May 16, 2012
"We did it girls!" Rosa exclaimed giddily, "We're in the finals!"
"That's right, mon," Larissa said with a chuckle, "Time to take that little prick down once and for all."
"It seems so surreal," Gisella said, looking down at her glass, "To think, one year ago, none of us could have ever seen ourselves being like this, as friends."
"Yeah," Rosa agreed, "I never could have seen myself being this close to you girls with how my parents were treating me last year."
"Rotten little bastards, mon," Larissa said, sipping some Caribbean Splash, "They ought to suffer for what they did to you."
"Easy," Rosa said, calmingly, "That's behind me. That typical little blonde rich girl is no more. I'm no one's puppet."
"That's the spirit, mon," Larissa chuckled, downing a glass of Caribbean Splash.
"I see these drinks of yours haven't gone off the menu without my constant supply of buying them," Gisella chuckled.
"Sheesh, you're acting like you were gone for a year, mon," Larissa commented.
"It kind of felt like it," Rosa remarked, drinking some Caribbean Splash.
Rosa smiled at the two of her best friends. "It is so nice to see you two getting along."
"It's nice to be getting along," Rosa said with a smile.
"Sure is, mon," Larissa said, putting her arm around Rosa in a friendly manner.
"I really feel like I belong here," Rosa said calmly, "Thank you two once again for letting me be a part of your group."
"Ah, don't mention it, mon," Larissa chuckled, "We're glad to see you ain't a complete jerk."
Rosa sighed and leaned back, careful not to fall off her stool. "So, what are we going to do for the last song?"
"How about something to really rub it in Tyrell's face, mon?" Larissa suggested, making a fist as she twirled her knife in her other hand.
"I don't know why, but I'm really feeling all three of us should sing," Rosa said, a glitter in her eyes.
Larissa chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry, but I don't sing, mon. I sound horrible when it comes to singing."
"How can you be horrible at singing?" Rosa asked, surprised, "You have such a lovely speaking voice."
"Believe me," Gisella piped in, "Larissa can play and cook like a pro, but her singing could break every piece of glass in this building."
"That bad, huh?" Rosa asked calmly.
Larissa turned to her and nodded. "I'll leave the singing up to you girls, mon."
May 20, 2012
"I ought to beat that skinny little head of yours into my grill, mon!" Larissa exclaimed, slamming her knife against the grill.
"Hey, easy now," Tyrell chuckled with a smirk, "You'll get fired for having an attitude like that."
"Like hell Boss is going to fire me, mon," Larissa said, crossing her arms, "I'm his best worker."
"Yeah, so back off, Tyrell!" Rosa exclaimed to him, sitting on the opposite side of the island.
"Ha!" Tyrell laughed, "All I have to do is make one complain to a higher up and I could have this establishment turned to pavement."
"Like you could ever do that!" Rosa exclaimed.
Tyrell got up and walked over to Rosa, standing over top of her. "You wanna bet, princess?"
"Hey, leave her alone, mon!" Larissa exclaimed, stabbing Tyrell's shirt into the counter. Tyrell recoiled in anguish, ripping the bottom part of his shirt.
"I'll sue you for that!" Tyrell exclaimed, clearly scared.
"Now, now," said an elderly voice from behind Tyrell. Tyrell jumped at the surprise while Larissa laughed. "What's all the ruckus, you youngsters?"
"Nothing that a little fine cooking can't fix, Boss, mon," Larissa said with a chuckle.
"So, you're the owner of this establishment," Tyrell asked, a bit nervous.
"That's right," the old man said with a chuckle, "Name's Myunn. I've been running this resturant for over fourty years now."
"If it weren't for Myunn, I wouldn't be where I am today, mon," Larissa said, twirling her knife.
"Really?" Rosa asked, surprised, "You didn't mention him in your interview."
"Aww, did she not?" Myunn asked, simultaneously sarcastic and sincere, "Why didn't you mention me, Larissa?"
"Well, you said you don't like being talked about in public, mon," Larissa said, scratching the back of her head in embarassment, "That's why I didn't say anything. Besides, pretty much everyone knows you and what you do."
"I didn't," Rosa said.
"Neither did I," Tyrell said, trying to recover the patch of shirt from the counter. Larissa waited until the right time to pull the knife out of the counter, making Tyrell fly back and trip. Larissa and Rosa both chuckled. He scowled at them and left the resturant.
"So, is this the Rosa I've heard you talk so much about?" Myunn asked, taking a seat at the bar counter, his silver grey hair flowing down to his shoulders.
"You've talked about me?" Rosa asked, both complimented and slightly concerned.
"Yes, yes," Myunn said, rolling a clump of hair from his beard in his fingers, "Strange, she doesn't quite look like a long lost sister to me."
"A long lost sister?" Rosa asked, teasingly.
Larissa's face turned red and she rubbed the back of her head. "Quit embarassing me, Boss, mon," she stammered.
May 24, 2012
"Well, I think it's cute that you think of Rosa like your little sister," Gisella said as she walked along the sidewalk, keeping her hands warm in Ivanna's jacket pockets.
"What's so cute about that, mon," Larissa stammered, trying to hide her flustered face from Gisella.
"I mean, you feel protective of her," Gisella pointed out, "That's really nice."
"Well, mon," Larissa stammered, pausing a bit, "she doesn't have any family any more. I think every person deserves some sort of actual family in their life."
"You know, I'm pretty sure you could probably legally make Rosa your sister," Gisella pointed out.
"Really, mon?" Larissa asked, a bit surprised.
"Yeah, but I'm not sure," Gisella said, "Still, how, in about a month's time, did you two manage to grow so close? I tried for months and I could barely get you two to even be in the same room together."
"It was mainly when I learned about her abusive parents, mon. That is what drew the line," Larissa passionately said, "That's not right for anyone to have to go through that kind of neglect or pain, especially as a kid and even more so if those are you parents!" Larissa stormed off in the direction of her house, not mad at Gisella, but mad at the world.
"Larissa!" Gisella called out, catching up to her. She rubbed her leg brace ad continued walking with Larissa. "Wait up!"
"I ain't mad at you, mon," Larissa explained, crossing her arms.
"I know you aren't," Gisella said calmly. She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.
"Thanks, mon," Larissa said with a sigh, "I just wish I had known about Rosa's problems sooner."
"We all do, Larissa," Gisella said calmly, "but what happened in the past is in the past. We can't change that. What we can do is change the future, to make it suitable for us." Gisella smiled at her friend, and Larissa turned to face her. "The future is what we make it, and what we make it is ours for the choosing. No one can truly tell us what to do or how to do it, except for us. That's why we can't afford to waste time on something stupid, like rivalries."
