Live From Coachella... (Chapter 5)

Later the day the girls arrived to Coachella, Debra spent all night talking to her new friend, Morgan until sleep caught up to them. The next morning, the girls packed their bags up for home since that day was a school day. Before leaving and going back to Laguna Beach, Debra received a phone number from Morgan. Skye could relate to Debra as she received a number from Morgan's friend, Leo. The day after, the girls were ready for school and were ready to discuss their fun time at the festival with absentees, Madeline and Andrea. However, they were able to discuss every detail during their lunch period. As an unusual moment, Lizzie, Skye and Debra gawked at Andrea and Madeline, trying to listen to music on a MP3 player, which they listened to by each wearing an earphone attached to the player.
"So..." Lizzie said, trying to break the awkwardness, "you got that boy's number, Debra?"
"Yep, I did," answered Debra. "He was so sweet. And so cool. I want to call him today."
"Whoa, you can't call a boy a day after seeing him," said Skye.
"Why not?"
"It reads 'desperate'. You got to wait a few days. Maybe a week."
"So he can see how laidback you are," Lizzie jumped in.
"Yeah, then he's going to be calling you like he needs you."
"Wow, so much I've never learn," said Debra. "Are four days okay?"
"Four days are A-Okay."
"So when are you going to call Leo?"
"Maybe four days, also. Or three. Or today."
"What?"
"I really like him. What if he doesn't answer my call in four days?"
"Well, he's not going to answer your call today if you're crazy," said Lizzie.
Skye tilted her head. "I'm not crazy. I'm just crazy for him!"
"Oh, little Skye," said Debra, "you're overreacting."
"You need to underreact," said Lizzie.
"You're right," agreed Skye. "It's just that Leo was so cool. I had a connection with him that I had with no one else."
"Well, what if Leo was a cat murderer?"
Skye stopped to think. "You're right; I'm overreacting."
Lizzie and Debra nodded.
Lizzie then turned her attention to Madeline, who was still listening to music. "Madeline? Maddie?"
"Candy Andy?" Skye said, taking out Andrea's earphone.
Andrea grabbed the earphone. "No, don't!" she panicked.
"Don't need to holler."
"What are you guys listening to?" asked Debra.
"Fall Out Boy," answered Madeline.
"I thought you guys said that you didn't like rock," reminded Skye.
"Well, we lied," said Andrea.
"Over the weekend, we listened to songs," started Madeline, "by Queen and Cobra Starship and Rob Zhombie."
"We went to your house to listen to them."
"My house?" Skye squinted her eyes.
"Yeah, your room is full of CDs. We actually get it now."
"Get what?"
"The meaning of listening to rock," said Madeline. "Every song has a message. Every song is a poem."
"Rock rocks," Andrea giggled, making Madeline giggle.
"Are electronics allowed in the cafeteria?" asked Lizzie.
"We don't know. But we need to get every last drop of rock as we can."
"I feel like I breathe in it now," Madeline confessed.
"You guys are acting weird," Debra commented.
"We don't care. If you're going to Coachella next year, Skye, we are in."
"In like a spin," said Andrea.
"But if you're going to a Marilyn Manson concert at a certain time, count us in."
"He makes me hallucinate."
"Well, that's interesting," said Skye. "At least you guys like rock now."
"You're just weird about it," Lizzie commented. "It's okay to hallucinate?"
"No," answered Madeline. "But for now on, we're going to express our love for such a genre of music."
"That's good to hear," said Debra. "Now can we talk about our time in Coachella?"
"Sure."
"Did you girls meet any guys?" asked Andrea.
"Yeah," replied Debra, "me and Skye did."
"And you didn't, Lizzie?"
"Hey, what's done is done," Lizzie responded.
"I want to call Leo," said Skye. "I want to call Leo so bad."
"Gee, Skye, you're acting like a girly-girl," said Madeline.
"No, I'm not. I'm just acting psycho."
"Which makes more sense."
"But you don't get it. He's in a band just like me and he worships Bono just like me and he wants to marry Jack White just like me."
"Are you sure he's straight?" asked Andrea.
"Yeah, he's straight. He's just so cool."
"Reminder: cat murderer," reminded Lizzie.
"But cool can mean anything."
"Overall: Coachella was the best," Debra confessed. "If Coachella went on every day for a whole year, I would definitely stay there for that whole year."
"You can't eat snow cones forever," said Skye.
All of the girls laughed.
"Oh!" Madeline uttered. "Andrea, you got to hear this song," she said, feeling the earphone in her ear.
Andrea picked up the other earphone and placed it in her ear. "Oh, is this by Boys Like Girls?"
"It sure is!"
"Yes!"
"Yeah, you guys are still weird," said Lizzie after pausing.
"You guys didn't scratch my CDs, right?" questioned Skye.

