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So.Here is the start to another story. It is called SKIP. This is like 15 pages so far on Word processor.

Chapter One

If I have to walk to school today, I swear I am skipping. Again. My slipper-clad feet trudged up the steps and I yawned widely. Pushing the door to the kitchen ajar, I looked around. No one.

“Mom?” I called opening the fridge door. A bowl of cold oatmeal stared out at me. Pitiful, I thought. I picked up the dish and read the note attached to it.

“Sister called, locked herself out of her car.” I sighed. Would Amanda ever learn to grab her keys? I slid the bowl into the microwave and watched it revolve in circles.

“Skipping again” I shut my eyes, wondering what I was going to do. I grabbed the dish, annoyed when the timer buzzed. I turned, ignoring the bright yellow walls and the vivid white table. My mood was now crushed, so I did not feel like sitting in an island of happiness.

I walked back into the basement, where my awesome room was awaiting me. Four poster bed, draped in red satin and furbished in black sheets, a white Mac laptop, my own bathroom, it was my heaven on earth. I placed the oatmeal on the small black table I had and stretched. Tinsel, my black kitten hopped off my bed and stared at me, her green eyes wide. I crouched down and reached out to her, allowing the soft black fur to rub against my fingers. She purred softly and I gently picked her up. I scratched behind her ears and sat on the bed, nestling her in the pillows.

“Good girl.” I ate a spoonful of my breakfast and grabbed my Blackberry off the nightstand. I opened the page to my many texts and clicked on my best friend, Kara. My fingers tapped the keys quickly, typing out,
‘I’m skipping, meet me?’ I hit send and settled in to wait. Less than a minute later I received a text from Kara.

‘What? Why? I guess, but where?’ I sighed, Kara was really not that fond of using proper English, and it was hard to understand what she was trying to tell me.

‘Mom isn’t home. No way in hell am I walking. I don’t know. Any suggestions?’ I hit send and breathed deeply, rolling my eyes as the phone vibrated instantly.

‘Oh. Well, we could go to the mall?’ I could hear the squeals. I sighed, I didn’t exactly cherish our times spent at the mall.

‘Why don’t you stop at my house. We’ll figure things out.’ I laid my head back and closed my eyes. Maybe I should just stay home today, relax. My phone shook and I opened her message.

‘Fun. I just squealed. I’ll be over in 20 minutes.’ I closed the program out, not bothering to reply. She loved my house and she made a point of telling me every time she came over. I stood up, and slipped my slippers back on. They were toasty warm, since I had left them by the heater all night. I waddled my way to the bathroom, making sure to close off my internet connection. I did not want Kara surfing the web while we tried to find something to do.

I pushed open the frosted glass door to my bath and looked at myself in the mirror. My cheeks were flushed red, odd, since they were usually an ashy white. I brushed out my chocolate colored hair and let the curls stay. Kara would be mad that I didn’t straighten it, but I liked it this way better. My green eyes were dull this morning, thanks to the almost guaranteed trip to the mall. I splashed my face with water and applied the usual wake-up cream. I glossed my lips with a pastel pink shine and brushed on some mascara. I glanced in the mirror once more to make sure I looked presentable.

Walking out of the bathroom, I headed over to my closet, which I kept locked on days like these. Who knows what would happen if I let Kara in there. I picked out a forest green tunic that fit me perfectly up top and was billowy towards the bottom and then paired it with my new black skinnies. I slid a black ribbon around my neck and tied in in a tight bow.

“Perfect.” I looked around at my poor shoe selection and picked out my worn black converse. I laced them up and walked into my main bedroom.

Tinsel was strutting across the floor, her silver collar gleaming brightly. I walked slowly to her and bundled her into my arms. She mewed, slightly shocked, but content to be carried. I sat down on the chaise lounge I had bought recently and let Tinsel play on my lap. I heard my phone shake on the table, but I didn’t bother to pick it up. It was Kara, I already knew. I heard a tedious knock at the front door, wondering why she was knocking. She knew to just let herself in like she owned the place. I listened for the door to close and noticed the tiny click of the lock being turned. Kara’s heels made sharp snaps on the wood and I could tell she was making her way down the steps.