"Stupid rivalries, mon? You mean about between what used to be between me and Rosa?" Larissa asked.
"Well, yes, but I mean more about between us and the Dead Rights."
"What are you talking about, mon?" Larissa exclaimed in surprise, "That's the whole reason we started this band."
"I know it is," Gisella said, "but that's not how I want to finish this."
"I'm still lost, mon."
"Look," Gisella said, firmly and passionately, "We may have started out as a band looking for revenge, and yes, Tyrell justifiably deserves it, but look at us now. We've shifted from just taking down Tyrell to being there for each other when we need each other. Look at all we've done together: we've met Naomi, we got even closer to Isabella, and we became friends with Rosa. None of those girls, well, maybe Rosa, but I know that Naomi and Isabella didn't become our friends because they want revenge on Tyrell. They became our friends because they connected to us. My time in my coma got me to think about how we work as a group. As I was worried about the band falling apart, I had a glimmer of hope that something would be able to make you and Rosa work together, and you did. When we stopped focusing on revenge, look how great our lives have gotten. We are going to win the Battle of the Bands, not to take down Tyrell, but to show what we can do together as friends."
Larissa was practically speechless at Gisella's monologue. She just smiled and chuckled, resting her arm on Gisella. "You got it, mon."
May 30, 2012
"So, anyone have any ideas for lyrics?" Rosa finally said, breaking the awkward silence that had plagued the three girls for the past half hour.
Gisella sighed and said, "No, not a clue." She strummed on her bass guitar, hoping lyrics would come to her, but they just kept floating our of her reach.
"I ain't got anything either, mon," Larissa said, twirling her drumsticks.
"Ugh, we have all the music down," Rosa said, stumming a riff from the sheet music, "but no words to go along with it."
"I really can't think of anything to sing that fits with this tune," Gisella said, clearly exasperated, "I think we've hit our limit of song making."
"Yeah, with so many bands in the competition, pretty much all the good song ideas have been taken," Rosa pointed out.
"Naomi didn't have any ideas either, mon," Larissa chimed in, leaning against the wall behind her.
"Isabella also didn't have an idea," Gisella sighed.
"Great," Rosa said, "You two have been able to write songs for the past 11 rounds, and now you get stuck? Granted, I don't really have any ideas either."
Larissa sighed and started juggling her drumsticks. "Just what we needed, writer's block, mon," she complained.
"We just need some inspiration, girls," Gisella said, rubbing her bad leg.
"Yeah, but where could we get some? It's not like there's really anything else going on," Rosa pointed out, "and I don't think a song about finals is going to be that exciting."
"We need something that'll really get the crowd roaring, mon," Larissa said, twirling her drumsticks in her fingers, "Something you'd hear at a stadium or something during the championship match."
"Yeah," Rosa agreed, "A song that really just lets everyone know just who they're dealing with that really makes you get fired up."
"But what lyrics could we do?" Gisella asked, "Our music is that kind of blood-pumping tune that you'd hear, but again, we don't have any words."
"Do we need words?" Rosa asked, "I mean, that one band was just instruments with no vocals."
"Yeah, it'd really improve our song's likability," Gisella explained.
"How about we just start with a few key words, mon?" Larissa suggested.
"Alright, sounds like a plan," Gisella said, grabbing a piece of paper nearby, "Eyes on the prize, girls! Let's go all the way to victory!"
June 4, 2012
"Man, it feels good to have finals over!" Rosa said, stretching in the summer sun.
"Yeah, wish I could know that feeling," Gisella grumbled as the two of them walked from the university.
"Hey, cheer up," Rosa said with a smile, "Larissa's hosting her graduation party later this afternoon and there's going to be so much food cooked by her."
"Yeah, you're right," Gisella said, getting back her moxie, "You know, I bet if I ask the professor, I might be able to complete my semester courses before the next year starts."
"That's the spirit," Rosa said.
"Man, I still can't believe that school's over and the Battle of the Bands is ending in just eleven days," Gisella said.
"Yeah, me either," Rosa said calmly, "I can't believe that Larissa didn't want our help to set up everything."
"Well, you know how Larissa is with her surprises and performances," Gisella mentioned. Rosa nodded her head in agreement. "Oh, that reminds me. I left some of my coaching papers at you and Isabella's house. May I go get them?"
"Now?" Rosa asked, a little nervous.
"Yeah. Is there a problem?" Gisella asked, intrigued.
"What? No, of course not," Rosa chuckled nervously, "Nothing like me having a cat named after you or anything."
"Wait, what?" Gisella asked.
"Oh nothing," Rosa said in a sing-songy voice, nervously laughing. Gisella gave her a confused look, but continued walking. "Where did you say you left it?" she asked when the two of them got to her and Isabella's house.
"I'm not sure," Gisella said, trying to think of where she put it.
"How about I just go in an try to find it for you?" Rosa nervously asked.
"Sheesh!" Gisella exclaimed, "Are you hiding something, Rosa?"
"What? Me hiding something?" Rosa chuckled, "Why would you think th-"
*CRASH*
A loud sound from inside Rosa and Isabella's house suddenly startled the two girls. Rosa jumped a bit while Gisella quickly pushed Rosa aside. She grabbed Rosa's key and bolted for the door with Rosa quickly trailing after her.
"Wait!" Rosa cried out, but Gisella had already opened the door. Sitting there next to a broken vase, licking her paws, was a grey colored tabby cat with white fur around the collar. The cat stretched a bit and rolled around on the carpet, batting at some of the pieces on the floor.
"How'd a cat break into you girls' house?" Gisella asked as Rosa went to pick up Gisel.
"She didn't," Rosa reluctantly said. She scratched Gisel's chin, making the cat purr with happiness.
"Wait, you know this cat?" Gisella asked, picking up the large shards of jade green vase on the carpet.
"Yes," Rosa said, "She's my cat."
"Oh!" Gisella said in surprise, "I didn't know you had a cat. When did you get her?"
"Just a few days ago," Rosa lied, but Gisel batted at Rosa's face, "Okay, okay. I've had her for four years now."
"Four years?" Gisell asked, surprised, "but I haven't seen this cat at all when I visited here since I've been back."
"That's because I've always kept her locked in her cage whenever you come over," Rosa said, looking ashamed.
"What? Why?" Gisella asked.
"It's kind of embarassing," Rosa said, her face starting to turn red, "It's about her name."
"Her name? What's wrong with her name?"
"Nothing's wrong with it! It's just embarassing."
"What is it?"
"I can't tell you."
