Battle of the Bands

by Jen Calonita

“Now they may not get to,” Briggs said grimly. “I better talk to the theater managers and try to salvage this. Otherwise, we will have witnessed our first Thunder and Lightning solo performance.”

  That is the last thing I wanted. “We’ll make them stop,” I pleaded.

  But it was too late. The house lights came on, and then a voice came over the loudspeaker system. “Ladies and gentlemen, please excuse this interruption. The Sizzling Summer Boys Show has been temporarily halted. Please stay in your seats and…” I heard the audience groan. I looked at my mom and saw her Deeply Disappointed face.

  “I can’t believe you egged them on,” Mom said. “Why didn’t you try to stop them? I was counting on you to help me, Mac.”

  “The guys couldn’t be stopped!” I protested. Deep down, I knew the truth: I did nothing to help Perfect Storm avoid the mayhem, either.

  Mom and I continued arguing all night. All through PS’s shortened set. All through Mom’s yelling at the boys backstage, and the whole way home to Long Island.

  A little while later, I heard a soft knock on my door and sat up in time to see my door open and a hand waving a white napkin. “Hold all foam pellet fire. I come in peace.”

  I couldn’t help but giggle. “It’s safe. You can come in.”

  Mom walked in. She had on her favorite pajamas—a tank top with a gorilla playing drums and bottoms with a zillion guitars on them. I pulled back my covers and pointed to my tank top. We were wearing the same pj’s! We’d bought them in Atlanta this past spring.

  “Well, that says it all, doesn’t it?” Mom sat on the edge of my bed. “We go to bed mad, but we still put on the same pj’s. We think a lot alike. I’m hoping that means you know what I’m thinking right now.”

  I tried to channel Madam Celeste, but nothing came to me. Darn it.

  “I’m sorry, Mac,” Mom said, opening her arms wide for a hug. I didn’t have to be asked twice. I practically jumped out of my comforter and landed in her arms. “What happened tonight wasn’t your fault. It was mine.” I looked at her. “I shouldn’t have left the side of the stage when I saw what was happening with T and L. I should have known the boys would go crazy.”

  “I still should have told them to stop instead of cheering them on,” I admitted. “That stupid battle almost cost them the concert.”

  “It all worked out in the end.” She sighed. “I just hope we don’t go through this at every concert.”

  I hoped not, too. “Am I stripped of my assistant tour manager duties?” I asked.

  “No. It means I have to do a better job as main tour manager.” Mom pulled away and held out her pinkie. “Let’s make a deal. I’ll be better at my job if you’ll be better at yours.” I looked at her. “Your job is to be a good friend to the guys. If PS is acting crazy, tell them. Don’t egg them on. If they don’t listen, come find me. Deal?”

  I linked my pinkie with hers and smiled. “You’ve got a deal.”

  Tuesday, June 21

  LOCATION: Love Park—Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  PS was shooting a music video today, and Mom, Mikey G., and Briggs were with them. Jilly was off doing who-knows-what, so I had the tour bus all to myself this morning. I was eating cereal, enjoying the quiet, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I switched into Mac Attack mode, jumping, then spinning around to take down my intruder with a well-placed roundhouse kick. I quickly realized I was about to pummel Kyle.

  “I surrender!” He held up his hands. He looked cute in a white Henley, rolled jeans, and white high-tops.

  “Sorry!” I had almost kicked my favorite boy bander in the gut! I could just imagine Bad Kitty’s next vlog post—KYLE BEYER INJURED! SIZZLING SUMMER BOYS TOUR NOW FEATURES THUNDER AND LIGHTNING ONLY! YAY!

  “Blimey. Who’d you think I was?” Kyle asked.

  Bad Kitty? Jeremy and Cody Callum? Madam Celeste here to deliver more bad news? The Sharkinator? I wasn’t sure. All I knew was that I was anxious. Bad Kitty and other bloggers were having a field day with the story about last weekend’s concert at the Beacon (PERFECT STORM TRIES TO SABOTAGE THUNDER AND LIGHTNING’S SET! Bad Kitty posted. I wanted to claw her eyes out). “I watched a scary movie with Jilly last night, and I’m still a little jumpy.”

  I watched Kyle run a hand through his short hair as if it were happening in slow motion. “Right. Well, if there are any ghosts around, I’ll protect you.”