“One again, I like, love your room.” Kara announced, giggling like always.

“Hey Kara.” I greeted. I stayed stationary on the chaise, letting her traipse over to me. Kara flipped her straight strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder and adjusted her pink halter top.

“Last time I checked it was the middle of winter.” I laughed as I saw the goose bumps rising on her arm.

“Shut up, it was supposed to be warmer, and I was already dressed by the time I checked.” She pouted her high-shine lips and I stood up.

“Want a sweater? Jacket?” I took a tiny silver key from my nightstand drawer and opened my closet. I sighed, I was going to regret this.

“Pick one jacket. One.” I put a lot of emphasis on the word one. I looked at Kara; her eyes had lit up like a child on Christmas and she ran and hugged me.

“You never let anyone in your closet.” Her eyes were contradicting and I laughed.

“Pick something before I change my mind.” Kara skipped into the closet and I sat on my bed. I opened my computer and logged onto the internet, wanting to check my e-mail.

“You have so many clothes!” Kara shouted from deep inside my closet. She was going to be in there a while. I logged onto my e-mail account and verified that I had two new e-mails. One from Kara, asking what the homework was, and one from the Instant Messaging Service. I opened it and read quietly.

“Your account, Cynical Symphony, has received a friend request from Friday Never Comes. Accept or decline?” I scratched my head. Probably another kid from school, wanting to hook up. I hit accept and grudgingly logged on to IM. Of course, Friday, was on.

Cynical Symphony: May I ask who this is?

Friday Never Comes: Well, my name is Sam and I go to your school.
Cynical Symphony: Figures, I have never heard of you.

Friday Never Comes: Well, I just moved here.

I sighed. This has to be a joke. I heard Kara moving closer to the closet door, so I started to end the conversation.

Cynical Symphony: I have to go, maybe talk to you later.
I laughed, sure, I was totally going to talk to him later. I powered off my computer and walked over the my closet entrance.

“See anything you like?” I asked, peering in. Kara was sitting on the floor, opening random boxes of shoes. She looked at me and her jaw dropped.

“I love your house more than you do.” She smiled and stood up.

“Find a jacket?” I crossed my arms and leaned on the doorframe. She held up a bright blue hoodie I had only worn once. I nodded my head and walked back into my room. Plunking myself down on the chaise, I lifted my legs as to give Kara room at the end.

“So, do you want to go to the mall?” Kara grinned widely, but I sighed.

“I don’t know. I really do not have any extra cash to spend at the moment.” Kara showed major displeasure and folded her arms across her chest.

“Maybe over the weekend.” I pushed her shoulder playfully and snapped my fingers. She glanced at me, trying to keep up her angry charade and failing horribly.

“Well, what do you want to do?” She zipped up the jacket and stood up pacing.

“Maybe, head into the city?” Kara stopped mid-step and stared at me.

“The city? Really?” She started to jump, squealing with delight. Her blonde hair bounced with glee and her pink heels clacked on the floor repeatedly.

“Calm,” I told her. She stopped, a wide smirk on her face and smoothed her short white skirt down.

“How about we give you some pants to wear?” I said gesturing to the closet. Kara blushed and hopped over to my mini-mall.

I followed her and watched her run to the back wall where all my pants stood. She picked out a classic blue jean, with a flare leg. Leave it to Kara to go retro.

“You can keep those if you want.” I grimaced, remembering when my mom had bought those for me. Kara’s eye widened and she checked the tag.

“But, they’re Calvin Klein.” I nodded and gave her a small hug.

“Early Christmas present.” Kara slipped them on and I hung her white skirt on an empty rack.

“The Rack of Extremely un-me clothes.” I said gesturing to the lone skirt dangling on the bar. Kara laughed and flipped the light switch off. We exited, still laughing and I rummaged through my desk.