"Come on now," Gisella said, "You can tell me about your abusive parents you've kept a secret for 18 years, but you can't tell me your cat's name?"
Rosa stood silent for a bit, but finally spoke after Gisel batted at Rosa's face. "Oh, fine. Her name is," she paused, "Gisel."
"Gisel? Wait, as in Gisella?" Gisella asked, "You named your cat after me?"
"Only loosely," Rosa stammered, letting Gisel down. She tried to hide her blushing face, but her attempts failed. Gisella just smiled at her friend calmly.
"Well, I think that's cute and very sweet of you, Rosa."
June 9, 2012
"Nothing like a good ol' glass of Splash to cool down from the summer heat," Myunn chuckled, drinking a nice cold glass.
"You sure you should drink that?" Isabella asked, "Larissa poured pretty much half of the bottle into that concoction."
"He don't look like it, mon," Larissa said, twirling her knife, "but Boss here can certainly handle his juice." She opened a fresh bottle of rum and started to chug it down. "How do you think I learned how to drink?"
"You know, that actually explains a lot," Isabella mentioned, sipping some virgin Caribbean Splash. Larissa chuckled and twirled her knife, kissing the spine of it. "Seriously, how have you not gotten sued or anything? You are drinking on the job with a large blade. If you were my worker, I'd find so many safety and work violations with you that your head would be spinning and your wallet empty."
"That's because Larissa's not quite just a worker," Myunn said, twirling his beard in his fingers, "She's practically family."
"Practically, mon?" Larissa asked, chuckling, "I'm pretty sure you already got the paperwork done to adopt me as your daughter."
"Really?" Isabella asked, a tad surprised.
"Well, the government's being a little fussy, what with Larissa essentially being an illegal immigrant and all. There was also that incident with the Bear Scouts, but there's no reason to get into that," Myunn said with a chuckle.
"How are you still here, Larissa?" Isabella asked, a bit more impressed than exhasperated, "Given everything you've told us, you should be in jail for at minimum 20 life sentences."
"It's a bit too late to arrest me for those things, mon," Larissa chuckled, "Besides, there isn't any evidence linking me to any of those events. I made sure of that."
"That's my girl," Myunn laughed, twirling his beard in his fingers.
"Remind me to never let you lose in ANY of my laboratories, Larissa," Isabella said, now more exhasperated than impressed.
Larissa and Myunn laughed and took a drink from their respective glasses. "So, Larissa, I've been thinking," Myunn said, setting his glass on the counter.
"Oh, that's always a cause for worry, mon," Larissa teased, but waited respectfully for Myunn to finish.
"There comes a time in every man's life where he has to settle down and get with someone loving and nice."
"Oh please don't be going somewhere I'm not going to like," Isabella mumbled to herself.
"What are you talking about, Boss, mon?" Larissa asked, slightly concerned, "What about Marylynne?"
"Oh, yes, she's certainly a sweetie," Myunn said, starting to drift off into a daydream.
"Marylynne?" Isabella asked in a hushed tone.
"That's his wife, mon," Larissa replied.
"Ah, yes, where was I now?" Myunn said, snapping out of his daydream, "Ah, that's right. You see Larissa, buisness is at an all time high and so is my age. You, however, my dear, have just completed college and need to pay off loans. You have fresh and innovated ideas. Just look at the menu as an example. Those drinks you made have increased our profits incredibly. So, what I've been thinking is simply this. Effective one week from today, I want you to run the Five Point Dine."
"What, Boss, mon!?" Larissa exclaimed in surprise. In her shock, she slammed her hands on the hot grill, causing her to recoil and her knife to stab itself into the counter near Isabella.
"I'm retiring, Larissa," Myunn explained, "So, no more of this 'Boss mon' business. From now on, it's just 'mon,' understand?" Larissa nodded while Isabella struggled to pull the knife out of the counter.
"But where will you go, Bo- er, mon?" Larissa asked.
"Relax," Myunn chuckled, "I'm still going to be here. After all, I did kind of build my house on top of this resturant. Besides, it's not like anything's going to change too much. You already call most of the shots in here and the other workers all come to you abour their problems, not me. If you need help, I'll be here, and you have your handful of leader friends to help you as well."
"Mon," Larissa said softly.
"Now now, no tears," Myunn said, "My time running the Five Point Dine has been a wonderful one, and now it's your turn."
"Why are you giving me the entire resturant now, mon?" Larissa asked.
"It was just a fitting time. You've graduated and you're a grown woman, Larissa. I've seen you grow since you were young and watched you blossom into the Jamaican amazon you are today. Honestly, I'm still not sure what Marylynne put in that food of your," he said with a chuckle, "plus, I had overhead when your friend, Ivanna died."
Isabella was about to stop Myunn there, but Larissa stopped her. "It's alright, mon. I've moved on, but I haven't forgotten." Isabella smiled at her friend and they both turned to Myunn.
"Sorry to bring up any tragic memories, but, as I was saying, I heard you got a house from her, which you then promptly gave to Isabella here," Myunn said, gesturing to Isabella, "So, I thought t was fitting that you inherit something that also means a lot to you. This resturant is your second home after all." Larissa was speechless, tears welling up in her eyes. These tears weren't from sadness from past memories, but of happiness. She let out a sniffe and a tear rolled down her right cheek. "The place is yours, Larissa. Take good care of her."
With that, Myunn stood up and walked into his office without another word, but a smile on his face, leaving a heartfelt smile on Larissa's face as well.
June 15, 2012 8:30 PM
"It's finally here," Gisella said with a deep sigh, "The final amp vs amp showdown." She gripped the handle of her bass guitar case as she looked up at the night sky, wondering if Ivanna was watching down on them. The concert hall was swarmed with people and security holding them back. A long red carpet was stretched out on the ground before the entrance, fans swarmed on both sides. Gisella fought back the memory of the last time the girls walked on the red carpet and stepped out of the limo. Camera shutters and cheering filled the air as the flashes from cameras nearly blinded the three girls. Gisella used her hands to shield her eyes until they finally adjusted.
"Never thought I'd be walking down red carpet again, mon," Larissa said, her eyes adjusting to the camera flashes.
"I still can't believe it," Rosa said, putting on a pair of sunglasses to protect her eyes. The three girls all walked down the aisle, autographic pictures and signing bags or anything else the fans wanted signed. Various colorful banners had messages on them, such as "Go Bad Good Girls!" or "We love u BGG." A reporter for the newspaper stepped out from the crowd and stood infront of the girls's path. "One really nice shot for the paper, girls." Larissa twirled her drum sticks, holding them still in the shape of an X. Gisella put her left hand in Ivanna's jacket and struck a pose, her bass guitar case in front of her. Rosa stood on Larissa's right, leaning on her guitar case. The camera snapped and the reporter stepped back into the crowd. "You girls are naturals at this," Rosa remarked, "You sure you haven't done this before?"