Live From Coachella... (Chapter 4)

Within that day, Skye, her aunt and her friends were already deep into the festival of Coachella, enjoying musical performances and eating snow cones. They wandered around and mostly spent their time together. By the looks on their faces, they were all having a good time.
While walking and fixing her shawl, Debra bumped into a teenage boy with long, brown hair and a red guitar, making a bit of her snow cone drip on her arm.
"Oh, I'm sorry," said the boy.
"Oh, it's okay," responded Debra. "I should've kept my head up." She licked the wet ice off of her arm.
The boy chuckled. "I'm Morgan," he threw his hand out.
Debra shook it. "I'm Debra. You can call me Debbie for short."
The boy chuckled again.
"Why do you have a guitar with you?"
"Oh, I'm in a band."
"Get out! Which band?"
"Oh, it's a band that you probably never heard of."
"Is it a famous band?"
"No, but we're getting there. It's called Winter Fire; we got a gig to perform a little bit here."
"Oh, that's so cool! Plus, I dig that name."
"Thanks. My buddy, Leo, came up with it."
"When are you going to perform? Or did you already perform?"
"Oh, we're going to. After Chromeo."
"Coolio."
"Chromeo, not Coolio."
"Oh, no. I meant 'coolio' as in 'cool'."
"Oh, sorry. I have trouble hearing sometimes."
"Well, when you're in a rock band, someone's managed to get their ears blown off."
Morgan chuckled. "Yeah. Hey, what are you doing later?"
"Well, basically the same thing--"
"No, I mean are you going to go to sleep when night comes?"
"Oh, I might if I'm really tired. Why?"
"I was thinking maybe later--"
Suddenly, Skye comes up to Debra.
"Debra, can you tell my aunt to stop showing Lizzie her tattoo?" she asked.
"Why can't you tell her?" asked Debra. "She's your aunt."
"But I think it would be better if there's a second opinion."
"Before I end up seeing Fee's tattoo--"
"Don't call her Fee."
"Before I end up seeing your aunt Felicia's tattoo, I would like to introduce you to Morgan."
Morgan waved. "Hi, how are you?"
"I've been better," answered Skye.
"This is my friend, Skye," said Debra.
Instantly, a boy with full, red hair and black earrings, holding a blue guitar, rushed up to Morgan.
"Hey, Morgan, did you get the water yet?" he asked.
"No, I was just about to get it," said Morgan. "Leo, this is my new friend, Debra, and her friend, Skye," he introduced the girls.
"Hi, how's it going?" Leo asked.
"I am way much better," responded Skye, grinning.
"Hey, Skye's a cool name."
"Thanks, my parents gave it to me."
Leo chuckled.
"So you're in a band with Morgan?" asked Debra.
"Yep," Leo answered. "Ever since we were twelve."
"That's cool. Skye is in a band, also."
"Really?"
"Yes, I am," said Skye.
"Hey, wanna talk?"
"Yes, I do."
"Morgan, I'm going to get the water, alright?"
"Sure, dude," Morgan responded.
Leo walked off with Skye to his destination while creating a conversation.
"They look like a happy couple," Morgan commented.
"Agreed," said Debra. "So you were saying?"
"Saying what?"
"The thing you were going to say when my friend came over to me."
"Oh, yeah, that thing. I was wondering if you want to chat later and stay up all night to that."
"Oh, I would love to."
"Awesome. Well, I'm going to go check with my friends, Brady and Dick, who are also in the band."
"Okay, tell them I said good luck."
"I will. Thank you. Debra."
"Morgan."
He chuckled. "Okay, see you later. Just come find me."
"Okay. See ya."
Morgan smiled to himself as he turned around and walked away.
Debra smiled to herself, also. Then she turned her head to look for Felicia.
"Fee, what kind of tattoo is that?" she shouted, walking towards her.