“What are you looking for?” Kara called, playing with Tinsel on my bed.
“Wallet.” I found the neon green one I had bought recently and stuffed some twenties in it. I grabbed my black and white tote bag and slipped my keys, wallet, camera, and pepper spray in it.

“How much money do you have on you?” I asked Kara, turning around. Kara dug her coin purse from her bag and pulled out a fifty. I nodded and grabbed my Blackberry from the table. I slid it in my pocket and looked around my comforting room.

“Let’s go.” I smiled. Kara jumped up and followed me up the stairs. I stopped at the top and shut the door tightly. Kara had already left the kitchen and I quickly grabbed a post-it note by the phone. A note to mother, just in case. I smirked and wrote with my favorite green pen.

“Mom, after school, Kara and I are heading to the city. I filled up the car with gas, I have my cell, and money. I’ll be home before curfew.” I read out loud, making sure that it didn’t sound conspicuous. I walked from the kitchen into our “family room,” not bothering to look at the black leather couches and huge flat screen TV. My eyes did not hold gaze with the red walls, or the lush beige carpet. I filed out of the room, as if I was on a tour through a museum. Next was the piano room, which I stopped and touched the ebony keys of the piano. My piano. I sighed. I would have to play later.

I heard Kara’s impatient heels click and I wandered from the room into the guest hall. She stood by the door, a pink scarf wrapped around her neck and a knockoff Gucci purse dangling from her bejeweled hand. I buttoned up my military pea coat and tied a black and green tessellated bandanna around my throat.

“My car,” I said, fishing my keys out of my purse.

“Yay.” Kara smiled and opened the door. She loved my car. A black Mercedes, with tinted windows. I inherited it from my father after he passed. I closed my eyes. Thinking about him still hurt. I walked out after her and locked the front door. By the time I entered the garage, Kara was already inside my car, ready to be gone.

I heaved my purse in the back seat and climbed smoothly in the front. I started the car, listening to the motor thrum softly. Kara flipped on the radio and harsh tones erupted into the air.

“Ah, what’s this?” Kara’s voice was surprised and it did not sound approving. I grabbed the CD from the player and pushed it back into its case.

“I was experimenting with some bands I found on the internet.” I tuned the radio to 103.5, Kara’s favorite station. I heard her cough, slightly creeped out. I nodded my head and shut my eyes. She would be. Although Kara was a great friend, she did not approve of anything outside of the normal range; normal for Kara was reading gossip magazines, the latest trends in fashion and music, and doing her hair daily.

“Oo, I love this song!” Kara exclaimed as I backed out of the garage. I never heard it, but I agreed with her as she sang along. It was pop and a little rap mixed in; music that could be made in a day, which was definitely not my style.

“So, what are we going to do once we get to the city?” Kara asked as I made my way to the freeway. I hadn’t really decided yet, but I thought up something quick.

“Uh, I heard of this band that was going to be playing.” I said, remembering my sister mentioning something about it. It was a band that I would like, but not Kara.

