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Wednesday, June 5th, 2002
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| Subject: | Poem... |
| Time: | 4:27 pm. |
| Mood: |  satisfied. | | Music: | My Friends Over You + New Found Glory. |
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Wrote this last night... could be integrated into the story somehow. I'll get back to you when I figure that much out. *laughs*
Cry. . .
Cry until the tears turn black, to blood
Bleed for me, change my revolution
Let the tears fall until the world crumbles
It's remnants running like sand through my fingers
My stoic gaze showing you just a glimpse of hell
You'll learn even if the lesson kills us both
Our hearts and minds mangled beyond the point of recognition
Then let's being the race of crimson all over again
A cycle of revenge and hatred taking over our lives
Absorbing our souls 'till we are both but shadows of what we once were
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| . . . Beaten 3 times . . . Show me pain . . . |
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Nineteen year old Jeshika clutched the controller to her Playstation 2, nervously biting down on her lower lip as she concentrated on the task at hand: freeing Claire Redfield from the clutches of the evil Umbrella, Inc. and their little island of horrors.
That damn zombie won't catch me by surprise again.
As the hideous creature jumped out from behind a nearby wall, Jeshika pushed a sequence of buttons that culminated in its destruction and her temporary triumph over the world of darkness.
"Yeah, that's right! Eat bullets, you flesh eating vermin!" Jeshika cried gleefully, her oceanic blue eyes lighting up with a magic usually only found in those of a child. Sitting there in her fatigue print "Projekt: Revolution" girl-cut tee shirt and blue, green, and white pajama pants, you would have never guessed that this young woman was the lead singer of the girl rock/punk band Harmonial Dischord. The vocalist was cute by normal standards, with her long mahogany hair cascading down her back, forming loose curls at the ends. At 5'7" and being of a slim (but in no way emaciated) form, she could maybe even be considered pretty... not that it mattered to her, however. Jeshika was too busy enjoying life in her own unique way to worry about how other people perceived her. She had been labeled the "innocent tease" by both the media and her peers, a title which she exploited to its fullest, yet somehow avoiding giving even the slightest hint that she would drift past that fine line between teasing and actually shelling out-- in that way, she probably would have made the ideal initial phase for a pop princess. Going that route, however, would have landed her in the same position as that blonde washout Candie. Instead, she had opted to join a few of her friends in Harmonial Dischord, giving its edge just a hint of sweetness that made the band so unique.
The band itself had always been an experiment. The girls had taken a shine to the idea right after high school-- they'd had nothing else in their way to slow them down now. Why not give their dreams a shot? As luck would have it, they apparently had more than just dreams: they had natural talent. Everything had fallen into place at just the right times for the girls. Destiny had shown them their path and they'd taken it, dragging along their respective instruments for the ride.
"Are you done yet?" piped up a voice from behind her. Jeshika pressed the start button, effectively pausing her game as she turned to face the green-eyed brunette who had addressed her. Jen, the punkish keyboardist of the band, had a similar frame to Jeshika's, but she had an extra inch or two in the height department, standing at a model's 5'9". Jen was as innocent as Jeshika to some degree. They both had the same happy-go-lucky attitude, however Jen was more grounded to reality. Unlike Jeshika, she took everything with a grain of salt, which placed her ahead of the other spunky brunette when it came to accepting failures. Compassionate, but in no way a pushover, Jen embodied the basic attributes of what a best friend should be: truthful, but never harsh in the process.
"Done yet? I just started!" Jeshika protested.
"You've been playing since we left Detroit. That was over an hour ago!"
An hour? Could it really have been that long already? Jeshika sighed unhappily, glancing at her wristwatch. "All right, all right... fine, you can go. Just let me save this."
In a matter of minutes, Jen had replaced Jeshika in front of the infamous gaming corner, grabbing Halo and placing it inside of the Game Cube that was also shared amongst the five girls. With another unhappy grunt, Jeshika grabbed her Coca Cola and headed for the kitchen area of the spacious tour bus. Time to waste some time on that laptop she loved so much. However, as she neared her destination, she had already sighted a green-eyed redhead seated in front of her laptop, eagerly typing and clicking away. Julianna was the punk-yet-preppy-and-yet-still-somehow-goth drummer of the group, who in addition also provided sultry backup vocals. Everything that Juli did was done for one sole purpose: to make it even more difficult for others to predict who she was and where she was going. She thrived on being different from everyone else. In her own words, she was the singular piece of the puzzle that just didn't fit in anywhere.
Jeshika took a sip from her bottle of coke, lightly licking her lips before asking the inevitable question: Being the solo only child of the group, Jeshika hadn't been as exposed to the philosophy they called 'sharing' growing up. Now, however, she found herself receiving it tenfold.
"Julianna, what are you doing on my laptop? You have your own!"
"Had my own." Corrected the girl in the pink 'punk bunnies' tee shirt. "Mine broke down last night. Wallace said it was a virus or something. Anyway, the hard drive's completely fried. It'll take a few weeks before he can repair the damage."
After a moment, Jeshika responded, "That still doesn't answer the question as to why you're on my laptop without my permission."
"I didn't ask because I already knew you wouldn't say no. You know how I need my daily livejournal break!" Jeshika smirked at that. As a sort of joke, the girls were all involved in a sort-of online roleplaying game centered at Livejournal.com-- this game entailed pretending to be a chosen celebrity, usually one's favorite. Ironically, the girls had chosen to "pretend" to portray themsevles. To make a long story short, they'd had a blast with the roles-- creating some drama, acting out secret fantasy crushes, and other assorted deeds to give life that interesting spark.
"Besides, I thought you'd be enveloped in your video game for at least another hour," added Juli, brekaing Jeshika from her thought wonderland.
Taking another swig of her drink, Jeshika just shrugged. What could she do, forcibly kick off the redhead and risk falling out of her favor for the next few days? Nuh-uh. Julianna swore that she would one day take over the world with an army of genetically altered penguins. That day could be today, or ten years from now. Either way, it didn't matter. When that day came, Jeshika wanted to be on the right side. It just wasn't worth the risk. She cherished her life more than her computer time. "Just ask next time... and let me know when you're done. I need to check some things on the 'net."
