You Gotta Love Life... Right?

Chapter 6

So, scraping together six or seven songs to play isn't the problem. The problem is that we haven't rehearsed in about a month. I mean, we sing randomly all the time but that doesn't really count. See, we're sort of an A Cappella group, we sing covers of other songs, sometimes using our voices or instruments. Usually it's super fun, right now it's super stressful.

"Hey, can I go out on a limb here and ask Morgan to be our special guest on Wednesday?" Maddi asks in the middle of practice Sunday afternoon.

"Sure," Kira says, scrolling through lyrics on her laptop, her face bent in concentration, "then if we screw up it'll seem like it's because we haven't practiced with Morgan before."

I frown, "I think Maddi meant for the publicity, and to give Morgan something to think about other than looking for a house."

Kira looks up, "Wait, did I say that out loud?"

Maddi nods, "You bet babe."

"Don't call me babe when I'm stressed."

"I call everyone babe."

"Guys," I put my hands up and they both look at me, "hey, I know this is stressful, but remember why we do this right? It's fun, we like to sing and want to get our names and faces out there."

Kira nods, "Thanks for being the therapist when I'm failing."

I shrug, "No problem."

Maddi stands up from the kitchen table, "Okay, I'll go ask her."

A minute later she comes back with Morgan in a one-armed hug. "This is going to be fun!"

"Thanks guys, I hope I don't down the show." Morgan says

"Now why would you do that?" Kira asks, "We've heard you sing."

About two hours later we hear a knock on the door and I get up to open it. Through the peephole I can see Deacon standing outside, his hands in his pockets, his blue eyes looking up at the ceiling. I open the door and let him inside, "Hey. What's up?" I say.

"Nothing much. I'm bored, you guys want to go the arcade?"

Maddi jumps out of her seat, "Yes! I need to move around or I'll be stuck in a sitting position forever!"

Kira rolls her eyes, "Maddi, that's not even possible."

"Well, there are conspiracies." Morgan points out, "But you'd have to sit like that for a long time."

"Ha!" Maddi pokes Kira in the ribs, "I was right!"

Kira rolls her eyes, "Just barely."

We all walk down to our favourite arcade, talking teasing each other, savouring the weekend before Kira, Deacon and I have to go back to school. We're about to turn a corner when I realize Maddi's gone!

"Um, guys, where's Maddi?" I ask, we stop walking and turn around. Behind us Maddi's talking to a young man about our age, maybe a bit older. He has light brown hair and a smallish build for his age.

Kira elbows me lightly in the arm, "Wanna bet who that is?"

A couple minutes later Maddi walks back to us, an evil smile spreading cross her face where a flirtatious one was before.

"Here comes trouble..." Deacon mumbles under his breath. She slaps him on the shoulder and puts her arms around Kira and I, steering us toward the arcade. "Guess who that was?" She sings.

"Hmmm, I don't know? Maybe that customer service guy from American Eagle you had the hots for last month?" I joke, she catches my sarcastic smirk and sticks her tongue out at me.

"No. it was that hottie from Starbucks you-" Kira punches her in the arm and she gets to the point, "Well... his name's Adam and he's twenty-three!"

"OooOoo!" Deacon and Morgan swoon from the back as we enter the arcade, and black lights turn our shirts into giant glow sticks, "A-dam!"