Tales from another broken home.

I Got a Girlfriend Oh wait she dont know it yet
Got a six string, best frets except the broken neck.
Wanna make my mark change the world with this flow.

When I lock my door and shut out all the world surrounding me.
Except for the problems and the pressures caused by insecurities.

Feel like everybody else just needs to see through different eyes.
From the outside looking in we sing the Anthem
The Anthem of our lives.

I got a heartache she's my insecurity
I wanna break out Carpe Diem

When I find my own direction on this busy one way street.
Well all the influential people never bother helping me.

From "Anthem." By ZebraHead.

I stayed lying on Jerry's couch for quite a while and Hailey did another Chinese thingy on me and I felt pretty good. Jerry cooked us some vegetarian omelets and I had some orange juice.

"Aww your so cute all hung over." Hailey said rubbing my head.

"Hailey come on he can't go getting drunk."

"I know that Jerr but being straight-edge doesn't give you the right to judge those who aren't."

"Hailey he's only 14, he should be reading Harry Potter not downing shots."

"Ok hon ok."

"I'm sorry guys I'm making you fight."

"No it's okay Riley we're just discussing." Hailey smiled.

"Yeah I love you too much to fight ya." Jerry laughed.

They both put an arm around each other.

"Come on and I'll drop you home."

When I got back to the house Mike and Jerry talked about the tattoo and Jerry did some rough sketches that Mike seemed to really like. They both talked about the promoter and waited for my Mam to get home. When she walked in the door I ran straight upto her.

"Mam the band got a manager and he wants us to play gigs like all the time."

"Where were you last night?"

"I stayed in Jerry's cuz we got back really late."

"Hmm...I want to talk to Mike and Jerry about this."

"Cool they're both in the kitchen."

"Hey Mrs.James." Jerry smiled.

"Hello."

"The thing is after the gig last night a manager came by and offered us a contract to play gigs regularly."

"Well whats regularly?"

"Friday to Sunday and maybe Wednesdays and Thursdays." Jerry said nervously.

"Well he has homework and school he can't play shows on Wednesday and Thursday nights."

"Right well if we made the deal Friday to Sunday would that be okay with you guys?"

"I guess so." My Mam sighed.

"Thanks Mam." I beamed hugging her.

"Ok I better go. Mike I'll see you Saturday morning. Don't drink at all Friday night and if you'd shave the area you want tattooed that would speed things up."

"Ok will do." Mike said.

When Jerry left my Mam gave Mike an odd look.

"What are you getting tattooed?"

Mike showed her the drawings and my Mam actually liked them.

"Jerry's a pretty talented guy."

"Yep."

Later in the day I got a call from Jerry to say the manager was at his house and to bring my parents over. We drove over to Jerrys and sat down in the sittingroom. The guy from the club walked in. He was in his late twenties with a slick suit and shades. He looked like a player but if he got us gigs I guess he was okay.

"Hello everyone I'm Scott Libermen. I'm interested in representing this band as a manger. As manager I'd arrange gigs, merchandise, recording time, rehearsal space and anything else the band need. I understand most of the band are under 18 so parents will have to sign the contract with them. I'm here to answer any of your questions."

"Will they have to play gigs during the school week?"

"Well sometimes that might and if they get big and go on tour they definitely would."

"Well I want my son to get his G.E.D."

"Well of course there would be tutors available should they go on a long term tour."

"Well thats okay I guess."

"How do we know they'll be okay on the road? My husband was in a band and all he came back with from the road was new tattoos and a cocaine addiction."

"Well obviously you guys would have approval on the tour manager and he'd oversee everything. But people this is all hypothetical. The kids have only played one gig but I know they have the potential to be big."

After a half hour of questions everyone signed their contracts and I had a management deal. Scott gave us all t-shirts with the Prime Management logo on them. There was no way in hell I was gonna wear the thing but I smiled and shook his hand anyway. When I got home I went straight over to Ryan's to tell him what was going on. When I got to his house I could hear music coming from the garage. I went round the back and in the backdoor. Ryan was playing drums and there was a kid from school playing bass and singing and a guy I didn't know playing guitar. Nobody noticed me so I stood and watched them play.

"Hey Riley." Ryan shouted over his drums.

"Hey dude we need to talk."

"Ok."

I walked outside into the garden and Ryan followed.

"So dude whats up?"

"We played the gig yesterday and it was insane Ry. After the gig a management company guy came to see us and I just signed a contract with them today."

"Thats crazy Ri."

"I know man. He's talking about tours and stuff if we get big and he things we will."

"Dude I gotta get back to practice but I'll call over later ok?"

"Yeah dude, how long have you been in a band?"

"Oh just a few weeks."

"How come you never told me?"

"Cuz we don't sound very good and your bands always do so I was kinda waiting till we got better."

"Ryan you don't have to try and impress me I was listening and you guys sound really good."

Ryan smiled and hugged me and I made my way home. When I got home Jerry had emailed me a review of the show from a local website.

"Stars Burn Bryter blew everyone else away with their young frontman putting on the only real show of the night. The band played all their own songs and the crowd went crazy for them. The band have a list of dates on their MySpace be sure to check them out."

I was stoked and Jerry had included the login for the bands MySpace so I went and checked out all the mail we were getting and comments. We already had 60 friends after just one show. There were pictures that people had taken at the show in our profile too and I had to admit I looked like a real frontman in them. There was a gig set for Friday night. We had a band practice set for Thursday and there were gigs set for Saturday and Sunday too. I decided to get stuck into the backlog of homework since I now no longer had a weekend. I spent the next few hours doing various English assignments and all my backlog of art stuff. My school always gave you big assignments that you had two/three weeks to complete them and I always managed to end up doing them the night before but then again so did most people, well maybe not Carrie but definitely Me, Ryan and Aaron. Ryan called over later and interrupted me reading this Chuck Palahniuk book Diary that was really interesting.

"Hey Ri Ri."

"Hey you." I smiled.

"I added your band to my MySpace friends list before I left."

"Thanks."

"The pictures on it are hot dude."

"I wish I could've come and seen you play."

"I know dude me too but it's an 18 and over club and only band people get in underage."

"It's cool man."

"Nah I'll ask Jerry if we can smuggle you in with us on Friday."

"That would be cool. I'll ask my Mam if it's okay."

We talked for ages and Ryan kissed me on the cheek before he left. Our relationship was really back to the way it was before. We didn't need to fuck to show we loved each other something as simple as talking was now enough again. I felt really creative after Ryan left and scrawled a load of new lyrics out onto my notepad. I went down had a little dinner hugged my Mam and Mike goodnight and went upto bed. My life was once again relaxed.