Mixtape For The End of the World

8. Brendon gets cast in The Sound of Music.

8. Brendon gets cast in The Sound of Music.

I called Brendon the next morning and begged him not to audition for the community theater's production of The Sound of Music. "That's easy enough," Brendon said. "I kind of wanted to be in it, but I'm working this afternoon. I can't audition."

"Gabe and I were actually going to get smoothies this afternoon," I said. "Maybe I'll see you there."

"That would be nice," Brendon said. "See you later, Pete."

As it turned out, Brendon was at the cash register when Gabe and I arrived at the local smoothie shop. He seemed kind of bored at first, but he smiled when he saw us. Gabe and I both ordered medium Strawberry Dream smoothies, and Brendon quickly made us our smoothies. The two of us then found a table near the window, and we watched the other customers order their drinks.

"Weren't you supposed to have a soccer game today?" Gabe said.

"Coach Lisa cancelled the game," I said. "It's too hot outside."

"That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard," Gabe scoffed.

"You try playing soccer in this weather," I said. "It's just miserable for everybody."

"We're still going to the Cubs game on Tuesday though, right?" Gabe said.

"Of course," I said.

"Good," Gabe said. "I'm looking forward to that."

"Me too," I said as I sipped on my smoothie.

"Have you talked to Patrick From Tea Monkey again?" Gabe asked.

"No," I said, worried that I never would see him again. All I knew about Patrick was that he worked at Tea Monkey, and I didn't usually go there. Then again, if anything could convince me to go to Tea Monkey more often, it would be Patrick.

Gabe shrugged and said, "Okay. It's really none of my business."

All of a sudden, the door opened, and both Gabe and I looked to see who had just entered the shop. Dallon Weekes, in all of his messy-haired, glitter-teared glory, strutted into the smoothie shop and got in line. He towered over everyone else in line, and Brendon nearly spilled a smoothie on himself when he saw that Dallon was there. Dallon, meanwhile, hummed a song that I didn't recognize to himself. Sometimes, I seriously wondered what Brendon saw in him.

A few minutes later, Dallon made it to the front of the line. "Can I get a mango and pineapple smoothie please?" Dallon asked.

"Sure, Dallon," Brendon said as he handed another customer her smoothie. However, Brendon dropped it and spilled it all over himself. Brendon cursed under his breath and then said, "I'll get you another smoothie in a moment. Dallon, what size would you like?"

"Medium's fine," Dallon said. "By the way, I heard that you sing for tips. Is that true?"

"It's totally true!" Brendon exclaimed. "I'll sing for you if you want! You can even pick the song."

Dallon thought about it for a few moments and then asked, "Do you know anything by Scorpions?"

Brendon immediately started singing "Rock You Like A Hurricane." Gabe and I smiled as we watched him sing, and before long, everyone in the shop had their eyes on Brendon.

"That was pretty good," Dallon said as he dropped some spare change into the tip jar.

"Thank you so much," Brendon said. "You know, I've been a really big fan of your band for a really long time, and this means a lot to me..." It was no use. Dallon had already walked away. Brendon pouted as Dallon left the shop with his mango and pineapple smoothie, but he soon turned toward Gabe and I and mouthed, "He said that my singing was pretty good!"