“We should go see them!” Kara’s face brightened at actually having a purpose. I nodded, happy that we were doing something that I wanted for a change.
“Where are they playing? Any place that I have been to?” I thought for a moment. Where were they playing? What had Amanda said that morning she mentioned them. The…my mind was a blank.
“I don’t think that you’ve been there.” I said, making a snap decision. Kara pouted and gazed out the window. I looked out the front windshield, merging lanes with a silver Volkswagen. The lane shifted into two and I moved as to be next to them. I glanced into the clear window and saw a man and a women. Probably early twenties. They were singing along to a song. The back of the car was filled with instruments. Odd.
“Hey, maybe that couple is in that band we are going to see.” Kara said, glancing over at me.
“Maybe.” I smiled. They looked so happy. Joyful. Yet, so young.
“I hope I look that happy someday.” Kara laughed, and turned the music up louder. Leave it to Kara to ruin a moment. I concentrated on the road and jumped when I felt a rustle in my pocket. My phone. I slipped it into my hand without making a ruckus. I took a fleeting look at Kara and saw that she had dozed off. She snored quietly and was nestled against the window.
Looking back at my phone, I saw that Amanda, my sister, had texted me.
“This has to be good.” I sighed. Amanda only messaged me to tell me how big a screw-up I was. I accepted the text and groaned when I read it.
‘Mom is so ticked. Did you think she was stupid? Skipping school and covering it up with a trip to the city?’
Great. Wonderful. What other word could I use to describe my disdain. I held onto the wheel, which felt like a safety vest and wrote,
‘Well, since you had to be a dumb-a** and lock yourself out of your car, I would have had to walk, because mom doesn’t let me drive the car to school anymore. And since I didn’t feel like walking two miles, I skipped.’
I sent it grudgingly and looked back to the road. The sliver Volkswagen was nearing an exit and on a hunch I followed. They looked the type to be in a band. Exiting the freeway, my phone buzzed.
‘So you really are going to the city? Mom skipped work, that’s how she noticed your car gone. Well, why don’t you check out that band I was telling you about?’
I sighed, of course, I skip mom skips. Like mother like daughter. I followed the ramp into a small suburb, that seemed to be modernizing. I saw tall buildings from the city in the distance so I could tell we weren’t too far. I had to stop as the light turned red, so I took the opportunity to reply to Amanda.
‘Yes we are going to the city. Kara and me. Where is that band playing anyway?’
I drove forward, still in a mad frenzy to stay after the Volkswagen. Snow started to speckle my windshield and I flicked the wipers on. At least I had worn comfortable shoes. Kara would be enraged when she found out she would have to march her Juicy Couture heels through the mush.
‘The Crimson Terrace, how have you not heard of it? It is like the most valued club in all of Calico.’
Of course, Hayden the insane again. How was it so amazing that I didn’t know the name of a club I had never been to, in a city that I visited twice before?
‘Thanks for the advice. Well, tell mom that I am ok? Alright? Talk to you soon.’ I fidgeted and eventually got my phone back in my pocket.
“Kara, wake up.” I said, pushing her arm. She grunted and lifted herself off of the window.
“Where are we?” She said, looking around at the classic suburbia homes.
“Almost to that club. The Crimson Terrace.” I pointed to the looming skyscrapers of West Calico. The silver Volkswagen was right in front of us and I followed as it turned a sharp corner. The road was heading straight for the city and Kara clapped.
“You got us here in like, record time.” She smiled as we passed a sign that said ‘Welcome to Calico, Home of all your desires.” I laughed, at the cheesy greeting and continued on into the city.
Actually, West Calico, is like a huge crowded suburb. The homes don’t get expensive until you reach the middle of the city. So I wasn’t surprised as we passed street after street and still no Crimson Terrace. The Volkswagen chugged along, obviously knowing its way around. Just as the last cookie-cutter house passed, a large, black stone building appeared. In huge crimson words, the title, ‘Crimson Terrace’ was displayed along the top. The Volkswagen parked in the lot and the couple started to unload the equipment. I pulled into the lot too, but spied a cozy little coffee shop.
“Thirsty?” I said parking in front of it.
“You bet.” Kara replied at once. I slung my tote over my shoulder and stepped into the blustery winter chill and surrounded myself with my coat. I heard Kara sighed heavily as she placed her shoes on the icy asphalt. I ignored her disapproval and continued on to the café.
“Hayden, why didn’t you tell me it was going to snow?” Kara complained, tip-toeing her way to the door. I rolled my eyes and turned around.
“Why didn’t you ask me to wear a pair of more comfortable shoes?” I smirked and sauntered into the warm, hazelnut-smelling air. I held the door open, waiting for Kara to slowly march her way indoors. She immediately pushed past me and approached the ordering station. I shook my head annoyed, and followed her to the counter.
“May I help you?” A small girl asked, appearing out of the kitchen.
“I would like a double chocolate cappuccino , extra foam with a pinch of cinnamon sugar .” Kara smiled and pushed her bill forward. The girl wrote it on a small notepad, trying to remember the specifics. Kara took her change and went to sit on a leather chair by the fire.
I ambled casually up to the register and kept my order sweet and simple.
“A decaf, one cream, one sugar, please.” I said. The girl looked relieved and nodded her head kindly. She bustled off to the kitchen, repeating the order out loud.
Walking to the fireplace, I untied my bandana and wrung it around my hands. It felt nice in here, but it was a little too warm. I undid the first button of my coat and sat in a red leather chair.
“Warm isn’t it?” Kara sighed and put her feet on the ottoman. I mhm hmm’d and placed my hands behind my head. I closed my eyes, humming to a song I heard over the loudspeaker.
“Here’s your order.” I jolted up in my seat, not hearing the waitress approach. I handed her a small tip and she handed me my coffee. Sipping my searing hot beverage, I looked over at Kara. She was drinking the foam off of the top of the cup and her cheeks were flushed.