Taking the slight nod she received as a response, Jeshika changed course by turning around to head towards the girls' sleeping quarters. In there she encountered the last two fifths of Harmonial Dischord: the promiscuous preppy guitarist, Phillippa, and the tomboyish hardass bass guitarist, Michelle.
Phillippa was the type who lived life from day to day... or moment-to-moment, if one wanted to get technical about it. The hackneyed expression carpe diem was her philosophy. In her mind, she figured that it was best to live life to the fullest because tomorrow, you could quite possibly be dead. Though infamously known for her intemperate mood swings and outbursts, the beautiful brown haired and eyed girl was also recognized as one of the most candid individuals that you'd ever meet. If ever you needed a completely honest opinion from someone with a clear head, she was the one to go to.
Like Phillippa, Michelle was also known to have her blue Mondays, but unlike the girl with whom she shared a sisterly bond, she tended to bottle up her emotions. You'd always know when Michelle was upset, but you'd never know the who, what, where, and when until a few weeks after the fact, if at all. On the positive side of the coin, Michelle was extremely empathetic when it came to her friends' problems. Headstrong and tough as nails, the loud Italian assumed the unofficial role of the 'leader' of the band. Whenever they had an internal problem or a major announcement to make, it usually came from her mouth. Physically, the hazel-eyed brunette was the strongest. It was obvious from her toned muscles that she made a habit out of going to the gym regularly.
Upon entering the makeshift dormitory, Jeshika was greeted by a slightly raised eyebrow from Michelle.
"Weren't you going to play your beloved Playstation 2? We weren't expecting you to grace us with your prescence for at least another hour." She commented, more than just a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"Haha, veeeery funny," grumbled the other brunette as she climbed up into her bunk. "Jen kicked me out to play Halo again."
Michelle couldn't help but smirk. "I should've guessed. She was pacing around here earlier looking for something to do. It was only a matter of time before she resorted to kicking one of her own bandmates out of their happy bubble."
"You make it sound like 'Survivor: The Next Generation'..." Jess answered before reaching for the remote that was always at her bedside. She was preparing to watch one of her favorite movies of all time: Save the Last Dance. "Oh, mini-television that's convieniently placed inside of my bunk, how I love and adore thee!" she proclaimed in that overly dramatic tone that she sometimes took. With one more quick glance in Michelle's direction, she questioned, "You want to watch Save the Last Dance with me for the fifty bazillionth time, Mick?" She grinned slightly. "C'mon, Sean Patrick Thomas in all his sexiness..."
"Tempting, but I'll pass." She responded, running a hand through her short-cropped locks. "I'm watching something a bit more alluring at the moment." After receiving a questioning look from the blue-eyed girl, she laughed and simply stated, "The Crow, Brandon Lee. Need I say more?"
Jess shook her head and giggled. "Never seen a finer dead guy."
"Hey, guys," Phillippa piped up from the bunkbed below Jeshika's. "There's an article in the paper about that charity concert we're doing next week in MSG."
A few weeks earlier, the band had decided to be a part of a special show dedicated to the memory of the victims of the tragedy that took place November 11, 2001. All of the proceeds would be going to the families that suffered losses. It was clearly for a good cause and it also gave the girls a good excuse to head back home to Long Island for a few weeks. They were in desperate need of a break from life on the road.
"Really? I'm surprised they cover news like that," commented Jeshika as she toyed with the DVD box in her hands.
"Listen to this," said Phillippa, clearing her throat again before reading aloud from the paper she held in her hands. "Next week, three homegrown success stories will be performing in Madison Square Garden soley for the sake of charity. Lucifer Frost, an industrial rock group, Harmonial Dischord, a girl punk group, and Five By Five, one of the many boybands to grace the music scene, promise to put on a great show. 'It's true that we're from three completely different ends of the musical spectrum, but that's probably what will make the show work all the better,' stated Justin Leis, Five by Five's resident blonde heartthrob."
Mick arched an eyebrow again, an expression that one got used to while around her. She still had that slightly cynical tone to her voice, but at the mention of the concert, her eyes had lost some of their usual spark. "I guess he's right... but I highly doubt he came up with that line all by himself. You know how those boyband types always have some record company representative whispering into one ear."
"No shit," cracked Phillippa. "I say you can't trust a man who can't play his own instrument."
"It's not like we really know them all that well, guys... I don't think you should be so quick to judge them. They just might surprise you," Jeshika cut in, once again showing her naiive and over-trusting characteristics.
"You're just saying that because you've got a crush on Danny," teased Phillippa.
At the sound of his name, Jeshika turned beet red. "I do not! I.. I just keep forgetting to throw away that CD," she stuttered.
"Right, riiiight..." Michelle commented as she glanced down at Philly. "Smile and nod, just smile and nod."
Her cheeks still a deep scarlet, Jeshika shot back dejectedly, "So what if I have a thing for Dan? A lot of girls do because even you have to admit he's easy on the eyes. And even if you didn't think Dan was cute, it's not like you don't have your own achilles heel. Gee, what was his name again? Let me think... P-A-U-L."
The dark-eyed brunette gave Jeshika one of her signature intimidating death stares, but didn't offer a snide remark in return. It was common knowledge that she had a major jonesin' for the lead singer/guitarist of Lucifer Frost... but it's not that he was the type that would be classified as the "perfect man". That was what made him different from all the other men out there in the music business. He had a certain edgyness about him, that way of knowing how to ward off people that he just didn't like. On the other hand, he also had the ever-useful ability to be a sweet talker. Smooth, calm, and collected, he always knew exactly what to do or say to get what he wanted... and quite often, he abused the privilage. He had just the right mixture of spicy and sweet, which was probably why the bass guitarist adored him so.
Jeshika squirmed uneasily in her bunk, trying to remain focused on her movie while also attempting to ignore the animosity that was practically pouring on her from the bunk directly across from hers. She deeply regretted playing the Paul card.
This was going to be a very, very long ride home.
