We were jamming! Detention was over, and the Awesomes were grooving in the garage. We must have been making some amazing noise, because the neighborhood pets were coming to investigate and then howling along. I bet we would have been a hit if we ever got booked to play at the zoo. They say music tames the savage beast, right?
“THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!” Rhonda screeched when the song finished. “CAN I SING WITH YOU GUYS?”
Yes, Rhonda was there. She was standing in front of my garage, waiting, when I got home from detention. True, this afternoon, while we were playing our now-familiar game of Twenty Questions: Rhonda Edition, I might have mentioned that I had rehearsal today. The funny thing is, I don’t remember inviting her to watch. Did you invite her?
No? Why am I not surprised?
Anyway, there she was. And she wanted to sing.
Mari was looking at me with lifted eyebrows, as if to say She’s your friend. What do you think?
Rhonda was doing her very best impression of a puppy begging for a treat. I swear there were tears in her eyes.
“Um, Rhonda, we really need to practice,” I explained.
Rhonda nodded. “OKAY, MAYBE LATER.”
“Let’s do that last song again,” Patti suggested. “I think it’s getting there.”
We launched into the music. I really gave it all I had, and I think that at least half of the notes were right this time. I’ve managed to teach myself three chords on the guitar: G, C, and D. It turns out you can use them for almost anything.
We must have been sounding better, because Rhonda started to dance. Well, I think she was dancing.
“CAN I SING WITH YOU GUYS NOW?” Rhonda asked once the song was over.
“Well, sure, Rhonda—” Nanci started, but I glared at her and shook my head. She clammed up.
“Rhonda, we’re not a karaoke machine,” I was explaining just as the breezeway door slammed open. My brother stood there, his fingers plugging his ears.
“Yeah, because a karaoke machine actually sounds like music,” Rafe said.
I was about to tell him to get out, when Rhonda laughed. I couldn’t decide which one of them I wanted to throttle first.
“Get out of here, Rafe!” I shouted.
Nanci sighed as he waved and grinned and scooted back through the door. “We kind of do stink,” she admitted.
“I don’t think we should sign up for the Battle of the Bands,” Mari said.
“Yeah, we’ll only embarrass ourselves if we play at your school dance, Georgia,” Patti put in.
“ARE YOU KIDDING? YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!” Rhonda cried. “YOU HAVE TO PLAY THE DANCE!”
Our only groupie, I thought as I watched Rhonda lace her fingers together and beg. I almost wanted to forgive her for laughing at Rafe’s joke. (It was a joke, right?)
“Next year,” I suggested. “We’re not ready yet. But next year we will be.”
Mari, Nanci, and Patti looked at one another and nodded. “Yeah,” Mari said at last. “Next year we’ll really be ready to rock.”
I hope, I added, but not out loud.