  Aww… Kyle was so cute! “Thanks.”

  “I have some brilliant news that should take your mind off ghosts,” Kyle said.

  “Thunder and Lightning is leaving the tour?” I asked hopefully. Kyle shook his head. “You’ve written an even better single than ‘The Story of a Girl’?”

  Kyle laughed. “You are aces, Mackenzie Lowell, but no.”

  I’d never heard Kyle call me by my full name before. When Mom said it, it meant I was in serious trouble. But when Kyle said it, it sounded really nice.

  “I’d like to be done with a new song in time for it to go on the album, but I need that spark of inspiration to kick me off,” he explained. “You know, like you with your comics or your journal. What do you write about?”

  Um, you? But I didn’t say that. “Whatever is going on in my life. I love spilling my guts to a piece of paper.”

  “I’ll have to try that one of these days when we aren’t about to shoot a video for twelve hours,” Kyle said. “But that’s not the surprise.” His eyes were extra sparkly in the morning light. “Guess who gets to be an extra in our video today?”

  If it was possible for my heart to stop and then start again quickly, that is exactly what happened. “ME?” I screamed. Kyle nodded. “I’m going to be in the ‘Just Another Love Song’ video?” He nodded again.

  I jumped up and hugged him. I was touching Kyle Beyer. I had my arms around Kyle Beyer. Wow, he smelled nice. I quickly pulled away. “What do I need to do?” I asked, trying to sound serious and not at all interested in the fact that Kyle smelled like maple syrup.

  “I knew you’d be excited!” Kyle laughed. “First, we have to get you to hair and makeup. They have the trailer set up a ways down the road. I’ll show you where.”

  I grabbed my journal and decided I’d give it to Mikey G. on the way to hair and makeup. I was pretty sure he’d be there—Mikey G. made a cameo in all the guys’ videos.

  Kyle led the way as I quickly sent Scarlet, Iris, and Jilly a group text. We had started doing more and more of those since Iris and Scarlet named themselves PS Social Media Command Central and started sending us links to crazy blog posts and Bad Kitty vlogs. IM GONNA BE IN NEW PS VIDEO! I tried to type, but my hands were shaking so bad, I wound up writing: IM GONNA BE IN PS NEVER VITAL! Darn autocorrect.

  IRIS’S CELL: What’s a never vital?

  SCARLET’S CELL: WHAT??? Did someone call them not vital? WHO?

  JILLY’S CELL: She means new video. I’m in it 2! Get 2 makeup, Mac!

  ME: New video!!! Will send deets soon! And pics!

  I put my phone on vibrate as the girls started to text me like crazy. I wondered what Jilly and I would be doing in the video. Was Kyle going to be singing to me? I wasn’t sure I could stand it if he was. Girls fainted at PS shows all the time. I practiced breathing in and out and staying Zen. Wasn’t that what Mom did with yoga? I exhaled slowly. Okay, that felt good. I was going to ooze calmness. Mac Attack was always relaxed, whether she was hanging from a helicopter by a string or talking to the president. If I could be calm in a PS video, maybe they would start putting me in ALL their videos! I could be their video girl! People would see me at concerts and say, “It’s the girl from the PS videos.” And then I would sign autographs and take selfies like a good celebrity should. Then maybe I’d get so popular someone from the Totally TV network would call and ask if I wanted to guest-star on one of their shows. I’d be on Alex and Abby as their wacky new school friend. The episode would be such a huge hit that Totally TV would ask if I wanted my own show! Then I would pitch Mac Attack for TV and sign a multimillion-do
llar contract and…

  “Mac? Did you hear me?” Kyle was waving a hand in front of my face.

  My TV fantasy went POOF! “Sorry! I was just getting into character for the video.” I cleared my throat. What did people do to warm up their voice? Say their ABCs? I decided to give it a shot. I was at the letter G before Kyle put a hand on my arm.

  “I don’t think you have any lines,” he said with a lopsided smile that made me drool. “There’s usually no talking in these bits. Just us singing, or pretending to. But I’m sure you’ll be brill no matter what they have you do.” We smiled goofily at each other. Then Jilly ran up and tackled me.

  “Can you believe we get to be in a video?” she exclaimed.

  She’d obviously had her hair blown out, because instead of her usual bun, her hair was sleek with shimmery sparkles in it. She was also wearing a Perfect Storm glitter tee, which she wouldn’t be caught dead in under normal circumstances.