* * * * *
As the lavish tour bus pulled up to Madison Square Garden many painfully long hours later, the girls began cheering and scrambled for the exit of the bus for the ever-coveted honor of being the first member of Harmonial Dischord to set foot on their native soil. It was a sight that they had laid eyes on many times before, but they'd all been away from home for so long that their memories of the venue had almost begun to cloud over. True, every place that they had ever played in their life held a special place in their hearts, but MSG took the cake. This was where it had all begun; This was where they had all seen their first concert, where they had all decided to become a band, where their first publicized show had been those many years ago with Lucifer Frost... but probably most importantly, it was home.
Michelle beamed triumphantly as she emerged out of the big silver bus first, taking in the sights as well as a few deep breaths of the New York air. "Guess who's the biggest bitch in the yard yet again!" she proclaimed, giving her fellow bandmates a snide grin.
"Big deal," commented Julianna nonchalantly. "At least I don't look like I just got up."
"I do not look like I just got up! It's called looking comfortably casual." Michelle answered quickly.
Although it was well past noon, Michelle had opted to remain in her pajamas: green, grey, and black flannel pants and a black tank top which read "90% Angel". The only thing she had done to make herself ready for the world that morning was brush her teeth and carefully groom her short tresses. That weakness for her hair was probably the only characteristic she had that made her somewhat girly.
Suddenly, Michelle's jaw dropped as her eyes caught a figure that was nearing the group of girls... and that expression was quickly changed into an overly-excited grin.
"Ohmigod, it's Paul!" cried Michelle in a giddy, groupie-like squeal. It was extremely rare for her to act in such a fashion, yet it always seemed to surface when the infamous blue-eyed spaniard was around. "Quick, how's my hair?!" She demanded, turning to face Jen and Jeshika who had been right behind her off of the bus.
Like a pair of deer caught in headlights, both of the girls froze, unsure of how to answer the question. After all, her hair was such a touchy subject for the bass guitarist.
"Y... your hair?" Squeaked Jen, avoiding Michelle's gaze as she glanced down uneasily at her punkishly painted fingernails.
"It's... it's fine, really. Don't worry about it. You look great. Fabulously casual, even."
"Yeah, what Jess said!" Chimed in Jen after she exhanged a hopeless glance with the feminine lead singer. They both knew very well that Michelle should be worrying about something other than her hair... like her clothes, but that was a poposterous suggestion. Michelle worry about what other people thought about what she was wearing? Never, ever going to happen! If Jen and Jess had been aware that the devilishly handsome lead singer of Lucifer Frost was going to be at the venue before them, it was almost certain that they would've pushed Michelle to look a bit more presentable for the standard prep meeting. Then again, maybe they wouldn't have... the members of Lucifer Frost were infamous for their tendency to be late, or just not bothering to show up at all. Inside, though, they would have (or should have) known that this time would be different. This concert was something that Lucifer Frost had asked Harmonial Dischord to be a part of. They would never screw over something that they cared so much about.
As Paul closed in on the five girls, a mischievous smile became clearly visible on his features. "Ladies!"
"Pablo!!" replied Jeshika excitedly, running up to give her friend a huge hug. "It's so good to see you. How long's it been, a few months?"
"Been missing my handsome face so much that you've just been counting the days until you got to see me again, haven't you?" he teased. Jess just shook her head and laughed as they separated and he went to greet the other girls with a traditional hug and kiss on the cheek. "Sorry to kiss and run, but I've got to go find Steve and Max. They wandered off awhile ago. Said something about berries..." he trailed off as he started off to continue on his quest for the two other members of his band.
After taking only a few steps away, he suddenly turned and shouted, "Oh, Michelle! By the way, love the hair! There may be room for you on the Kristos list yet!" And with a wink, he ran off.
Michelle stared back after him, completely at a loss for words. Rolling her eyes, Phillippa took ahold of the starstruck girl's arm and began to drag her off in the opposite direction. "Come on, sleeping beauty. We have a meeting to attend."
Obviously perturbed at being disturbed just a few blissful moments into her happy daze, she protested, "But... but he said he liked my hair!"
With a slight smirk, Jess murmured to Phillippa under her breath, "Now who's turn is it to smile and nod?"
Holding back a laugh, Philly gave Mick a soothing pat on the back. "Mm-hm, right, he liked your hair which renders you completely powerless and unable to attend the meeting, but also leaves you convieniently available to tag along on his little search for Max and Steve. Nice try. "
And with that, the girls entered Madison Square Garden with a quest of their own: to find their welcoming committee and to obtain the coordinates of where that meeting was to take place.
* * * * *
After a few hours of spelunking, the excited group of girls entered the conference room. However, the somber and serious atmosphere held within that humble hovel hit them like a sudden gust of cold wind. Seated around the table were the management teams for Lucifer Frost, Harmonial Dischord, and Five By Five, along with the majority of the members of those bands. From Five By Five, Rob, Justin, And, and Dan were present. Strangely, Dan's cousin Ryan was missing from the bunch. Lucifer Frost's two presumed MIA members, Steve and Max, also had seats.
Ignoring the undeniably eerie atmosphere, Juli tried to shrug it off. She smirked slightly, giving a sideways glance to Phillippa before murmuring to the shorter girl underneath her breath, "Pablo's going to be thrilled-- his buddies are actually where they're supposed to be for once."
"All right girls, stop dawdling and take a seat. We have a lot that we need to discuss," commented Karen, the hispanic brunette who was in charge of schedueling events at Madison Square Garden.
Philly just barely stiffled a giggle before following Karen's command along with the rest of her bandmates. As they took a seat around that infamous round table, they all had no idea what was in store for them, and quite frankly weren't sure if they wanted to know.
After pausing briefly to allow the girls to settle into their seats, the pretty twenty-something continued her speech. "I'm afraid that I have to give you all some rather bad news-- as you may or may not already know, Five By Five's career has been in a state of limbo as of late because of some insistant rumors that someone might be thinking of leaving the band. I know that this is very short notice, but I'm afraid to say that the rumors have just been upgraded to hard fact: Ryan Creighton has left the band with no plans of returning."
Simultaneously, everyone turned their heads to look at Jen. It was a well-guarded secret amongst the room's inhabitants that Ryan and Jen had been involved in a very passion driven on-again, off-again relationship. After gazing wordlessly at the tabletop for a few tense moments, she finally spoke up.
