Chapter 3
"Hi Luke!" I called as I slammed the door. Luke sighed and walked over to me. Luke was just over six foot his dark brown hair in an slight undercut hairstyle. He had dark blue eyes like mine and a slight stubble. He was wearing jeans and a red shirt with black timberland boots (which were probably fakes).
"Bus okay?" He said hugging me.
"Yeah." I lied biting my lip. It wasn't as bad as usual, so I wasn't lying so hopefully he wouldn't notice, if he wasn't looking. I went into the kitchen as Luke returned to his book. He was currently reading the first Sherlock book and I was desperate to read it after him. I liked books because it was nice to get lost in a fictional characters world, instead of having to worry about your own messed up world.
"Hey Ro!" Tanya called out from the kitchen. Tanya had long light brown hair down to her hips in a slightly askew middle parting. Her skin had a natural olive glow to it and her eyes were a deep hazel colour. She was fairly short, I was almost as tall as her.
"Zoe please get down from there. Zoe! You will burn yourself!" I lifted Zoe, a bundle of messy brown hair and pink dress off of the counter before she stuck her hand in the pan of boiling water and pasta. I started tickling her. She shrieked in protest and rolled onto the sofa. I decided to turn on the television and when I could see that Zoo House (or something like that) was entertaining her I crept out and went upstairs to play my guitar while I waited for the pasta to be cooked. I loved getting lost in the music, concentrating on my fingers, sliding them over the strings of my guitar. If I had to have three prized possessions they would have to be my guitars, my phone (because it functions as an mp3 player) and my old teddy which I named after Willow, which mum gave me when I was born. Not wanting to think about mum I put my acoustic guitar back and got down my electric blue guitar and started playing along to American authors. The song had a good beat allowing me to strum pretty nicely along to the song. It would have suited acoustic guitar, it would have sounded good dampening the chords but it sounded just as good on electric the chords ringing out on the amp. I loved having an attic bedroom, the ceilings may slope but I had a lot of space to play my guitar. I liked to pretend the room was my stage I was Hayley Williams from Paramore shaking my head and letting my hair fly everywhere or Brendon Urie from Panic at the Disco backflipping off the amp although when I did try to backflip off my amp I was terrified I would make a hole in the ceiling but I managed to land on my feet unharmed (thankfully). I tried to sit down for a few minutes to do some homework but I ended up doodling all over my maths sheet so I gave up and went back to playing my guitar.
***
When I got off the bus the next morning I narrowly missed tripping over Nicks foot. Instead I stomped on it and left him howling and lagging behind to get off the bus. I leaned against the wall outside school and text El.
Hey. U on the l8 bus or already in music? x
She got back straight away.
Bus will only be a min. Stuck in traffic. Grab us a room in music or we wont get 1. We miss morning lessons to sort out band stuff. x
I went into the music block and on my way in I crashed into a guy carting a drum into a room. I turned round.
"I'm sorr..." I trailed off mid sentence when I saw who it was. I collected myself. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine." Said Skylar looking down at the drum, checking if it was okay. "Hey um.." He looked a bit awkward and scratched the back of his head. "Um, are you doing the, uh, band thing?" He was completely different and sort of cute... no not cute. For goodness sake. But he was different when not around the guys on the bus. Less confident, kind of shy... I realized I was daydreaming.
"Yeah. I'm in the band thing." I smiled, expecting an 'ewww' but got nothing. As I brushed past him I felt his arm against mine. It was like static. I shivered. My phone made a beep. A text from Hayley:
Are u in music block? x
Yeah. Room 2. x
I turned my phone off and went in search of a guitar and an amp. El and Hayley were in the room when I found them. El played bass. She was fairly short with long choppy crimson dyed hair and green eyes. She always wore her uniform fairly neat, with the exception of her nose ring. She was my best friend, I was closer to her than I was to anyone else. Hayley sung. She was as tall as me with blonde hair in a messy side plait with messy uniform to match, skirt ripped, baggy jumper and a burgundy beanie on the top of her head. Soph played the drums. She had grey eyes and frizzy brown hair with a long fringe which she swept back with a pin. She always wore bright coloured studs in her ears with nails to match.
"Anyone know where Soph is?" asked Hayley, "Wait no I've got a text!" She fished her phone out of her unorganized bag. She read the text and rolled her eyes.
HEY GONNA B L8 TELL MRS H CHEERS MA PINEAPPLES XX She always called us 'her Pineapples'.
