C Minor // R5

The Blondebonic Plague

I wake up to see that Rydel's already awake. She must be at Mark and Stormie's having breakfast. I go too. When I get there I see Riker and Ross sitting at the table eating croissants.

"Hey guys." I say, sitting down and taking a croissant.

"Hey Nins." Riker says. Ross kisses my cheek.

"Where's Rydel. She's been in the bathroom for a while. I think she's doing her makeup." Riker says. I nod and take a bite of my croissant. I look up to see Riker...reading the paper?

"Riker...What are you doing?" I ask.

"Reading the paper." He replies, tilting his glasses down. "Why?" I laugh.

"It's in French." I say.

"So?"

"So you don't know what it says." I laugh.

"WE HAVE NO WIFI." Riker says putting the paper down. Ross and I burst into laughter. Suddenly, Rocky comes in, sits at the table and takes out a croissant.

"Hey guys." He says.

"Hey" I say. Ross sneezes.

"Bless you." I say.

"Thanks." He replies. Then Riker let's out the slightest cough. Rocky jumps up from the table.

"Oh no." He says. "It's begun." He takes a bite of his croissant.

"What has?" I ask.

"Oh Nina, you lucky thing." He says, putting his arms around my head.

"Rocky...are you alright?" I ask.

"Oh I'm fine. I'm a brunette." He says.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I ask. Riker sighs.

"Rocky believes there's this thing called the-"

"Blondebonic plague!" He says.

"You mean bubonic...right?" I ask.

"I wish I did, Gardenia. I wish I did."

"Okay...what's the blondebonic plague?" I ask.

"Whenever we go on tour for more than a month one of the blondes will start to get sick, eventually passing it to all of them, but not Ellington nor I ever get infected."

"Which is just a coincidence." Riker says.

"Or a medical mystery." Rocky says, taking another bite of his pastry.

"Listen Rocky as fascinating as this is, just because Ross sneezed and Riker coughed, doesn't mean anything. You have a show tonight and you'll be fine." I say. Suddenly I hear a large, loud hurling noise. We all look at each other and rush to the bathroom door.

"Rydel? Are you okay?" Ross asks.

"FiNE." She says, vomiting again.

"IT'S BEGUUUUUUNNNNN!" Rocky yells.

"Dude...calm down." Riker says.

"Do you think you'll be alright for tonight?" Ross asks.

"Probably NOT." She says, vomiting once more. "Rocky's right. Save yourselves." She says. We all back away.

"Crap!" Riker yells.

"This is not HAPPENING!" Ross yells, nervous. They're both pacing and babbling.

"CALM DOWN!" I yell. They stop and look at me. "Sit down."  demand, as they sit on the couch in front of me. "This could very easily be food poisoning. Rydel's been eating lots of rich, exotic food." I say.

"Nina's right." Ross says.

"No she's not." Rocky adds.

"Shut up, Rocky." I say. He obeys.

"Okay well even if it is food poisoning, what about the show? We can't have our keyboardist hurling when she's supposed to be head banging." Riker says.

"Plus, we really need keyboard for Pass Me By. I would do it, but I have to play guitar for that song." Ross says.

"What will we do?" Riker asks. Suddenly, the toilet flushes, and Rydel stands by the door, in her pajamas, sweating looking sick as a dog.

"Nina can play keyboard." Rydel says. Riker and Ross look at me.

"What?" Ross asks.

"No I-"

"She just doesn't like to anymore but she can. Have her play." Rydel quickly closes the door and goes back to her...pevious business.

"Why didn't you tell me you play piano?" Ross asks, smiling.

"I don't. I used to." I say.

"Can you still play?" Riker asks.

"I don't know." I say. Riker pulls over the keyboard.

"Can you play Pass Me By?" He asks.

"Yes." I say reluctantly. He motions for me to show him so I do.

"That was great!" Ross says when I'm done.

"Nina, we need you to play for us!" Riker said.

"No Riker I-"

"It's only one song." Ross says. Rocky comes over and gets down on one knee.

"Gardenia Marie Morahan-" He starts.

"That's not my middle name." I say.

"Please do us this solid and play the board of keys for us tonight."

"Please?" Ross asks.

"Catherine." I say. "My middle name is Catherine."

"Gardenia Catherine Morahan-" Rocky starts again.

"Okay! Okay I'll do it." I say. they all high five and hug me. "One song." I say.