"I... I knew. He'd been planning on leaving for a few months now, actually. He's been anonymously tipping the press, leaving messages on the webboards from time to time. All of you knew that this wasn't what he wanted to do with his life. I.. I have to say though, I'm surprised that he actually went through with it... especially now."
Still recovering from the shock, Mick glanced at Karen, then the four other members of Five By Five. "Are you trying to tell me that he's punking out on doing the show?"
As if finding her voice as well, Jeshika added, "How the hell could he do this to us? He knows how much hard work we put into making this show a success!"
Justin, his usually smiling face lined with anger, had a slightly dangerous tone to his voice when he spoke up. "I can't believe he did this to us without saying a damn thing!"
"You..." suddenly came a snarling voice. "You knew and you didn't try to stop him! Why the hell didn't you say anything to the rest of us? This is all your fault! If you had said something, we wouldn't be in this shit!" It took more than just a few minutes for everyone to get over another kind of shock-- that those words were coming from the usually jovial Dan.
Jen's eyes had now begun to fill with tears as he hurled accusations her way. Unable to take the verbal abuse and the announcement that her boyfriend had fled the scene without any news as to where he was, she quickly rose from her seat and ran out the door. In her haste to leave the suddenly unbearably small room, she collided with Paul. However, she was in too much of a hurry to even aknowlege the Spanish man's presence as she ran back to the bus, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Giving Dan a hard look, Jeshika got up to run after her friend, also slipping past the lead singer/guitarist. In response, Paul followed the two with his eyes, a concerned look on his features before he focused his attention on the rest of the room's inhabitants. "What's wrong with them?" When he received no reply, he just shrugged and continued, "Anyway, sorry I'm late, but..." As he took the seat next to Mick, his eyes fell upon Steve and Max. With a slightly defeated sigh, he gestured towards the two misfits. "... but I couldn't find them for the meeting." If this were a normal situation, Paul would have been ready to wreck havoc and some pretty mean mayhem, but the dead-like expressions on his friends' faces made him stop. "Okay, who the hell died?"
"No one died," answered Juli, drumming her fingertips idley on the tabletop.
Ever the tactful one, And, the resident white Jewish boy who thinks he's black blurted out, "No, but we've been screwed into the ground and buried six feet deep, yo."
"Would you guys stop speaking in riddles and just tell me what the fuck happened already?!" Paul commanded, more tha just a touch of exhasperation and annoyance in his voice.
"Ryan quit." Stated Rob dryly. Better known as Fonzie to the rest of the group, he was often dubbed the quiet but fearless leader of the boy band. When something serious needed to be said, he's be the one to supply it.
Incredulous, Paul questioned, "The tour, right? You mean he quit the tour?"
"No," continued the man with the strangely braided hair style. "Not just the tour. He quit the band."
"And Jen knew about it beforehand. This is all that bitch's fault.." muttered Dan.
Mick held back a growl, staring at the boy that so many girls thought was the man of their dreams with a loathing that only few could muster. "You assholish bastard! She didn't do a damn thing to you!"
"Yes she did! She's tearing apart our band! If it weren't for her, he wouldn't even have thought of leaving the band," he screamed back at her. After a brief, uncomfortable moment of silence, Dan slammed his fists down on the table angrilly. "This is fucked up!"
With that outburst, he too stormed out of the conference room. Those who were left sat there in complete silence for the next fifteen minutes. There was nothing more to be said, nothing more that could be done... so they just let the silence speak for them.
* * * * *
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| . . . Beaten 1 time . . . Show me pain . . . |
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* * * * *
As the excited group of girls entered the conference room, the somber and serious atmosphere held within that humble hovel hit them like a sudden gust of cold wind. Seated around the table were the management tems for Lucifer Frost, Harmonial Dischord, and Five By Five, along with the majority of the members of those bands. From Five By Five, Rob, Justin, And, and Dan were present. Strangely, Dan's cousin Ryan was missing from the bunch. Lucifer Frost's two presumed MIA members, Steve and Max, also had seats.
Ignoring the undeniably eerie atmosphere, Juli tried to shrug it off. She smirked slightly, giving a sideways glance to Phillippa before murmuring to the shorter girl underneath her breath, "Pablo's going to be thrilled-- his buddies are actually where they're suppsed to be for once."
"All right girls, stop dawdling and take a seat. We have a lot that we need to discuss," commented Karen, the hispanic brunette who was in charge of schedueling events at Madison Square Garden.
Philly just barely stiffled a slight giggle before following Karen's command along with the rest of her bandmates as they took a seat around that infamous round table. They all had no idea what was in store for them, and quite frankly weren't sure if they wanted to know why they were here.
After pausing briefly to allow the girls to settle into their seats, the young woman continued her speech. "I'm afraid that I have to give you all some rather bad news-- as you may or may not already know, Five By Five's career has been in a state of limbo as of late because of some insistant rumors that someone might be thinking of leaving the band. I know that this is very short notice, but I'm afraid to say that the rumors have just been upgraded to hard fact: Ryan Creighton has left the band with no plans of returning."
Simultaneously, everyone turned their heads to look at Jen. It was a well-guarded secret amongst the room's inhabitants that Ryan and Jen had been involved in a very passion diven on-again, off-again relationship. After gazing wordlessly at the tabletop for a few tense moments, she finally spoke up.
"I... I knew. He'd been planning on leaving for a few months now, actually. He's been anonymously tippiung the press, leaving messages on the boards from time to time. All of you knew that this wasn't what he wanted to do with his life. I.. I have to say though, I'm surprised that he actually went through with it... especially now."
Still recovering from the shock, Mick glanced at Karen, then the four other members of Five By Five. "Are you trying to tell me that he's punking out on doing the show?"
As if finding her voice as well, Jeshika added, "How the hell could he do this to us? He knows how much hard work we put into making this show a success!"
Justin, his usually smiling face lined with anger, had a slightly dangerous tone to his voice when he spoke up. "I can't believe he did this to us without saying a damn thing!"
"You..." suddenly came a snarling voice. "You knew and you didn't try to stop him! Why the hell didn't you say anything to the rest of us? This is all your fault! If you had said something, we wouldn't be in this shit!" It took more than just a few minutes for everyone to get over another kind of shock-- that those words were coming from the usually jovial Dan.