"She does know we're in the music block right?" Asked El.
"I doubt it," I said, "Because we're not in Mrs H's class. You better tell her Hay." Mr D our music teacher poked his head round the door.
"Girls, if your doing the band act I need you in the music hall in two minutes please." We all nodded.
"Well, I guess we better get going," said El, "I'm so excited for this!" We went into the music hall. It was a big tall room which was only slightly soundproof, with big glass windows either side. There were computers dotted around the room with students editing soundtracks or listening to their pieces. At the front of the room there were roughly 15 guitars hanging on the wall which ranged from acoustic to electric to bass. In the corner of the room there was a giant grand piano and on the opposite side a drum kit. At the back of the room there was buckets with various percussion instruments in and on the shelves behind there were various flutes, violins and other instruments.
"Alright everyone settle down now." Called out Mr D from by the piano. He always leaned on the side of it and El hated him mistreating the gorgeous grand piano. She was an ever so slight neat freak. "You are here to MAKE MUSIC not bunk classes" He called out. "Any important work you miss will have to be done at home." There was a groan from everyone. "If you are not here for the sole reason that YOU LOVE MUSIC then you can leave now." It went quiet. Then a group of girls with straightened hair, red nails and designer handbags got up. They flounced out and the last girl, I think she was called Stefanie or something, gave us all an evil look before slamming the door. Well. A few others got up and left leaving us with about six bands. There was our pop punk group, a group of girls who looked like they would be singing The Wanted or something awful like that, a girl and two boys who looked like they were into heavy metal, a folky sort of group with a mixture of girls and boys, a hip hop group and Skylars group. "Well, looks like we've got a good selection!" Said Mr D enthusiastically. I just need to go round and get your names, songs you are performing, instruments etc... Right starting with you!" He pointed at the group of girls who decided they were called 'Girl Power'. And they were singing a One Direction song.
"Ugh who just mentioned One Direction?" Everyone's head turned around to see Soph in the doorway. She came over to us and hugged us all. "How are y'all my pineapples?" Mr D cleared his throat.
"You are already late and then you come in and criticize one of our bands!" Cried Mr D "I want an apology for your late coming and for your rude attitude towards Josie's band, not to mention you come in and then start chatting to your friends like its lunch!" Soph looked up from her chipped green nails. "What?" She asked looking completely innocent. Mr D was fuming.
"Are you asking to be kicked out of Band Act never mind a detention for improper-"
"Look I'm so-rry okay?" Said Soph her voice dripping with sarcasm, now sitting in her chair with her arms crossed.
"Improper uniform, if you would let me finish, and interrupting a teacher." He got out a yellow form and went to write something on it, which I guessed would be a detention, but we all knew he would never give her one. But two more detentions and Soph was heading for suspension and she didn't want to take the chance. "I'm sorry."
"Better. Now can we continue without any further interruptions please?" We went round all the bands. The heavy metal one was called Black Screams, the folky band called Beautiful Day and the hip hop band was called Small Thunder. I wonder what Skylar's band was called? I guess he played drums but was genre did his band fit under? Did he sing a little? I was brought back to earth by Soph hissing my name. "Your band name?" Asked Mr D.
Uh, Sky- umm..." I trailed of. Damn. I hadn't meant to say Sky. Skylar... no stop! "Indigo." I said.
"Just indigo?" Inquired Mr D his pen hovering over his clipboard.
"No, uh, Indigo Sky." I said and looked at the others. Hayley nodded.
"Yeah Indigo Sky." She said clearly, "We're playing Still Into You by Paramore and..." I drifted off into dreamland again. I tried to get into Skylar's mind to see his intentions for his band but I ran into a sort of wall. It was fairly strong but I was stronger, having not used my savant gift and had having a shield up all the time meant I was good at knocking them down. I entered his mind but instantly he rebuilt his wall, shoving me out. He turned to me and gave me a puzzled look but I looked away. How the hell had he done that? He wasn't a savant I was sure, I never felt any power in his presence. In the end I found out that his band was a rock band called Rose Tiger and that he just played the drums. I shouldn't of tried to get into his head. I shouldn't have even been using my gift. That encounter creeped me out for the rest of the day. I tried to concentrate but I would slip a chord now and again. Hayley asked me what was wrong but I passed it off with a headache. I stayed after school for a bit going through the chords but I gave up in the end. I only had one question, one thought that dominated my mind.
Who was Skylar Chase?