A Drop in the Ocean

Chapter 2

There was something fuzzy on my face.  I was only half awake, so I couldn't tell what it was.  As I began to awake from my slumber, I found that it was the cat.  Long calicoed fur clinging to my face as she curled up on my pillow.  She was purring loudly in my ear.  I groaned, sliding out from under her and out of my bed.

Today was a big day.  I would be auditioning for a band.  Now, this audition sounds a little sketchy.  A random person's garage.  All I knew is that they needed someone who could play the keyboard with some experience in guitar and vocals.  Ding ding!  That's me!

"Wakey, wakey.  Eggs and bakey!"  I heard through the door.  I recognized my cousin Lindsey's voice.  Lindsey is Nora and James's only daughter.  She's twenty-one and currently engaged.  She doesn't actually live in this house anymore, but with her fiance.

"Already awake!" I yelled back.  The door cracked open revealing my lovely cousin.  

"Why does your bedroom always look so clean?" she asked when she walked in.

"Because I have no social life, and I'm in my cycle of random responsibility," I replied, sitting on my unmade bed.  "Why are you waking me up so early?"

"Technically, I didn't wake you up.  I just knocked on the door," she corrected, sitting in the chair next to my window.  "I was just going to say goodbye."

"Where are you going?" I questioned in surprise.  I stood up to make my point.  

"Paul found an apartment for us, and we're moving in today," she answered, looking down at her nails as if it were no big deal.

"What?  When did this happen?" I exclaimed.

"Well, apparently, he was going to surprise me, so he found it about a week ago and moved himself in.  He was just waiting until he had everything ready.  I'm surprised he kept it such a secret!"

"Wow, I'm so happy for you!  Congratulations!" I said while opening my arms for a hug.  She received the hug in admiration.  "Guess what I have today!" I said after we separated.

"Hmm...I'm terrible at guessing.  Just tell me," she said, sitting back down.  I walked over to my nightstand where the newspaper lay.  I showed her the circled classified ad looking for a keyboard player.  "You're going to audition?" she inquired.

"Yep.  I thought I should start making a life for myself, so I found the ad and decided to go for it," I answered, laying down on my bed.  

"Well, good luck!  I hope it works out!" she exclaimed, standing from the chair.  "By the way, Mom was wondering whether or not you wanted breakfast."

"I'd love breakfast.  Tell her I'll be down after I get dressed.  I've got to head over to the other side of Sydney in a few hours," I replied, opening my dresser and grabbing out a pair of jeans. 

"Alright," she said.  She pulled me into a hug.  "I love you.  Be safe.  Good luck."  She kissed me on the cheek and went downstairs.  I never spent a lot of time on my make up.  Just enough mascara to make me look not dead and that's it.  And that "not giving a fuck" cycled over into my wardrobe.  I grabbed a plain grey t-shirt and a pair of distressed jeans, ready to tackle the day.  

I skipped down the stairs, meeting the delicious smell of breakfast as well as the face of my uncle in the kitchen.

"Good morning, JC," he said while flipping a sausage patty.  

"Good morning, JB," I replied.  With my last name being Connelly and his being Blake, we've gotten into the habit of calling each other by our initials.  Keeps things interesting.  "What's on the menu?"

"Whaaaaat's on the menuuuuuu!" he sang in the fashion of Timon and Pumba in Lion King 1 1/2.  I set my face on the counter.

"I can't even-" I began before I started dying of laughter.  Nora walked into the room giving us both weird looks.  

"I'm not even going to ask," she said, shaking her head and filling a cup with coffee.  She was always dressed so classy for work.  Nora owned a very popular restaurant downtown called On Air where there would be a live performance every night, and when someone was on, a sign reading "On Air" would be lit.

"Where are you headed off to today?" James asked after we had finally calmed down.  

"I'm auditioning for a band," I replied, taking a bite of my finally finished toast with eggs on top.

"Hm...what's it called?" Nora asked as she sat next to me at the breakfast bar.  

"I have no clue.  I know that it is a pop rock band with four members.  I also know that I have to head to the bus stop soon if I want to get there in a timely fashion," I replied.

"Well, I hope that you will be safe," James said while sitting down on the other side of me.  

"You sound like Lindsey," I chuckled.  I took a bite of sausage from the plate, earning a glare from James.  "Alrighty, I'm gonna head out.  See y'all later!" I shouted, even though I'm not southern.

"Love you!  Goodbye!" they both called as I walked to the door.  I grabbed my bag from the hook.

"Hey!  Don't forget to take your meds!" Nora called.  I groaned, trudging back towards the kitchen where Nora stood with her hand outstretched, a small white pill sitting in the middle.  I grabbed it defiantly, took a swig of orange juice, and downed it all in one gulp.  I gave a small salute and skipped back out the door, on my way to a freaking terrifying place.