"I'm fairly certain," Gisella said, autographing another photo.
"Could have fooled me, mon," Larissa said, posing for a camera shot. The three girls eventually made their way inside, where even more people were crowded. The aisle way led the three girls to none other than the security guard who always stood at the entrance to the back stage. "Oh, this guy again, mon."
"Halt!" the security guard said, making a salute.
"Yes, I know," Gisella said, reaching for the Band Pass, but this time, the security guard stopped her.
"I just wanted to say, it's been an honor to meet you girls every time you come here. Good luck tonight in the amp vs amp." The girls all smiled and saluted back to the guard, entering the backstage.
"We're moments away from the final amp vs amp of the Battle of the Bands Extravaganza!" the announcer shouted from center stage. The girls watched from the TV in their green room as the crowd cheered, banners waving for both the Dead Rights and the Bad Good Girls. Gisella and Rosa both took their instruments out of their cases and tuned them.
"You ready to perform like we've never performed before?" Gisella asked, strumming a few notes.
"We both know I'm never entirely ready to perform," Rosa said, strumming some chords back.
"Don't you worry, mon," Larissa said, placing her hand on Rosa's shoulder, "You're going to do great like always." Rosa smiled at Larissa and Gisella smiled at her two of her best friends getting along like they've known each other their entire life. The three of them had come so far together, and they were going to finish this competiton either in victory, or defeat in a blaze of glory.
"Alright girls," Gisella said, rubbing her leg brace, "Eyes on the prize girls! Let's go all the way to victory!"
"Yeah!" Rosa shouted as the three girls made their way to the stage.
"Here they are, ladies and gentlemen, your finalists, the Dead Rights and the Bad Good Girls!" the announcer shouted as the two bands came onto the stage simultaneously. He quickly headed off the stage to watch the amp vs amp.
Gisella grabbed the mic as Larissa started to beat the drums fiercely. Rosa readied herself for her cues as Gisella cleared her throat. "We've been running around this circle for ages. It's about time that we throw the switch..."
June 15, 2012 8:45 PM
"...and the votes have been tallied. Every vote has been sent in by someone here or at home watching this broadcast," the announcer said as the crowd grew silent. The tension was so thick, you could slice it with a butter knife, or more properly, Larissa's ceremonial knife. "The winner of the 29th Battle of the Bands Year-Long Extravaganza is..." the announcer began.
Isabella and Naomi both sat in the crowd, anxious for the results. They held their breath and crossed their fingers. No one in the crowd uttered a peep as the announcer was handed an envelope holding the name of the winning band of the Battle of the Bands. The lights dimmed and a single spotlight shown on the announcer. A woman, dressed in a black hood and a blue scarf sat restlessly in her seat.
The Bad Good Girls all stood in a line facing the announcer and the crowd. Gisella took some deep but silent breaths. Rosa held Gisella's wrist with her left hand and turned to Gisella and Larissa, who was on Gisella's left. Larissa nodded and held Gisella's left wrist with her right hand. Gisella smiled and shifted her arms around. She positioned them so she held her friend's hands in her hands tightly.
Standing on the opposite side of the stage was Tyrell with Chen Fei-na on his right and Lechtor on his left. All three of them stood with their arms crossed and looking at the announcer. The announcer, himself, started taking his sweet time to open up the envelope.
He peeled back the first corner of the envelope, causing Gisella to take a deep breath in. She could feel Rosa's grip tighten. The announcer ran his thumb along the sealed part of the envelope, gently starting to peel it open. The crowd sat anxious for the result, as did everyone else who was watching the broadcast. The only sound echoing through the concert hall was the paper of the envelope shuffling and tearing. The announcer pulled a piece of paper from the envelope and handed the empty remains to a stagehand.
The woman in the black hood and the blue scarf leaned forward, listening closely. Naomi gripped the edge of her seat while Isabella clung tightly to the armrests. Gisella took a sharp breath in, holding Rosa and Larissa's hands tighter. The other girls responded in the same fashion, all three of them staring at the ground. They hope for the best, but prepared themselves for the worst. The spot light on the announcer started to lift up, gently swayng left and right. Larissa clenched her teeth as Rosa squeezed Gisella's hand tighter. Gisella held her breath and braced herself. Tyrell stood calmly, not amused by the announcer's pausing. Chen Fei-na had an emotionless expression and Lechtor just smirked, as if he already knew what the answer was. The announcer lifted his head up to the microphone and cleared his voice.
"...the Dead Rights!" he shouted. The crowd went into a frenzy of cheers and applause as confetti rained down from the ceiling. Gisella breathed out and sighed in defeat. Larissa groaned and Rosa loosened her grip on Gisella's hand. Naomi sighed and leaned back into her chair while Isabella sunk into her chair more. The five girls were all disappointed that the Bad Good Girls lost, but Gisella still smiled. They may not have won the competiton, but they did win each other. Rosa and Larissa were practially sisters, Naomi became one of their best friends, and Isabella grew even closer to the girls. Rosa and Larissa both understood what Gisella was smiling about and smiled as well. What was important to them now was that they had each other.
"Come on, girls, mon," Larissa said, "Drinks are on-"
"NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"
A scream from the crowd caused everyone to quickly look around to find the source. The seven people on stage all peered into the crowd, trying to find out who yelled. The woman in the black hood and blue scarf stood up, quickly taking off both of them.
"No way!" Gisella exclaimed, quickly holding up her bass guitar.
"Is that!?" Rosa asked, scared.
Isabella gasped at the sight of the woman. "Cantina Fluron."
"Nononononononononono!" Cantina cried out, rushing her way up the aisle, "The Bad Good Girls are supposed to win! That's how I'll be famous!" She began to laugh like a maniac and pulled a gun out, aiming it at Rosa. Everyone gasped as Cantina began to sway back and forth. "Nobody move!" she yelled, a deranged and sociopathic laugh coming from her. A wicked and twisted smile drew across her face as she gazed upon her prey. "I guess I could still be famous for killing her," Cantina said, her gaze fixed upon Rosa. Rosa stood there, frozen in fear. Her breathing quickened and she began to hyperventilate. Cantina cocked the gun and pulled the trigger a second before the security guard from the lobby tackled the escaped mental patient to the ground. The gunshot rang through the concert hall as gasps escaped from the crowd.
"NO!!!!!!!"