Live From Coachella... (Chapter 3)

During that day, Madeline invited Andrea over her house just like she planned at school days ago. She came over at two O'clock in the afternoon with Madeline answering the door. Then afterwards, they spent most of their quality time in Madeline's bedroom.
"We should've went to Coachella," said Andrea, looking into a small mirror in her hand.
"Why?" Madeline responded, dusting her white desk with a feather duster.
"Most of our gang went. So we should've went."
"But we don't rock music. Just because we're best friends doesn't mean we have to go everywhere together."
"Right, right."
"Unless Skye's band had a gig at Coachella. Then I would go."
"Same here."
"Yeah because we would be supporting her. Plus, I do like her music."
"Me, too."
"A New Yesterday's music since it's a band and not her."
"Yeah."
"But otherwise, I wouldn't go."
"Yeah. Why are you using a feather duster?"
"It helps get the dust off of stuff."
"But who uses a feather duster anymore?"
"A bunch of people."
"Like who?"
"My parents."
"Oh, so I'm assuming that that's your parents' feather duster."
"Of course. It's not like I asked for a feather duster for Christmas."
"That sounds like something you would do."
"But I didn't! Andrea. So I am using it to clean my desk and my desk is dusty."
"What is on your desk right there?" Andrea pointed.
"Right where?"
"Right in front of your feather duster."
Madeline picked up the object, which was a CD case. "Oh, it's a Queen CD."
"Oh."
"Yeah, my parents love this band. They listen to it almost every day."
"Why do you have it?"
"I actually kind of like some of their songs. I mean, I'm not obsessed with them like my parents are. But yeah, I would say I'm a fan."
"You listened to the whole CD?"
"Not really. Only two songs. 'Sweet Lady' and 'You're My Best Friend'. Don't know where I heard them from but they're cool."
"Can I have a listen?"
"Sure, Andy."
Madeline opened the CD player on her desk. She opened the case and popped out the CD. She placed the CD in the player and closed it. She pressed the 'Play' button and pressed more buttons to skip some songs. She stopped until she heard the 'You're My Best Friend' song.
Later, the girls decided to listen to the whole album to give "rock music another chance". Once they went through the whole album, which took almost forty minutes, they started to get hooked.
"Wow, Queen is an amazing band!" Andrea commented.
"So amazing," Madeline agreed.
"I could listen to that band forever."
"Well, too bad. It's my parents'."
"Hey, do you know what we should do?"
"Go over Skye's house and look through her CDs?"
"Dang, you're smart."
"I take hits."
"Let's go!"

The girls decided to hop into Andrea's car and drive all the way to Skye's house. They asked Skye's parents if they could have permission to come in even though Skye was gone. They consented, letting the two girls into their home. They went for Skye's bedroom and found her stash of rock CDs. For one and a half hours, they listened to several of Skye's CDs on her CD player.
"Oh, my God," said Madeline. "AC/DC is the bomb-dot-com!"
"I was just about to say that," said Andrea.
"What should we listen to next?"
Andrea took the first CD from the long stack of CDs. "Uh, how about Panic! At The Disco?"
"We've already listened to their album."
"Yeah, but this is a different album. It's called 'Vices and Virtues'. We listened to 'A Fever That Can't Sweat Out'."
"Oh, yeah, right. Wait!" Madeline bent down and picked up a CD that was laying on the floor by Skye's bed. "What about this album by Marilyn Manson?"
"Who's Marilyn Manson?"
"We're about to find out." Madeline rushed to the CD player and opened it, taking out the AC/DC CD. She opened the Manson case and took out the CD, then placing it into the CD player. She closed it, then pressed 'Play'.
"Yes, play it!"
Madeline looked at the case. "Is this a man or woman?" She showed the case to Andrea.
"I want to say woman but women don't look like that in the twenty-first century. I have to go with 'man'."

