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Tyson started playing a few power chords. His long hair was in his eyes as he bobbed his head back and forth. the rest of the band came in and I found myself now moving to the music. there was something intense about the beat. I looked around and saw everybody moving their heads to the bass.
As he sang his lyrics into the microphone, I was surprised at his voice -- so clear, powerful, and, in a way, beautiful. the lyrics were a lot deeper than I would've guessed.
Tyson closed his eyes and reached out his hand to the crowd. "You are the shadow that haunts me, the vision of who I want to be"
Despite the fact that Tyson was a guy, I started to wonder if I'd had him wrong. Not the part about him being the scum of the earth because he was male. But besides his being a boy, I'd always been so quick to dismiss Tyson all these years. Had I allowed the way he looked and his timid behavior to overshadow what was becoming increasingly obvious?
Tyson Bellamy wasn't a punk wa
After the band finished its last song, Morgan turned to me and said, "A promise is a promise -- we can leave."
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We started to exit, but there was a cluster of people in front of us. I decided to maneuver over to the side of the stage to get to the exit, then tripped over an amp cord.
"Are you okay?" A hand grabbed me to steady my balance,
I looked up. "Yeah. thanks, Tyson. Great show."
"thanks, Pe
Really?
"Really?"
"Yeah." I could see him blushing behind his hair. "I mean, you're named after a song from the greatest rock band of all time."
"Oh." I laughed. "Um, you know Morgan, right?" I motioned to Morgan, who was trying to hide behind me. So much for me not being the wing girl.
"Yeah, hi," Tyson said and looked down at the floor.
"Hi," Morgan replied, also looking down.
"Um, so do you guys practice here?" I asked, trying to make things less awkward.
Tyson nodded his head, "Yeah, at night." He didn't look up.
"Uh-huh, well that's . . . interesting."
Morgan nudged me.
"Um, well, good talking to you . . ."
Tyson nodded his head and peeked up for just an instant to smile.
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"I'm going to die" Morgan screamed as we left the garage. "That was so embarrassing. Could he have shown any less interest in me?"
"He's just shy!' I said, only half sure that was it.
Morgan opened the doors to her car and we got in, "Pe
I shook my head.
"Since freshman year. two years. And finally I decided that this year I would do something about it. He's a senior, so time is ru
"You've nothing to be embarrassed about. You don't need Tyson to --"
I cut myself off I didn't want to have a reenactment of our lunch from earlier in the week,
"I don't need to what?" Morgan looked at me expectedly.
"You don't need him."
Morgan nodded slowly. "You're right -- I don't. I've already wasted so much time on him." She sighed. "Hey, got room for one more in your club?"
I smiled. "Of course. You free tomorrow night?"
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chapter Fifteen
"YOU GIRLS TRY TO BEHAVE yourselves tonight," Dad said as he put on his coat Saturday night. "Now, Pe
I tried not to laugh. if only they knew.
My parents were on their way to di
"Don't worry, Dr. Bloom -- if Paul or Ringo stop by, we will be the perfect hostesses," Tracy loved the fact that my parents were so ... not normal.
"thank you, Tracy," Mom replied. "We know you will" She kissed me on the cheek before she headed out.
"Why do you encourage them?" I asked Tracy.
"Because it drives you crazy," the doorbell rang -- to the tune of "Love Me Do," of course.
"Let the festivities begin!" Tracy declared.
I'd been looking forward to this meeting all week. Just us girls, hanging out. But, part of me hoped that maybe, just maybe, it would end up being something bigger than that.
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Once Tracy, Diane, Jen, Amy, Morgan, and I settled into the basement, got comfortable in the sofas, and started munching on chips, Tracy stood up and passed out a piece of paper to each of us.
I looked down and saw the Official Guidelines of Pe
"Hey" I protested. "this isn't just MY Club .. !'
Tracy threw a chip at me, "Just read it, will you!"
The Official Guidelines of Pe
Heretofore are thy official rules for members of "Pe
1. All members agree to stop dating men (or, if referring to the male population at McKinley High, "little boys") for the rest of thy high school existence. Whether or not said members want to date after high school, they choose to proceed at their own risk. Failure to adhere to this, the most sacred rule, will result in the highest punishment allowed by law -- streaking through the halls at McKinley after lunch,
2. Members will attend all couple events together as a group, including, but not limited to, Homecoming, Prom, parties, and other couply events, despite possibly being labeled as freaks and getting jealous looks from guys who wish we were their hot dates, but instead have to settle for some lame wa
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3. Saturday night is the official meeting night of Pe
4. Members must be supportive of their friends, despite bad choices in clothing, hair, and/or music.
Violators of the rules are subject to membership disqualification, public humiliation, vicious rumors, and possible beheading.
I loved it. Granted, it was a little melodramatic in places (typical Tracy), but, all in all, it worked,
Jen looked at the list and let out a sigh. "Ever since you told me about the Club, I've been thinking about all the drama that has happened in my life because of boys. I mean, I recently found out that last year three of the guys on the boys' basketball team had a bet on who could deflower me. How stupid is that?" Jen rolled her eyes,
"Yeah, unfortunately Jon Cart took that privilege away from me last year," Amy shook her head. "if only I could get those forty-five seconds of my life back,"
"WHAT?!" Tracy practically screamed.
Amy covered her mouth. "Yeah, hate to break it to you, but losing it isn't that much fun."
Tracy looked disappointed. "Not that I'll ever get to know." She wrapped her arms around herself and pretended to sulk, "Stupid Club."
"Yeah, and in the continuing tradition of guys being total
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jerks to me for no reason, literally the second after it was over, he completely lost interest in me."
"Typical!' Jen agreed.
"Everything you see in the movies and on television is such crap. I did not see fireworks, and there was no sweeping symphony playing in my head." Amy glanced over at Diane. 'Although I'm sure with you and Ryan, there was probably candlelight and rose petals."