Jen's eyes had now begun to fill with tears as he hurled accusations her way. Unable to take the verbal abuse and the announcement that her boyfriend had fled the scene without any news as to where he was, she quickly rose from her seat and ran out the door. In her haste to leave the suddenly unbearably small room, she collided with Paul. However, she was in too much of a hurry to even aknowlege the Spanish man's presence as she ran to the bus, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Giving Dan a hard look, Jeshika got up to run after her friend, also slipping past the lead singer/guitarist. In response, Paul followed the two with his eyes, a concerned look on his features before he focused his attention on the rest of the room's inhabitants. "What's wrong with her?" When he received no reply, he just continued, "Anyway, sorry I'm late, but..." As he took the seat next to Mick, his eyes fell upon Steve and Max. With a slightly defeated sigh, he gestured towards the two misfits. "... but I couldn't find them for the meeting." If this were a normal situation, Paul would ahve been ready to wreck havoc and some pretty mean mayhem, but the dead-like expressions on his friends' faces made him stop. "Okay, who the hell died?"
"No one died," answered Juli, drumming her fingertips idley on the tabletop.
Ever the tactful one, And, the resident white Jewish boy who thinks he's black blurted out, "No, but we've been screwed into the ground and buried six feet deep, yo."
"Would you guys stop speaking in riddles and just tell me what the fuck happened already?!" Paul commanded, more tha just a touch of exhasperation and annoyance in his voice.
"Ryan quit." Stated Rob dryly. Better known as Fonzie to the rest of the group, he was often dubbed the quiet but fearless leader of the boy band. When something serious needed to be said, he's be the one to supply it.
Incredulous, Paul questioned, "The tour, right? You mean he quit the tour?"
"No," continued the man with the strangely braided hair style. "Not just the tour. He quit the band."
"And Jen knew about it beforehand. This is all that bitch's fault.." muttered Dan.
Mick held back a growl, staring at the boy that so many girls thought was the man of their dreams with a loathing that only few could muster. "You assholish bastard! She didn't do a damn thing to you!"
"Yes she did! She's tearing apart our band! If it weren't for her, he wouldn't even have thought of leaving the band," he screamed back at her. After a brief, uncomfortable moment of silence, Dan slammed his fists down on the table angrilly. :"This is fucked up!"
With that outburst, he too stormed out of the conference room. Those who were left sat there in complete silence for the next fifteen minutes. There was nothing more to be said, nothing more that could be done... so they just let the silence speak for them.
* * * * *
Please tell me what you think of this addition of the story... I'm seriously thinking of rewriting it because I think it's a little... I don't know. Is weird the term? x.X;
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| . . . Beaten 6 times . . . Show me pain . . . |
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Saturday, March 16th, 2002
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Her cheeks still a deep scarlet, Jeshika shot back dejectedly, "So what if I have a thing for Dan? A lot of girls do because even you have to admit he's easy on the eyes. And even if you didn't think Dan was cute, it's not like you don't have your own achilles heel. Gee, what was his name again? Let me think... P-A-U-L."
The dark-eyed brunette gave Jeshika one of her signature intimidating death stares, but didn't offer a snide remark in return. It was common knowledge that she had a major jonesin' for the lead singer/guitarist of Lucifer Frost... but it's not that he was the type that would be classified as the "perfect man". That was what made him different from all the other men out there in the music business. He had a certain edgyness about him, that way of knowing how to ward off people that he just didn't like. On the other hand, he also had the ever-useful ability to be a sweet talker. Smooth, calm, and collected, he always knew exactly what to do or say to get what he wanted... and quite often, he abused the privilage. He had just the right mixture of spicy and sweet, which was probably why the bass guitarist adored him so.
Jeshika squirmed uneasily in her bunk, trying to remain focused on her movie while also attempting to ignore the animosity that was practically pouring on her from the bunk directly across from hers.
This was going to be a very, very long ride home.
* * * * *
As the lavish tour bust pulled up to Madison Square Garden many painfully long hours later, the girls began cheering and scrambled for the exit of the bus for the ever-coveted honor of being the first member of Harmonial Dischord to set foot on their native soil. True, it was a sight that they had laid eyes on many times before, but they'd all been away from home for so long that their memories of the venue had almost begun to cloud over. True, every place that they had ever played in their life held a special place in their hearts, but MSG took the cake. This was where it had all begun; This was where they had all seen their first concert, where they had all decided to become a band, where their first publicized show had been those many years ago with Lucifer Frost... but probably most importantly, it was home.
Michelle beamed triumphantly as she emerged out of the big silver bus first, taking in the sights as well as a few deep breaths of the New York air. "Guess who's the biggest bitch in the yard yet again!" she proclaimed, giving her fellow bandmates a snide grin.
"Big deal," commented Julianna nonchalantly. "At least I don't look like I just got up."
"I do not look like I just got up! It's called looking comfortably casual." Michelle answered quickly.
Although it was well past noon, Michelle had opted to remain in her pajamas: green, grey, and black flannel pants and a black tank top which read "90% Angel". The only thing she had done to make herself ready for the world that morning was brush her teeth and carefully groom her short tresses. That weakness for her hair was probably the only characteristic she had that made her somewhat girly.
Suddenly, Michelle's jaw dropped as her eyes caught a figure that was nearing the group of girls... and that expression was quickly changed into an overly-excited grin.
"Ohmigod, it's Paul!" cried Michelle in a giddy, groupie-like squeal. It was extremely rare for her to act in such a fashion, yet it always seemed to surface when the infamous blue-eyed spaniard was around. "Quick, how's my hair?!" She demanded, turning to face Jen and Jeshika who had been right behind her off of the bus.
Like a pair of deer caught in headlights, both of the girls froze, unsure of how to answer the question. After all, her hair was such a touchy subject for the bass guitarist.
"Y... your hair?" Squeaked Jen, avoiding Michelle's gaze as she glanced down uneasily at her punkishly painted fingernails.
"It's... it's fine, really. Don't worry about it. You look great. Fabulously casual, even."
