Surfing the Sound Waves

*11* Classic - MKTO

"Ooh girl you're shining

Like a 5th avenue diamond

And they don't make you like they used to

You're never going out of style"

After school on Monday, I had to skip out on our regular Starbucks visit after every day of school. This made my friends a little suspicious, but they let it slide with few complaints.

I hurried out the door after grabbing my stuff from my locker after the last class. But when I got to my truck, somebody was already waiting there for me. And that somebody was wearing a dark pair of Ray-bans.

"Whatcha in such a hurry for?" Jack asked me, leaning up against the side of my car.

"I don't believe that's any of your business," I replied, trying to shove my way into the driver's seat but to no use.

"Whoa, hold on," he said, pushing me back out in front of him.

"What do you want?" I growled at him.

"Are you going to the homecoming dance?" he asked.

"No, I'm staying home to avoid jerks like you rubbing it in my face that you can get a date and I can't. Now can you please move so I can go?"

He have me a funny look, then replied, "Fine, I just wanted to know if you were going to be there to ruin the entire thing. Now I don't have to worry about it."

With that, he left and then I got into my truck.

As I pulled up into the parking lot of the studio, I took a deep breath.

"Ok," I thought to myself, "whoever I'm meeting with today determines what I'm going to be like for the rest of my career."

I was directed by the secretary into a different meeting room right when I walked into the building. When I opened up the door, sitting there were Lydia and a woman who I guessed to be my image consultant.

Lydia waved at me and said, gesturing to the other woman, "Hi Camara! This is Sequoia. She's your image consultant and I'm her assistant today."

After a second look, Sequoia didn't look to be more than twenty-ish. She had bright red lipstick and black eyeliner that winged out wide, just like mine. Her hair was long, naturally red, and super curly that it puffed out a lot. When she stood up and shook my hand I saw she was wearing a black leather skirt and a mosaic, reflective halter crop top. Also, she had on a glittery cat ear headband on. Overall, she seemed like a strange but awesome person at the same time.

"Nice to meet you!" Sequoia said cheerfully.

I sat down and then we started to discuss my "image".

"Okay, so just to get a feel about what you're like, I'm going to ask you a bunch of really random sounding questions," Sequoia told me.

"Ok..." I replied a little nervously.

"Heels or boots?" she asked.

"Boots," I replied.

"Favorite kind of music?"

"Truly anything, but I like classic rock and country the most."

"Eyeliner or mascara?"

"Eyeliner probably."

"How many relationships have you been in?"

"Two, I think."

"Do you like loud bass?"

"Absolutely."

"Clubber?"

"Only if I desperately need to."

"And finally, you're a DJ, right?"

"Yep."

"Awesome!" Sequoia exclaimed, "So am I! Okay, so what I've figured from your personality, your answers, and how you're dressed right now is that you're truthfully a lot like me."

"Well that's good," I said, "you're pretty awesome."

"Aw, so are you!" she replied, "so I'm thinking sort of like an urban look, pretty much like how you're like right now, from what I can tell. Out-there looks, not afraid to be yourself, plus a little bit sexy."

I let out the huge breath I'd been holding in. What a relief, I didn't really want to change anything about me.

"But you need your own gimmicks," Sequoia concluded.

"Gimmick?" I asked.

"Yeah," she explained, "like, your signature 'thing'. Mine are the animal ears and the bright red lipstick. I'd say we should figure out two for you. They should be fairly general, so you can vary your choices a little bit."

We sat there for a little bit, thinking, when finally I thought of something.

"How about beanies with random sayings on them?" I suggested, "I already have a few."

"Oh, that would be perfect!" she agreed, "I have this awesome place's number on my phone that has the coolest beanies like that! I'll give them a call as soon as I can and get a bunch for you. Okay, so we still need one more."

After sitting there for a good five minutes with no ideas, Lydia jumped up and got really close to my face, staring into my eyes. I had almost forgotten she was there.

"Gold," she said matter-of-factly, "your eyes. They have pieces of gold in them."

"Really?" I asked, surprised, "I've never noticed that before."

"Wait a second," Sequoia said, reaching behind her neck and unclasping her gold chain necklace. She reached around me and put it around my neck and sat back.

"Perfect," she said with a smile, "it looks amazing on you. Gold chains are your second gimmicks."

I grinned. Gold was definitely something I could rock. This should work well for me.

"Okay," Sequoia said, "for our final piece of business, your alias. It has been requested that you have one."

"I want it to be really meaningful, something that means a lot to me," I told her.

"That's understandable. Do you have any ideas?"

"Not a clue," I admitted.

"That's okay," Sequoia replied, "I don't need to turn in the full report until 5:00 on Wednesday this week. I guess you have until then."

"How will I tell you?" I asked.

"Give me your phone," she said. I passed it to her, and she promptly put her number in, "Text me."

I nodded then got up to leave. But right before I stepped out of the room, I turned and asked, "Sorry, but I have to know. Is Sequoia your real name?"

She smiled and nodded, "Yep. My parents wanted me to be unique. Frankly, I think they just wanted all subsititute teachers at school to mispronounce it and for all the kids to call me a tree."