The next morning I awoke to find Siren sleeping in the bed next to me, the perfect reminder that last night really happened. Siren awoke a moment later.

“Good morning,” I said to her, unable to think of anything better to say.

“Good morning,” she returned in kind.

“You, um, hungry?” I asked still unable to think of much to say.

“Yeah,” she said, “But let’s be quiet, don’t want to wake anyone else up. She made a good point. Whether she said it out of courtesy towards the others, but my mind instantly went to what Billy and Lil’ D. would think seeing Siren coming out of my room given the circumstances, but never the less I grabbed the doorknob and pressed our luck. Unfortunately not only was Billy up, but Lil’ D was too. Fortunately they were making pancakes, and we can all agree that pancakes are awesome.

“Hey look they’re finally up,” said Lil’ D.

“I always heard that people got lucky after the prom, but I thought that only applied to the students,” said Billy flipping a pancake high into the air, Lil’ D catching it on a plate.

“You goys didn’t hear anything last night did you?” asked Siren.

“No,” said Billy. “But that lovely shade of red on both of your faces tells us more than enough.”

“It was going to happen eventually,” said Lil’ D. “I’ve seen the way they look at each other. Let’s just hope their relationship goes well, you know how bad a break up can be for a band.”

“True,” agreed Billy. “But then again if Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal never broke up then No Doubt wouldn’t have ever had any singles.”

“Yeah, well they’re the exception that proves the rule,” argued Lil’ D.”

“That’s all together possible,” said Billy. “You know they were the vocalist and bassist too, pure coincidence or serendipity? What do you think?”

“Um, we are standing right here,” I reminded Billy and Lil’ D.

“Indeed you are,” said Billy. “Fancy some pancakes?”

“Yeah, have a seat,” beckoned Lil’ D. “So prom night, was it magical?”

“I’m not going to answer that,” said Siren turning about two shades redder.

“Ah, no magic?” said Lil’ D. “Quick, Billy go get a pen and some paper, I feel our first original single coming!”

“All right, all right, I think that’s enough fun making now,” said Billy handing both Siren and me a plate of pancakes. “Anyway I’m glad the both of you figured it out what I’ve known for months. Eat up then.”

“Thank you?” I said, just a bit confused.

The next few weeks passed by with little pomp or circumstance, actually scrap that, there was some pomp and circumstance seeing that Lil’ D graduated from High School, summa cum laude. I knew she was smart, but I didn’t know she was that fucking smart. Apparently she has a free ride to MIT with some computer scholarship thinger, it was all over my head. The nice thing about it was she didn’t have to use the scholarship right away, which was going to come in handy since she said she was going to put her time and energy towards the band, though she wasn’t about to let her parents know that. On another topic I don’t think Siren will be writing the next Tragic Kingdom any time soon. We’re still getting used to being in a relationship. So far so good, though I don’t think she was going to let her parents know that either, truthfully I don’t even know they knew we were living together, but we were, and we planned on doing so for the foreseeable future, cause like Siren said, it made practice a lot easier. And on yet another note we were going to need that practice cause we were going to have our first gig at Charles Pub this Friday.

“Am I even old enough to be in here?” asked Lil’ D looking around the Pub for the first time.

“Yeah, you are, don’t worry,” I said while setting up the pickups on her drum set. “Plus tonight we’re employees, so eighteen is all you need to be.”

“And if we were back home in Shrubshire eighteen’s all you’d need to be period,” added Billy as he looked over my work.

“I don’t think we’ll be playing there anytime soon,” said Siren. “Any way let’s just get finished setting up.”

“You look to be done to me,” said a familiar voice from off stage.

“Hey, Jimmy-Jim, long time not see,” I said.

“Haven’t seen any of you Valefor guys around since that night,” he said. “You know what the girls are up to?”

“Nope,” I answered simply, then adding. “Nor do I care.”

“I see,” replied Jim. “It was a pretty nasty break up from what I remember, it will probably be some time before those scars heal,” he said solemnly. “But hey, you seemed to rebound nicely, band full of pretty girls again, you sly fox.”

“It’s not what you think,” I said. I then got a bit of an evil stare from Siren. “Sorry, force of habit.”

“It is,” replied Jim. “Being in a band with three other girls for two years, the poor guy had to say that at least five times a night back in the day.”

“I see,” said Siren. “Hi, my name’s Sarah, but you can call me Siren. Ryle’s told me about you, and yes in this case it is what you think.”

“Probably not as graphic as you think,” I added. “But the basic idea remains the same.”

“I don’t think I really needed to hear that,” said Lil’ D.

“Yeah pick you words buddy, don’t want to offend the Mrs. Now do you?” added Billy.

“One should talk Mr. Bluejeans,” said Siren. “I’m far from being called a Mrs.”

“Billy Bluejeans?” said Jim. “I thought that was you. What you up too, sweet talking him for a good review?”

“Actually I’m in the band,” answered Billy.