"Yeah, what Jess said!" Chimed in Jen after she exhanged a hopeless glance with the feminine lead singer. They both knew very well that Michelle should be worrying about something other than her hair... like her clothes, but that was a poposterous suggestion. Michelle worry about what other people thought about what she was wearing? Never, ever going to happen! If Jen and Jess had been aware that the devilishly handsome lead singer of Lucifer Frost was going to be at the venue before them, it was almost positive that they would've pushed Michelle to look a bit more presentable for the standard prep meeting. Then again, maybe they wouldn't have... the members of Lucifer Frost were infamous for their tendency to be late, or just not bothering to show up at all. Inside, though, they would ahve known that this time would be different. This concert was something that Lucifer Frost had asked Harmonial Dischord to be a part of. They would never screw over something that they cared so much about.
As Paul closed in on the five girls, a mischievous smile became clearly visible on his features. "Ladies!"
"Pablo!!" replied Jeshika excitedly, running up to give her friend a huge hug. "It's so good to see you. How long's it been, a few months?"
"Been missing my handsome face so much that you've just been counting the days until you got to see me again, haven't you?" he teased. Jess just shook her head and laughed as they separated and he went to greet the other girls with a traditional hug and kiss on the cheek. "Sorry to kiss and run, but I've got to go find Steve and Max. They wandered off awhile ago. Said something about berries..." he trailed off as he started off to continue on his quest for the two other members of his band.
After taking only a few steps away, he suddenly turned and shouted, "Oh, Michelle! By the way, love the hair! There may be room for you on the Kristos list yet!" And with a wink, he ran off.
Michelle stared back after him, completely at a loss for words. Rolling her eyes, Phillippa took ahold of the starstruck girl's arm and began to drag her off in the opposite direction. "Come on, sleeping beauty. We have a meeting to attend."
Obviously perturbed at being disturbed just a few blissful moments into her happy daze, she protested, "But... but he said he liked my hair!"
With a slight smirk, Jess murmured to Phillippa under her breath, "Now who's turn is it to smile and nod?"
Holding back a laugh, Philly gave Mick a soothing pat on the back. "Mm-hm, right, he liked your hair which renders you completely powerless and unable to attend the meeting, but also leaves you convieniently available to tag along on his little search for Max and Steve. Nice try. "
And with that, the girls entered Madison Square Garden with a quest of their own: to find their welcoming committee and to obtain the coordinates of where that meeting was to take place.
* * * * *
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| . . . Beaten 2 times . . . Show me pain . . . |
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Tuesday, February 26th, 2002
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Upon entering the makeshift dormitory, Jeshika was greeted by a slightly raised eyebrow from Michelle.
"Weren't you going to play your beloved Playstation 2? We weren't expecting you to grace us with your prescence for at least another hour." She commented, more than just a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"Haha, veeeery funny," grumbled the other brunette as she climbed up into her bunk. "Jen kicked me out to play Halo again."
Michelle couldn't help but smirk. "I should've guessed. She was pacing around here earlier looking for something to do. It was only a matter of time before she resorted to kicking one of her own bandmates out of their happy bubble."
"You make it sound like 'Survivor: The Next Generation'..." Jess answered before slowly reaching for the remote that was always at her bedside. She was preparing to watch one of her favorite movies of all time: Save the Last Dance. "Oh, mini-television that's convieniently placed inside of my bunk, how I love and adore thee!" she proclaimed in that overly dramatic tone that she sometimes took. With one more quick glance in Michelle's direction, she questioned, "You want to watch Save the Last Dance with me for the fifty bazillionth time, Mick?" She grinned slightly. "C'mon, Sean Patrick Thomas in all his sexiness..."
"Tempting, but I'll pass." She responded, running a hand through her short-cropped locks. "I'm watching something a bit more alluring at the moment." After receiving a questioning look from the blue-eyed girl, she laughed and simply stated, "The Crow, Brandon Lee. Need I say more?"
Jess shook her head and giggled. "Never seen a finer dead guy."
"Hey, guys," Phillippa piped up from the bunkbed below Jeshika's. "There's an article in the paper about that charity concert we're doing next week in MSG."
A few weeks earlier, the band had decided to be a part of a special show dedicated to the memory of the victims of the tragedy that took place November 11, 2001. All of the proceeds would be going to the families that suffered losses. It was clearly for a good cause and it also gave the girls a good excuse to head back home to Long Island for a few weeks. They were in desperate need of a break from life on the road.
"Really? I'm surprised they cover news like that," commented Jeshika as she toyed with the DVD box in her hands.
"Listen to this," said Phillippa, clearing her throat again before reading aloud from the paper she held in her hands. "Next week, three homegrown success stories will be performing in Madison Square Garden. Lucifer Frost, an industrial rock group, Harmonial Dischord, a girl punk group, and Five By Five, one of the many boybands to grace the music scene, promise to put on a great show. 'It's true that we're from three completely different ends of the spectrum, but that's probably what will make the show work all the better,' stated Justin Leis, Five by Five's resident blonde heartthrob."
Mick arched an eyebrow again, an expression that one got used to while around her. She still had that slightly cynical tone to her voice, but at the mention of the concert, her eyes had lost some of their usual spark. "I guess he's right... but I highly doubt he came up with that line all by himself. You know how those boyband types always have some record company representative whispering into one ear."
"No shit," cracked Phillippa. "I say you can't trust a man who can't play his own instrument."
"It's not like we really know them all that well, guys... I don't think you should be so quick to judge them. They just might surprise you," Jeshika cut in, once again showing her naiive and over-trusting characteristics.
"You're just saying that because you've got a crush on Danny," teased Phillippa.
At the sound of his name, Jeshika turned beet red. "I do not! I.. I just keep forgetting to throw away that CD," she stuttered.
"Right, riiiight..." Michelle commented as she glanced down at Philly. "Smile and nod, just smile and nod."
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| . . . Beaten 7 times . . . Show me pain . . . |
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Wednesday, February 20th, 2002
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Nineteen year old Jeshika clutched the controller to her Playstation 2, nervously biting down on her lower lip as she concentrated on the task at hand: freeing Claire Redfield from the clutched of the evil Umbrella, Inc. and their little island of horrors.
That damn zombie won't catch me by surprise again.
