Classic Rock ✔️

0.6 | We will rock you

The next day the group ventured into a small but busy town close by. If Violet had known there was a place merely a ten minutes drive away, she would have refused her brother's cooking and instead ordered a takeaway. She could only guess what was going through both Mia's and Aiden's heads right now, but it was most likely the same thing.

Cole had come up with the idea that busking would be the best option for the group. He wanted to fit in the most practise as well as get some reactions at the same time. The public opinion was harsh but honest, something he thought they needed with the competition being tomorrow.

While everyone had tried to get there in the early morning, the actual result was them arriving just after lunch. Both Aiden and Violet had slept in; they didn't mean to, but Cole still yelled at them anyway. For just under half an hour they both hid from Cole under their covers. Neither wanted to acknowledge the fact that they had to get up. However, as always, Cole remained stubborn. In his mind as long as they stayed under those blankets, he would pester them until they gave in. The only problem was Violet and Aiden were just as strong-willed as himself.

It took a calm and reassuring Mia to calm Cole down. She took him outside, gently pleading him to have breakfast. Violet was still able to hear his disapproving voice from inside of the tent. This left the others with the option to collapse and try to slip into sleep once again, or try and get out of bed to make Cole happy. Violet chose the first. Aiden chose the latter. Following an hour of coaxing by Mia's brother, Violet eventually ventured outside. Sure, she probably looked like she was hung-over from her 18th birthday party, but she was awake and outside. And that was the best you could get.

Violet did admit that one highlight to the trip was Cole not being aware of his phone. Ever since she had returned it he had seemed to leave it lying around without much care, almost as if he knew. Now, just like those endless times before, he had left it lying on the car seat. He trusted the public too much. He trusted Violet too much. She had tried to resist temptation, but the dark screen of the phone seemed to shout at Violet and it didn't take long for her to pick it up and scroll through the messages.

He had replied, somewhat bluntly. But her father had seen the message.

Violet read it once, twice, three times before thinking about a reply. Half of her was considering just ignoring it - she wasn't really expecting a reply. The intention was to get in touch, but Violet didn't think past this point. Scanning around, she noticed that Cole and the rest were setting up the instruments- a few curious onlookers watching nearby. The coast was clear and so the girl typed a reply.

Violet was determined, her mind focused. They needed to meet. And right now, she didn't care when. If she messed up Cole's plan she didn't care.

Family came first. He just should have known that.

-

"Again!"

Cole was back at shouting again. The group - or band as he now thought of them - slumped their shoulders in reply. Mia gave Violet a knowing look, their hands aching and their eyes drooping. There wasn't much they could do without him having a meltdown. Cole was on edge.

For three hours they had tried and failed to attract an audience. The few pedestrians that had the courage to venture up to the group either went away as quickly as they came or gave what Aiden called pity money. Violet had come up with a theory of telling who, out of a group, would step forward to produce the sympathetic cash. She guessed they were paying them to shut up in their own polite way.

The ones that started out keen and intrigued were easy to spot. All of them seemed enthusiastic at first, pointing over to the band of adolescent teenagers in what could only be described as naivety. However, it took merely a couple of seconds - enough time for them to walk up a bit closer - for them to realise exactly how bad they were. Too gallant to just turn away, they would give them a short nod, gingerly reaching in their pockets before depositing the coins into Cole's hat. Following this short exchange, they would always hurry off as fast as they could.