Chapter One: "The Planning"

Today was the greatest day ever, I thought to myself as I walked home from school. I had gotten tickets to see the best concert this town ever had. Several bands were coming, and in this small town no one ever came. I had gotten three tickets and two backstage passes from one of the several guys who had a crush on me. I didn't even ask where he had gotten them from, I just said yes.

I had already invited my best friend before school ended; we were going to shop for the best outfits today. I would obviously have to take my boyfriend even though I was sure I didn't want to. It was either I paid for him or he still went and he paid himself. I didn't have anyone else to give the third ticket to, so I figured that if he was going to go and I had an extra ticket it was best if just gave it to him.

He would question me about where I got them from and how I had gotten them, the normal jealousy ritual. He was always going crazy when some other guy did something nice for me, like holding a door open which was something normal. Ethan could be so jealous sometimes. I had grown used to it, and he had grown used to guys being nice to me since I was on the dance team, student council, Spanish club, and many other school activities. Obviously the most important thing to me was dancing. The only thing that calmed me after my dad left us was dancing, I would always turn up the music so loud our neighbors would come and throw rocks at my window, already knowing which one it was since it was always me the one with the radio on too loud. They usually sent their son Aaron, and he always apologized, saying that his parents told him to do it.

My sister was younger and quiet everyone knew that if there was something wrong it had to have been done by me, my sister was too perfect to do anything wrong even accidentally. She was two years younger than me, 14, I was soon going to turn seventeen, I would take her to the concert instead of Ethan but that would just mean I would have to watch her. If I drank she would see and even though she got on my nerves, I would hate to see my sister doing the same things I did. They weren't bad I think they just balanced out all the good things that I did in school and the volunteering. From my point of view I had to do everything right during the weekdays; go to school, go to practice, go to a student council meeting, go to a Spanish club meeting, another day of practice for guard, and another day of practice for dance. I had so many things to do during school, oh not to forget after all that I went to the children's hospital and volunteered there after school, anything to make my résumé look good. On weekends I had time to do bad things, go crazy with my friends and boyfriend. So this Friday afternoon and Saturday morning I would totally party and it wouldn't be so fun if I had to watch my sister and myself. I hate being a bad role model, so I did good things when she's around; I'm still working on the music issue.

I got home and luckily it was s Thursday and I only had drill team (dance) practice, which meant I got out at four thirty. I had more then enough time to go to the mall and pick out a great outfit for tomorrow after school.

I got home and watched my sister flip channel through channel for a while, sort of hypnotized by her movement.

"What are you doing home so early?" I asked.

Lindsey had volleyball practice after school everyday, and when she didn't she stayed with her friends and played for fun. That was the only thing I envied from my sister, volleyball. I loved that sport but I couldn't do it if I was doing dance.

"We didn't have practice today," she said.

"So?"

"Well we didn't' have to stay after school."

"And?"

"What do you mean, and?"

"You always stick around with your weird friends even if there is no practice," I answered.

Lindsey had taken my dad departure rough. I had just managed to get myself into as many things possible so I wouldn't have to be home and know he wasn't there.

"I didn't felt like it today," she answered.

"What's wrong?" I asked worried, she sounded sad.

Now that I was sitting on the couch with her, now that I could see her face she looked sad, and she also looked like she had been crying. Her eyes were swollen.

Did she want me to see this? Another thing about Lindsey was that she kept away, when she cried she always cried in her room even though she didn't want me to know I could hear her. I always left her a card saying 'if you need to talk I'm always here', but she would never asked for my help or tell me what was wrong. Now she just sat here in the living room, out in the open where anyone could see her.

"What happened?" I tried again.

"Nothing."

"Lindsey if nothing had happened then you wouldn't be here, and especially not at this time of the day."

"He broke up with me," she cried.

"What? Who? You had a boyfriend?" I asked surprised.

I had never known she had a boyfriend, my mom let us have boyfriends, but Lindsey never showed interest in boys.

"Chris, he broke up with me and that is why I'm here," she was sobbing now.

"You're sitting here because of a guy?" I asked surprised.

I knew my sister was kind of sensitive, but I didn't now this much. I knew I was a little stronger due to the fact that I was older and couldn't cry when I knew my sister would be looking up to me.

"Yes and no, I was always with him after school. Now that we aren't going out I don't have a reason to stay after school, volleyball practice was really canceled."

