Helen's Rage

“He’s picking his hot new band of the week!” Toryn called to the garage, adjusting the radio a little before turning up the volume.1

Four boys barreled into the tiny kitchen, pushing one another for the best spot to listen. They smiled apprehensively at their lead singer, the blonde pixie biting her lip nervously. 2

“Alright ladies and gentlemen, we have a new hot band of the week. Out of Hope, Oregon we have a punk sound with just a little bit of an angels touch. Helen’s Rage will give you grit and glitz, so hold onto your hats, this is their first of hopefully many hits, ‘Torn’!”3

They all started screaming when the sound of their music came out of the small speakers, jumping around the small kitchen and hugging each other. Toryn jumped into Jake’s arms to let him spin her around as she screamed to the words to the song. Morris, drummed his hands on the kitchen table, simulating the real thing, grinning like the chestshire cat while Nick and Kenneth danced around, also screaming the words. Nick’s mother stood at the kitchen door, laughing as she watched the band Helen’s Rage stomp around her small kitchen.
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Toryn woke with a start as the door to her hotel room slammed shut. “What the-”5

“Don’t curse, its unlady like.”6

“Jake. What are you doing in here? I was trying to take a nap.” She grumbled, pushing her long unruly blond hair out of her eyes.7

He smiled, her dark make up smeared, giving her a black eye look. “Emily wants to talk to you about tomorrows photo shoot. Said to meet her in the lobby.”8

She let him crawl up the bed to lay next to her, his arms coming around her to hold her close. “What about the shoot tomorrow? We’re taking photos, it’s not like I can really screw that up, right?”9

“I’m sure you’ll find a way. Why were you taking a nap? You’re not having the nightmares again, are you?”10

Toryn smiled, cupping his jaw in her hand, his ice blue eyes worried, “No, just tired. You’re awful cute when you’re worried.”11

Jake gently kissed her, running his hand up her spine, “I have reason.”12

“To be worried or to be cute?”13

He shook his head, trying not to smile, “Both, I suppose. Come on, Emily wants to see you.”14

Letting him help her out of bed she groaned, “I don’t wanna.”15

“Fix your makeup, you’re going.”16

In the lobby, their manager, Emily Edwards sat yawning as she waited for her client. The young girl was easy to deal with, but she was almost never on time. The band had become an overnight hit and had stayed on the top so far, Emily being the key instrument in their success. She had cleaned them up a bit, given them studio time and made sure they were smiling when they talked to fans. At their concerts they almost gave out more CD’s than their revenue could handle, instantly impressing the teens they were singing to. It had all been about the fans so far, which of course the fans loved.17

Emily spotted Toryn and Jake as he carried her on his back toward the bar. The two had been dancing around the dating or not dating thing for a few weeks now, but to watch them together it seemed hard to believe that they were anything less than dating.18

“Emily! Emily! EMILY!” Toryn called, laughing as Jake pretended to be dropping her.19

“Toryn, shut up. I’m over here.” Emily called when the staff started to look around. “Jake, thank you, but I need to talk to her alone.”20

The blue eyes flickered from Toryn to Emily, “If you say so. Come find me when you’re done.”21

Toryn nodded. Sitting at the small round table she frowned, tilting her head to one side as she looked at her manager. “What did I do this time?” She sat Indian style, her baggy sweatshirt and tight black jeans making for an interesting outfit. Her hair was curling wildly, skimming her upper back as she pulled at it to place it in a messy bun.22

“You didn’t do anything, I’m just worried about tomorrow. You’ve been really good about being a lady lately, but all good things come to an end.”23

Nearly laughing she rolled olive green eyes, “I’ll wear the damn dress, put on the heels, hell, and I may even smile. Why are you so worried about this? I’ve had my picture taken before and I’ll do it again. Oh yee of so little faith.”24

Emily didn’t grin like Toryn thought she would. “I’m serious, Torn. I want this to be perfect. You’re the only one who doesn’t like their picture taken.”25

“I’ll do what I’m told.” Torn promised, looking her manager straight in the eye.26

“Good, I’m going to hold you to that. You’re the face of Helen, I need you to be okay with that.”27

“I just don’t understand, WE are Helen’s Rage, not just ME, but WE are. Why do I have to…I know, I know. I have to learn to deal with it.”28

Before the pixy could unfold her legs Emily took her arm. “One more thing.”29

“What?” Torn asked, weary of the answer.30

“About you and Jake, dating or not dating? It can’t be both and you both need to thing of the ripples as well.”31

“I know, I’m trying to figure it out, I’ll be done soon.”32

“Torn, can you smile for me?” The photographer asked, pausing his erratic clicking for a couple seconds to look at her.33

She wrinkled her nose before gritting her teeth and showing them in an angry fake smile that made him laugh. “Good?”34

Emily looked up from her chair and snorted, “Torn.”35

The band was dressed for prom; the boys in crisp black suits and Torn in a toole dress the color of bubble gum. She sat in a regal chair, her blonde hair twinkling with the tiara on the top of her head, unruly curls tames after two hours of work. The dress showed off her small frame and long arms and neck. Everyone wore black converse, Torn’s the only ones in low top.36

One of her legs slung over the arm of the chair she looked rebellious and beautiful, something the weathered photographer found fascinating. The band standing around her like loyal subjects, she fought hard not to laugh when one of the boys cracked a joke.37

With the uttered word from her manager Mark caught the look of annoyance that crossed Torn’s face before she smiled. “I hate you.”38

After a moment they switched outfits, putting the boys in jeans and t-shirts while Torn donned a tight fitting skinny jeans, a vest, and a black tie. Still in the converse she frolicked onto the stage, playing with the old school mic they gave her to “sing” into. They boys took their places behind her; Morris on drums, Kenneth on Bass, Jake on lead guitar, and Nick on the second guitar. They played around for a little bit, before Mark caught a shot of Jake lifting Torn off stage, the rest of the band still in place. Emily watched from behind the man, studying her new favorite band.39

“You guys are like a dream come true. Let’s try one last outfit and then we can call it a wrap.”40

The last outfit was the best in Torn’s eyes. The gown they had picked was black, hitting the floor as the silk clung here and there to her porcelain skin. Her hair had been pulled onto an elegant twist on the back of her head as the boys as wore colorful tuxedoes. Jake stared with the three other boys when she walked out of her dressing room, holding her dress, careful not to spill with the high heels.41

Torn smiled when Emily gave a catcall, her face glowing with pride. She walked onto set and looked back at the boys who were all still staring at her. “We gonna do this or not?”42

Morris was the first to recover, clipping her softly on the chin; “I knew you had it in you somewhere.”43

She grinned, “You don’t look so bad yourself, More.”44

Taking their places they snapped what felt like a few hundred more pictures before Mark announced that they were done. Sitting in her dressing room as the hair stylist gave her a few pointers she stripped off the make up and fake eyelashes. When she was back to being Torn she took a deep breath. They stylist frowned, “What’s wrong, Sweetheart?”45

“I looked really pretty.”46

The flamboyantly gay man smiled, “You still are. I wish I had such flawless skin.”47

Looking at herself in the harshly lit mirror she surveyed her pretty heart shaped face, the big deep green eyes, lush lips, and stubborn jaw. She didn’t look like a rock star she looked like she belonged to a pop group or something, but the things she had taught her voice to do proved otherwise. Her voice along with Jake’s made the perfect mesh of pretty and gritty, their words spinning around, killing any ideas that they were fake or unreal.48