Violetta (Violet) Jackson has big dreams. None of which happen to include sitting in detention for a week straight for a lab disaster that wasn't even her fault. That's all thanks to Will Hawthorne, his friends (one of whom she unfortunately used to...
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The next two weeks rolled by much faster than the last, and in that time, Oak Point decided that it was time to transition into spring. The days grew progressively warmer, the sharp, bitter wind that hit my face as I biked beginning to disappear, gradually replaced by a cool, pleasant breeze. The sun was more and more present, the clouds scattered, and the sky each morning dawning a bright, clear blue. Those trees that were bare in winter had already begun to grow new green, amber, and yellow needles and leaves, perfuming the air with their earthy smell. From the top of the hill on which Oak Point High rests, you could see clear to the Three Sisters and Mount Bachelor, whose snow was surely beginning to melt bit by bit as the spring season approached.
I served my remaining weeks in detention, catching up with Ryder, Olivia, and Danny on Saturdays as we practiced as much as we could and game planned what we were going to do for the contest, which, as Olivia discovered for us, was separated into three stages, the first of which officially started next week — which was our spring break. I was on my way to English, weaving my way through the crowd of other kids heading to class when my phone began to vibrate.
Wednesday 12:55pm
Ryder: red alert. MAJOR red alert.
Olivia: What is it?
Ryder: my parents found out about the contest.
Olivia: Shit.
Olivia: Bet they were thrilled.
Ryder: so thrilled, in fact, that they are officially "banning" me from using the garage as a practice space for ECHO.
Olivia: WHAT??
Danny: No way you could talk to them about it?
Ryder: nope. they went full asian parents on me. i mean, they *are* asian, but they really wanted to fulfill that trope to the utmost, i guess.
Ryder: told me this is my last chance to shape up and kick my 'music habit.' as if it's a harmful addiction or something.
Olivia: No way.
Ryder: anyway, i have no intention of following their orders, but i think they would actually kick me out of the house if we kept using the garage as a practice space. so, gang, any bright ideas?
I bit my lip. Ryder's parents were always strict with him, and I knew that they never fully approved of his music dreams, but having no practice space would pose a serious problem for all of us.
Olivia: I mean, I have a space, but my community would have a fit if we started playing songs there. Strict noise ordinances and all that. No go.
Danny: I have a roommate...
They all already knew I lived in an apartment, which would make any band practice impossible, so they didn't even ask. I typed out a response as quick as I could as I reached the door to my English class, where Ms. Hopkin was already beginning the lesson.