“No kidding,” replied Jim. “Well I guess we finally get to see if you live up to what you say in your articles. Anyway I was just stopping in to say hi, I got a bar that needs tending. Good luck tonight” He then began to go back to the bar, but before he did he turned around and added, “Oh and don’t leave before talking to ol’ Jimmy before you go, I might have something you’re interested in.” And with that he returned to the bar across the room.

“Who’s he, our agent?” asked Lil’ D. a bit mockingly.

“Well in a way he kind of is,” I said. “He is the one in charge of booking people to play the pub, be he’s also helped me get gigs at other places in the city.”

“I see,” replied Lil’ D.

“He’s may seem odd at first, but he grows on you,” I explained. “Anyway looks like people are starting to come in, we should get our final checks done.” People were starting to come in, it was getting close to nine and the pub was slowly filling with people expecting to have their socks rocked off. It was no big deal. I know that feeling. I’ve been there before. I’m sure Billy was old hat at it too now, but it was a new feeling for the girls. I said it before about Valefor’s first time at the pub. The prom may have been our first paid gig, but that was playing for a bunch of kids our age that just wanted something that didn’t completely suck and they could also dance to. The pub is a totally different story. At the pub these are people that have paid to get in for one thing, rock. Okay maybe two things, rock and beer, but rock still comes first, but I digress yet again. This kind of crowd had a completely different feel to them, but again I had complete faith in my band, and hopefully by the end of the night some people would have to go buy some new socks.

Seeing as we were a cover band named after both Blink 182 and Eve 6 we thought I made sense to play at least one of their songs. So we opened our set up with Blink 182’s The Rock Show. No long band introductions to start this time around, we just got straight to the rock, and I’m sure the crowd appreciated it that way. They seemed to like the song at least, seeing as they all clapped and cheered when we were done. Good, we had the crowd on our side, now’s the time for introductions.

“Hello Boston!” called out Siren in typical front man style. “How we feeling tonight?” Again in typical front man style Siren paused for the crowd to respond with cheers and applause, in typical rock audience style. “All right. We’re a bit new to the scene, but I’m sure a few of you recognize Ryle here on the bass.” A wave of cheers and applause came over the crowd as I played my improved funky freshness. I suppose they did remember me, felt nice.

The rest of the night went fine, in fact it went better than fine, it was awesome. We ended the night with Kansas’ Carry on Wayward Son and the crowd gave us a standing ovation. I didn’t get many of those back with Valefor so I took time to take this one in. I almost felt bad for whatever band was playing tomorrow night. We were going to be a hard act to follow.

We began to pack up our gear as the crowd in the pub gradually shifted from rock fans to barflies I could see Jim coming up to the stage. Guess we wouldn’t have to stop by before we left after all, not that I forgot.

“You guys rocked tonight!” exclaimed Jim. “The hell with Valefor you made the right choice with these guys buddy, I mean Billy you play as good as you said you did, Ryle you of course were steady as ever on that bass of yours, and Siren that voice of yours, wow. Drums could be better, not saying they’re bad or anything, just had to compared to what Kelsi played, but all and all I think you’re a lot better off.”

“Thanks,” I said to Jim. As much as I didn’t want it to happen I suppose I’d have to get used to people comparing Bleve 186 to Valefor. “So what was it that you wanted to tell us about earlier?”

“Yeah, what would we be interested in?” asked Lil’ D, not phased by Jim’s backhanded compliment on her drumming.

“Well I was going wait to hear you guys play first, but after listening to that I think you’ll be up for this,” explained Jim.

“And that is?” I asked.

“I’m helping organize a battle of the bands, it’s going to be at The Establishment Fourth of July weekend,” he said.

“Oh cool,” replied Siren. “You want us to enter?”

“Sure do,” said Jim. “I know it’s short notice, only two weeks away. Catch is it has a five hundred dollar entry fee.”

“Oh, that’s a bit steep,” said Billy.

“Yeah well the prize for the winner is half the total entry money, second gets a two thousand, and third gets their entry fee back,” explained Jim.

“So the risk might be worth the reward,” added Siren. “That and it sounds like it would be fun.”

“Sure will be,” replied Jim. “But there’s more to the prize for the winner. I’ve talked with a few acquaintances of mine in New York and Montreal that also run joints like this and they’ll agree to let the winner come down and play some shows at their place, you know get your name out there.”

“Sounds nice,” I said. “But kind of far to go.”

“Well there’s one more thing the winner gets,” replied Jim. “A fully refurbished Volkswagen touring van. That’s why we’re calling it, ‘The Battle of the Vans.’ Good name huh? Has a nice ring to it”

I looked towards Siren to see what she thought. We had already talked about how cool it would be to have a van for this exact reason. I knew what her answer would be. I then looked to Billy and Lil’ D. who returned me a nod and a thumbs up respectively.

“So what do you think?” asked Jim. “You think you’ll enter?”

I then turned back to Jim and said the line that I hope will someday be printed on T-shirts sold around the world, “Sure, why the hell not.”