The Road to L.A. (17 page)

              “Your mom’s upset because she ruined the pot roast she was trying to make for dinner.”

Carly’s eyes widened and she said eagerly, “Pot roast?”

Juan looked around before answering his daughter, then said in a low voice, “It’s blackened.  She burned it.”

              “Oh,” Carly said, disappointed.

Just then, Lydia walked into the kitchen, her face still clouded with frustration over the spoiled dinner.  She looked at her family and mumbled, “Are you guys talking about my horrible pot roast?”

Juan and Carly immediately shook their heads, but Lydia could see right through their little fib when she noticed their eyes cast down to the floor.  

              “Don’t lie to me,” Lydia said, near tears.  She wasn’t buying their pathetic attempt to placate her.  Carly sighed and was immensely grateful when the sound of the car horn saved her from her mother’s pity-party.  She felt sorry for her father, though, for he would have to deal with Lydia by himself. 

              “Gotta go,” Carly said hurriedly, grabbing her gown and cap.  

              “Where are you going?” Lydia cried. 

Carly turned briefly and rushed the words out of her mouth, “I’m going with the twins to the graduation.  Remember?  I told you we have to be there before it starts so we can get ready.”

Lydia loosened up a bit and smiled apologetically. 

              “I’m sorry.  I’m just a little stressed.  This is your big day and I want it to be perfect.”

Carly grinned at her mother.  “It will be.  Just relax. Love ya.”

With that, Carly was out the front door. 

Juan placed his hand reassuringly on Lydia’s slender shoulder.

              “What am I going to do about this pot roast?” Lydia whined, glaring at the spoiled meat and potatoes. 

Juan glanced at the clock and said, “Well, there may be time to head over to Henderson’s Restaurant to pick one up.”  

Lydia looked at her husband as if he had found the cure for the common cold.             

The high school gymnasium was teeming with energetic teenagers in black gowns and hats.  An excited rush filled the air and inaudible conversation vibrated exuberantly all around as Carly made her way through the crowds.  She finally found Jake, along with the rest of the football team, gathered near the rear of the huge gymnasium.  Coach Harmon and one of his assistant coaches were in the process of finishing their famous year-end speech to the players as Carly approached.  Harmon turned and acknowledged her presence with a quick nod.  He then turned to his senior players and congratulated his “boys” on a season well-played.  When Harmon had finished, Carly approached the coach and asked, “Mr. Harmon, my parents are having a graduation dinner tonight.  They said they’d love it if you and Mrs. Harmon could come.  And of course, Jake.”

The coach answered abruptly, as he was being called to help with a technical issue with the microphone on the podium outside.  The high school was having its graduation at the football stadium, and luckily it was a nice day outside. 

              “Sorry, Carly.  Tell your parents I would’ve loved to go, but I have to attend a banquet tonight.  Jake should go, though.” 

Carly briefly took note of Jake’s disappointed expression as the coach relayed his excuse for not being able to attend.  Carly nodded at the coach, then watched as he jogged away to help with the microphone.

              “I’m coming,” Jake told her, attempting a smile. 

              “Good.  You’ll get a taste of my mom’s burned pot roast,” Carly laughed.  She turned then to see the twins approaching, their hats already pinned to their heads. 

              “I’m ready to get this over with so we can party tonight!” Amanda exclaimed.  “I can’t wait to see you play with your new band!  I bet the Gypsy Lounge is gonna be packed.” 

Jake nodded.

“You better believe it,” Chad piped aloud as he approached the group.  He looked around at the vast number of graduating seniors filling the gymnasium.  “I spread the word, and it looks like the whole damn school is gonna show up.” 

Chad caught a glimpse of Aaron standing behind his twin sister and added teasingly, “Even nerd boy is gonna be part of the big party.”

              “Why do you always have to be such an ass?” Aaron replied, frowning at the arrogant ex-football jock. 

