The Rockstar and The Graduate//L.A. Guns •Kelly Nickels•

Supposedly the Bands Really Cool

I'm Laurie, an 18 year old high school student finishing up my senior year. I had an okay life. My mom, a nurse at the hospital and my dad a mechanic. Parents were major stoners before I came around, they were major hippies. Now the 80's, they still live like they did, they just don't light up anymore, and I honestly am fine with it. I just wish they weren't so strict.

The year was 1983. I was born on February 4th, 1965. We were at school, I was sitting at a lunch table with my best friend, Janey. She was talking about going to a show at a bar in town this Friday. "Laurie, come on, you never do anything anymore after you and Tod broke up." She said.

"Listen, I'd go, but my parents aren't exactly happy with the idea that I'm 18 now and can make decisions for myself." I said. She rolled her eyes. "C'mon, weren't they major hippies before you were born and when you were a baby?" She asked. I nodded.

"Janey, just because they were stoners then doesn't mean they are now and that they're cool with their kid going to a fucking bar and doing god knows what. A lot parents want what is best for their kids." I said.

"Please, just say you'll go. The band is supposedly really cool." She said. I nodded. "Alright fine, but if I get grounded because of you, I'm not giving you back that lipstick you let me borrow." She smiled. "Yay! I'll call you later." She said as she got up.

I shook my head. "What the fuck am I going to do." I said to myself . After school, I walked to my locker and grabbed my book bag and Walkman. When I grabbed my Walkman, a loose cassette tape fell out and clattered to the floor. I picked it up and scoffed.

It was the cassette tape that Tod made me for the night we were going to do it for the first time. Now that never did happen, he cheated on me with Jessica Hents and then fucking broke up with me. I clipped my Walkman to my black jeans and put my headphones around my neck.

I'd find Tod either in the gym for basketball practice or I'd find him in the locker room. I walked to the gym and sure enough he was there, along with his team. He saw me and smiled. Dude needs to get his fucking priority's straight.

He walked over to me. "Hey Laur." He said. "Hey, you left something in my locker." I said as I took the cassette out of my pocket and held it out in front of him. He looked at it and he smiled again. He went to grab it but I pulled it away.

He stood there looking at it, the permanent marker title and all: When Laur & Tod do it'

"I forgot about that." He said, reaching for it again. I nodded. "So did I, but it looks like you wont be needing this, you and Jessica seem really fucking happy, so you can have this back, let me just..." I said as I dropped the cassette and it clattered to the floor. After I dropped it I took my red converse colored foot and began to break the cassette.

I then picked up the cassette and strung it out. "Now you can have it back, because you and I aren't gunna do it, and it's never gunna fucking happen because you're a dick and a cheater." I said. I shoved the broken cassette into his hands and then walked out.

I pushed play on my Walkman and put my headphones on. I Want You to Want Me by Cheap Trick filling my ears. As I was walking to my house, I thought about what Janey said. I could use a good distraction, and this show at this bar, sounded really welcoming.

When I got home, I went to my room and grabbed the phone. I dialed Janey's number. "I'll go." I said over the phone. She squealed. "I knew you say you would at lunch, but hell, Laur, I thought you were doing that to humor me. So you're really going?" She asked.

"Yeah, I just have to talk to Margie and Russell and then we'll see." I said. "Well I hope your parents say yes. Last time Margie and Russell let you out was for my birthday and that was 4 months ago." She explained.

"I'll talk to you later Janey." We said goodbye and I waited for my parents to get home.

"Hey Sweetie." My mom sad as she knocked on my bedroom door when she got home. "Hey Mom, is Dad home yet?" I asked. "No, but he should be soon, why, do you need something?" She asked as she took off her nurse's hat.

"I have to talk to you guys when he gets home, it's sort of important to me." I said. She nodded. "I'll let you know when he gets home." She said walking out of my room. It was around five in the evening when he got home.

"Honey, Laurie wants to tell us something." My mom said as we all sat down for dinner. "What is it?" He asked. I looked between my mom and dad.

"So, uhm, Janey asked me to hang out next Friday night." I started. "That's good, what will you two be doing?" My mother asked. "Well, there's this show, a musical group, playing on the strip, and we really want to go." I said.

I watched as my parents shared a look.

"Absolutely not." My dad said. "What why? You two were stoners and did a lot of crazy shit when you were younger, you know what it feels like to be a teenager and to have fun, but you won't let me." I argued.

My mom turned to my dad. "Now Russell, she does have a point." He looked at my mom and then to me. "Alright fine, but no booze, no boys, and for gods sake, no drugs." He said. I nodded.

"Thank you, you won't regret it!" I said hugging them. After dinner, I went to my room and called Janey. "They said yes." I told her. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, they said yes."

We then talked about the details of Friday. My parents finally said yes.