Chapter Five
Lisa was standing with
Lance and Carrie chatting during a break.
Ever since that day at the night club, she really couldn’t avoid the
boy. In fact, she was beginning to
actually feel comfortable around him. Lisa
was sipping her water and laughing at a joke that Carrie had just finished
telling. Then JC joined their little
group.
“Hey guys, what’s up?” He said smiling warmly at Lisa.
Her knees when weak under his gaze.
Why did he have to be so hot and nice?
“Hey C, man, Carrie you have to tell C that joke
you just told us.” Lance said, “It’s
hilarious.”
“What joke is this?” He questioned, “If Lance thinks it’s funny, then it’s got to be
good.”
“Well, I don’t know about that.” Carrie laughed, “Actually Lisa tells it even
better.” Carrie nudged Lisa’s arm and
Lisa woke from her dream world.
“Huh?
What?” She jumped, spilling her
drink all over herself. Everyone jumped
back and she looked down. “Shit, I’m
such a klutz.” She laughed at herself
and hurried off to clean it up.
Carrie giggled, “Wow, I guess her strength is in
prop humor.” She said and the guys
chuckled,
“So, Carrie, what are you guys up too
tonight?” JC asked and Carrie grinned,
“We’re going to see some band that Lisa knows.”
“Who?” JC
asked obviously more interested at the mention of Lisa. Carrie picked up on it,
“Tripmic.”
“Oh,” JC frowned a little, “I’ve never heard of
them. Have you Lance?”
“Nope, are they any good?” He asked and Carrie shrugged,
“They’re not bad.
They’re a local band. You guys
wanna come?” She asked hopefully in the
chance that Lisa would be able to hang out with JC.
“What type of music do they play?” Lance asked,
“All types, but they’re more rock than anything
else.”
“That sounds good.” JC said, “Count me in.”
“Yeah, that sounds good. The other guys will probably want to go too.” Lance said.
“Okay, I’ll tell Lisa to put you guys on the list.”
JC,
Chris and Lance walked into the bar and looked around. It wasn’t a nightclub by any standards but
rather a punkish club mixed with normal people. Joey and Justin had decided to go somewhere else for the night.
“So the girls are already here?” JC asked,
“Yeah, Lisa wanted to get here early to hang with
the band.” Lance said,
“She knows them personally?” JC asked slightly surprised,
“I guess so.”
He shrugged,
“I wonder where they are.” JC said scanning the crowd,
“Down front.”
Chris pointed out, “I can spot Carrie’s red fro anywhere.”
“Wow it’s really packed down there. We won’t be able to get near them. Let’s just grab a table here.” Lance said and they sat down. They ordered their drinks and settled into a
conversation.
“Does Lisa talk to all of you guys?” JC asked,
“Yeah, why?”
Chris asked,
“I don’t know, I just get the feeling that she
doesn’t like me. She barely talks to me
or walks in the other direction. I just
don’t get it, I try to be nice to her and she just won’t talk to me.”
“You’re being paranoid. Lisa likes everyone, she gets along with anyone.” Chris replied,
“If you want to talk to her, why don’t you just
talk to her? It’s not like we don’t see
her every day.” Lance suggested,
“Because that’s too easy of an answer for C. There has to be a deeper meaning in
everything.” Chris teased,
Lisa danced around to her
brother’s band’s music. She was from
this part of Louisiana and she loved going to their concerts. Her brother Jeff was the drummer of the band
and his three best friends, Patty, Sam, and Charlie, played guitar, bass and
sang respectively. She had grown up with
all of them and they were all like brothers to her.
“This next song some of you will know, in fact I
know a bunch of you know it.” Charlie
said grinning down at the girls who screamed for the guys, “Well, we’re playing
this in honor of my girl who was stolen away, breaking my heart,” Charlie
joked, “but hopefully soon she can dance for us on our tour.” Lisa shook her head as they band began to
play a punk version of “Bye, Bye, Bye.”
The
guys looked at each other, “They really
aren’t playing what I think they’re playing, are they?” Lance asked,
“Yep, they’re playing it.” JC grinned nodding his head,
“It’s not that bad, really. I kind of like it.” Chris smirked,
“Don’t even think it, we’re not changing it.” JC
said and chuckled.
Lisa hopped up on
the stage after the band was done playing their first set.
“Hey groupies aren’t
allowed on the stage.” Sam joked taking
off his guitar,
“Ha, ha jerk.” She pushed him playfully and turned to her
brother, Jeff.
“Good show so
far.” She hugged him and then looked
over her shoulder at Charlie, “I especially liked the personal shout out,
Charlie.” She smiled over at him,
“You’re welcome, I
was just telling the truth.”
Lisa rolled her
eyes, “Okay now Charlie. I’m sure the
guys loved it.”
He looked at her,
“Guys? What guys?”
“Nsync, well three
of them. They came to see you guys
play.” She said,
“They’re here?” Sam asked and took a long sip of water,
“Yeah, Carrie said
she saw them walk in a while ago.”
“No shit, we’ve got
bonifide celebrities coming to see us.”
Jeff teased resting an arm around his sister’s shoulders,
“Naw, they came cuz
we were here, not because of you.” She
retorted and Sam grabbed his chest,
“Ooo, right here
Lee.” He joked and she punched him
lightly in the arm,
“Punk ass.”
“Coming from you,
that’s a compliment.” Sam teased and
she rolled her eyes,
“And the reason I
hang out with you guys is…”
“Because you love us
all to pieces.” Patty answered for her.
Lisa laughed as she
shook her head, “Something like that.”
“Hey Lee, why don’t
you join us for the next set.” Charlie
mentioned, “It’ll be like old times.”
Lisa snorted as if
that was the most ridiculous thing in the world, “Come on Charlie. People didn’t come to see me sing, they came
to see you.” She said shaking her head
and he slung an arm around her shoulders as they walked backstage,
“Lee, you’re good
and you’re good with us. Just for one
set, that’s all I’m asking for. You’ll
have a lot of fun.” He persuaded,
“Let me think about
it.” She replied.
“Hey they’re
starting again.” Lance mentioned as he
nodded to the stage. JC looked up and
noticed Lisa standing at the front mike.
“Dude, is that
Lisa?” Chris asked,
“Yeah it is.” JC answered him as he watched the scene
unfold in front of him.
“What’s she doing up
there?” Lance asked but his question
was answered when Charlie stepped up to the mike.
“Hello
everyone. We’ve got an extra special
treat for y’all tonight. Now I know
there are some of our original fans out there.” Screams came from the crowd, “Yeah, we appreciate all your
support and y’all remember when we were just a garage band playing at parties
in backyards.” More screams went up
from the crowd. “Those fans also
remember that I wasn’t always the front man for our group. Miss Lee here was.”
“I prefer front
woman, thank you.” She retorted laying
on the thick southern accent.
“My mistake Miss
Lee.” Charlie teased back and turned
back to the crowd, “Well Miss Lee was in the house tonight and graciously
decided to give y’all a flashback of the good ol’ days of Tripmic.”
“Hey y’all!” She shouted into the mike, “Man, it’s been a
while since I’ve been up here with these guys!
I can tell you from up here, that they weren’t this cute the last time I
performed with them.” She teased and
fanned herself, “Good Lord, I think the temperature rose about 50 degrees since
I stepped on the stage. What do you say
ladies?” The women screamed their
agreement, “Yes sirree, it feels good to be here. So why don’t we get this party started!” She shouted and the band jumped into a song
which Lisa sang the lead. She performed
for the whole set, singing her heart out and looking like she lived on that
stage. Her fellow dancers were the
loudest of the crowd as they yelled for her.