"Hey Lily. Want a ride to school?"

"Well you're here now so I might as well." She shouted back at Richard. She jogged across her front yard and climbed in the passenger seat of his faded red Mustang convertible. "So, why'd you decide to come pick me up?"

"No reason." Richard replied nonchalantly.

"Richard, you know I don't believe you."

"Jacob texted me..."

"Go on..." Lily said, really unsure about where the conversation was headed.

"He said you were going for coffee with him?"

"Yeah, I still need to figure that out." She started to pull her phone out of her coat pocket.

"What do you mean, figure it out? Just go do it! It'll make him happy. Give him any date and I swear to you, he'll make it. He'll make sure he can make it."

"What? Why?"

"Um."

"Richard." She said, "Tell me."

"Um. I can't."

"Oh for God's sakes!" She exclaimed, exasperated sighs and huffs following, "If you can't tell me give me a clue. At least."

"Um... No. I'm afraid I can't do that." Lily sighed again and unlocked the phone she was holding. She sent a message to Jacob.

Hey. Is Wednesday alright for coffee? And is it alright if Dylan comes with?

She stuffed her phone back into her pocket, not bothering to wait for a reply. She looked back up and glared at Richard's cheek.

"I would've picked up Jazz and Eleanor but," Richard then pointed to the back seats which were half covered in his current art project and half covered in his dad's carpenter's equipment, "As you can see, it's a bit busy back there already."

"Would you just tell me already?"

"I can't Lily, I didn't know you didn't know, and Jacob doesn't know I know. And if you were really as intuitive as you thought you'd have figured it out by now."

"Oh thanks for that vote of confidence." Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she turned to look out of the window.

"I'm not saying you're not intelligent, you're just not as intuitive as you first thought."

"'Cause that makes me feel so much better about myself."

"Lily! Don't get yourself down." Richard said, pulling into one of the only available parking space in the school's only parking lot.

"I don't want to! But listen, my whole life is falling apart! My parents are divorcing, I've had three relationships that never lasted more than three weeks. Xander, Will, Kam. You don't understand how hard it's getting for me. I've applied for a scholarship to the hardest music college to get into, for one of the hardest courses. So forgive me, if I get a little down when you just decided to tell me that I'm not intuitive."

"Lily, when the right person comes along, you'll know, but that's most likely not going to happen when you've only just turned eighteen. The rest of your life will fall into place as soon as it sees fit to do so. That day is probably not going to be today. Or tomorrow. And by the way, there are people chasing after you, you just don't realise."

"Sure." She laughed, disbelieving Richard's sentiment.

"I promise. Just let your life take care of itself."

She climbed out of the car as soon as Richard's engine stopped running, chasing after Jacob, who'd been walking through the school doors minutes earlier. There were taunts and insults thrown at her as she pushed past a dozen different people, but she didn't hear any of them.

"Jacob!" She yelled over and over again, trying to get the attention of the brown haired boy, still plenty of people in between them, "Jacob!" She sighed and used her last resort. Stopping dead she shouted as loud as she could over the background noise of the corridor, "Jakey-Boy!"

His head whipped round and Lily jumped, waving her arms to be seen amongst the crowd of people. She silently cursed her just-below average height.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry." She cringed as she whacked some poor Freshman on the head. Jacob had spotted her by that point and was laughing at her.

Lily kept pushing through the crowds until she got to Jacob. She looked up at him,

"For Heaven's sake, stop laughing at me! It's not fair. I'm not used to this. I get to school a minute before I'm late. Ok? By then the corridors are almost empty."

"Why are you here now then?"

"Richard picked me up for no reason whatsoever. Anyway, did you get my text this morning?"

"Oh, yeah. That should be fine. I may be a bit tired because I have my Phys Ed last thing on Wednesday."

"That's fine. I have a music performance in my free period, which I forgot about. It might run over though, so you could come watch after your lesson if you want."

"Yeah, that sounds good. I want to see you play now I know you do. I'm sure Dylan will be happy to wait in the coffee place." He said.

The crowd started to thin out, as it was a few minutes before the bell rang, and Lily rushed to her home room, completely forgetting to bid goodbye to Jacob.

"Lily, where have you been?" Eleanor said, almost as soon as she walked through the door.

"I was with Jacob."

"Oh. I see." She winked obviously.

