Live While We're Young

Chapter 2: The Plan

Darcy: “Hey,” I said when I got in from Zayn and Jess dropping me off. No one was in the living room. I heard my sister singing in her bedroom. I walked up the stairs to my room. My dad stood with his ear to the door.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” I said, “What are you doing?”

“Doesn’t she sound great?” my dad asked, “I think Simon’s really going to love her. Just a perfect voice.”

“Yeah,” I said, sighing, “You know, maybe when you bring her in to Simon, you know, when she’s old enough, maybe you could bring me in too. Or I mean, I’m old enough to be on X Factor already. I’m sure you could test it out on me first.” I cut off my rambling.

“Yeah, maybe,” my dad said, his voice not overly sincere, “Don’t worry Darce. You’ll get your chance. I just think we see what Simon thinks of your sister.”

I huffed. Seriously? I wanted to be a singer so bad. And Dad didn’t even seem like he cared. “Where’s mom,” I asked.

“She had to go into work. She has that song she’s been working on for so long. Just finished it last night,” my dad said, not really coherent of what I was saying. I walked into my room, slamming the door behind me. I check my phone. Nothing was new. Rats. I laid on my bed and pulled out my secret notebook. It had all sorts of songs I had written in it. I flipped to the first page. It had one of my favorite songs I had written in it. I flipped to the last page. I thought up a song and started singing its beat.

“Gotta grab my flip flops, gotta wear a tank top, getting dressed up like I’m ready to soar,” I sang. The song was a fast beat. I wrote down the words fast. Then I thought of the next line, “Gotta grab my swim wear, gotta get me out of here, gotta make sure that I’m ready for more.” I felt the beat coming into my mind. I smiled, continuing the rest of the song, “Baby, the sun is burning down, Baby its time we blow this town. Feels like summer summer summer, feels like summer summer summer. Laying round the pool, while we’re trying to stay cool. Feels like summer, summer, summer. Feels like summer, summer, summer. The summer sky is blue as much as I love you.” I smiled with my work. I continued until the song finished off. Once I finished the song, I picked up my phone. I decided to text Niki.

Hey Nik. What’s up?I sent.

Yo, Darce! Not much. Just hanging with my parents and family. You? she sent her words back almost instantly.

Not much. Just wanting to be a singer some more. You know me, I sent.

Do I ever Niki sent Something going on with your sis?

Lets just say I envy you for being an only child right now I sent.

Your dad getting overly excited again? Niki sent.

You know my dad too I sent.

I can pick you up to talk if you want. Niki sent. I smiled.

I’ll check my dad, but that sounds fun. I sent. I peeked my head out the door.

“Dad, can Niki and I hang for the day?” I asked, and he looked at me.

“Sure, go ahead. I’ll text you when you have to be back,” he said. I smiled and sent Niki, See you soon.

:-) Was all Niki responded with. A few minutes later, Niki’s cherry red Mustang Convertible pulled up. That car was beautiful. Lets just say Niki wasn’t hurting because of her parents riches. “Hey,” she said, standing outside the car. Her streaks were cherry red today to match the car.  When she got it she named that car Scarlet, because of its beautiful color. I swear she loved that car more than life itself.

“Hey,” I said, hopping in the front seat, “Thanks for springing me.”

“Its partially for me. They got started talking about me as a baby, and then me as a toddler on tour with my parents. Ick,” Niki made a face of disgust. I laughed. Niki was the only one of all of us that remembered any of the days of One Direction. Because both of her parents were in the band she got to go on tour. I was born shortly after the end of One Direction. It kinda sucks, but Niki says what she remembered from tour mainly has to do with the beginning of her music career. That would be something I would die to see.

“Yeah, I can see how that would get old,” I said.

“Definitely,” Niki said, “So what do you want to do?”

“Just wanted to get out of the house,” I admitted.

“Fro Yo?” Niki asked, pointing at the Frozen Yogurt shop outside the window.

“I didn’t bring any money,” I said.

“I did,” Niki said. I smiled.

“Okay, um, sure,” I said. Niki laughed a little to herself.

“Okay, I hear that and think of Sarah and Louis smiling at each other when any of us say that,” Niki laughed. I rolled my eyes. Niki pulled into a parking spot and we hopped out.

We each bought a bowl to put the yogurt in and got started putting our yogurt in. I got Chocolate Cheesecake, with a small amount of chocolate chips, M&Ms, and cheesecake bits. Then theres Niki. She packed in yogurt, then put virtually every topping on it. Backwards, but thats how it works.

“Okay,” Niki said once we were at our table, “Spill the beans about your dad.”

“Just his usual. Get excited because in only four years we can turn her in to Simon so he can make her a singing superstar,” I said, stabbing my yogurt with my spoon.

“Cold. You think he’s going to see you ever?” Niki asked.

“I wish. But when his head’s in the clouds with his little girl, I doubt he’ll ever see me down on the ground,” I said.

“At least your mom kind of gets it,” Niki pointed out.

“But she’s even obsessed with turning my sister into a star. They both think she’s got the better shot,” I said. Niki was quiet for a few seconds. We each ate our yogurt quietly until Niki broke the silence.

“What about YouTube?” Niki asked.

“I don’t know,” I said.

“What’s wrong with the idea. Its a great way to get famous,” Niki said.

“But its not X Factor,” I said.

“I don’t care. Your dad’s obviously never going to drive you to X Factor, so go on YouTube. The least it will do is show your parents your dead serious about this,” Niki said. I thought about it.

“Who will help me?” I asked. Niki frowned and gave me a DUH!! look. I laughed.

“We can use my gear,” Niki said. Just another area Niki was good in. Production. I sighed.

“Okay,” I said.

“Don’t sound so down about it. You can get your dream this way,” Niki said. I laughed.

“Okay, okay,” I said. Niki smiled happily and ate her yogurt, a smug grin on her face.