Live From Coachella... (Chapter 2)

When the weekend came, Lizzie and Debra met Skye at her house before preparing themselves for the Coachella festival. Once they got their things together, the girls hopped into the van that Skye's aunt, Felicia, was driving. She drove for at most two hours to Indio, California while the girls had their every-day conversation.
"Do you girls want to sing a song?" recommended Lizzie.
"Why would we want to do that?" asked Skye.
"It's been a long drive. And it could take forever to get there starting now. So we can sing a song to make the time go by."
"That's okay, Lizzie."
"You don't want to sing a song, Debra?"
"I'd love to but I rather not," replied Debra.
"I'll sing with you," insisted Felicia.
"Aunt Fee, you're not in this conversation," Skye reminded.
Felicia frowned.
"Come on, girls," said Lizzie. "What about 'Camptown Races'?"
"You know the words to that song?" asked Debra.
"No, but I was hoping you guys would know the words."
"No, thanks, Doll," said Skye.
"I know the words," Felicia admitted.
"Aunt Fee!"
"Right."
"Girls, Indio is five-hundred hours away," complained Lizzie. "Why can't we sing?"
"Because I'd rather die," Skye responded.
"But you love to sing."
"Not 'Camptown Races'."
"And Indio is two hours away from where we live," said Debra, "so we have five minutes left to get there."
"And until we get there, there will be no singing. Let's talk about normal stuff."
"Okay," Lizzie agreed.
"You want to talk about boys?" asked Felicia.
"Fee!" Skye's voice started to get deeper.

About five minutes after, Felicia stopped her car in an empty parking space near a big festival setting, known as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival. The girls opened the doors and hopped out of the van, gazing upon the festival filled with wandering people and eye-catching decorations.
"Lizzie, I forgot to tell you: I love your outfit," said Felicia, closing her door to the van.
"Thanks, Miss Hayden," Lizzie replied, putting on her black sunglasses.
"Yeah, you didn't wear your hooker boots," said Skye.
"Hooker boots?"
"That's what they looked like."
"W-- You know what? They did. They did look like that."
"Wow, this place looks cool," said Debra.    
"I know," said Skye. "I hope it's more fun than it looks."
Felicia lifted up the trunk door of the van. "I can't wait to have some fun. I love music and art!"
"Miss Hayden, you like rock music?" questioned Lizzie.
"For sure!"
"Did she say 'for sure' or 'fo' sure'?" Debra asked in a whisper to Skye.
"I heard Foster the People would be performing and let me tell you: I love Foster the People."
"Really?" Lizzie inquired.
"Yeah, 'Pumped Up Kicks' is my jam. Plus I love Muse and Lana Del Rey. And Nas is my boyfriend!"
"Shut up! In real life?"
"No, silly. Music is my passion."
"I see where you get your passion for music from, Skye," said Debra.
"I didn't get it from my aunt Felicia," Skye responded. "I got it from Marilyn Manson."
"Isn't Marilyn Manson the woman with the white dress and likes to stand over fans?" asked Lizzie.
"That's Marilyn Monroe."
"Got it. How old are you, Miss Hayden?"
"I am thirty years old," answered Felicia.
"Too old to be listening to Foster the People," Skye commented.
Felicia looked up to the sky and put her hands on her hips.
"Your aunt is not old," defended Lizzie. "I'm looking forward to being thirty one day."
"Becoming an age isn't a goal," said Skye.
"Well, when I'm thirty, I'll be happy."
"That's a good way to look at it," said Felicia. "That's why I'm a cool aunt. So for now on, you girls can call me Felicia or Fee since I find it hipper."
"That's groovy."
"Don't say groovy," Skye closed her eyes.
"She can say 'groovy' if she wants to," said Felicia. "Now help me get the suitcases with our tents in it out of the van."
Skye walked over to the trunk and pulled out a red suitcase as Felicia pulled out a similar red suitcase out from beside it.
"You girls got your tickets?" asked Felicia.
The girls pulled out their tickets and agreed.
"Alright, let's go," she said, pushing down the trunk door and locking the doors to the van with her keys.
The girls cheered.
"Let's boogie-oogie," said Lizzie.
"Wrong context," Skye commented.