“Good isn’t it?” I laughed quietly, noticing she had a dab of cream on her nose. She giggled loudly and wiped it off with her finger. She then proceeded to stick that finger in her mouth.

“Gross!” I exclaimed, watching her scoop up the fluff with her tongue. I looked away, watching the outside. The couple was gone, their car alone in the parking lot. Snow had really started to come down, already covering my car.

“Are you ready?” I asked her calmly. I wanted to leave before it turned to a blizzard.

“Yeah, we are we heading?” I shrugged lightly. I wanted to go to the Crimson Terrace, check it out. It was a large building and I saw a few signs advertising that they had a few tourist shops in it.

“Crimson Terrace. There’s shopping.” I added on the end. I knew that Kara could not resist shopping.

“I’m in.” She slurped her coffee and stood up daintily. I followed her lead and stood up, holding my coffee in one hand and my purse in the other. I waved goodbye to the cashier and stepped into bleak wind. Kara’s teeth chattered and I braced my arms across my chest.


“God it’s cold!” Kara yelled, shivering wildly. I unlocked the car and Kara was glad to jump in. I, too, jumped in, my lips locked together. I threw the keys in the ignition and threw the gear into drive. I sped across the parking lot, yearning for the warmth of my comfy bed at home. We parked in the closet spot to the door and rushed through the entrance.

“Hello welcome to the Crimson Terrace, may I interest you in show times or directions to the cafeteria and bar?” A lonely door greeter asked pleasantly. I shook my head and Kara scurried forward and wandered up to the ticket booth.

“Prices aren’t too bad.” She nodded her head approvingly and looked around. The entryway was deserted except for the greeter, now lounging on a couch reading a book.

“This place doesn’t seem the type for a night club.” She scolded. I grinned.

“Well, one, it is the daytime, and two, Calico is a lot classier than the other cities.” Calico was full of expensive stores, five-star restaurants, and prestigious hotels. There was no way that they would build a grungy club in the doorway to the city; what kind of impression would that give tourists?

“Good point.” Kara sighed and started to amble through the hall, looking at random displays and trying to figure out where the stores were. I grabbed an itinerary from a stand and flipped to the map. We were on the east side of the building and all of the stores were to the north. I looked over at Kara, noticing she was going south.

“Kara, this way.” I said pointing to the opposite side of the hall. She smiled ruefully and followed me, her heels clacking loudly on the marble floor.

As we made our way through the curving halls of Crimson Terrace, I noticed several disheveled looking people entering a stage door outside. I stopped, letting Kara have time to prance around a store. The big glass windows were foggy and I wiped away the condensation. Sure enough, two men and two women were loading a cart with instruments. I noted a drum kit and a piano, gently covered with a tarp.

“So they were the band.” I said, nodding my head thoughtfully. My hunch had proven correct.