  “And at Love Park, too, which is the perfect place to shoot the ‘Just Another Love Song’ video,” Jilly jabbered on. “It’s just a bummer they banned skateboarding, because it’s the perfect place for it.” We stared at the bubbling fountain and the smooth cement surrounding the red sculpture that spelled out the word “LOVE.”

  “We can skateboard here today,” Kyle told her. “Briggs got permission for the video shoot. Look! The professionals are already warming up.” He nodded to where a few skateboarders who looked a lot like Heath were doing crazy tricks and flips. Maybe they were Heath’s stunt doubles.

  “Sweet!” Jilly smiled, and the glittery PS tattoo on her cheek seemed to jump. Her smile faded when she looked down at my right hand. “You brought your journal to the video shoot?” She gave me a pointed glance.

  My journal! I had to get this to Mikey G. “Oh, I guess I’ll just have Mikey G. bring it back to the bus for me. Have you seen him?”

  “He’s in the makeup trailer,” Jilly said. “I’d give it to him right away, so he can put it back before you both start filming. I would do it for you, but I want to see if they’ll let me skateboard, too, and practice some tricks.”

  Was there anything Jilly couldn’t do?

  “And I have to do a run-through with the guys,” Kyle said. “So now that I’ve escorted you safely to the makeup trailer without any ghost sightings, I’ll leave you. Ask for Phyllis in the trailer. She’s the best.” He winked at me before walking away.

  I ran up the metal steps to the makeup trailer, which looked a lot like our tour bus. Inside, though, everything was different. All the furniture had been removed, and makeup stations and lighted mirrors had taken their place. Someone was setting a wig, another artist was blow-drying a girl’s hair, and a third was doing a haircut.

  “Can I help you?” said one of the hairstylists.

  “I’m looking for Phyllis,” I said. “I’m an extra in the video.”

  “I’m Phyllis!” said a big blond woman with curly hair. She was wearing a loose tee that had LONG LIVE ROCK written in glitter. “I’ll be right with you, hon. Just finishing up Jeremy’s cut.”

  Jeremy?

  I walked around the makeup chair to get a closer look, and there was Jeremy Callum, humming “The Story of a Girl” while Phyllis cut his hair!

  “You’re not supposed to be in here.” My voice sounded shrill. “This isn’t your video!”

  Phyllis stopped cutting and looked at me oddly. Did she even know who was in Perfect Storm and who wasn’t?

  “Relax, kid,” Jeremy said to me.

  Kid? I was not a kid!

  “My group opens for Perfect Storm, at least for now, so I’m stuck here while we wait for our hotel rooms to be ready. The least PS can do is buy me a haircut.” Jeremy looked at me, his brown eyes blazing. “Like I’d want to be in their video. I’m just hanging with Phyllis here because she’s got the magic touch.”

  “Jeremy, you are too sweet,” Phyllis said, totally falling for Jeremy’s lines. “Let me get some of that awesome hair balm for you to try, and then we’ll get you on your way. You’re going to send me that single of yours when it’s done, right?”

  “Phyllis, I’m going to send a case for you and everyone at Technique Professionals,” Jeremy told her with a smile. As soon as she disappeared, his trademark scowl returned.

  “You are such a fake!” I hissed in his ear. I had to get that close to him to be heard over the whir of the blow-dryers. “You won’t even remember her name tomorrow!”

  “So?” Jeremy shrugged.

  “It’s not even your song to begin with! You stole it!” I freaked out.

  He laughed. “It’s mine now. That’s all that matters.”

  “All you want to do is mess with PS. I swear, if you do anything to ruin this video shoot for them, I will… I will…” What would Mac Attack do to someone like Jeremy? I looked at the scissors Phyllis left on the table. Jeremy saw me staring at them and grabbed them.

  “Don’t get any ideas,” he said. Then he got out of the chair and gelled a piece of his dark hair back while staring in the mirror. “Messing up my hair won’t keep us from crushing PS on the charts.”

  Without thinking, I tried to hit him in the head with my journal. Jeremy saw it coming and grabbed it.

  “What’s this?” he asked. OH NO. OH NO. OH NO! He held my journal over his head.

  “Give it back!” I jumped for it.