Chad simply narrowed his eyes at the brazen “nerd.”   Carly groaned inwardly and told herself that she couldn’t wait to leave the pressures of high school behind.  She was extremely grateful when the assistant principal finally called out for all seniors to line up.  She was even more thrilled when the music started and the group of graduating seniors filed outside onto the bleachers.  Fortunately, the school administrators had abandoned the usual practice of lining students up alphabetically.  She couldn’t have thought of a better way to graduate than to share the moment sitting beside her best friends.  As they sat down and listened to the school principal’s introductory speech, Carly turned to face her three close comrades.  As usual, Amanda was playing with her gum and rolling her eyes at a group of cheerleaders several rows down.  Carly had to stifle a giggle.  Roy was casually leaning back in his seat, and when he noticed her looking at him, he flashed her one of his famous toothy grins that just brightened everything.  Aaron, meanwhile, appeared attentive as he listened to the principal’s speech.  He was so heavily engrossed that he didn’t notice Carly staring at him for several minutes.  When he finally did look in her direction, he smiled at her.  Last but not least, Carly turned to look at her best friend.  To Carly’s surprise, Jake was also catching a peak in her direction.  When their eyes met, she felt her cheeks start to warm.  His eyes were the bluest they had ever been, and his cap didn’t do much to hide his long, light brown mane.  He looked exceptionally handsome that day.  Not that he didn’t look handsome every other day.  She marveled at that boyish charm he so effortlessly exuded with a mere smile.  The principal’s concluding words rang loudly in her ears and she quickly turned away.  She nervously bit her lip as she mulled over those strange feelings she had just experienced.  After the last speaker had made his speech and the band began to play the “Ending of the Beginning,” the graduating seniors stood up and tossed their hats into the air with joyful jubilee.  Everybody hugged everybody, and the audience of family members and friends cheered with unrestrained fury while camera flashes popped sporadically throughout the crowd.  Carly had just finished capturing Roy and the twins in a giant bear hug when she turned around and came face-to-face with Jake.  Both seemed to hesitate at first.  Carly made the first move and stepped forward to embrace him.  Jake held onto her tightly as she rested her head on his chest. 

              “We made it through high school,” she said happily. 

              “Yes we did, Carlita,” Jake returned, equally joyful. 

              “Okay, okay.  Let’s break it up,” Amanda said, laughing.  “It’s time to get the party started!” 

As usual, all graduates were halted by friends and family for numerous and countless photographs.  They all wore their huge smiles and posed for the cameras.  Juan and Lydia ran up to their daughter and squeezed her tightly while a brightly colored gift bag dangled from Lydia’s arm.  Juan motioned for Jake, Roy, and the twins to join their daughter for a group photograph.  All five friends eagerly obliged and assembled, placing their arms around each other and smiling for the camera.  Juan’s camera lens was soon replaced by that of Roy’s parents’, and then the twins’ parents’ camera lens.  After all formalities had finally ceased, everyone made their way to the Cabrerra house for dinner, including the twins’ and Roy’s parents.  Carly had decided to pay extra attention to Jake as a result of his parents’ absence. She wanted him to be happy.  And it also helped that her father doted on him, which was no surprise.  About an hour and a half later, Jake announced that he had to leave soon so he could meet up with his bandmates before the concert tonight.  Juan offered for the members of the band to meet Jake at the Cabrerra house instead.  Jake graciously accepted the offer, for he didn’t want to have to go home just yet.  He was enjoying himself.  And he was also enjoying Carly’s attention.  He stole a quick glance in her direction, reminding himself of what a great friend she was to him.  His eyes lingered on the small of her back, then trailed down to the swell of her hips.  Jake gulped hard and shook thoughts of her enticing physique out of his mind. 

Thirty minutes later, the doorbell rang.  Juan jumped to go answer it.  When he returned, it was with the members of StoneLief.  Juan’s hospitable nature was not lost on Jake’s bandmates, and he offered them some food and drinks. 

              “Well, we actually have to be leaving soon to prepare for our show,” one of the members of StoneLief explained, nodding at Jake. 

Jake rose from his seat and decided to quickly introduce everybody.

              “This is Hayden, bass guitarist.   Danny on drums.” 

Danny nodded his head. 

Jake also introduced everybody to Mac, the rhythm guitarist, and Aidan, the keyboardist. 

              “And I’m lead guitarist and lead singer,” Jake finished. 

