Forever Mortal

“You KNOW you want to go to this party,” Merry whispered to Shiloh, almost knocking over a couple making out in the hallway.

Shiloh only sighed and flipped back a part of her blond bangs. Ever since Mirabelle figured out about the party from one of her “sources” she’s been speaking about it non-stop. And when Mirabelle has something on her mind, she never let it go. It had been that way ever since they first met, way back in sixth grade, which was the day Merry decided to be her best friend. Ever since the first day she showed up, Shiloh could always expect Mirabelle to tag along. Sometimes it got annoying, but that was only times when she wanted to talk about boys.

They reached Shiloh’s locker, which was directly next to Mirabelle’s- and started to get things they needed for next period. “You have to go,” Mirabelle chimed, “it would be a great venue for the band.”

Shiloh thought about it, wondering if anyone else would mind going. Ever since Forever Mortal formed, they had been looking for places to play and one day get found by a recording artist. Shiloh knew it was everyone else’s dream as well as hers to be famous, but she wanted it more than anything. Ever since she was a little girl, she knew it was her destiny to become a famous rock star. Every time she could, she would dress like Janis Joplin or Cherrie Curie and sing her heart out. She was fortunate enough to have parents that appreciated her dreams: the minute they heard her melodic voice they signed her up for guitar lessons. Now that she and her friends became a band, it made the dream seem almost closer.

Almost.

“I don’t know,” Shiloh added in, grabbing her history textbook. “I think I have to babysit Zach today.”

Shiloh looked at herself in the small mirror of her locker, noticing how she looked for the first time today. Her blond hair with a red streak in the right side looked messy in a cute, come-hither-sailor sort of look to it. Her icy blue eyes looked even bigger with the black eyeliner she put over it, and the raccoon streaks near the end of her hair looked almost invisible with the Metallica shirt she was wearing. With her black Converse and gray skinny jeans, it made her look like she planned this outfit instead of finding it five minutes before rushing out of the door.

Merry noticed Shiloh looking at herself in the mirror and ran over to where she was standing, making a puckering face. Her long, curly brown hair was in a messy ponytail and her bright green eyes- crazy green eyes, all her exes say- looked like they were about to pop out of her head when she made a face in the mirror.

“Sexy foxes like us need to get out there,” Mirabelle added in Shiloh’s ear. “Go out there, meet a few hot guys, maybe even find our own sex god.”

“Did someone say sex god?” a familiar voice said, hand grabbing out to grab the back of Mirabelle’s ponytail. Martyn, Forever Mortal’s bassist and Shiloh’s best male friend, yanked Mirabelle away from the mirror and took her place, making a sexy pose. He messed up his short black hair and put his overgrown bangs in front of one of his green eyes. “Yep,” he said to himself, “still looking sexy.”

Mirabelle shoved him aside, his body slamming her locker shut. “We said sex god,” she sneered, “not ugly toad.”

“Don’t hate me Merry-baby,” Martyn cooed, cupping Mirabelle’s face in his hand and pulling her close to him. “They all come over to the Captor side eventually.”

“Ugh,” Merry yelped in reply, jumping away from him like he was toxic. “Now I have to use acid on my face.”

“Maybe that’ll make your face look better,” Martyn joked, laughing to himself while Shiloh shut her locker. Since they all had history together, Martyn and Mirabelle argued the entire way to class. On the way to class she waved to David Andrews, the rhythm guitarist for Forever Mortal. He was listening to some high-pitched blonde girl talk, his grey eyes never leaving Shiloh’s. He nodded his newly green hair in reply, still watching them as they left. David was always the one women couldn’t find themselves not attracted to him. With his high cheekbones showing off his grey eyes and chiseled face. His golden skin glistened like a ray of sunshine and his constantly changing hairstyles made him look like a typical rebel.

“Uh oh,” Mirabelle whispered to Shiloh, “David is staring at you again.”

Shiloh only scoffed in reply, ignoring Mirabelle’s remarks. Merry always noticed whenever Shiloh and David were in the same vicinity and made such a big fuss whenever eye contact was made among them. Shiloh ignored it every time. David was just looking out for her; ever since they met David has always been protective of her. Shiloh could never talk about a boy she liked or even think about having a boyfriend without David swooping in like a hawk and stalking the boy down until he left her alone.

They entered the class and barely sat down- near the front of the class, three chairs empty- before the bell ran, putting on their best smile to Mr. Carter. He just simply ignored them and started the lesson. Roll call was the first thing on the agenda, making sure every kid was accounted for.

“John Wilts?” he asked, trying to pronounce the name as well as a substitute teacher could. When the name was called three times, he simple shrugged. “Probably getting high. Mirabelle Lee Phillips?” he called out.

“Just call me Merry,” Mirabelle replied, flipping some of her hair. “Everyone else does. So it’s the only thing I respond to.”

Some boy in the far back cackled, “when there’s not junk in your mouth,” and the most of the class laughed. Mirabelle flicked them off and Shiloh turned around to glare at them.

At that exact moment I made eye contact with Shane Michael Austin. His dark eyes held my gaze, making me feel like he was staring into my very soul. The girls always said that Michael’s eyes were the most attractive part of his face, other than his wavy, sandy-blond hair, but it was just creepy. He smiled at me, looking somewhat attractive and creepy at the same time.

“-Michaelson?” the teacher asked, and my gaze averted from Michael. “Ah,” he sighed sarcastically, “I thought you two were sucking face telepathically."

I turned beet red. “Why would you think that?” I screeched, but he was already ignoring me. The rest of the lesson was pretty boring: French-Indian war and how it shaped Canada isn’t very exciting. So when Merry tapped her shoulder when they were supposed to be taking notes, Shiloh was hoping for anything.

Merry passed a slip of paper to her when the substitute’s back was turned, the drawing of a cute face and the words “Read me!!” were irresistible. I opened the note.

Do you want to go to the party? It’s on the beach and you could just say you’re sleeping over my house.

Shiloh scoffed, looking over to Mirabelle. She was making her trademark please face, her green eyes big and her palms together as if she were a saint. You should go, she thought to herself. I mean Mirabelle hasn’t really asked you for anything. Plus this would be good for the band.

Shiloh sighed. Sure, she replied on the sheet, folding it up and passing it back to Merry. She quickly opened it, her face lighting up with joy and her mouth in a perfect o. Shiloh smiled at her, trying to ignore the feeling in her gut that something was going to happen at the beach party.

Something she could never go back from.