Take Me Anywhere

Drawing in a deep breath, Mia took hold of the microphone that taunted her from its stand and smiled at the crowd of three thousand that all came to see her perform. She adjusted her guitar strap and firmly gripped the pick between her index finger and thumb. She began to strum a familiar tune, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

The lyrics flowed from her mouth, her voice dancing and soaring across the venue. The spotlights shone above her head and illuminated her dark brown hair. Closing her chestnut coloured eyes, she escaped to her own separate world. She was free.

But before she knew it, the show was over.

"It seems that my time with you has come to an end," she told the crowd. They all emitted loud groans and she chuckled into the mic. "I'm sorry, guys. This is my last song. But don't worry, I will be back before you know it!"

The crowd cheered again and she adjusted her fingers over her guitar's fret board, strumming rapidly to another one of her more notorious songs.

"You've all been amazing," she said, just before the melody started to kick in. "I love every single one of you."

After the show was over, Mia was greeted backstage by her sister Alice. She was surprised, considering the fact that the last time she saw Alice was back in their hometown of Ajax, Ontario, and Pittsburgh was a far, far cry from anywhere in Canada.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "Aren't you supposed to be studying for an exam?"

"Oh, whatever, my Bohemian sister," Alice chortled. "It's just a psych exam. I know all the theories and everything, they can't present me with anything that will ever catch me off guard."

Mia rolled her eyes. "I can't believe that my little sister is studying to be a psychologist at York University and isn't at home studying for her midterm. And for the record, I'm not Bohemian."

"Yeah, you just dress like a homeless person," Alice retorted. "Look at what you're wearing."

Mia looked down. She was sporting a typical pair of black skinny jeans, her favourite Converse All-Stars and a blue plaid button-up with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. "I think I look good."

"You look like such a Canadian indie dork," her sister noted. "And I mean that in the derogatory way."

"I've had enough of you," Mia sighed, getting ready to shove her sister out of her way to get to the dressing room. "I have to pack my guitars and stuff. Why are you even out here? You never told me."

"The Penguins game," she shrugged nonchalantly.

Mia stared at her sister blankly. "You're here to see a hockey game?"

"Yeah," Alice stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Why would I not? It's not like the Penguins are going to face the Toronto Maple Leafs anytime soon. Hell, it's not like anyone in Toronto is a fan of the Leafs or is willing to watch them humiliate themselves game after game."

"You need to have some more hometown pride," Mia muttered. "You're not going to gain any fans by telling the world that you hate our hockey team. Besides, why root for the Penguins? I mean, Pittsburgh? Isn't that a bit random?"

"Not technically," Alice reasoned. "Their captain is Canadian."

"Who's their captain?" Mia asked disinterestedly, making her way to her dressing room with Alice hot on her heels.

"Sidney Crosby," she answered. "The game is tomorrow, and I know that you have a day off before you head back out on the road. I scored two tickets...want to go with me?"

Mia placed her guitar gingerly back into its case before turning to her sister with suspicious eyes. "You're just going to the game to check out boys, aren't you?"

Alice gave an innocent shrug. "I'm there to watch a hockey game. If there happens to be attractive members of the opposite gender anywhere in that arena, that may or may not be my problem."

Mia shot her sister a playful glare. "Alright, I'll go," she agreed. "I hope you got good seats."

"Would it be any other way with me?" she demanded, feigning hurt. "Silly girl. We've only got seats right by the boards."

Mia's eyes widened. She didn't know that much about hockey, or skating for that matter, but she knew how expensive seats like that could be and she was baffled. "How did you manage something like that? You didn't steal them, did you?"

"Nope," Alice grinned. "Dad knows the brother of the owner of the arena they're playing in. It just so happens that he had two spare tickets. Sweet deal, huh?"

Mia laughed, shaking her head. "If there's something you want, you'll do whatever it takes to get it, huh?"

"You know it," her sister smirked. "Now, come on. You need a shower. This post-performance sweat you've got going on isn't doing much for your complexion."