Live From Coachella... (Chapter 1)

"Where's the meat?" asked Lizzie, pointing at the sandwich in Madeline's hands.
"What do you mean?" Madeline questioned.
"I see no meat in your sandwich."
"Well, there's meat."
"It look like it's all lettuce," remarked Andrea.
"Well, it's not all lettuce."
"So what is on your sandwich?" asked Debra.
"The usual: tomato, ham, turkey--"
"Then where is it?" asked Lizzie.
Madeline took off the slice of bread from the top of the sandwich to expose the ingredients of it. "It's right here!"
"Ha, I love messing with Madeline."
"Why is the turkey and ham so balled up in the sandwich?" asked Andrea.
"I rushed making it," answered Madeline.
"She was trying to make a salad sandwich," Lizzie joked.
The girls giggled.
"Very funny," smiled Madeline.
"So what are any of you girls going to do this weekend?" asked Skye.
"I was thinking about getting a manicure," said Madeline, "but there's this unopened nail polish in my room that's calling my name."
"How can nail polish call your name?" asked Lizzie.
Madeline's smile turned stiff.
"I don't think any of us have plans," said Debra. "Why'd you ask?"
"I'm going to Coachella with my aunt Felicia over the weekend," said Skye, "and I was thinking if any of you wanted to go."
"Coachella?" Debra inquired. "I've always wanted to go. But I got to ask my parents."
"I don't need to ask my parents to go to the biggest festival of all," said Lizzie. "You can count me in!"
"Madeline, Andrea..." Skye waited for answers.
"Isn't Coachella that festival where a lot of bands play rock music?" asked Madeline.
"Of course."
"I don't listen to rock."
"Me, too," said Andrea. "I'm Latina so you know what kind of music I listen to."
"Of course, Latin pop," said Skye.
"Latin pop? I listen to hip hop. 'I like it when you call me Big Poppa!'"
"Well, I guess that's cool. I didn't expect all of you to come with me anyway."
"Where is Coachella anyway?" asked Lizzie.
"In Indio."
"Ew, far. How are we going to get there?"
"My aunt Felicia will be driving. She has a van so there's enough space for three people in the back."
"Ooh, free ride."
"Who will be performing at the festival?" asked Debra.
"So far, who's going to be performing, I've heard CHVRCHES, Foster the People, Bastille, Haim, and the 1975. Oh, there will be hip hop performers at Coachella, Andrea."
"I still don't want to go," said Andrea.
"Okay."
"Okay, I have to beg to my parents for me to go," said Debra.
"You should; it's going to be a lot of fun."
"I wish I listened to rock so I could go," said Madeline. "I want to see the celebrities."
"You don't know those celebrities."
"They're still celebrities."
"And since it's Coachella, we have to dressed laid-back so no tight, knee boots."
"Aw," Lizzie uttered. "I wanted to wear my tight, knee boots."
"Which ones?" asked Madeline.
"The black ones."
"Yeah, don't wear those," said Skye. "We're going to be walking a lot so wear sandals or something."
"Hey, I can walk a straight hour in heels; I think I won't need sandals."
"Have you really walked a straight hour in heels?" asked Debra.
Lizzie hesitated. "No, but a girl can try."
"No, a girl can't," said Madeline.
"Wear sandals or your feet will bleed," said Skye.
"My feet bled once," started Andrea. "I stepped on a bunch of thumb tacks."
"How did you step on a bunch of thumb tacks?" asked Madeline.
"That is a question that is not meant to be answered."
"But-- But it has an answer."
"Maddie, Andy, are you guys sure you don't want to come with me to Coachella?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," replied Andrea.
"Me, too," Madeline agreed. "Hey, Andrea, do you want to hang out with me during the weekend?"
"Sure, Mads'. What do you want to do?"
"You can come over to my house."
"Awesome."
"Too bad you girls will be missing out on Coachella-awesomeness with me, Liz', and Debbie," said Skye.
"Yeah, it's not that bad."
"Can thumb tacks go through sandals?" Lizzie asked out of the blue.
"That's a question that is not meant to be answered either," joked Skye.
The girls giggled, leaving Lizzie confused.