I looked out at the auditorium that seated at least 10,000 fans. Man, this sure was the life. Every person came here to ear ME sing...what an exhilerating thought that was! I had never been so happy. I lifted my arms in the air. As I predicted, 10,000 screaming appreciative voices roared to life. Then all of a sudden a fire alarm or something began to go off. The audience began to scamper about in hundreds of different directions. I heard Nick calling my name. Frantically I looked around for him. I spotted him at the corner of the stage with his arms crossed at me disaprovngly.

"Man, your a royal pain in my BE-hind!" Nick growled at me.

I looked at him incredulously...shocked at how insensitive he was being to me.

By now the fire alarm had stopped. My journey back to a conscious state was gradual. I felt dizzy...like I was under water performing summersaults continuously. I felt his arm gently shaking me awake.

Slowly I opened my eyes, and found myself starring into a set of clear blue eyes. For a second I concentrated on the awkward moment. I kind of enjoyed it actually. Then...

"Man...brush your teeth wouldja? Ugh!" The "moment" (I guess you could call it that) passed.

The bright blue eyes I had been starring into, suddenly clouded into a dark gray. "Don't bother thanking me or nothin'...you probably would have slept right through that alarm!"

Not responding to him, I lazily sat up and attempted to run the sleepiness out of my eyes. Instead of a welcoming warm rug, my feet came in contact with a dirty cold wooden floor that sent shivers down my spine.

"I'm sorry," I apologized "that definitly was uncalled for. Had I dreamt him calling me a pain in the ass? Probably not, but I wasn't in the mood to fight, so I didn't mention anything.

Brian had found a job as a cashier at the local A&P, and he was working. If we were going to live together, until we actually began selling music, we all needed to work. After Brian had returned from McDonald's a few nights ago(with three value meals-- God bless his soul) we has all discussed it. I had a job interview at 9:00am, otherwise I would still be in bed myself.

I followed Nick into the kitchen, and for the first time I noticed that he was already dressed. Granted he was only wearing warm-ups, but he was dressed. Shuffling over to the refrigerator would be useless. I had checked its contents eleven times last night. Other than a stick of butter and Nick's container of buttermilk, there was absolutly nothing there.

I sighed and sat at our table. It looked like I was going to be eating breakfast at McDonald's again.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked.

"No," I said, my voice without conviction.

"Well...alright" Nick reached for a brown bag that I hadn't noticed setting on the sideboard. He crackled it open and produced a warm bagel with cream cheese oozing out the side.

I looked at him in despair as he bit into the lovely baked good that I was in such desperate need of. Hell, anything that wasn't deep fried and wrapped in wax paper sounded good to me.

Nick took one look at the pathetic expression that I was wearing and burst out laughing, spewing little bits of his onion bagle onto my side of the table.

I knitted my eyebrows together in disgust. Why was he so childish all the time? Granted I appreciated a sense of humor, but not at 7:300 in the morning.

Still chuckling a bit he wiped his mouth off with the back of his hand, "Ange, I'm sorry--this one's just for you."

He handed me a warm blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese--my absolute favorite.

"I remembered the strawberry cream cheese this time!" he said proudly. The last time we ate bagels together he had bought me a blueberry bagel with sour cream and onion cream cheese. I shuddered a little at the remembrence.

I gave in and gave him a tiny smile.

"Are you proud of me?" he asked.

"You've impressed me Olas...I must admit."

He glared at me "don't call me that!" he said darkly.

I cocked my head to the side, "why not? I think it's cute!" I giggled. "But," I continued, "this whole situation where Bri and I work while you play Nintendo and make cartoons all day ISN'T cute. You need a job there buddy bear."

Nick pouted and crossed his arms in front of his chest, "I've never had a job before. I don't know if I want one."

I rolled my eyes "well, right about now I don't think that you have a choice. Do you really want us to toss you out into the street on that candy ass of yours?"

Nick's eyes bulged out of their sockets.

Shit! Was he taking me seriously?

"You don't think I can handle a job?"

Nick...if I thought that I wouldn't be threatening you off your butt to get one...would I?"

He sighed "how do I get a job?"

Was he for real? "Well, for starters you pick uo the newspaper and check the help wanted adds."

Nick took off his Nike cap and ran his hands through his slightly damp hair. "I don't even know what I'm good at besides singing and drawing."

"Well..to tell you the truth Olas...right now we shouldn't be picky about where we're gonna work. "A" because it's only temporary and "B" you need a job right away.

"Do you think American Eagle needs another cashier?"

"That's my boy!" I reached accross the table and gave him a quick buddy pat on the back.