The Rocque From Lima

Chapter 15: The Power of Madonna

      Santana. What does your bracelet say?" Sue gestured to the bracelet all of us were wearing.

       "W.W.M.D"

       "What would Madonna do?" Sue said, pacing in front of us. "Well, the answer to that question is usually date a younger man. So, let's see some arm candy, girls." I looked at Santana, confused. "Sorry, freshmen. You're going to have to start trolling the middle schools. And you know why? 'Cause if you want to be as riveting a performer as Madonna, a skill that will nab us Nationals this year you're going to have to start thinking like her, acting like her." She has a point. If she wants to make us Madonna clones. "Also, á la Madonna, I will no longer acknowledge that any of you have last names. Becky Jackson. From now on, you're just Becky." Becky smiled and clapped like she just won an award. "You know, it's like Madonna once said, "I'm tough, I'm ambitious, and I know what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay." I'm pretty sure she stole that line from one Sue Sylvester. No, really, she stole it from me. I said it first. Palladium. '87."

---------------------------------------------------------

       The dinner table was quiet as we were eating dinner together as a family, excluding Gustavo. The only noise was the sound of forks hitting the plate.

       "Our mansion flooded and our stuff is being replaced." Julian told us, mostly to Joshua.

       Gustavo said there wasn't enough room for me, considering his other rooms were filled with stuff he didn't need.

      "Where is he staying now?" Mom asked him with a raised eyebrow.

       "At his band's apartment at the Palm Woods." Julian just simply said.

       "Gustavo texts you guys?" I asked my little brothers.

       They nodded.

       "How often?" I asked them again, trying not to seem sad or hurt.

       "Almost every day." Joshua said, not looking up from his plate. I just nodded and excused myself.

       "Gabriella." My mom said, knowing how I felt. 

      Ignoring her, I walked upstairs to my room and locked the door as I heard my phone ringing from my bed. I looked down at it and seen it was my Godfather calling.

      I pondered for a few seconds before answering.

      "Hello, Griffin."

       "Please call me Arthur. I've known you since you were born."

       I smiled.

      "You haven't seen me in 5 years."

      "I saw you like 3 weeks ago. You didn't see me though."

      That's not stalkerish.

      "What? When? How?"

       "You act like I can't buy a plane ticket to Ohio and go see my Goddaughter sing at her sectionals." There was a pause. "I wish I could've stayed after but frankly, I had to see how Gustavo was doing with the boys."

      "Yeah, I've heard about them."

      I was going to say more, but Arthur interrupted me.

      "Hey, I got to get going but text me the date of your next competition and I'll see if I can make it. If so, I'll bring Mercedes along too. I remember you used to be the best of friends. Bye."

       "Bye."

        He hung up, and I remembered his daughter Mercedes I forgot about her I barely seen her the last couple of times I visited. I knew I remember the name Mercedes from somewhere when I met Mercedes Jones. I thought it was just another singer.