  “Give the girl her stuff. NOW.” Mikey G. was standing behind us, looking super styled with spiky hair and what looked like blush on his cheeks.

  “Whatever.” Jeremy tossed me the book. “Like I’d want to read your journal. You’re not worth my time. I have bigger fish to fry than some PS groupie.” Jeremy pushed past me.

  “Groupie? I am not a groupie! I am a super fan, and you’re messing with my favorite band. You won’t get away with it!” I yelled as the blow-dryer near me seemed to get louder. I handed Mikey G. the journal.

  “Don’t walk around with this thing,” Mikey G. scolded me. “I’ll put it back. Then I have to get to my scene.”

  Phyllis appeared with an armful of hair gels. “Where’s Jeremy?”

  “Jeremy?” I heard Heath say as he and the guys shut the makeup trailer door behind them. They high-fived Mikey G. as they passed him on his way out. “What was that dude doing in here? Were you talking to that guy?” Heath asked me, sounding annoyed.

  “He was talking to me,” I clarified. Because it was mostly true.

  “He and his brother are the enemy. They should not be talking to our girl,” Heath said. “Phyllis! I’m ready for my wash and go!” He bounded off to an empty chair.

  Phyllis laughed. “Let’s get all of you washed so we can get you out there.”

  I liked that Heath called me “our girl,” but the way Zander and Kyle were looking at me had me worried that I might not be their girl for long.

  “Did he ask you what we were recording?” Zander pressed. “Did Jeremy ask how I was doing my hair? That dude is seriously trying to copy my look. Phyllis! Give me something new today, okay?” He headed to the shampoo chair.

  “What did Jeremy want to talk to you about?” Kyle asked. His voice wasn’t as friendly as it was earlier.

  “It was nothing.” I didn’t want Kyle to know Jeremy had called me a kid.

  “Steer clear of those guys.” Kyle still wasn’t smiling. “They’re trouble.”

  “Kyle! Time to wash that gorgeous hair of yours!” Phyllis called, and Kyle walked away without saying good-bye. Humph! “Sweet pea, you stay put,” she added. “I’ll do your makeup in a few.”

  I sat down in the nearest chair and watched all three boys get their hair shampooed. I’d barely taken my phone out to text Jilly and the girls about what just happened when I heard Phyllis scream.

  “What is wrong with this shampoo!” she said, turning to the other stylists. “It’s bleaching their hair!”

  “Bleach?” Zander whimpered, sitting up fast and sending water flying everywhere. “WAIT! Why do I have orang
e hair?”

  Heath sat up and ran a towel through his hair to dry off. He looked in the mirror next to him and saw his hair—which had already been orange—was now platinum blond. “Cool. I was going to dye my hair this shade next anyway.”

  “Where did this bleach come from?” One of the stylists held up a squirt bottle. “This was for Lemon Ade’s dye job tomorrow. What’s it doing next to the shampoo?”

  “The hair products have been compromised!” Zander jumped up and stole Heath’s mirror. He began to whimper when he saw his reflection. “My hair! I look like a clown. Someone do something! We have a video shoot today!”

  One of the stylists looked nervously from Zander to Phyllis. “If we tried to dye it back, it would just make things worse. We need to wait twenty-four hours.”

  “WHAT?” Zander was seriously bugging out.

  “Sweetie, it doesn’t look that bad!” Phyllis tried, but Zander was beside himself.

  “Jeremy did this!” Kyle shouted. “He was in here talking to Mac.”

  “I thought that darling Jeremy was laying it on a bit thick,” Phyllis declared. “I should have known he was up to no good.”

  “Mac, you know Jeremy is jealous of my hair!” Zander whined.

  “Dude, your hair looks cool,” Heath said, smiling at himself in the mirror Zander was still holding. “Embrace being orange for one day.”

  “We have a video shoot!” Zander reminded him. “Do you know what our fans will think if they see me like this? I hope I don’t lose Twitter followers.” Zander looked at me. “Mac, how could you let this happen?”

  “This isn’t my fault!” I felt myself get misty. How could I go from being their girl to PS Enemy Number One in minutes? “I told Jeremy to leave!”

  Briggs walked into the makeup trailer, saw PS, and groaned. “What happened?”

  “Jeremy sabotaged our shampoo,” Kyle said, and he glanced my way again.

  “Did any of you see Jeremy tamper with the bottles?” Briggs asked wearily.