Auditions Chapter 1

Chapter One: THE DRIVE 1


The two girls stopped at Wal-mart first. Stacie, of course, could have gone to Bloomingdales, but Amanda insisted they go to cheaper stores-money didn't grow on tree's for her. "Silly. It's doesn't for me, either!" Stacie said. It sure seemed like it; Stacie's family owned a huge enterprise called In-N-Out. That meant free food for her and her friends, but also that money was never an issue. Amanda's parents both worked at the local high school-her mom as a teacher, and her dad as a security guard at night-and the only money she ever had was from working at a Starbucks. Her parents were too broke themselves to give their daughter some cash.2

"Oooh! Look at this!" Stacie exclaimed. They were in the clothes section, and what she had in her hand was a pretty purple T-shirt that said 'Music is LIFE'. Amanda went berserk. "That is so true! We totally need to get matching ones." Then they looked at the price-tag. Thirty dollars for regular size, and thirty-five for the plus size. "Oh." Amanda said, disappointed. "I only have fourty..." Stacie grabbed a size small and a 2XL, and threw them over her arm. "Don't worry; I-" Stacie started to say, but Amanda cut her off. "No. You buy waay to many things for me. I'll just borrow yours as soon as I lose some weight." Stacie shrugged and put the 2XL back. "Seriously, Amanda. You need to get over yourself." The girls walked to the back of the store and stopped in front of the sleeping bad isle. "Hey, look at this one! And it's only ten dollars, too!" Amanda said excitedly. Stacie sighed, and grabbed a King sized air mattress. "Won't you just let me buy this for you?" Amanda shook her head, and took off toward the shampoo. She needed some anyway, and plus she wanted to get a
small travel bottle.3

She was trying to decide between watermelon and strawberry, when she noticed Stacie wasn't beside her. She grabbed the watermelon and went looking for her. Amanda found Stacie next to the checkouts. "Uh, what are you doing?" Stacie looked around and grabbed some batteries. "I, um, need these to inflate my bed up." Amanda knew that Stacie was hiding something from her, but decided to let it go. But..."Huh. You need triple A batteries for that thing?" pointing at a huge black pump. Stacie smiled sheepishly and exchanged them for the right size.4

Amanda and Stacie went back into the depths of Wal-mart to get the rest of the things they needed. Once they had found everything, and payed, they walked back out to Stacie's car. When Amanda went to open the trunk, Stacie blocked her and said, "Why don't we just put everything in the back seat? I think everything will fit." Stacie was acting just as mysterious as she was when Amanda found her by the front of the store, but once again, she let it go. They put everything in the back seat and drove back to Amanda's house. "I'll see you later tonight!" Stacie called to Amanda.5

Stacie drove away, and Amanda walked inside to find her parents. Her dad was still sleeping, but she found her mother making dinner in the kitchen. "Hey, mom. Can I ask you something?" Her mom stopped stirring whatever she was stirring, and said, "How much will it cost? You know we're not made of money..." How could she even do that? Amanda wondered. I mean, maybe she was going to ask to stay the night over at Stacie's. But of course... "Uh, well, Stacie invited me to an audition camp this weekend. It'll cost fifty dollars-but they'll provide sleeping arrangements and food. Please?" Her mother sighed, and went back to stirring. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she looked at her daughter and agreed. "You do need to do some extracurricular activities, so you can go. But what happens if you audition and they let you join? How much money will it be then?" Amanda didn't know, but promised that she would find out.6

She started walking down the hallway to her room, and then returned to the kitchen. "Oh, I almost forgot- I'm not eighteen yet. Can you sign these forms for me?" Amanda asked. Her mother turned to look at her. "Fine. Do you have a pen?" Amanda produced one, and her mom signed. She picked up the papers and headed to her room again. Once there, she found an empty binder, and put them in. Then she took everything she had bought, and started to organize it. The camp didn't officially start until tomorrow, but the girl and Defon were driving up tonight and staying in a hotel (Stacie's treat). She was packing the last of the things up when her mother entered her room. "Stacie's outside. And...be safe, please?" Amanda nodded, and started dragging her things to the car waiting outside for her.7

Defon climbed out of the drivers seat and told her that he would take care of it. Amanda shrugged and got in the back seat. "Hey, Stacie." Stacie was in the front passenger seat, most likely so she could be closer to Defon. She started to say something else, but then Defon climbed back in. "Damn, Amanda. Your stuff is heavy!" Stacie playfully swatted him and said, "Hey, be nice!" Defon started the car, and roared off down the street-while Amanda's mother watched quietly from the window wondering if some bad thing was going to happen.8

Stacie turned on the radio to the girls favorite station, and all three settled back for the three hour drive. About halfway there, the traffic turned sour. "Oh, great! This will add about another two hours." Defon mumbled. Both Stacie and Amanda were asleep, and he couldn't help but glance at Amanda. She was pretty, but she felt more like a sister than anything else. They didn't really know each other all that well, but something in him made his mind think of her as his baby sis. But looking over to Stacie, he licked his lips. He wanted her; and he was sure she probably wanted him. To kiss those big, full lips, and to touch her skin-"Oh, shit!" He hadn't been paying attention to the traffic. It had speeded up, and a car had pulled in front of his. He couldn't stop in time, and instead of hitting the car who cut in front of him, Defon swerved to the left, hitting the barrier and rolling over it, off the road.9

All three of them were bounced around, but seemed okay. Luckily they all had their seat belts on. Defon quickly looked around and saw the two girls staring at him. "Hey. It's alright, okay? Everything is alright." The he opened his door and leaned over. Stacie was staring out the window at a car parking on the shoulder. People were piling out, and walking at a fast pace toward their car. "Stacie! Oh my god!" Amanda shrieked, and woke Stacie up into reality. Defon was laying on the ground, covered in barf, and clutching his stomache. "Defon! Are you okay?" Amanda tried to get him to talk, and then Stacie saw the people rounding the car. There were a set of parents, a guy about their age, and then a little girl. The family asked if they were okay, and then the mother got out her cell phone when she saw Defon lying on the ground. Defon groaned, "I'm fine. I-I just don't do well with motion sickness."10

The cell was hesitantly put away, and what seemed like ten minutes later (but really was only about three), Defon rolled up and sat on the ground. "Okay. I'm better." Amanda and Stacie sighed in relief, and then looked toward the little girl who was trying to say something. "Are you al'ight?" Stacie giggled, and replied, "We're fine, thank you. My name is Stacie...what's yours?" The girl said it was Marie, and then started blabbing on how they were driving and then daddy said a bad word and pulled over to the side, and how they were on their way to Mission High School. Her mom finally got her to stop talking, and then Defon bolted up. "Did she say Mission? Cuz that's where we're going!" It turned out that this family was from out of state, heading to a drum and bugle corps audition camp being held at that High School. "Oh, man, Defon! You almost had to hit another person heading to the camp, didn't you?" Stacie asked. She then explained to the family that they were also going to that camp, but only lived about three hours away.11

It turned out that the boy's name was Jeremy, and he was trying out for snare. Defon shook his hand and told him that he also was trying out for snare. Then Jeremy turned to the girls, "What are you guys trying out for?" They both replied the front ensemble, and then told the family that they would see them the next day- they had to go clean up and all. The family agreed, and walked away with Jeremy heading back last. He just couldn't believe his luck. He would never have thought they would get in an almost crash, and after that, he met the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. What could be better?12