said, picking her up, she giggled as he did.

"See, I told you he wasn't a good father, I mean look at his daughter, she's filthy!"

Tommy heard this and stopped.

"I heard she attacked the principals son because he asked her if they could play."

Tommy clenched his fists and kept walking, 'you wanna go see grandma?"

"Yes!" Elizabeth said excitedly.