As the hideous creature jumped out from behind a nearby wall, Jeshika pushed a sequence of buttons that culminated in its destruction and her temporary triumph over the world of darkness.
"Yeah, that's right! Eat bullets, you flesh eating vermin!" Jeshika cried gleefully, her oceanic blue eyes lighting up with a magic usually only found in that of a child. Sitting there in her fatigue print "Projekt: Revolution" girl-cut tee shirt and blue, green, and white pajama pants, you would have never guessed that this young woman was the lead singer of the girl rock/punk band Harmonial Dischord. The vocalist was cute by normal standards, with her long mahogany hair cascading down her back, forming loose curls at the ends. At 5'7" and being of a slim (but in no way emaciated) form, she could maybe even be considered pretty... not that it mattered to her, however. Jeshika was too busy enjoying life in her own unique way to worry about how other people perceived her. She had been labeled the "innocent tease" by both the media and her peers, a title which she exploited to its fullest, yet somehow without giving even the slightest hint that she was drifting past that "line" between teasing and actually shelling out-- in that way, she probably would have made the ideal initial phase for a pop princess. Going that route, with any luck, by now she'd be like that blonde washout Candie. However, she had instead opted to join a few of her friends in Harmonial Dischord, giving its edge just a hint of sweetness that made the band so unique.
The band itself had always been an experiment. The girls had taken a shine to the idea right after high school-- they'd had nothing else in their way to slow them down now. Why not give their dreams a shot? As luck would have it, they apparently had more than just dreams: they had natural talent. Everything had fallen into place at just the right times for the girls. Destiny had shown them their path and they'd taken it, dragging along their respective instruments for the ride.
"Are you done yet?" piped up a voice from behind her. Jeshika pressed the start button, effectively pausing her game as she turned to face the green-eyed brunette who had addressed her. Jen, the punkish keyboardist of the band, had a similar frame to Jeshika's, but she had an extra inch or two in the height department, standing at a model's 5'9". Jen was as innocent as Jeshika to some degree. They both had the same happy-go-lucky attitude, however Jen was more grounded to reality. Unlike Jeshika, she took everything with a grain of salt, which placed her ahead of the other spunky brunette when it came to accepting failures. Compassionate, but in no way a pushover, Jen embodied the basic attributes of what a best friend should be: truthful, but never harsh in the process.
"Done yet? I just started!" Jeshika protested.
"You've been playing since we left Detroit. That was over an hour ago!"
An hour? Could it really have been that long? Jeshika sighed unhappily, glancing at her wristwatch. "All right, all right... fine, you can go. Just let me save this."
In a matter of minutes, Jen had replaced Jeshika in front of the gaming corner, grabbing Halo and placing it inside of the Game Cube that was also shared amongst the five girls. With another unhappy grunt, Jeshika grabbed her Coca Cola and headed for the kitchen area of the spacious tour bus. Time to waste some time on that laptop she loved so much. However, as she neared her destination, she had already sighted a green-eyed redhead seated in front of her laptop, eagerly typing and clicking away. Julianna was the punk-yet-preppy-and-yet-still-somehow-goth drummer of the group, who in addition also provided sultry backup vocals. Everything that Juli did was done for one sole purpose: to make it even more difficult for others to predict who she was and where she was going. She thrived on being different from everyone else. In her own words, she was the piece that just didn't fit in anywhere.
Jeshika took a sip from her bottle of coke, lightly licking her lips before asking the inevitable question: Being the solo only child of the group, Jeshika hadn't been as exposed to the philosophy they called 'sharing' growing up. Now, however, she found herself receiving it tenfold.
"Julianna, what are you doing on my laptop? You have your own!"
"Had my own." Corrected the girl in the pink 'punk bunnies' tee shirt. "Mine broke down last night. Wallace said it was a virus or something. Anyway, the hard drive's completely fried. It'll take a few weeks before he can repair the damage."
After a moment, Jeshika responded, "That still doesn't answer the question as to why you're on my laptop without my permission."
"I didn't ask because I already knew you wouldn't say no. You know how I need my daily livejournal break! Besides, I thought you'd be enveloped in your video game for at least another hour."
Taking another swig of her drink, Jeshika just shrugged. What could she do, forcibly kick off the redhead and risk falling out of her favor for the next few days? Nuh-uh. Julianna swore that she would one day take over the world with an army of genetically altered penguins. That day could be today, or ten years from today. It didn't matter, though. When that day came, Jeshika wanted to be on the right side. It just wasn't worth it. She cherished her life more than her computer time. "Just ask next time... and let me know when you're done. I need to check some things on the 'net."
Taking the slight nod she received as a response, Jeshika changed course by turning around to head towards the girls' sleeping quarters. In there she encountered the last two fifths of Harmonial Dischord: the promiscuous preppy guitarist, Phillippa, and the tomboyish hardass bass guitarist, Michelle.
Phillippa was the type who lived life from day to day... or moment-to-moment, if one wanted to get technical about it. The age old hackneyed expression, Carpe diem, was her philosophy. In her mind, she figured that it was best to live life to the fullest because tomorrow, you could quite possibly be dead. Though infamously known for her intemperate mood swings and outbursts, the beautiful brown haired and eyed girl was also recognized as one of the most candid individuals that you'd ever meet. If ever you needed an opinion from someone with a clear head, she was the one to go to.
Like Phillippa, Michelle was also known to have her blue Mondays, but unlike the girl with whom she shared a sisterly bond, she tended to bottle up her emotions. You'd always know when Michelle was upset, but you'd never know the who, what, where, and when until a few weeks after the fact, if at all. On the positive side of the coin, Michelle was extremely empathetic when it came to her friends' problems. Headstrong and tough as nails, the loud Italian assumed the unofficial role of the 'leader' of the band. Whenever they had an internal problem or a major announcement to make, it usually came from her mouth. Physically, the hazel-eyed brunette was the strongest. It was obvious from her toned muscles that she made a habit out of going to the gym regularly.
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| . . . Beaten 1 time . . . Show me pain . . . |
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Tuesday, February 19th, 2002
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Ninteen year old Jeshika clutched the controller to her Playstation 2, nervously biting down on her lower lip as she concentrated on the task at hand: freeing Claire Redfield from the clutched of the evil Umbrella, Inc. and their little island of horrors.
