I don't understand the fuss with first day's of school. It's the same school, same person, same friends…...The need to dress up sounds ridiculous to me. I have no one to impress. No one really cares. So why do I still walk through the front gates of my high school, West Faireford High, dolled up more than usual? Well, there are actually three reasons.
I call them the Barbie Fiends. They go by the names of Nudge, Angel, and Ella. They wake up at an ungodly hour in order to ambush me before I wake up and the next thing I know I'm being tied to a chair. It's happened quite a few times and I've managed to escape only twice. While I am by no means weak, neither are they. And there are three of them determined to dress me up. Realistically, there's no way to win because it's not a fair fight.
So, let's just fast forward to the ugly part.
"Let me out of this thing!" I furiously shook against my bonds nearly knocking my chair over. I internally groaned and hung my head.
"Max, I don't understand why you still act like this. We thought you'd be used to it by now." Ella smirked at me. I glared at her.
"We've got to get started. It's 5:30 and we have to leave for school at 7:15. We have just enough time for all of us." Angel stated.
"Let us begin!" Nudge cried dramatically. And the rest was a blur.
Sometimes I wondered why I fought so much while they "glorified" me. I always came out looking pretty nice if I do say so myself. But in reality I am capable of dressing myself. The girls just insist on makeup, hair, and nails. After enforcing my outfit choice and reminding Nudge 100 times that no I did not say I was wearing a skirt, they more or less obeyed my wishes.
Nudge curled my hair into loose waves, Ella did my makeup, and Angel gently perfectly painted my nails light blue. Simultaneously. They were great at working together.
By the time 7:15 rolled around I emerged from my room in my favorite pair of skinny jeans, trusty converse, and a sleeveless white flowy shirt that said 'Life is a bitch so am I'. My eyes were framed by a pretty light blue and blended eyeshadow with long luscious lashes. I grabbed my favorite watch and a band bracelet before slinging my messenger bag onto my shoulder.
The girls looked infinitely better than I ever could. Nudge wore a pretty loose sleeved white dress with a light smokey eye, bangles, gold dangly earrings, and a gold infinity ring. She slipped white sandals on before tousling her beautifully curled hair and retouching her light pink lipstick with her white painted fingernails. Ella wore a cute flower printed sweater and ripped shorts that showed just a little midriff with black sandals. Her nails were painted silver, lips red, hair half up half down in beautiful waves, with a natural smokey eye. She slid a simple necklace and bracelet on before making room for Angel. Angel looked utterly angelic with long shimmery blond wavy hair, a blue dress with a cream elbow length cardigan and light pink faux suede oxfords. Her bracelet was gold and shared matching earrings. They grabbed their respective bags before we exited the house.
"Is Fang meeting us there?" I asked before grabbing my skateboard.
"My aunt is signing him in so he's getting a ride today." Nudge said before opening her car door.
"Are you sure you don't want a ride, Max? It's quicker." Ella asked.
I scoffed. "Not with the way Nudge drives. Besides I always ride my board. It's one of my few times for peace. I'll meet you guys there." I pushed my ear buds in, music blasting before taking off.
I loved riding my skateboard to school. It took me too long than I was willing to admit to learn how to and I loved knowing I had mastered it. There was no feeling I loved more than the wind blasting in my face. I loved riding, running, fast cars. Anything to give me the feeling of flying.
I usually thought of lyrics in my head as I rode or practiced singing but only one thought dominated my brain.
Fang was staying. He wasn't leaving.
A smile so big it almost hurt stretched across my face.
Our school was roughly a little over a five minute drive from Nudge's house but on my board it was a little more. Soon enough, our school stood in all its glory.
West Faireford High, home of the Falcons. An estimated seven hundred students currently in attendance and about 45 minutes drive from Sunhaven Beach. Faireford is certainly true to it's seasons. Summer's were scorching, winter's were freezing, autumn cold, and flowers in full bloom during spring. Faireford was a relatively small town and while I loved it, I couldn't help but feel it had been damaging our chances of making it big in the music industry.
No need to worry about that anymore, I thought smugly.
I stood in front of my school's black gates, clutching my board. Just one more year here. I sighed and walked in alone. I quickly grabbed my schedule before taking off to my locker. I didn't bother trying to find any of my friends because I needed to fix up my locker with something tucked away in an envelope fresh from the store.
"You still got the same locker as last year?" I turned to smile at Alex who was walking to greet me. Last year her locker was three down from mine. It was a blessing since three of the Barbie Bitch Five were in the same locker lot as us.