"We did it girls!" Rosa exclaimed giddily, "We're in the finals!"
"That's right, mon," Larissa said with a chuckle, "Time to take that little prick down once and for all."
"It seems so surreal," Gisella said, looking down at her glass, "To think, one year ago, none of us could have ever seen ourselves being like this, as friends."
"Yeah," Rosa agreed, "I never could have seen myself being this close to you girls with how my parents were treating me last year."
"Rotten little bastards, mon," Larissa said, sipping some Caribbean Splash, "They ought to suffer for what they did to you."
"Easy," Rosa said, calmingly, "That's behind me. That typical little blonde rich girl is no more. I'm no one's puppet."
"That's the spirit, mon," Larissa chuckled, downing a glass of Caribbean Splash.
"I see these drinks of yours haven't gone off the menu without my constant supply of buying them," Gisella chuckled.
"Sheesh, you're acting like you were gone for a year, mon," Larissa commented.
"It kind of felt like it," Rosa remarked, drinking some Caribbean Splash.
Rosa smiled at the two of her best friends. "It is so nice to see you two getting along."
"It's nice to be getting along," Rosa said with a smile.
"Sure is, mon," Larissa said, putting her arm around Rosa in a friendly manner.
"I really feel like I belong here," Rosa said calmly, "Thank you two once again for letting me be a part of your group."
"Ah, don't mention it, mon," Larissa chuckled, "We're glad to see you ain't a complete jerk."
Rosa sighed and leaned back, careful not to fall off her stool. "So, what are we going to do for the last song?"
"How about something to really rub it in Tyrell's face, mon?" Larissa suggested, making a fist as she twirled her knife in her other hand.
"I don't know why, but I'm really feeling all three of us should sing," Rosa said, a glitter in her eyes.
Larissa chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry, but I don't sing, mon. I sound horrible when it comes to singing."
"How can you be horrible at singing?" Rosa asked, surprised, "You have such a lovely speaking voice."
"Believe me," Gisella piped in, "Larissa can play and cook like a pro, but her singing could break every piece of glass in this building."
"That bad, huh?" Rosa asked calmly.
Larissa turned to her and nodded. "I'll leave the singing up to you girls, mon."
May 20, 2012
"I ought to beat that skinny little head of yours into my grill, mon!" Larissa exclaimed, slamming her knife against the grill.
"Hey, easy now," Tyrell chuckled with a smirk, "You'll get fired for having an attitude like that."
"Like hell Boss is going to fire me, mon," Larissa said, crossing her arms, "I'm his best worker."
"Yeah, so back off, Tyrell!" Rosa exclaimed to him, sitting on the opposite side of the island.
"Ha!" Tyrell laughed, "All I have to do is make one complain to a higher up and I could have this establishment turned to pavement."
"Like you could ever do that!" Rosa exclaimed.
Tyrell got up and walked over to Rosa, standing over top of her. "You wanna bet, princess?"
"Hey, leave her alone, mon!" Larissa exclaimed, stabbing Tyrell's shirt into the counter. Tyrell recoiled in anguish, ripping the bottom part of his shirt.
"I'll sue you for that!" Tyrell exclaimed, clearly scared.
"Now, now," said an elderly voice from behind Tyrell. Tyrell jumped at the surprise while Larissa laughed. "What's all the ruckus, you youngsters?"
"Nothing that a little fine cooking can't fix, Boss, mon," Larissa said with a chuckle.
"So, you're the owner of this establishment," Tyrell asked, a bit nervous.
"That's right," the old man said with a chuckle, "Name's Myunn. I've been running this resturant for over fourty years now."
"If it weren't for Myunn, I wouldn't be where I am today, mon," Larissa said, twirling her knife.
"Really?" Rosa asked, surprised, "You didn't mention him in your interview."
"Aww, did she not?" Myunn asked, simultaneously sarcastic and sincere, "Why didn't you mention me, Larissa?"
"Well, you said you don't like being talked about in public, mon," Larissa said, scratching the back of her head in embarassment, "That's why I didn't say anything. Besides, pretty much everyone knows you and what you do."
"I didn't," Rosa said.
"Neither did I," Tyrell said, trying to recover the patch of shirt from the counter. Larissa waited until the right time to pull the knife out of the counter, making Tyrell fly back and trip. Larissa and Rosa both chuckled. He scowled at them and left the resturant.
"So, is this the Rosa I've heard you talk so much about?" Myunn asked, taking a seat at the bar counter, his silver grey hair flowing down to his shoulders.
"You've talked about me?" Rosa asked, both complimented and slightly concerned.
"Yes, yes," Myunn said, rolling a clump of hair from his beard in his fingers, "Strange, she doesn't quite look like a long lost sister to me."
"A long lost sister?" Rosa asked, teasingly.
Larissa's face turned red and she rubbed the back of her head. "Quit embarassing me, Boss, mon," she stammered.
May 24, 2012
"Well, I think it's cute that you think of Rosa like your little sister," Gisella said as she walked along the sidewalk, keeping her hands warm in Ivanna's jacket pockets.
"What's so cute about that, mon," Larissa stammered, trying to hide her flustered face from Gisella.
"I mean, you feel protective of her," Gisella pointed out, "That's really nice."
"Well, mon," Larissa stammered, pausing a bit, "she doesn't have any family any more. I think every person deserves some sort of actual family in their life."
"You know, I'm pretty sure you could probably legally make Rosa your sister," Gisella pointed out.
"Really, mon?" Larissa asked, a bit surprised.
"Yeah, but I'm not sure," Gisella said, "Still, how, in about a month's time, did you two manage to grow so close? I tried for months and I could barely get you two to even be in the same room together."
"It was mainly when I learned about her abusive parents, mon. That is what drew the line," Larissa passionately said, "That's not right for anyone to have to go through that kind of neglect or pain, especially as a kid and even more so if those are you parents!" Larissa stormed off in the direction of her house, not mad at Gisella, but mad at the world.
"Larissa!" Gisella called out, catching up to her. She rubbed her leg brace ad continued walking with Larissa. "Wait up!"
"I ain't mad at you, mon," Larissa explained, crossing her arms.
"I know you aren't," Gisella said calmly. She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.
"Thanks, mon," Larissa said with a sigh, "I just wish I had known about Rosa's problems sooner."
"We all do, Larissa," Gisella said calmly, "but what happened in the past is in the past. We can't change that. What we can do is change the future, to make it suitable for us." Gisella smiled at her friend, and Larissa turned to face her. "The future is what we make it, and what we make it is ours for the choosing. No one can truly tell us what to do or how to do it, except for us. That's why we can't afford to waste time on something stupid, like rivalries."
