𝑬𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝑴í𝒂 | ᴮᵒʸ ᴹᵉᵉᵗˢ ᵂᵒʳˡᵈ

30: Band Together

Shawn, Cory, and I were at Chubbies trying to find Cory a date to the seventh grade dance this Friday.

"Any luck?" I asked.

"Apparently, it's not a good time to be a grandmother." Cory replied. "Look, her grandmother's coughing phlegm, her grandmother's hacking blood, and her—"

"Whoa." Shawn cut him off. "I happen to know she has no grandmother." "Yes, and somehow she blames me for her death." Cory said. "At least you can't sink any lower." Shawn told him.

"Hey, you." A guy said, walking down the steps. "You busy?" "You're not gonna ask me to the dance, are you?" Cory asked. "What if I did?" "I'd say pick me up at eight but no slow dances." "Just watch these for a second, alright." "I can do that."

The two guys left their guitar cases with us. "I'm not going to the dance with anybody." Cory said.

"Why don't you just ask Topanga?" I said. "I could, I could, but that would show no personal growth if I asked the girl I've always asked since we were five." He replied.

"So when are you gonna ask her?" I said. "I figure tomorrow, unless by some magic girls start to notice me." Cory replied.

"Hi. I couldn't help noticing you." A girl said, walking over to Cory. "Oh, you're talking to me? Shouldn't you be in the hospital visiting one of your blood-hacking grandmas?" Cory asked.

"Why didn't you tell me you play?" The girl next to her asked. "Huh?" I cleared my throat and motioned to the guitar cases.

"Huh?" Cory repeated. "They like musicians." I said. "Oh, well then, watch me pull this rabbit out of my hat." Cory said. "Musicians!" I corrected. "Oh, well, that's very different."

"Are you guys in a band?" She asked. "Are we in a band?" Cory mocked. He turned to Shawn and I. "Are we in a band?" He asked. "Yes, you are, Cory." I said through a clenched smile.

"Well, maybe you'd play for us sometime?" "Yeah, we'll tell our friends we know you." The other girl said. They walked away.

"You know, they like us cause they think we're in a band." Cory said, turning to us. "No, they like you because you're in a band." Shawn replied. "I already have a date." "Who?" I asked.

"Adriana-Camila, will you go to the seventh grade dance with me?" I smiled. "Pick me up at eight but no slow dances." I replied. "Deal." We shook hands. "Why can't it be that easy for me?" Cory asked aloud.

♥

Shawn and Cory walked into school holding empty guitar cases. "So, are you guys going to play today?" The blonde girl asked.

"Today? No, we never play today." Cory said. "We'd love to hear you play. Won't you please play?" The brown haired girl said.

"See, uh, we can't play today because of uh..." Shawn looked at me. "Adriana-Camila lost her voice, and she's our lead singer." "Why can't you just play the guitars?" "Sorry, girls, we're not performing for the public. Our managers won't let us." "Oh, why?" "We're still getting over the death of our drummer." Cory said.

"Oh, won't you please play?" The brown haired girl batted her lashes as Shawn. "He's already got a date, so back up." I said, stepping in front of Shawn. "I thought you lost your voice?" She said. "Suddenly, I'm healed." I replied.

"Cory, everybody's talking about you." Topanga said as she walked over next to us. "They are?" Cory asked. "Yeah, they say you're starting a band."

"They're awesome." The brown haired girl said. "Except they don't have a drummer." The blonde girl said. "Who are you?" Topanga asked. "We're with the band." The blonde replied. Topanga pulled Cory aside.