Operation:Band

Chapter 1 1

Jeremiah glanced over at me, shaking his head and scowling. He didn’t want to go through with it. He didn’t think we could pull something this huge off. We can. I know it. I sigh. “Have faith Jeremiah. We will pull this off. “He spun around, fully facing me.  “Oh get a life Nova; you really think you know anything? This is going to fail, big time. “I stood up and straightened out my short skirt. 2

“Come on, you know I can pull this off. “3

He shook his head.  “You look good, yeah, but no one will mistake you for a model. We won’t be able to do this. “My hand shot towards his throat. “ What, am I not pretty enough to be a model? This is going to work mainly because we need it to work. Without this gig, we won’t get enough money for us to get new equipment for your drum set, or for my guitar. And then, we won’t get a CD made. So this has to work. “4

Jeremiah nodded, and I let go of his throat. “OK, so explain this to me again? “ I plopped down on his patchwork couch in the corner of his room. “I’m going to go to the mall, where they are looking for models for a fashion show to show off clothes for some new prep store. This usually isn’t my scene, but if I make it I get about a grand. I know that seems like a big amount just for walking the runway, but I’ll be walking for an hour. “He slowly nodded. “So, what you’re saying is you’ll be getting paid to look good and shake your butt? “ 5

“That’s about it. “6

“That’s so stupid, Nova. “ He gets slapped on the back of the head.7

I stood up and went to his full-body mirror. “Is like, my pink shirt and like, black leather skirt, like, slutty enough for you? “  Jeremiah laughed. “You sure look sexy. “ He stood and walked behind me, and placed his hands around my hips.  “Can I like, pose as your like, boyfriend? “He asked.  I sighed, and pushed his arms away. “I told you Jerry, were just friends. “ He shrugs and sits back down. “It was worth a try. “8

I sat on the cheap plastic chairs in the lobby of the mall, waiting for my tryouts. “My fat thighs are sticking to the bench. “ Jeremiah rolled his eyes and looked at my legs. “Your thighs aren’t fat.” I pushed his gaze away from my legs. “I like them fat. “ He shrugged, and leaned back. “Like I said, this isn’t going to work. There are girls here who went to modeling school. “He nodded towards a girl with blonde hair and bangs, who was wearing baggy chained pants and a belly shirt. It was our singer, Eddie. “Eddie went to modeling school. She’s going to get this. “I laughed. “ She’s just here to get money to save up for a synthesizer. “I whistled, and said, “Yo, Eddie, get over here. “ Standing, she trekked over to me, and tripped over the untied shoelaces of her Vans. “Whoops! “ She fell, but caught herself on a chair. Jeremiah giggled. “You are so weird. “ “Oh, I know, “Eddie replied.9

Little did Jeremiah know though, Eddie had the biggest crush on him. Man Jeremiah is blind. Sitting down next to me, Eddie sighed. “When I get that synthesizer, our band is gonna rock. I’ll be able to actually make my voice sound good when I sing ‘Black Morphine ‘. You know, add the robot affects and stuff. “Nodding, I looked at Jeremiah. He nodded back. We all knew Eddie could sing, but she wasn’t going to win a Grammy anytime soon. A voice synthesizer would make our band sound better than it already does. I’m all for one, and, by the looks of it, so is Jeremiah. 10

A lady stepped out of the door, and looked at the twenty some odd girls. “OK ladies, this is how it will work. Ten of you will get a spot, and the others, won’t. Let us begin with Edna Albatross. “Eddie stood, glaring. “ IT’S EDDIE! “ The woman nodded. “ My mistake, come on in. “ Glaring, Eddie followed her, tripping over her shoelaces and turning the heads of guys waiting with their sisters or girlfriends. She was pretty, just……………odd. Jeremiah propped his feat up on the coffee table. “The girl is hopeless. “ 11

“Hopelessly in love with you. “12

“Wha?? “13

“You heard me. Now, “I stood, and looked at him, “is my makeup OK? “ Laughing, he pushed me, and I fell on my butt. I glared up at him. “Grrr. “ Standing, I sat down, only to hear someone playing the bass guitar. “ Hey, you hear that? “ Jeremiah asked me. I nodded and stood. We were looking for a bass player, ours stunk. We kicked him out yesterday. There weren’t many in our small town. Following the source of the music, in seconds I stood face to face with the new guy in our school. 14

His name was Malachi, and he was unique. Many people didn’t want anything to do with him, mainly because he wasn’t a conformist sheep. He had a black Mohawk, with ice-blue tips, and more piercing than I’d like to count because I’d get arrested for staring that long. He glanced up at me. “ Ah, Nova. What owes me this great pleasure? “ I raised an eyebrow, to show off my only piercing. As if it compared. “ I heard you playing. You’re good. Would you like to join my band? “ A faint smile crossed his pierced lips. Setting down the guitar, he extended a hand. “ I would love to. “ And I gripped his hand as a voice called, “ Nova Morgan. “ 15

I stood in front of people dressed in nice suits, with hairstyles that only get washed once a week at the hairdresser. Those beautiful people. I crossed my leather boots over each other as a woman in a purple suit spoke, “ Nova, first, please spin slowly so I can see you from every angle, arms out. “ I did as she told. One man whispered, “ She has a nice figure, but how is her walk? “ Holding up her hand, the first woman said, “ OK, that’s good. Now, please walk straight towards us, as you would on the runway. “ 16

OK, I admit, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but, I did my best. I walked towards them, crossing my feet, leaning back, and swinging my hips, like I had seen Eddie do it once. Apparently, I did something right. “ Beautiful! “ the purple-suited woman exclaimed. “Uh…thanks..” She nodded. “ You’ve made it. You will receive your money after the show. Thank you for coming. We will provide you your outfit. Be here at eight A.M. “ I think my jaw dropped to the floor, but I didn’t say anything except, “ Yes ma’am. “ and walk out the door.17