"Oh, why did you guys brake up?" I asked surprised again. I had always thought she stayed to be with her friends.

"Because he said I was being childish," she cried even louder.

"Why do you think he said that?"

"Because I was flirting, or he thinks I was flirting with this other guy."

"Were you?"

"A little," she confessed.

"But he's always flirting with other girls so he shouldn't even be telling me I'm being childish."

"So it was like revenge?"

"Kind of."

"Then he was right."

"No, yes but I didn't mean to."

"Well you did it anyways so it doesn't matter now, I hate when Ethan is so jealous of other guys so I know how you feel that Chris, was it Chris?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Well, that Chris is being so jealous. But if you're also being childish then you can't be pointing all the blame at him."

"I really liked him."

"Well then I think you should call him, don't you?"

"Yes, but…"

"But what?" I asked exasperated.

She was being childish.

"I don't want to sound desperate," she answered

"Aren't you desperate?"

"A little," she whispered.

"Well then? It can't get worse, if he rejects you then whatever he had already broken up with you. There's also the chance that he says it's okay and asks you back out."

She smiled and with that I knew I had done a good job, now I needed my reward and that would be going shopping.

"Well there's the phone, I won't be here so tell mom that I'm at the mall."

"Are you going to go with Ethan?" she asked.

"No I'm going to the mall," I answered.

"What for?"

"To buy clothes, why else would I be going? Stop asking questions, I'll see you later I'm going to my room to change."

I walked up stairs to my room and changed quickly. Sabrina was supposed to come by my house to around five. I turned on the radio and the TV at the same time; music videos were always on at this time of the day.

I heard small ticks on my window I went to it and opened the double doors that led to the balcony; both my sister and I had one. I stepped outside and saw Aaron standing on the other side of the fence that divided our houses.

"Hey," he waved "do you mind putting down the music, you know my mom," he said kind of shy.

"No problem," I smiled back.

"Are you going to the concert tonight?" he asked before I closed the door to the balcony.

"Yeah Ethan, Sabrina and I are going."

"Oh."

I walked back into my room and turned down the CD, poor guy he had to tell his neighbor to put down the music because of his parents. I often found myself thinking what it was like for him to live with parents that were so strict especially about music.

I heard a honk outside and suddenly realized I had spent a lot of time talking to Lindsey it was already time to go. Sabrina was outside in her BMW waiting for me to come out. I quickly put on the pink skirt and a white shirt my sandals and some makeup. I quickly ran down the stairs almost falling on the last step. I ran to the door, locked it behind me and got in the car. Aaron was outside when we were leaving and he waved, Sabrina waved back and blew him a kiss.

"Damn you are lucky Alexandria, your neighbor is so HOT!"

"Only you would check out your friend's neighbor," I said jokingly. "Don't call me Alexandria, I don't like it."

My dad had always called me by my full name, everyone else called me Alex, when others called me by my whole name it reminded me of my father and I hated that.

"I'm sorry, I totally forgot. Do you forgive me?" she asked with a puppy dog face.

"Of course when wouldn't I forgive you," I said.

Sabrina and I had been best friends since I could remember, we were inseparable from birth. My mom once told me that when we were born her best friend Lila, Sabrina's mother, and her had tried to put us in the same daycare, same dance classes, everything we did together. When we were old enough to choose who we wanted to be friends with, we somehow still found each other great enough to want to be friends. Since then till now we have never done anything without the other. Sabrina knew about my father she knew that I envied that my sister had volleyball, and she knew that Ethan was starting to get on my nerves. I also knew that she was really happy with her boyfriend, Leo, and that her mother and father were now having problems of their own, and her least favorite thing that her brothers, all older than her, were so jealous of her boyfriend. They didn't like her dating and especially not the quarterback of the football team.

"Right."

We drove in silence for the next couple of minutes until I turned up the radio. When we got to the mall I was glad it was a bit empty, that meant we had several stores to ourselves. We went to seven stores until we found the outfit that was perfect for both of us. We had decided that we were going to dress the same to the concert. So when we saw the hot pink dress on a manikin we knew we had to have it. It wasn't so short, and it was comfortable. I was lighter than Sabrina so of course she thought it looked better on me, but to say the truth I thought I went better with her. I had burgundy hair, and she had dark hair, both the same size in clothes and shoes. We thought it was so weird and an obvious sign that we were meant to be friends.

