Sunday night while flying back home, Taylor smiled thinking of Ann. That morning when the two of them had finally awoken after their long passion filled night, both had been awkward around each other. Poor Ann had problems walking, and complained that peeing hurt. Ann was in the shower, while he made breakfast, when her brother walked in through the door. The guy was really funny, and had Taylor in tears with his flirting the whole day. Later when it was his time to leave to catch a flight, Ann had cried, holding on to him, not wanting to let him go...he felt like crying too, but men don't cry.
The only thing Taylor hated about the flying was that they insisted on pushing him to and from the aircraft in a wheelchair, first class was the best though. Laura was there to pick him up when they landed; she gave him one look and started laughing.
"Oh boy oh boy, my poor brother...I'm glad Jenny did not come with, if she saw you now, she would cry even harder."
"Hi Laura, and what the hell are you on about?"
"You and those puppy love sick eyes of yours, you look like a six year old, that discovered a mine filled with candy."
Taylor blushed, "I like Ann...she is more than I expected."
"I bet she likes you back even more," Laura replied with a laugh.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Taylor asked getting annoyed.
Laura brought up both hands, as if blocking an incoming blow, "whoa... relax Taylor, I'm just pulling your leg."
"Okay, so where is Jenny, you are normally together?"
"Crying at home, probably."
"What the hell is going on with you tonight Laura, just give me straight answers please?"
"Just forget it Taylor, you can not handle the truth, even if it reared up and bit you on the ass."
The twenty-minute drive was done mostly in silence, Taylor did not know what was going on, but he knew pushing Laura for answers now, would be useless.
Later that night just before bed, he and Ann spoke on the phone, and then Taylor slept like a baby. The next morning he was up earlier than usual, spending the time in the gym. After his classes were finished, he spend another hour exercising, when the phone rang, it was Frank, telling him about band practice that night. He and Laura arrived just before eight that night at Frank's place, and after greeting everyone, Frank called them all to order.
"As you all know, this weekend we travel to Gillette, for our first battle of the bands appearance. What you do not know, is that we have a sponsor. Kick 107 is going to give us a bus, and they will be selling tickets to fans of the band, so that these fans can join us, and support us when we play." Everyone in the room hooted and hollered, clapping their hands. Taylor joined in, but half-heartedly.
"So the first round will be in Gillette, then Laramie, third round here in our own city Casper, and then the finals in Cheyenne. Most of our trips wont take longer than lets say a three hour trip one-way, it is only when we come back that has still to be decided. I was thinking of one-o-clock at night, the bus leaves, if you are on it or not. How does that sound, we will be back home by four in the morning at the latest?"
Everyone agreed that it would be okay. "The competition starts at twelve and then end at twelve at night, but when we get to play I do not know. With the huge amount of bands that entered, they have allowed us the luxury of only needing to attend two out of the three venues, with the top twenty going through to Cheyenne. We are going to do all the events though. Most of the smaller bands will probably stick to their hometowns, and then travel to one other town, but I can only speculate."
"Each and every band only gets fifteen minutes, and that includes setting up instruments, and so on. I'm thinking at this stage, that we do three songs and maybe an encore if the crowds want it, that will leave us with barely three minutes to set up our instruments. Are you all okay with that?"
After another confirmative nod of heads, Frank continued. "We will practice, setting up the guitars, and if it is okay with you Mike, we will be using the smaller Yamaha Keyboard. Drums we don't need and we will only be taking Taylor, and Shawn's guitars. Paul, you and Jenny will just sing, is that fine with everybody?" They all nodded in unison.
"Right, when we reach the finals, and I'm saying when, not if, we will make other arrangements. Now Taylor, just one question, when will 'Rock me baby,' with Culture singing it be released?"
"I'm not to sure Frank, but the video will be shot in one month's time, so after that I would guess," he answered.
"Great, that gives us a window at least, until maybe the end of the competition."
"I'm sure if I ask Ann, they would not release it until after the final."
"That will be fantastic, ask her and let me know please. You all know the dates, is there anyone here that might have a problem with attending?"
"What about Friday's before the competition nights, will we play locally, or not? Paul asked.
"Yes we will, the only thing I ask of you guys is rather than go out partying after the gigs, to go home and rest. The bus will be departing at nine from the radio station's parking lot, but we are expected to be there by eight, for a morning interview live and on air."
"How many fans will they be taking on the bus?" Laura asked.
"You are part of this band, just as much as your brother Laura, so your seat is safe. As to the number, I do not know, the bus can probably take sixty persons easily, so work that out for yourself guys."
"What do they expect us to do on the bus with the fans?" Taylor asked.
"Talk, mingle, anything, just don't fuck them," replied Frank laughing.
Frank answered a few more questions, and everyone seemed in high spirits, except for Jenny. She spoke to Taylor with a strange aloofness, which quickly started to get on his nerves. Everyone was surprised when later that night, she jumped down Paul's throat, and gave him a piece of her mind.
On their way back home, when Taylor asked Laura, what is wrong with Jenny, she just replied with, "You can be so fucking thick sometimes." He left it at that, promising himself to phone her the next day, and find out what is wrong.
That whole week he did not get any chance to phone her, and at practice, she stayed away from him. Taylor was working double sessions in the gym each day, and with band practice and classes, he just did not have the time to deal with her. Ann had no problem with holding the release date of his song back, until after the finals, and her only concern was when she will see him, for the video shoot. The date for the video shoot was in between one of the competition dates, so Frank had no problem with giving him the weekend off.
Another interesting development that reared its head was Angela Swanson. Angela was your typical cheerleader, tall, blond, and well proportioned. She was one of the 'Thunderbird' cheerleaders, and although Casper College was basically a country and western music loving college, Angela was into rock. Her boyfriend a hugely muscled, tall basketball player, called Ryan, who loved his country music, and did not like the look, nor sound of rock musicians. Wednesday while shuffling along on his crutches, Angela suddenly approached him, and in front of all her friends, and Ryan's, began talking to him.
"You are Taylor right?"
Taylor was so dumbstruck; he could not get a word out, and only nodded his head.
"Let me carry your bag, while we chat," and before giving him a chance to say no, she grabbed his bag from his shoulder.
"Where were you this weekend, I went to see you play, and with Ryan that is a hard thing to do?"