Carly examined each of the band members in turn and decided she liked all of them.  Hayden resembled Jake a lot.  His hair was about the same length as Jake’s, but a shade lighter.  Not surprisingly, Carly caught Amanda eyeing Hayden, whose looks were definitely eye-catching.  But Jake still held the prize in the aesthetic department.  Mac was very tall and lanky, with shoulder-length, dark brown hair and a line of tattoos going up his left arm.  Carly thought to herself that he definitely fit the rocker image with his long hair, black leather pants, and visible lip and brow piercings. Aidan was enormously built, much more so than even Roy.  He looked as though he spent about 30 hours a week in the gym lifting weights to maintain that massive physique.  His wavy, dark brown hair framed his very masculine face, and she couldn’t help but marvel at the intensity of his dark brown eyes.  Danny was the comical one of the group.  His head was completely bald, and he had numerous piercings on his ears and face.  When he opened his mouth to decline the offer for refreshments, Carly noticed a silver object on his tongue.  She had no doubt he had also pierced that part of his body as well.  Carly really liked Danny, for he exuded a warm friendliness that seemed comforting.

              “Thanks again, Mr. Cabrerra, for everything.  But we really have to get going now,” Jake said, checking his watch.  He turned to Carly, Roy, and the twins and said, “I’ll see you guys at the Gypsy Lounge.” 

Juan shook Jake’s hand, then nodded at the rest of the band members.  When they had left, he made a side remark to his wife. 

              “Is there any part of his body that isn’t pierced?” he said, referring to Danny’s “ornaments.” 

Lydia just laughed at her husband. 

Juan looked at his daughter and said, “Don’t think it’s okay for you to go piercing your body.” 

Carly just rolled her eyes. 

Not more than twenty minutes later, Chad arrived to pick them up for the concert.  As Roy and the twins climbed in Chad’s truck, Carly was made to wait as Chad rustled his date out of the passenger seat and into the backseat. 

“Cabrerra, I saved the front seat for you,” Chad said, grinning and winking at her. 

Carly was astounded at the sheer audacity of it all, but she did not protest.  Looking back at her friends in the backseat, Carly caught sight of Chad’s piqued date.  The girl wore a deep frown on her pretty face and narrowed her eyes at Carly. 
A definite ego booster,
Carly thought to herself, smiling wickedly. 

The ensuing drive to the Gypsy Lounge was filled with excited chatter, dampened only by the occasional insult hurled between Chad and Aaron.  Most of the insults came from Chad, but Aaron got in a few himself.  When they finally pulled into the
Gypsy Lounge’s
parking lot, Carly felt more excited than ever.  She couldn’t wait to see Jake perform with his new band.  Because StoneLief was the headlining band, Carly had to suffer through the opening act.  The band opening the show was clearly of an amateur caliber.  The crowd was growing a bit antsy as two non-melodic songs turned into three, then four.  The band’s frontman screamed his lyrics into the microphone, and Carly could not discern what he was singing about.  Thankfully, the headlining band was soon announced and the crowd screamed as the lights on-stage flickered. The pyrotechnic display revealed two short blasts of bright-orange flames, and the stage filled with a thin mist.  StoneLief appeared on stage, and the noise in the club became deafening as the crowd cheered and Jake and Hayden played a few notes on their guitars to warm up for their first song.  Jake took center stage and stepped up to the microphone.  The entire left side of the nightclub was filled with Lakeview High School football players who repeatedly shouted Jake’s name.  His face scanned that section of the audience, and his eyes soon connected with Carly’s.  He smiled and then announced into the microphone for all the nightclub patrons to hear. 

              “This first song we’re gonna play is about that sexy girl that just blows your mind every time you see her!  That girl you just can’t get out of your mind!” 

The sound of the electric guitar vibrated on all four walls of the building as Jake struck the strings.  The crowd cheered and the music started.  Jake’s vocals weren’t bad, and even Aaron’s eyes widened when he heard the words flowing out of Jake’s agreeable voice.  Midway through the performance, Carly glanced at the far corner of the club, where several security guards stood watch over the stairs that led backstage.  She noticed the fat club owner smoking on a thick cigar and conversing privately with two nicely-dressed men.  They would alternate between staring at the performance onstage and then deliberating intently.  Throughout the show, the crowd’s enthusiasm never faltered.  In fact, it burgeoned with each additional song that StoneLief performed.  After the final song, the crowd’s desire for more remained strong.  But StoneLief had finished its set, and, thus, exited the stage.  Carly and Aaron retreated to the bar.  Chad and several football players joined them minutes later.  Chad offered to buy Carly a drink, to which Aaron rolled his eyes.  The gesture didn’t go unnoticed.