We both gave the dress double thumbs up, so we bought it. We had time to spare something we didn't expect, so we went to the food court. I had my own credit card, one which my father paid. I wasn't so thrilled about that but I hated not having money, I also worked for it sometimes during weekends. My job at the food store was only part time. I saw Ethan coming our way from a far hall; I quickly grabbed Sabrina and turned her to the other direction.

"What's wrong we didn't get the drinks?" she complained.

"Ethan is coming," I answered

"So, that's good."

"No, he's getting on my nerves. He always wants to know where I'm at and stuff."

"Oh, do you want to go home?" she asked.

"Yeah."

I got home and took a shower, it was about seven or eight, I thought we would take like four or five hours looking for the outfit but it took us less than that. When my mom got home I went down stairs for dinner.

"How was your day Lindsey?" my mother asked.

"Fine," I she answered.

I could tell she had worked things out with Chris by the smile on her face.

"How about you Alex?"

"Great, we are going to a concert tomorrow. Sabrina and I already went shopping and found the perfect dress," I said before I could stop.

My mom didn't know about the concert, and I was supposed to be grounded.

"Excuse me?" she said

"Nothing," I said too quickly.

"You are not going anywhere tomorrow."

"But, mom."

"I had already told you that you were grounded."

"But-"

"No buts, you better call Sabrina and tell her you're grounded."

I finished my food quickly and ran to my room.

I hated fighting with my mom, she always won. There was no point in begging for her to let my go because she would make me choose between going to the concert and keeping drill team.

I called Sabrina and told her that I was grounded.

"We have to do something, this concert is huge."

"I know but my mom already said no."

"Can you sneak out?"

"Someone will see me and tell her," I said.

"What if I pick you up around the corner?"

"No the neighbors know you're car, this small is too small for people not to notice that you picked me up around the corner."

"Well you need to get out of there with a car from the neighborhood."

"I know," I sighed.

"I got it!"

"What?" I asked exasperated.

"You can tell Aaron to bring you to my house, wait no. My mom knows you're grounded she would totally tell on you. Tell him to take you to Ethan's house and then I will meet you there."

"What? No!" I said. "I don't know Aaron to ask him for those kinds of favors, plus he's just turned eighteen I don't think he wants to be seen with girls who are only sixteen."

"Please for me, I'll let you drive the car back to my house. Oh, we would have to tell Aaron to pick you up and take you back home."

"I don't think that would be a problem I think he's going to the concert too; he asked me if I was going earlier."

"Perfect, he can drive you to the concert and we could meet up there."

"I'll ask him but I won't promise anything."

"Okay talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay bye." I replied.

Later that night I heard rocks on my window again. Who could it be? I got up and noticed my radio on. I hadn't noticed I left it on when I drifted of to a deep sleep. My mom hadn't told me anything either. She probably thought I was mad. I opened door to my balcony and looked out. I saw Aaron climbing up my balcony.

"What the hell?"

"OH sorry," he said as he climbed over the rails.

"What are you doing?"

"Your radio is still on."

"Sorry your parents must be mad."

"No actually they are fine, they always are. I'm the one who can't sleep."

"What?"

"Your music is on too loud, and I can't sleep. What's so hard about that?" he asked.

"Nothing I just thought it was you're parents who don't like my music so loud."

"They don't, but I can't sleep right now and I need to rest for tomorrow's concert so please keep it down."

I suddenly remembered my conversation with Sabrina.

"Can I ask you for something?" I said innocently.

"Only if you promise to turn your radio off."

"Fine."

"What is it?"

"I need a ride tomorrow."

"Where to?"

"The concert," I answered.

"Oh, your mom doesn't know."

"Yes, she does," I said defensively.

"No she doesn't' if she did Sabrina would be taking you."

"She is sort of, please."

"What if I get caught?"

"You won't."

"I'm going to get in trouble if I do," he said.

"You're eighteen, you don't get in trouble."

"I do when I hang out with girls like you."

"Oh," I said turning away.

"I was playing, how do you plan on sneaking out?"

"I was thinking of jumping off of here."

He laughed a little too loud.

I quickly put my hand over his mouth. He looked at me and smiled. What was wrong with him?

"My mom is going to wake up, and this won't be easy to explain."

"I'll be here at this same spot tomorrow around this time," he said climbing carefully down my balcony.

I went back inside and saw that it was twelve, tomorrow had to be great.