"Stupid rivalries, mon? You mean about between what used to be between me and Rosa?" Larissa asked.
"Well, yes, but I mean more about between us and the Dead Rights."
"What are you talking about, mon?" Larissa exclaimed in surprise, "That's the whole reason we started this band."
"I know it is," Gisella said, "but that's not how I want to finish this."
"I'm still lost, mon."
"Look," Gisella said, firmly and passionately, "We may have started out as a band looking for revenge, and yes, Tyrell justifiably deserves it, but look at us now. We've shifted from just taking down Tyrell to being there for each other when we need each other. Look at all we've done together: we've met Naomi, we got even closer to Isabella, and we became friends with Rosa. None of those girls, well, maybe Rosa, but I know that Naomi and Isabella didn't become our friends because they want revenge on Tyrell. They became our friends because they connected to us. My time in my coma got me to think about how we work as a group. As I was worried about the band falling apart, I had a glimmer of hope that something would be able to make you and Rosa work together, and you did. When we stopped focusing on revenge, look how great our lives have gotten. We are going to win the Battle of the Bands, not to take down Tyrell, but to show what we can do together as friends."
Larissa was practically speechless at Gisella's monologue. She just smiled and chuckled, resting her arm on Gisella. "You got it, mon."
May 30, 2012
"So, anyone have any ideas for lyrics?" Rosa finally said, breaking the awkward silence that had plagued the three girls for the past half hour.
Gisella sighed and said, "No, not a clue." She strummed on her bass guitar, hoping lyrics would come to her, but they just kept floating our of her reach.
"I ain't got anything either, mon," Larissa said, twirling her drumsticks.
"Ugh, we have all the music down," Rosa said, stumming a riff from the sheet music, "but no words to go along with it."
"I really can't think of anything to sing that fits with this tune," Gisella said, clearly exasperated, "I think we've hit our limit of song making."
"Yeah, with so many bands in the competition, pretty much all the good song ideas have been taken," Rosa pointed out.
"Naomi didn't have any ideas either, mon," Larissa chimed in, leaning against the wall behind her.
"Isabella also didn't have an idea," Gisella sighed.
"Great," Rosa said, "You two have been able to write songs for the past 11 rounds, and now you get stuck? Granted, I don't really have any ideas either."
Larissa sighed and started juggling her drumsticks. "Just what we needed, writer's block, mon," she complained.
"We just need some inspiration, girls," Gisella said, rubbing her bad leg.
"Yeah, but where could we get some? It's not like there's really anything else going on," Rosa pointed out, "and I don't think a song about finals is going to be that exciting."
"We need something that'll really get the crowd roaring, mon," Larissa said, twirling her drumsticks in her fingers, "Something you'd hear at a stadium or something during the championship match."
"Yeah," Rosa agreed, "A song that really just lets everyone know just who they're dealing with that really makes you get fired up."
"But what lyrics could we do?" Gisella asked, "Our music is that kind of blood-pumping tune that you'd hear, but again, we don't have any words."
"Do we need words?" Rosa asked, "I mean, that one band was just instruments with no vocals."
"Yeah, it'd really improve our song's likability," Gisella explained.
"How about we just start with a few key words, mon?" Larissa suggested.
"Alright, sounds like a plan," Gisella said, grabbing a piece of paper nearby, "Eyes on the prize, girls! Let's go all the way to victory!"
June 4, 2012
"Man, it feels good to have finals over!" Rosa said, stretching in the summer sun.
"Yeah, wish I could know that feeling," Gisella grumbled as the two of them walked from the university.
"Hey, cheer up," Rosa said with a smile, "Larissa's hosting her graduation party later this afternoon and there's going to be so much food cooked by her."
"Yeah, you're right," Gisella said, getting back her moxie, "You know, I bet if I ask the professor, I might be able to complete my semester courses before the next year starts."
"That's the spirit," Rosa said.
"Man, I still can't believe that school's over and the Battle of the Bands is ending in just eleven days," Gisella said.
"Yeah, me either," Rosa said calmly, "I can't believe that Larissa didn't want our help to set up everything."
"Well, you know how Larissa is with her surprises and performances," Gisella mentioned. Rosa nodded her head in agreement. "Oh, that reminds me. I left some of my coaching papers at you and Isabella's house. May I go get them?"
"Now?" Rosa asked, a little nervous.
"Yeah. Is there a problem?" Gisella asked, intrigued.
"What? No, of course not," Rosa chuckled nervously, "Nothing like me having a cat named after you or anything."
"Wait, what?" Gisella asked.
"Oh nothing," Rosa said in a sing-songy voice, nervously laughing. Gisella gave her a confused look, but continued walking. "Where did you say you left it?" she asked when the two of them got to her and Isabella's house.
"I'm not sure," Gisella said, trying to think of where she put it.
"How about I just go in an try to find it for you?" Rosa nervously asked.
"Sheesh!" Gisella exclaimed, "Are you hiding something, Rosa?"
"What? Me hiding something?" Rosa chuckled, "Why would you think th-"
*CRASH*
A loud sound from inside Rosa and Isabella's house suddenly startled the two girls. Rosa jumped a bit while Gisella quickly pushed Rosa aside. She grabbed Rosa's key and bolted for the door with Rosa quickly trailing after her.
"Wait!" Rosa cried out, but Gisella had already opened the door. Sitting there next to a broken vase, licking her paws, was a grey colored tabby cat with white fur around the collar. The cat stretched a bit and rolled around on the carpet, batting at some of the pieces on the floor.
"How'd a cat break into you girls' house?" Gisella asked as Rosa went to pick up Gisel.
"She didn't," Rosa reluctantly said. She scratched Gisel's chin, making the cat purr with happiness.
"Wait, you know this cat?" Gisella asked, picking up the large shards of jade green vase on the carpet.
"Yes," Rosa said, "She's my cat."
"Oh!" Gisella said in surprise, "I didn't know you had a cat. When did you get her?"
"Just a few days ago," Rosa lied, but Gisel batted at Rosa's face, "Okay, okay. I've had her for four years now."
"Four years?" Gisell asked, surprised, "but I haven't seen this cat at all when I visited here since I've been back."
"That's because I've always kept her locked in her cage whenever you come over," Rosa said, looking ashamed.
"What? Why?" Gisella asked.
"It's kind of embarassing," Rosa said, her face starting to turn red, "It's about her name."
"Her name? What's wrong with her name?"
"Nothing's wrong with it! It's just embarassing."
"What is it?"
"I can't tell you."