That damn zombie won't catch me by surprise again.
As the hideous creature jumped out from behind a hearby wall, Jeshika pushed a sequence of buttons that culminated in its destruction and her remproary triumph over the world of darkness.
"Yeah, that right! Eat bullets, you flesh eating vermin!" Jeshika cried gleefully, her oceanic blue eyes lighting up with a magic usually only found in that of a child. Sitting there in her fatigue print "Projekt: Revolution" girl-cut tee shirt and blue, green, and white pajama pants, you would have never guessed that this young woman was the lead singer of the girl rock/punk band Harmonial Dischord. The vocalist was cute by normal standards, with her long mahogany hair cascading down her back, forming loose curls at the ends. At 5'7" and being of a slim (but in no way emaciated) form, she could maybe even be considered pretty... not that it mattered to her, however. Jeshika was too busy enjoying life in her own unique way to worry about how other people perceived her. She had been labeled the "innocent tease" by both the media and her peers, a title which she exploited to its fullest, yet somehow without giving even the slightest hint that she was drifting past that "line" between teasing and actually shelling out-- in that way, she probably would have made the ideal initial phase for a pop princess. Going that route, with any luck, by now she'd be like that blonde washout Candie. However, she had instead opted to join a few of her friends in Harmonial Dischord, giving its edge just a hint of sweetness that made the band so unique.
The band itself had always been an experiment. The girls had taken a shine to the idea right after high school-- they'd had nothing else in their way to slow them down now. Why not give their dreams a shot? As luck would have it, they apparently had more than just dreams: they had natural talent. Everything had fallen into place at just the right times for the girls. Destiny had shown them their path and they'd taken it, dragging along their respective instruments for the ride.
"Are you done yet?" piped up a voice from behind her. Jeshika pressed the start button, effectively pausing her game as she turned to face the green-eyed brunette who had addressed her. Jen, the punkish keyboardist of the band, had a similar frame to Jeshika's, but she had an extra inch or two in the height department, standing at a model's 5'9".
"Done yet? I just started!" Jeshika protested.
"You've been playing since we left Detroit. That was over an hour ago!"
An hour? Could it really have been that long? Jeshika sighed unhappily, glancing at her wristwatch. "All right, all right... fine, you can go. Just let me save this."
In a matter of minutes, Jen had replaced Jeshika in front of the gaming corner, grabbing Halo and placing it inside of the Game Cube that was also shared amongst the five girls. With another unhappy sigh, Jeshika grabbed her Coca Cola and headed for the kitchen area of the spacious tour bus. Time to waste some time on that laptop she loved so much.
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| . . . Beaten 1 time . . . Show me pain . . . |
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Electric Blue ~* Harmonial Dischord
Come to me in dreams
Your fingers on my face
My body ripping at the seams
In that moment, it's about the chase
Chorus
Hoping this all couldn't be a silly phase
Every sensation fresh as the morning dew
All I can see through the smoke and the haze
Are your eyes, piercing electric blue
Your lips on mine, pure bliss
Fingertips in constant pursuit
This moment is simply hit or miss
Please, god, don't make this a fluke
Chorus
Pulled back to my own world
Realizing my foolish fantasies, that magical being
Remembering how our bodies were curled
Couldn't be it's you I'm seeing
Chorus
Electric blue, electric blue
What I'd give to feel you
Electric blue, electric blue
What I'd lose to have you
Chorus
Electric blue
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| Subject: | My Story About the Rockstars |
| Time: | 11:54 am. |
| Mood: |  determined. | | Music: | Cruel to be Kind ~* Letters to Cleo. |
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Just in case I lose this sheet. (god forbid...) All things changeable/alterable. Nothing's set in stone! Onto the joys that are the fast fact sheet.
Industrial Hard Rockband - 3 guys (Paul, Max, Steve)
1) Leader, guitar - Dark hair, blue eyes, Spanish, rock band style
2) Bass Guitar - Blonde, blye eyes, punk style
3) Drums - go-tee, long dark curly hair, brown eyes, goth style
Names: Lucifer Frost, Holy Kristos, Play Boys, Cerebus (3 headed dog)
Popstar - 1 girl (Katy)
1) Blonde (dark roots); changes from a dark haired "girl next door" type to pop-star material. Think Britney Spears ("Candie")
Girl Rockband - 5 girls (Mick, Philly, Jessi, Juli, Jen)
1) Leader - bass guitar; "The Macho"
*changed: guitar
2) Guitar - "The Slut"
*changed: bass guitar
3) Vocals - "The Innocent Tease"
4) Drums/Vocals - "The Out of Place"
5) Keyboard - "The Punk"
Names: Chicklets, Chix that Rock, Hard Core Chix, Stone Medusa, Black Medusa, White Medusa, Harmonial Dischord
Rap/Boy/Punk Band - 5 guys (Fonz, Justin, And, Vinnie, Dan) - Beastie Boys-like
1) Leader - "The Questionable One"
2) "The Baby"
3) "The Intellectual"
4) "The Prankster"
5) "The Playboy"
"Senile but I mind..."
One (Perverted) Romantic (ug, *barf*) Guy - Will Stone
- Clean (Ha! Ha! Ha!)
- Think Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin
" . . . Let me be your hero . . . "
Lyrics - Girl Rockband
You fade away
I feel the pain
All the promises
You made to me were
Made to me in vain
I lost myself
Inside your tainted smile again
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Monday, February 18th, 2002
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Well, this is the third journal I've acquired. One's for my private thoughts that I don't want my friends to read (a girl's got to have her private life!), one's for everyday posting for quizzes, polls, and random tidbits from my life that I'd love to share, and this one's going to have it's own purpose as well-- my story/creative journal. Whenever I so feel the need to write something beautiful (*laughs*), this is where it goes. I don't know if I'll ever get a profound use of this journal, but who knows. I used to be very creative... what makes now any different?
We'll see if I deem you worthy of reading what comes from this mind filled with complexities.
~* LUMiNESCENT RoSE
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luminescentrose's journal
tired.
sick.
mellow.
busy.
accomplished.
creative.
pensive.
thoughtful.