"Move it, bitch."
Speak of the devils. I groaned loudly and turned around. Of course Lissa stood behind me with her little posse, or as I like to call them, Barbie Bitch Five.
Faireford, though small, still hasn't avoided the attention of rich people. And since they're rich and don't associate with small townsfolk like us, they flocked together. Those five girls have been inseparable ever since they met.
Lead Barbie, a.k.a. Lissa Rift, is the person I save all my insults for. A fairly short girl who attempts to cover it by constantly wearing heels and wedges. Lissa is one of those people who were born into money. She comes from a long line of rich Rifts and has probably been doted on her whole life. She always has a different designer bag and a rather large supply or pearls and diamonds which she constantly flaunts. Lissa likes to, ah, show off her assets (if you know what I mean). And her hair is like a fierce red. Not strawberry blonde but like blood red.
If that doesn't scream devil's spawn then I don't know what does.
Lissa's second in command is Maya Richards; equally as snobby and just as annoying. Maya's parents are both well known surgeons and make TONS of money and Maya definitely takes liberty with that. I have yet to see her wear something that wasn't designer. Even P.E.. She buys designer athletic wear. I wasn't aware people had THAT much spare time to invent designer work clothes. Ugh, come on people. The creepy thing about Maya is that we looked a lot alike. Except her hair is a light brown and I was taller. Plus, I don't have a permanent bitch face.
Barbie Bitch number three goes by Kate Harris. Kate's dad owns a couple of hotels by Sunhaven beach and he rakes in the cash, which Kate just loves. Although, she has her fair share of designer clothes, she has decided to invest most of her money in fancy shmancy cars.
Barbie Bitches four and five were more lackeys than evil. Anne Billings and Beth Abrams were pretty and if you caught them alone, maybe even fairly nice. But when Lisa, Maya, or Kate were around, they were just as snobby if not infinitely worse. Both of their parents came from a history of high paying jobs that crossed formed into what they have now: large pristine houses and expensive jewelry.
"Can I help you?" I snarled.
"Down, dog. I don't need or want your filth on me." Lisa sneered. I rolled my eyes at her idiocy and the similar clothing they wore. Each Barbie wore a different ensemble of certain colors and today happened to be white and pink. I rolled my eyes at the utterly clicheness of their "friendship."
"You're blocking my locker," Maya narrowed her eyes at me.
I laughed dryly. "Give it a day or two and I'm sure we'll find a way to avoid each other completely just like last year. Right now though, I'm not moving so either piss off or deal with it." I turned to open my lock. It popped open on the first try and I slid it out before opening my locker. I began moving my books into my locker and making room when I heard the clacking of heels stomp away.
I smiled at their exit before opening my locker wider to see the pics and stickers I had decorating the other side of the door with. There was a picture of me laughing with Nudge, Ella, and Angel. Another of me eating fries and making goofy faces with JJ and Alex. Then another farther down of Matt, Tyler, Isaac, and Jacob holding me up lying down and grinning at the camera.
My eyes skimmed over the pictures of all those I loved before I drifted to the picture I had been looking for. In the center, was a picture of me, Gazzy, Iggy, and Dylan. We stood grinning side by side and my arms were slung over Gazzy and Dylan's shoulder. My finger lightly traced Dylan's smiling face as a sad smile formed. I gently tugged it free of the tape and slid it into my bag as I pulled the fresh envelope out. I took the new picture out before discarding the now empty envelope into my locker. I gently pressed it against the tape now filling the briefly empty spot.
What once was, was no more. The picture that hung there now was from the Summer Festival. Matt had snapped an absolutely beautiful shot of us on stage. I was singing, Gazzy and Fang were playing their guitars furiously side by side, and Iggy was pounding the drums. We all looked so passionate and carefree and happy. A perfect shot for a perfect moment.
I smiled at the picture before grabbing my Physics textbook and shutting my locker.
By the time lunch rolled around, I was happy to find I had one of my friends in each class. I walked with Tyler to get lunch before leaving to our usual spot.
Our usual spot was outside by the lunch area. There are these huge trees on our school and the biggest tree was in our lunch area. There were two lunch benches right next to it and tons of grass. Plus, since our tree is so big it gave it a lot of shade which is perfect for summer and the tree gives coverage from rain and wind. It's perfection.
Tyler and I greeted the gang and sat down on the grass. I eagerly plopped myself between Fang and Matt and bumped Fang's shoulder. Fang had one leg extended and the other bent at the knee and was looking at what looked like his school schedule.
