“I hope you ladies brought your A game, because Lee said my rhythm is flawless!” Tig announced at practice the next day.
“I thought your head seemed a little bigger than the last time I saw you,” Paris joked.
The girls had decided to audition with “Blitzkrieg Bop” and “Good Riddance” to show their range, but the set list they’d present to the prom committee would include three Motown songs and some newer pop songs, plus all the previous songs they’d learned—even including the One Nothing piece Tig had sworn she’d never play again after the fiasco at Kyra’s birthday party. If they wanted to fill three full hours, they couldn’t be picky.
“I have an idea for a song,” Olivia said. She began playing a slow, melancholy tune on the keyboard.
“I’ve heard that before,” Robbie said. “But I can’t put my finger on it. What is it?”
“Hey, I know,” said Claire. “That’s ‘Now It’s Dead,’ isn’t it?”
“Wait,” Tig said. “That pop song?”
“Ewwww!” Robbie said. “Not just a pop song, but a poor-pitiful-me breakup song! Olivia, what are you thinking?”
“I think it’s beautiful,” Olivia replied.
“It’s really not,” Robbie said.
“Oh, Liv,” Claire said. “It’s because you’re so hurt, isn’t it?”
“This song says everything I feel right now,” Olivia said, her eyes welling up. Claire hugged her.
“I’m sorry, Olivia,” Tig said. “But come on, you know we can’t play that song.”
“Why not?” Olivia asked.
“Because it’s just a really, really bad song,” Robbie said. “I mean, seriously? The chorus compares their failed relationship to a dead armadillo on the side of the road.”
“But that’s what it feels like!” Olivia said. “You think you have this love that’s so strong, you know? And nothing can penetrate it. And then, the next thing you know, smash! Your love is dead and it’s just lying there, feet up, for everyone to look at as they drive past!”
Oh, brother! Tig thought.
Robbie couldn’t persuade Olivia that the song was a stinker, so the girls had to take a vote on whether they’d try to add it to the set list. It was three to two, with Robbie, Tig, and Paris voting against and Olivia and Claire voting for. Claire had to admit, though, that even she didn’t like the song; she was just trying to be supportive. For poor Olivia. Poor, sweet Olivia, who had been all but destroyed by the evil Will. Tig wasn’t sure how much more of this she could take.
Luckily, Kyra came by after the song vote had been taken. Since she generally liked terrible pop songs, and since her own parents’ love had so recently become a dead armadillo, she might have thrown her support behind Olivia too. But the vote was over when she arrived, so Kyra instead offered advice on how the girls could move during the songs to make the show more appealing.
After two straight hours of practice, the girls called it a day. Homework and tests didn’t stop just because they had a big audition. They’d practiced two hours a day every day that week in spite of their school commitments.
“I’m proud of us,” Tig said. “We’ve worked hard, and we’re going to have to work even harder if we actually get the gig, but I think we’re ready for the audition tomorrow.” Tig’s phone rang. She looked at the screen. It was her uncle Paul. “Give me a second, y’all,” she said.
“Hey, Uncle Paul,” Tig said. “What’s up?”
“Are you at band practice right now?” he asked.
“Yes, as a matter of fact,” said Tig.
“Great,” he replied. “Put me on speaker. I want all the girls to hear this.”
“Listen up, everybody,” Tig said, turning her phone on speaker. “We’re all listening, Uncle Paul.”
“I’ve got big news,” he said. “Incredible, really. Unprecedented, in fact.”
“What is it?” Tig asked.
“The commercial? The fake one? Well, when it went to nationals, the client had the deciding vote. The pants the commercial advertises are fake, of course, but the client is real.”
“We know,” Tig said. “Everybody shops there. But what’s the big news?”
“The news is that the client absolutely loved the fake commercial. So much so that they want to feature you girls in a real one.”
The girls looked at one another, gasped, and then began squealing and jumping up and down.
“Are you for real?” Tig asked.
“Very for real,” Uncle Paul said.
“Are they going to fly us to New York to make a commercial?” Robbie said.
“They’ll probably film it here in town to keep costs down,” Tig’s uncle said. “But they plan to release the commercial nationally.”
“That’s amazing!” said Claire.
“I can’t believe this!” said Olivia. “We’re going to be on national TV!”
“We?” asked Paris. “Or y’all?”
Everyone stopped for a moment to ponder Paris’s question. Then they looked at Kyra. “I’m not in the band anymore,” said Kyra.
“Uncle Paul,” said Tig, “Paris is our new bass player. What does that mean for the commercial?”
“Hmmm,” said her uncle. “I’m not really sure. It would be up to the client.” He promised to talk to his contact as soon as possible and let them know. “Go ahead and send me a photo and a short video of the new lineup. They’ll want to see if they like Paris’s look. I know that sounds shallow, but it is a visual medium. It matters.”
“How could anyone not like her looks?” Tig said. “I’ll send you a pic. She’s gorgeous.” Paris blushed.
“Just got the picture. Looking at it right now. She’s a pretty girl, yes,” Uncle Paul said. “But she looks older than the rest of you. The client may think she looks too mature. You never know. Just send the video, okay?”
The girls agreed and then hung up. “Kyra,” Tig said, “I don’t know what to say. I know you were in the original commercial, but I don’t want to be unfair to Paris.”
“It’s all right,” said Kyra. “I mean, would I love to be on TV? Yeah. I’d be lying if I said no. But you have to think long-term. This will be nationwide exposure for Pandora’s Box. If it takes off, you’ll get offers for appearances, and who knows? Maybe even a record deal. As much as I’d like to be, I’m just not enough of a musician to keep up with all that. I’d only drag the band down. You know that and I know it.”
Tig was stunned at how mature Kyra was being about all this. She wasn’t sure she could’ve done the same in her place.
“Besides,” Kyra said, “I’m sure the client will approve of Paris. They’re after the all-girl band novelty. Replacing one girl bass player with another isn’t that big of a deal.”
“It’s a big deal for you, though,” said Robbie. “You sure you’re okay with this?”
“Hey, I’m not saying I’m thrilled about it,” Kyra replied. “But like I’ve told Tig, I’ve made peace with the fact that I’m not a musician. You five are. So just do your thing and let me ride your coattails, all right?” She smiled.
“We’ve got to make a video for the client,” Paris said.
“I can get one tomorrow of y’all at the West Al audition,” Kyra said. “No problem.”
“The audition,” Tig said. “As much as I’d like to wrap my head around all this with the commercial, we’d better keep our minds on that audition. I don’t want to blow it.”
The girls agreed: audition first, commercial next.