"Why the hell is everyone acting funny whenever I mention Jacob?" Lily asked loudly, genuinely confused.

"Um... I don't know." Eleanor didn't meet Lily's gaze.

"And why the hell does everyone do that when I ask?"

"Um... I don't know. So what were you talking to Jacob about?"

"We're going for coffee on Wednesday."

"But you've got that big thing! You'll never make it in time."

"Jacob's got a Phys Ed lesson that day anyway, and Dylan's going to be fine just waiting at the coffee shop."

"Alright, but you know your gig is going to run over time."

"I know! I've told Jacob and I need to text Dylan. But it's going to be fine."

"Ok. Sure."

---/|\---

"I'm going on a flat hunt. I'm going to catch a big one."

"Dad? What are you doing?"

"Going on a flat hunt. Isn't it obvious?"

"I mean, why are you singing?"

"Why not?" A trill tone burst from Lily's phone.

"Point taken." She unlocked her phone and checked her messages.

Dylan - Hey, still on for Wednesday?

Yeppers. Still on, though me and Jacob might be a bit late, I've got a thing in my free period which'll probably run over time.

Dylan - Sure thing. Jacob'll know which coffee place to go to.

Lily locked her phone again and turned back to her calculus homework. She sighed and slammed her textbook closed, growling as she wished she'd paid more attention in class this time. Her phone sang again but she ignored it.

"I'm going for an early night. Thanks for tea Mom." Lily said as she ascended the stairs. She walked along her hallway and jumped in fright as Nathan's door opened.

It wasn't Nathan that came out.

It was a girl.

Thank God she was fully dressed.

"Um... Hi?" Lily was shocked to find the female in the vicinity of her house, let alone in her brother's room.

"Oh, hey. You're Lily, right?" She nodded, "I'm Jasmin." She had soft, dark skin and long, dark hair, Lily brushed past her as politely as she could.

"Are you alright? You look really pale."

"No no. I'm fine. Just... Just in shock, that's all." Lily gripped the wall for support. Did Nate actually follow her advice?

"Jaz? You alright out there?"

"Oh God." Lily gripped the wall harder, "Don't call her Jaz. No. Don't call her that. That's creepy. Also, ew."

"Hey Lily-Willy." Nate said, chuckling as he poked his head round the door, "Jaz, I need to talk to Lily alone for a sec. That alright?" Jasmine headed back inside the room and Nate emerged, also fully clothed (much to Lily's relief), and closed the door behind him.

"So, I guess she feels the same way, huh?"

"Maybe, I went and asked her out, she was kind of... Eh, at first, but she agreed to come on a date with me. I think it's going ok. But I just want to thank you for your advice the other night. I mean, without that I never would've gotten up the courage to ask her."

"Ok... Ok. Um, bye." Lily raced back down the stairs, leaving her brother standing befuddled on the landing hallway. "Dad! Dad, I'm coming with you!"

---/|\---

Lily was setting up the PA system and the mics and the amp for her performance on the Wednesday at lunch, when a polite throat clearing interrupted her mental run over of her set.

"Sorry, Lily, I just wanted to say good luck for your gig and I'm sorry if I don't catch much of it."

"That's fine, most people have last Wednesday period off, so I'm sure the crowd will be sufficient, even if they're just here to get away from their families."

"Anyway, good luck. Break a leg."

"That's theatre! Don't you take Drama, Jacob?" She shouted at his back, he chuckled loudly and just kept walking away. Lily turned back to the mess of wires and plugs and inputs and sighed. Being a one woman band had its downsides. She started sifting through all the cables, searching for the right ones.

As her second to last lesson on a Wednesday was Music, her teacher had given her a Hall Pass for setting up her gig and putting up last minute flyers, leaflets and posters. Eleanor's last period was usually taken up with the Business and Promotions Association so she was skipping that to help Lily with getting rid of the last tickets and promoting her music. Jazz had a Chemistry lesson last and Richard had some family reunion. Lily spent over half of her time fretting over chord changes that she knew by heart and some of the first things she learnt.

In the last five minutes before her set, she was just sat on stage, nervously practicing chord shapes with one hand. Her vocal warm ups were done and she'd set up a few chairs. Eleanor charged into the room.

"Lily! Are you nervous?"

