Pretty in Punk

-2-

"Annalise...Analise!" Screamed a young voice. I signed and walked into the bathroom. We were at underground punk club, and the bathrooms were full of slutty girls. It was a living hell.

I walked up to the second stall, which was the one Joan always was in. I knocked and she opened up the stall and I walked in.
"What's wrong?" I asked, leaning on the wall.
"I started my period. I need underwear." She said, crossing her arms. I sighed and looked at her.
I was wearing a skirt and
Some extremely small shorts, I could call them underwear. I slid the shorts off and took of my undergarment and pulled the shorts back up.
"Thanks Annalise." Joan said. I opened the stall and walked out, shutting the door behind me.

After walking out of the bathroom, I walked into the club. A band was playing and Peg, my other sister, was watching. I stood next to her.
"Any good?" I asked. She shook her head and looked down at me.

"This is the last song. Then the main band comes on." She informed me. I nodded. As the song ended, people began to cheer. I don't know weather it was because the band was good, or because they were happy it was over.
Then the next band came on. They all wore leather jackets and looked rough. I was definitely interested.
"Ello, pricks!" The lead singer yelled. They music started to play and everyone was moving along to the beat. I wasn't used to the sound. No one down here ever got so pumped to listen to a band like this, especially in Brooklyn.

I started to move slowly through the people, going out to the stage. I was being pushed and shoved, but nothing could stop me. I was attracted to the sound of the guitar and the deep bass and loud drums. Once I reached the stage, the lead singer couldn't keep his eyes off me. He got down on his knees and looked me dead in the eye and sang out the lyric
"You're a waste of time."
It seemed like he was singing it directly to me, with anger in his voice. It made me feel a sense of anger. And I knew I wanted to be a part of that.

As the song ended, I walked back over to where Peg was sitting. Joan was sitting next to her, crossing her arms. I took both of their hands and pulled them with me.

"Come on, we're going to meet that band!" I yelled, letting my strong Brooklyn accent ring out.

"Annalise, no no no. Those boys are trouble makers." Joan said. She still followed me, not putting up a fight. I knew she was curious.

As we walked backstage, I took a peek into their room. It was crappy. The wallpaper was peeling off, the room smelled like piss and alcohol. But it was better than being out in the club.

"What do you want?" Called out a voice, that had a British accent. I looked at the couch before me, and saw the lead singer sitting next to a girl, who was running her hands through his brown hair. He looked disgusted and tired.
"You needed another band to your with you?" I asked. As I said that Joan pulled me back.

"Annalise, what the hell is wrong with you?!" Joan whispered harshly. "We aren't good enough, we've only had three band practices."

"Three good ones." Peg reminded her. I nodded.

"Well, am I just going to sit here and wait or what?!" Yelled the British guy. I walked back in.

"I'm Annalise, and my sisters Peg and Joan have a band." I told him. He looked at the girl next to him and laughed. Then he looked back at me, smirking. "Girls can't be punk."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Joan asked, moving up.

"You all couldn't even keep a crowd entertained." He said, lighting a cigarette. I was getting highly irritated.
"If we can keep that crowd entertained out there, then we can your with you." I said. He laughed again.

"Fine, one song." He said. I nodded and grabbed a guitar for myself, a bass for Joan. Peg played drums easily. We walked out and onto the stage. Everyone looked at us and it went silent. My hands were sweating. I was nervous, though I had no reason to. I looked at Tash and she nodded and started doing the simple drum beat. I started to play a light three chord song and Joan stood there. I wasn't really singing, more talking.

"Youuuuuu ask me questions
And I just sit at stare
You'd said you be hereeeee
But you're always over thereeeee

I'm a waste of time
I'm a waste of time
I'm a was-"

And then Joan stopped and walked off. She knew this was a fail. Peg stopped too, and rolled her eyes. Everyone was looking at me, like I was nuts. But then, a young blonde young woman looked at me and started laughing. She was real close to the stage. I walked over and got on my knees and looked her dead in the eye.

"I know you. You're just like the rest. You want some boy to look at you, and take you away. You come here every night and wish that some hunky drummer will notice you. You're just like the rest."

I stood back up, and everyone was still silent.

"Suckers suckers suckeeeeerrrrs. Suckers suckers suckers!" I yelled. I turned around and slid my skirt down and took of my sweater. I was now, just in fish nets, short black shorts and a red lace bra.

"I'm flawless, and no one gets me. I don't put out." I said, and walked back stage, with both middle fingers up. My two sisters greeted me, both pissed.

"What the hell was that?!" Joan yelled. "You can't just strip in front of all the men in Brooklyn like that!"

"I like it, you can come with us." I turned around to see the lead singer of the losers. He was looking down at me, smirking. "Meet us in this parking lot in 1 hour, we need to start heading out." He said, and walked away.
I smiled and laughed.

"No no no." Joan said. "If mom was here-"

"Well she's not. So let's go." I snapped. And with that, we walked out of the bar.