"What do you have next?" I took a bite out of my sandwich. We had homeroom and english together already but I doubted we'd have much else together. Fang was strong in everything I wasn't which definitely included academics. His schedule was filled with honors classes and I only managed to have one: English.
I smiled at him. "We have Music class together for 7th period!"
He gave a small smile and nodded.
"Is it a good class?"
Iggy gasped in indignation. "Fangles, it is the very best! It gives this seemingly imperfect school system a means of escape!"
"You're gonna love Caldwell." I said around my mouthful of delicious turkey and lettuce. "He's the best teacher there is. He really knows his stuff because he had a band once upon a time. Pretty rocker."
"You think most things are rocker," Matt smirked at me.
"That's because most things are!" Alex defended me with a wink before leaning over to steal a chip from Tyler. I smiled at all my friends posed around laughing and eating. I leaned back contentedly.
Life was good.
When 7th period rolled around, I practically ran to the elective building. I easily crossed the distance before barging through the open door.
"Mr. Caldwell!"
My favorite teacher turned to smile at me. He was tall and wore a t-shirt with jeans. He gestured me over to his desk so we could talk.
"How did the Summer Festival go?"
"It went amazing. You won't believe what happened." I bit my lip to keep from blurting it out. As soon as he asked, everything that had happened with the music producer spilled out of me. His eyes shone with true happiness for Nevermore and I felt at ease for finally being able to tell him.
Mr. Caldwell had been an important factor in shaping the musician I am today. I could sing before him, but he helped me truly find my voice. He helped me gain the confidence I now possessed on stage and off. I was often swayed by others and lacked the strength and passion I now show everyday. He helped me find my backbone through music and how to channel my feelings into lyrics.
Even now I could remember the way he bent over to help me find the right key on the piano or chord on the guitar in my hand. I would always value the skills he taught me and he would always be my favorite teacher.
"Do you know when you're getting in the studio?" he asked me. I shook my head no. I'd talked to my mom last night but I hadn't talked to the guys and discussed what exactly our next move was.
"Oh, I noticed Dylan was not on my roster. I know I made sure you all would have the same period music together so you can practice so I'll make sure to call into the office and get it fixed." Mr. Caldwell reached over the phone.
"No. Um, sorry...but...it's not a mistake." I swallowed. I didn't know if he would show up to class but I guess that answered my question. Our schedules were set the last time we had talked so it he had to have changed his schedule to get out of it. I hadn't seen him all day so I hoped he was absent.
I guess he wasn't.
Before I could explain the band's newest member, I felt a presence behind me. Mr. Caldwell looked up and smiled. I turned in my chair to see Fang.
"You're the new student I presume?" Mr. Caldwell's hand moved from the phone to Fang's hand. Fang nodded in answer to his question before looking to me.
"Mr. C this is Fang. Well, Nicholas. He's our new guitarist." I introduced them. Caldwell's eyebrows rose in shock before his features smoothed into normalcy once more. He smiled at Fang warmly.
"It's nice to meet you Nicholas."
"If it's alright sir I'd prefer the name Fang."
"Fang? I'd be surprised if I hadn't already met Iggy and Gazzy. Another odd nickname won't bother me. Fang it is." Mr. Caldwell's eyes flickered back to me for answers but I mouthed, another time.
I stood to see Iggy and Gazzy burst through the door right as the bell rung. I rolled my eyes at their antics and didn't bother to ask the reason why they were almost late.
Mr. C swiveled in his chair to face the class.
"It's the first day back so rather than bark instructions, I'll allow you all to get reacquainted with your instruments. Enjoy."
The guys and I headed over to the little band setup we usually inhibited. I walked with a little dance in my step. "This is gonna be an amazing year."
"Such a sizzling ball of sunshine today Maxie." Iggy ruffled my hair roughly before ducking away from my incoming slap.
I scrunched my nose at him before slinging my arm around Gazzy. "Life is perfect. Why would I have any reason to be even the littlest bit of a debby downer?"
I threw a big smile at them before turning to face the busy class who paid no attention to us and dramatically flung my arms out.
"And a one, a one, a one, two, three!"
Ok so I don't even know what to say other than woops? I am literally exactly like those authors who would just drop a story and never update again and I would just be left hanging forever *cries*
I'm very sorry and I have honestly no idea when I'm gonna update soon. Maybe this time it won't take a year.