"Nah. My first gig and I have no butterflies whatsoever." Lily drawled, her voice drenched in sarcasm.

"Don't be! I'm sure you'll be fine. Everyone will love you."

A few teenagers started trickling in, already talking raucously and laughing. Lily's nerves increased threefold and Eleanor took her by the shoulders.

"Lily, calm down. Breathe."

Lily shook her off and took four deep breaths, more students started to walk in and suddenly it felt like the whole school had come to watch. A few teachers entered, including Lily's music teacher and his current Sophomore class. He seated the students and headed towards Lily.

"Hi Lily. How're you feeling?"

"I'm alright sir, I think." He sat down next to her,

"See, I know you're going through a hard time at home so-" When she threw him a questioning look he elaborated, "Your mother called last Friday - anyway, if you don't want to do this right now, you don't have to."

"No. No I will. It's just that... It's my first solo 'gig' and there are so many people. I'm just super nervous."

"You'll be fine. You're a great musician and you'll make it. Why else would I have brought my Sophomore class?"

"Thanks sir." She said, as he clapped her on the back and left again. Lily waggled her fingers nervously.

The wave of people entering the Hall had slowed back to a trickle, all the seats had been taken and people had started sitting on the floor. Eleanor walked out of the room to find people to fill empty spaces, but Lily couldn't wait, so she stepped up.

It wasn't a great stage, she wasn't on a raised platform, the overhead lights were all she had and the audio equipment was the best that the school Music Department could afford. But Lily vowed to make the most of it. The crowd hasn't noticed she'd stepped on and were still talking and laughing loudly.

She flicked on her amp and strummed the deep E string. Heads turned and the racket turned into a whisper of murmurs.

"Hey guys. Thanks for coming. So, I'm going to start us off with a song that I'm fairly sure that you all know, it's very popular at the moment, so sing along if you want." She played the opening chords of a pop song, that was almost immediately recognised by the crowd and they started clapping along as she sang the verse.

She reached the chorus and stopped singing and let the crowd take over as she picked the melody out on the strings. She added little embellishments as the chorus started to end and jerkily moved back to strumming chords, a transition she'd always struggled with and it got no easier under pressure.

---/|\---

Almost an hour later and Lily was still playing. She'd slowly transitioned from pop, to pop-country fusion, to country, so slowly that none of the audience had noticed. She was right in the middle of one of her favourite songs when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jacob edge in through the door.

She smiled to herself, while singing one of her favourite country songs. As she strummed the final chord, she started speaking into the microphone.

"So, I'm sorry to say, that we're nearing the end. I really enjoyed this so I'm going to finish with one of my own songs. However, before then, seeing as it is officially the end of the school day," She said glancing at the clock, "Mr Clefton, if you'd like to dismiss your class, they can stay if they want." She jumped about on stage a little, she was trying to calm her nerves, she could see Mr Clefton having a little talk with his students.

The final bell erupted and, out of habit, all the students started talking rowdily again. Lily sighed and strummed the deep string again. Only some of he students quietened, others were still caught up in conversation.

"Uh, excuse me. Excuse me please." She said trying to get their attention. She glanced to the side where Eleanor was shaking her head. She stormed on.

"Oi! I thought you came for music? So shut up, and listen!" She shouted over the din that the students were making. They immediately went silent again.

"Thanks El." Lily whispered in her ear as she strode off. Lily plucked out the intro to her song, and, if possible, everyone went even more silent.

She noticed Jacob bringing out his cell phone from his pocket, and holding it landscape at her.

---/|\---

"Lily, I'm telling you, you were great!"

"You only saw that one song Jacob. You don't know I was great the whole way through."

"I'm sure you were."

"Maybe it was the pressure of playing under a camera?"

"Sorry, but Dylan needs to see why we're late." Jacob replied, waving his phone in her face.

She made a grab for it and held it aloft. "Nuh uh uh! Naughty Lily."

"Damn you for being so bloody tall."

"What's with the Britishness? You sound like Ron Weasley." Dylan said, putting his hand on Lily's shoulder. She looked up at him and then looked up at Jacob.

"Damn you all!" She ran to the counter, "I'd like a hot chocolate and a... Triple chocolate brownie please."

"No! I see what's happening here." Jacob's eyes widened. Dylan leaned over the counter,

"I'll have the same."

"Let the chocolate torture commence!"