. YOU'RE A SELL OUT * OPEN

[STEELE CADE CATTINSON]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,325,true] Honestly, Steele had been surprised when his band had been offered this gig. The Alley Cats were not exactly mainstream, and most of their audience were older, with a few scattered younger people. So of course getting a gig at such a mainstream event like Neverland’s new years eve party came as something of a shock. Of course, they weren’t exactly on the main stage and they’d been given an early timeslot. Still though, a gig was a gig, and it was rather exciting to get such a gig. Besides, sometimes when you really needed the money, you took what you could get. A jazz band these days wasn’t exactly in high demand, which translated to some very skint cats most of the time. Not that any of them were in it for the money. It was the music they loved. If it were about money, the band would have sold out years ago. What was selling out though? Steele mused that idea as he leisurely made his way out of the make-shift dressing rooms that had been set up for performers. Somewhere along the way, making a lot of money as a musician had become a bad thing. Steele supposed it had something to do with your morals and integrity. Some people seemed to easily change who they were and what their music was about when money came into things. Sadly though, Steele concluded, that was the society they lived in. It didn’t matter what industry, the all-mighty dollar had become most important. It was just greatly unfortunate that the arts seemed to suffer most from this mind-set. A movie wasn’t about telling a good story anymore, it was about the wow factor and what would make money. Barely anyone went to the theatre anymore unless it was a flashy musical. Which was great if you were a musical but sucked for everything else. Considering such heavy thoughts was only serving to make Steele slightly depressed, and new years eve should not be a time for sadness. It was nine, they’d not long finished an awesome set, and the jazz musician had the rest of the night to enjoy the festivities, so really, what should he care about the plight of the artistic community? He could worry about that later. Tonight though, he was determined to have fun. The rest of his band had already wandered off in every direction, to investigate what was going on, but Steele wasn’t worried that he was alone. He was sure to meet up with them at some point, and besides, he liked meeting new people, so mingling at a party alone wasn’t an issue for him. He was curious about this whole street party set up though. He’d never actually been to the new year calibrations at Neverland, so it was rather new to him. Most of the park had actually been blocked off. The party was taking place in the streets closest to the entrance. Before you enter any of the themed sections. Where a lot of souvenir stores stood, hoping to get impulse shoppers on the way in and out. Makeshift food and drink stores had been set up, and there was even an area sectioned off for those over the legal age to purchase alcohol. Loud music was blaring from one main stage right in the centre of the action, and from another, smaller stage off to the side. The side-show street was open, and all the games running and apparently a laser light show had been planned for mid-night. It all looked every exciting really. However, right now the most enticing looking thing to Steele was the food stalls. He’d been so rushed that afternoon that he hadn’t eaten before the gig, but now he was practically starved. Weaving in and out of people, he made his way to one with a shorter line. Studying the menu for options. W O R D S 651 T A G S open N O T E S ehhhhh idek i have no muse

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[BABETTE ADELE LEROUX]

It was too early for a party. Only nine and already Babette was sipping casually out of the edge of a red plastic cup. She would have much preferred a glass and something that didn’t taste like it had been watered down to keep the crowd from getting intoxicated too quickly. But since tonight was the only night she’d had off in what felt like a million years she decided that she wouldn’t harp too much on the fact that she was a at party before eleven o’clock. And she wouldn’t complain that the bands were taking too long to change over between sets or even that it was a bit too cold for the dress she ultimately decided to wear after an hour of stripping her closet clean of it’s contents. She was determined to have a good time. This would probably be the last day off she got for awhile.

So when Babette recognized the stamped logo on the gear of the last band to take the stage, she was genuinely amazed to find that she was not the only early bird. However, she didn’t take in at all that the person she expected to see had just played the early set and how sad that must have been. Nobody wanted to play the early set. Nobody wanted to be the band that played before anyone showed up, the band everyone forgot. But every band wanted to play a gig, so sometimes the early set could be a good thing, right? It didn’t matter. Babette didn’t know anything about what being in a band was like. She was more of the smiling and clapping near the front audience member type.

Weaving in and out of the small crowd (again, it was only nine o’clock) Babs was like a heat seeking missile, searching for the lovely anchor of a jazz band she’d hear all of three times, maybe. It didn’t matter. Babette liked Steele. He was good company and wasn’t hard on the eyes, things Babs liked in men. It didn’t take long to find him as there weren’t many places he could have gone. Food and drink booths were always the ticket. He’d just played a set, of course that was where he was headed. Sidling into the line, Babette played no games in getting Steele’s attention. Without warning, she reached forward, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck from behind, her face pressed into the middle of his back. “Guess who?” She questioned, elongating the end of her sentence. It would not have mattered if she covered his eyes or instead just said hello. The obvious accent and the way she seemed to let words swirl around in her mouth so that they came out sounding flowery were dead giveaways. There was no hiding herself.

Before he was allowed to answer, Babette detached herself. Only to readjust, however, and soon was standing on the tips of her toes, peering over Steele’s shoulders, arms still hanging lank over them. “You didn’t tell me you were playing tonight, vous garçon sournois! Had I known, I would have come much sooner.” Perhaps that was a lie. Perhaps it wasn’t. Either way, Babette had no intention of revealing to Steele if she would have come sooner or not. He was left to guess how true her words were, or ignore them and settle for a greeting.

WORDS

[/color] 565
TRANSLATION[/color] YOU SNEAKY BOY
NOTES[/color] THIS SUCKS BITE ME
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