Rock 'N' Roll Singer

𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗬-𝗧𝗪𝗢

17 December 1978
I replayed the night over in my head, even as I tried to stumble my way up the hall stairs under the cover of midnight. I felt sleepy, yet excited and self-sure; my body could carry me upstairs with worrying about falling back and snapping my neck. The anxiety I was sure to endure was many hours away and, at the time, felt more like weeks. The warmth I felt had cooled but did not diminish thanks to Bon's, well, to quote an old rock and roll tune: great balls of fire. I stifled an immature laugh before creaking open my bedroom door, hand covering my mouth to keep from laughing any louder than I thought I had been.

I tossed off my clothes and just threw on an oversized T-shirt before sliding into bed, little sister curled up by my feet like a kitten. I gently moved her towards me and rolled over onto my side, pressing my face uncomfortably close to the wall to give her enough room to sleep normally. Of course, just because I was in bed didn't turn off my mind from gaining a sort of second wind.

What time is it now?

How many hours of sleep do I need to not look like a wreck?

Why did I go out tonight?

God, can't I shut the hell up for a few hours?

Nope.

I ended up putting my pillow over my head in the hopes of stifling any other thought bouncing around my brain. They overpowered the gentle creaks of the home, the home I would likely to grow to miss, even for all its lack of luxury. Maybe the harder I held it against me, the better night's sleep I would get. Or I could sleep the big sleep at the rate I seemed to be going at. My sister's sleeping body gently lolled about, tapping against my back a few times.

No hope of getting a good night's sleep, and my mind was too active, which meant I looked out the window and guessed how many hours I had left until sunrise. It was what I did without many books to read or anything else to induce sleep. There was no clock on the nightstand to frantically peer at to check the time—take that as either a positive or negative. I watched the world and the distant neighbourhoods stretching out beyond my view of Botany Bay until my yawns grew incessant, and I drifted off, dreaming of the lives going on out of my reach and the one to come that I could only imagine for myself.

♫

I wouldn't exactly replay the morning's events over again. Actually, I'd only do it if I wasn't woken up by Allison ready to break my door down. Jane was gone by then, the blanket a wrinkled mess tossed about across the mattress.

"What?" I moaned towards the ceiling; I tried my best to sound as though I wasn't somewhere inbetween sleep and being fully awake.

"Get the hell out of bed," she marched straight through with an anxious expression. "It's ten."

      "And?"

She extended her arms towards me as though to hurl the answer towards me, though her wide eyes and shaking hands screamed confusion.

"Ten," I muttered to myself, hoping the number would jog my memory.

Slowly sitting up, clutching bunches of blankets in my fists, I turned to face her and felt my stomach sink, twist, and be slashed, like something out of a horror movie. I jumped out to duck into the shower, but was surrounded by all of my housemates.

"In case you're nervous, which you probably are." Suze smiled comfortingly, holding my shoulders and smiling proudly. "I just want you to know that you've got this, love."

"Move." I said before knocking her aside. I didn't have time for a confidence-booster.

"I still get to do your makeup!" She called to me at her usual, above normal volume of speaking.