"Come on now," Gisella said, "You can tell me about your abusive parents you've kept a secret for 18 years, but you can't tell me your cat's name?"
Rosa stood silent for a bit, but finally spoke after Gisel batted at Rosa's face. "Oh, fine. Her name is," she paused, "Gisel."
"Gisel? Wait, as in Gisella?" Gisella asked, "You named your cat after me?"
"Only loosely," Rosa stammered, letting Gisel down. She tried to hide her blushing face, but her attempts failed. Gisella just smiled at her friend calmly.
"Well, I think that's cute and very sweet of you, Rosa."
June 9, 2012
"Nothing like a good ol' glass of Splash to cool down from the summer heat," Myunn chuckled, drinking a nice cold glass.
"You sure you should drink that?" Isabella asked, "Larissa poured pretty much half of the bottle into that concoction."
"He don't look like it, mon," Larissa said, twirling her knife, "but Boss here can certainly handle his juice." She opened a fresh bottle of rum and started to chug it down. "How do you think I learned how to drink?"
"You know, that actually explains a lot," Isabella mentioned, sipping some virgin Caribbean Splash. Larissa chuckled and twirled her knife, kissing the spine of it. "Seriously, how have you not gotten sued or anything? You are drinking on the job with a large blade. If you were my worker, I'd find so many safety and work violations with you that your head would be spinning and your wallet empty."
"That's because Larissa's not quite just a worker," Myunn said, twirling his beard in his fingers, "She's practically family."
"Practically, mon?" Larissa asked, chuckling, "I'm pretty sure you already got the paperwork done to adopt me as your daughter."
"Really?" Isabella asked, a tad surprised.
"Well, the government's being a little fussy, what with Larissa essentially being an illegal immigrant and all. There was also that incident with the Bear Scouts, but there's no reason to get into that," Myunn said with a chuckle.
"How are you still here, Larissa?" Isabella asked, a bit more impressed than exhasperated, "Given everything you've told us, you should be in jail for at minimum 20 life sentences."
"It's a bit too late to arrest me for those things, mon," Larissa chuckled, "Besides, there isn't any evidence linking me to any of those events. I made sure of that."
"That's my girl," Myunn laughed, twirling his beard in his fingers.
"Remind me to never let you lose in ANY of my laboratories, Larissa," Isabella said, now more exhasperated than impressed.
Larissa and Myunn laughed and took a drink from their respective glasses. "So, Larissa, I've been thinking," Myunn said, setting his glass on the counter.
"Oh, that's always a cause for worry, mon," Larissa teased, but waited respectfully for Myunn to finish.
"There comes a time in every man's life where he has to settle down and get with someone loving and nice."
"Oh please don't be going somewhere I'm not going to like," Isabella mumbled to herself.
"What are you talking about, Boss, mon?" Larissa asked, slightly concerned, "What about Marylynne?"
"Oh, yes, she's certainly a sweetie," Myunn said, starting to drift off into a daydream.
"Marylynne?" Isabella asked in a hushed tone.
"That's his wife, mon," Larissa replied.
"Ah, yes, where was I now?" Myunn said, snapping out of his daydream, "Ah, that's right. You see Larissa, buisness is at an all time high and so is my age. You, however, my dear, have just completed college and need to pay off loans. You have fresh and innovated ideas. Just look at the menu as an example. Those drinks you made have increased our profits incredibly. So, what I've been thinking is simply this. Effective one week from today, I want you to run the Five Point Dine."
"What, Boss, mon!?" Larissa exclaimed in surprise. In her shock, she slammed her hands on the hot grill, causing her to recoil and her knife to stab itself into the counter near Isabella.
"I'm retiring, Larissa," Myunn explained, "So, no more of this 'Boss mon' business. From now on, it's just 'mon,' understand?" Larissa nodded while Isabella struggled to pull the knife out of the counter.
"But where will you go, Bo- er, mon?" Larissa asked.
"Relax," Myunn chuckled, "I'm still going to be here. After all, I did kind of build my house on top of this resturant. Besides, it's not like anything's going to change too much. You already call most of the shots in here and the other workers all come to you abour their problems, not me. If you need help, I'll be here, and you have your handful of leader friends to help you as well."
"Mon," Larissa said softly.
"Now now, no tears," Myunn said, "My time running the Five Point Dine has been a wonderful one, and now it's your turn."
"Why are you giving me the entire resturant now, mon?" Larissa asked.
"It was just a fitting time. You've graduated and you're a grown woman, Larissa. I've seen you grow since you were young and watched you blossom into the Jamaican amazon you are today. Honestly, I'm still not sure what Marylynne put in that food of your," he said with a chuckle, "plus, I had overhead when your friend, Ivanna died."
Isabella was about to stop Myunn there, but Larissa stopped her. "It's alright, mon. I've moved on, but I haven't forgotten." Isabella smiled at her friend and they both turned to Myunn.
"Sorry to bring up any tragic memories, but, as I was saying, I heard you got a house from her, which you then promptly gave to Isabella here," Myunn said, gesturing to Isabella, "So, I thought t was fitting that you inherit something that also means a lot to you. This resturant is your second home after all." Larissa was speechless, tears welling up in her eyes. These tears weren't from sadness from past memories, but of happiness. She let out a sniffe and a tear rolled down her right cheek. "The place is yours, Larissa. Take good care of her."
With that, Myunn stood up and walked into his office without another word, but a smile on his face, leaving a heartfelt smile on Larissa's face as well.
June 15, 2012 8:30 PM
"It's finally here," Gisella said with a deep sigh, "The final amp vs amp showdown." She gripped the handle of her bass guitar case as she looked up at the night sky, wondering if Ivanna was watching down on them. The concert hall was swarmed with people and security holding them back. A long red carpet was stretched out on the ground before the entrance, fans swarmed on both sides. Gisella fought back the memory of the last time the girls walked on the red carpet and stepped out of the limo. Camera shutters and cheering filled the air as the flashes from cameras nearly blinded the three girls. Gisella used her hands to shield her eyes until they finally adjusted.
"Never thought I'd be walking down red carpet again, mon," Larissa said, her eyes adjusting to the camera flashes.
"I still can't believe it," Rosa said, putting on a pair of sunglasses to protect her eyes. The three girls all walked down the aisle, autographic pictures and signing bags or anything else the fans wanted signed. Various colorful banners had messages on them, such as "Go Bad Good Girls!" or "We love u BGG." A reporter for the newspaper stepped out from the crowd and stood infront of the girls's path. "One really nice shot for the paper, girls." Larissa twirled her drum sticks, holding them still in the shape of an X. Gisella put her left hand in Ivanna's jacket and struck a pose, her bass guitar case in front of her. Rosa stood on Larissa's right, leaning on her guitar case. The camera snapped and the reporter stepped back into the crowd. "You girls are naturals at this," Rosa remarked, "You sure you haven't done this before?"
