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Chapter 5: A True Friend Found

Over the next few days, I talked to Bill more and more. At first we had regular small talk, but soon enough Bill got more personal. 

We were sitting in art class, and I was thinking about my future, and what I wanted to be. I definately didn't want to follow in my mom's footsteps. I didn't want to get into business either. I wanted to have "time" for things...and people. What were my goals and dreams in life? Did I have any at all? 

"Bill?" I said raising my head from my desk. 

"Hmm?" he said, not looking up from his drawing. 

"Do you...have any dreams?" I asked in a distant voice. 

Bill looked up from his drawing and said, 

"My biggest dream is to perform and be a singer." 

My eyes widened. Bill, a singer? I guess it was possible. But, I wasn't really expecting that. 

"I know what you're thinking." he said picking up his pencil again. 

"Yeah. Sure. Bill wants to make music. Like that's ever gonna happen." he said sarcastically.

My face softened. Is that what everyone was telling him? 

"No, Bill. I don't think that." I said smiling benignly. 

He snorted and said,

"Well you're the first."

He eyed my face then said smiling weakly,

"But, yet again. You're Anna." 

A blush crept up my cheeks. What was that supposed to mean? I cleared my throat and asked, 

"Well, have you ever sang before?" 

"I've been singing since I could talk. But I had my first real gig when I was ten." said Bill.

"You had a gig when you were ten?" I asked, my blush receding.

"Yeah. Tom and I performed in bars and stuff. We'd usually perform in Gröninger Bad," said Bill. 

I recognized Gröninger Bad. Mr. Adler went there for a drink once in a while. 

"That's where we met Georg and Gustav. And that's when we finally had a band. I did the vocals, Tom was the guitarist, Georg was the bassist, and Gustav did the drums." said Bill.

"Wow. That's so cool! I wish I could hear you guys!" I exclaimed. I was impressed that Bill had a band.  

"Well, we did make our own album. You could hear that." he said. 

"Yeah, I'd love to." 

"We really wanted to go proffessional, but we couldn't because the nearest city was Magdeburg and there's no music scene or record label there. So, I applied for Star Search." he said.

"What's that?" I asked. 

"Its a talent show on TV. I was on it last year." he said. 

"Really?" I asked "How far did you get?" 

"I got defeated in the quarter-final." he said. 

"Wow. That's close!" I said. Then the word "defeated" sunk in and I asked sympathetically,

"Did it upset you much?"

"Yeah. I cried a lot. I was really hopeful that I'd win, but... its okay now." he said smiling.

"Why is that?" I asked a smile forming on my lips. I had a feeling that he was going to impress me once again. 

Bill looked around to see if anybody was looking at us. Then he leaned close, and said in a low voice,