Punks Don't Wear Prada

4:20 pm

Ben's house.

"Damn it!" Maxi cried, and threw the microphone she was using on the ground.

Ben looked up from the drums and exclaimed, "Careful! You break it, you replace it!"

"I don't give a fuck. I quit." She stomped out of the living room to the kitchen.

"Bitch!" Ben cried after her and yanked the microphone by its cord to himself.

"Jared, you'll have to sing, too," he sighed, and held it out.

Mitchie squirmed on the couch next to me, looking eagerly at the mic.

Jared glanced at him and said, "Why not just let Mitchel? He can't be that bad."
Mitchie's eyes glittered in excitment. He accepted the mic from a hesitant Ben and stood up, almost tripping over his surprisingly big feet.

"Ready?" the boys asked each other before they all nodded.
They began.

To be quite frank, Mitchie was horrible. He was fine with hitting the middle notes, but he didn't do so well when they ranged higher or lower.
His voice wasn't too good, either.
I smirked when they got booed off the stage.

"Okay, this isn't going to work," Ben said, and Damian put one of the guitars down to join a smirking Maxi in the kitchen.

"Mitchie, get on the bass. Dani, move to the mic," Ben comanded impatiently.

"My name's Danielle, and I don't sing," I said, staring at the mic like it was a snake.

"Why not? Anyone's better than that thing,' Ben gestured to Mitchie.
Mitchie looked hurt and flipped Ben the bird, but Ben didn't notice.
Jared and Ben now stared at me.

"...Please?" Jared asked, looking at me and making his eyes big and innocent -or, at least trying to.

"No!" I folded my arms over my chest and turned my head, avoiding their gaze.
Maxi returned from the kitchen with a contanier of cheese whiz.

"She probably sucks. I mean, maybe she's trying to spare us from a headache or bleeding eardrums." She plopped down next to me and Damian squeezed between us.

"I don't suck, I just don't like to sing." I shrugged.

"Why not?" Jared asked.

"Please! I just want to rock out, I've had a shitty time at school today and I just want to forget about it!" Ben nearly screamed, and we all jumped back about a mile.
Except for Maxi.

"She's too sissy." She said, mouth full of cheese.

I stood up and yanked the mic out of Jared's hand.

"What do I do?" I asked, determined to beat Maxi's high score.

"Just sing into the mic and watch the arrow. It's really simple." Damian explained.
Maxi slapped him before squirting his mouth with cheese.

"Ready?" They asked each other again, and they all nodded.

"Here goes nothing," I said, and laughed at my voice echoing from the tv.

It was a weird song that I had never heard before, so I didn't know the words.
I stumbled over the first few seconds, but quickly got the hang of it.
I was hitting the notes perfectly and they began to glow.
Ben started to laugh and Jared smiled happily.
I didn't need to read the words anymore for the main part.
I twirled and laughed right into the mic, causing everyone to break into smiles.

Jared missed a few notes from the guitar and Ben was off-beat for a few seconds.
Mitchie was actually really good throughout the whole song.

"You rock!" Mitchie shouted to me.

I winked and suddenly the song ended.

"Wow!" I exclaimed, "That was... awesome!"
Maxi laughed from behind me.
All the guys began to clap.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew how to sing?" Jared asked, the faintest hint of hurt in his tone.

"Honestly I didn't know I could," I admitted sheepishly.

"Let's get a drink," Mitchie said to Jared, and they left for a few minutes.
Maxi and Damian exited down a hallway, Maxi leading the way.

"Dani, I can't hide how happy I am!" Ben grinned.

I laughed and asked, "Why?"

"Because now we might actually win the tourny!"

"What tourny?"

"The tourny for the best Rock Band out there. We've actually got a chance now."

"Wow, wait a second. I only agreed to playing just now, -not for the rest of my life!"

"It wouldn't be for the rest of your life! It'd be for the rest of the month. We have band practice every day after school. The face-off is this Friday," Ben explained, running his fingers through his blond curls.

"Can't Maxi just do it?" I demanded, gesturing to the hallway.

"Well, she's good, but she doesn't sound good. I mean, she can hit the notes just fine, but she can't exactly win the crowd with her husky voice." he explained further. then added, "But don't tell her I said that! She'd kill me and tell Mom what we're doing."

"You guys are siblings?" I held back laughter.
I tried to imagine life with a sister who'd probably beat me up if I simply asked her to pass the salt or something.

"Yeah. We're twins, to be honest."

"Dang! That's so cool! Who's the oldest?"

"Me." He grinned proudly. I guess I'd be proud too if I was the older twin.
The only similarites in their apperances is their blond hair.
Otherwise they look nothing alike.

Jared and Mitchie returned and tossed Ben and me water bottles.

"See you guys tomorrow," Mitchie said before leaving through the back door.

"Yeah, I'd better go, too," Jared said, and held out his hand for me.

"I guess I'll see you later," I said to Ben, who looked slightly disappointed.

"Will you think about it?" he asked me, eagerly.

"Fine," I said, and followed Jared through the door.

We didn't say anything until we were right in front of my house.
It was slowly getting dark and the street light turned on.

"Thanks for walking me home," I smiled at Jared, and started up my porch.
He smiled back but didn't say anything.
I opened my front door and was half-way through the threshold before he called, "Dani?"
I turned around.
He ran up the porch steps, two at a time.

"Yeah?" I smiled. I think I know what's coming...
"You're welcome," he said quickly before giving me a shy peck on the cheek.

"That's it?" I giggled, before holding his shoulders steady and leaning forward.
Our lips met.
His cheeks felt hot, like he was blushing, but they quickly cooled a bit.
His fingers ran through my hair as the kiss deepened into the best kiss I've ever had.
My heart felt a fluttery and my stomach felt queezy, like I'd just gotten off of a ride at a fair.
His lips were so soft, I thought, before I heard a loud grunt.
I had forgotten to shut the front door!

We hastily broke apart and I turned to see my father, not looking too pleased at all.

"I think you need to go home, son," He said a little rudely.
Jared didn't looked phased at all, though.
He smiled before hopping down the steps.
He walked with a easy lightness in his pace.

"Get inside," My dad bossed, and I cheesily smiled before following him; before I went to my room I glanced in my bathroom mirror and kissed my reflection.

Jared was by far the sweetest boy, ever.