"I'm fairly certain," Gisella said, autographing another photo.
"Could have fooled me, mon," Larissa said, posing for a camera shot. The three girls eventually made their way inside, where even more people were crowded. The aisle way led the three girls to none other than the security guard who always stood at the entrance to the back stage. "Oh, this guy again, mon."
"Halt!" the security guard said, making a salute.
"Yes, I know," Gisella said, reaching for the Band Pass, but this time, the security guard stopped her.
"I just wanted to say, it's been an honor to meet you girls every time you come here. Good luck tonight in the amp vs amp." The girls all smiled and saluted back to the guard, entering the backstage.
"We're moments away from the final amp vs amp of the Battle of the Bands Extravaganza!" the announcer shouted from center stage. The girls watched from the TV in their green room as the crowd cheered, banners waving for both the Dead Rights and the Bad Good Girls. Gisella and Rosa both took their instruments out of their cases and tuned them.
"You ready to perform like we've never performed before?" Gisella asked, strumming a few notes.
"We both know I'm never entirely ready to perform," Rosa said, strumming some chords back.
"Don't you worry, mon," Larissa said, placing her hand on Rosa's shoulder, "You're going to do great like always." Rosa smiled at Larissa and Gisella smiled at her two of her best friends getting along like they've known each other their entire life. The three of them had come so far together, and they were going to finish this competiton either in victory, or defeat in a blaze of glory.
"Alright girls," Gisella said, rubbing her leg brace, "Eyes on the prize girls! Let's go all the way to victory!"
"Yeah!" Rosa shouted as the three girls made their way to the stage.
"Here they are, ladies and gentlemen, your finalists, the Dead Rights and the Bad Good Girls!" the announcer shouted as the two bands came onto the stage simultaneously. He quickly headed off the stage to watch the amp vs amp.
Gisella grabbed the mic as Larissa started to beat the drums fiercely. Rosa readied herself for her cues as Gisella cleared her throat. "We've been running around this circle for ages. It's about time that we throw the switch..."
June 15, 2012 8:45 PM
"...and the votes have been tallied. Every vote has been sent in by someone here or at home watching this broadcast," the announcer said as the crowd grew silent. The tension was so thick, you could slice it with a butter knife, or more properly, Larissa's ceremonial knife. "The winner of the 29th Battle of the Bands Year-Long Extravaganza is..." the announcer began.
Isabella and Naomi both sat in the crowd, anxious for the results. They held their breath and crossed their fingers. No one in the crowd uttered a peep as the announcer was handed an envelope holding the name of the winning band of the Battle of the Bands. The lights dimmed and a single spotlight shown on the announcer. A woman, dressed in a black hood and a blue scarf sat restlessly in her seat.
The Bad Good Girls all stood in a line facing the announcer and the crowd. Gisella took some deep but silent breaths. Rosa held Gisella's wrist with her left hand and turned to Gisella and Larissa, who was on Gisella's left. Larissa nodded and held Gisella's left wrist with her right hand. Gisella smiled and shifted her arms around. She positioned them so she held her friend's hands in her hands tightly.
Standing on the opposite side of the stage was Tyrell with Chen Fei-na on his right and Lechtor on his left. All three of them stood with their arms crossed and looking at the announcer. The announcer, himself, started taking his sweet time to open up the envelope.
He peeled back the first corner of the envelope, causing Gisella to take a deep breath in. She could feel Rosa's grip tighten. The announcer ran his thumb along the sealed part of the envelope, gently starting to peel it open. The crowd sat anxious for the result, as did everyone else who was watching the broadcast. The only sound echoing through the concert hall was the paper of the envelope shuffling and tearing. The announcer pulled a piece of paper from the envelope and handed the empty remains to a stagehand.
The woman in the black hood and the blue scarf leaned forward, listening closely. Naomi gripped the edge of her seat while Isabella clung tightly to the armrests. Gisella took a sharp breath in, holding Rosa and Larissa's hands tighter. The other girls responded in the same fashion, all three of them staring at the ground. They hope for the best, but prepared themselves for the worst. The spot light on the announcer started to lift up, gently swayng left and right. Larissa clenched her teeth as Rosa squeezed Gisella's hand tighter. Gisella held her breath and braced herself. Tyrell stood calmly, not amused by the announcer's pausing. Chen Fei-na had an emotionless expression and Lechtor just smirked, as if he already knew what the answer was. The announcer lifted his head up to the microphone and cleared his voice.
"...the Dead Rights!" he shouted. The crowd went into a frenzy of cheers and applause as confetti rained down from the ceiling. Gisella breathed out and sighed in defeat. Larissa groaned and Rosa loosened her grip on Gisella's hand. Naomi sighed and leaned back into her chair while Isabella sunk into her chair more. The five girls were all disappointed that the Bad Good Girls lost, but Gisella still smiled. They may not have won the competiton, but they did win each other. Rosa and Larissa were practially sisters, Naomi became one of their best friends, and Isabella grew even closer to the girls. Rosa and Larissa both understood what Gisella was smiling about and smiled as well. What was important to them now was that they had each other.
"Come on, girls, mon," Larissa said, "Drinks are on-"
"NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"
A scream from the crowd caused everyone to quickly look around to find the source. The seven people on stage all peered into the crowd, trying to find out who yelled. The woman in the black hood and blue scarf stood up, quickly taking off both of them.
"No way!" Gisella exclaimed, quickly holding up her bass guitar.
"Is that!?" Rosa asked, scared.
Isabella gasped at the sight of the woman. "Cantina Fluron."
"Nononononononononono!" Cantina cried out, rushing her way up the aisle, "The Bad Good Girls are supposed to win! That's how I'll be famous!" She began to laugh like a maniac and pulled a gun out, aiming it at Rosa. Everyone gasped as Cantina began to sway back and forth. "Nobody move!" she yelled, a deranged and sociopathic laugh coming from her. A wicked and twisted smile drew across her face as she gazed upon her prey. "I guess I could still be famous for killing her," Cantina said, her gaze fixed upon Rosa. Rosa stood there, frozen in fear. Her breathing quickened and she began to hyperventilate. Cantina cocked the gun and pulled the trigger a second before the security guard from the lobby tackled the escaped mental patient to the ground. The gunshot rang through the concert hall as gasps escaped from the crowd.
"NO!!!!!!!"