Chapter 2:

Three years have passed since their friendship had began. They ended up going to the same far-off high school with their brooms and witchery. Right off, they made sure people knew what they are and how they are going to conquer. Winter frost graced a few windows and chilled the rosy-cheeked preschoolers as they rolled to their designated location. Juli stood outside Heather's home, standing on a broom. She rolled her eyes before shouting out, "Feather! Mr. Rhinestein isn’t gonna like to spend detention with me again so hurry your butt up!"

Heather burst through the door, shrugging her backpack and sweater in one move. She glared at her friend before grabbing a broom and standing on it. "I do NOT make us late." she grinned. Juli rolled her eyes. "Hey, I heard a bunch of screaming last night from your place."

Juli shifted uncomfortably. "We were watching a movie." She shrugged it off offhandedly. "On the counta three...I...2..." Heather zoomed up and off into the sky, laughing as she saw her best friend shrink smaller and smaller on the ground. "Hey!" she shouted vehemently before reaching up into the sky after Heather. "Oh, so you wanna race, huh?" she grinned as she pulled ahead.

"Talk, talk, talk." She spotted the school after a few more miles. "Hey, there's the parking lot!" Heather pointed out. "Better get down before we get flagged by the police again." Juli stuck out her tongue, remembering the last time they flew.

"Young ladies, you are far too high for the height limit." they had said.

They landed and part their ways since the bell signaled for the first hour of the rest of their school day. Finally, having to suffer math, a grouchy band and choir teacher, a really noisy history, and an exhausting P.E., they made it to lunch. They walked straight from the lockers to where they usually sat beneath the beautiful trees. Juli took out her guitar and began to add music to their atmosphere since the mainstream music was so far away.

Someone laughed and bobbed their heads to the music as Heather sang along. "Hey, you guys got that audition yet?" asked someone in their group.

"Not yet, Shanna." Juli sighed. "If we don't hear from them today, we're gonna try someplace else." The bell chose that moment to ring. Everyone groaned and threw their trash away.

"See ya, Juli and Heather." called out Shanna.

"Bye, Shanna." they called out. They gathered their things and headed towards the English building. "Feel like doing Greek Mythology today?" asked Heather.

"If it's creative writing, I don't care if it's about Madame Blanche." Juli smiled as they stepped through the door and into the class of barely 20.

After a bit of free work, Mr. Algrove received two blue slips. "Juli Saunders and Heather Drake." he called out. They looked at each other questioningly before cautiously taking the slips. They looked at the slips. Their eyes widened as they recognized the name on the pass.

"We got the audition!" they screamed with joy. They calmed down when they saw a chauffeur appear at the doorway. They grabbed their things and headed out the doorway, waving towards their classmates. As the limo pulled out of the gated parking lot, they let loose and screamed with excitement. They calmed a bit and began to rehearse a bit.

"Might I say that you girls sound lovely?" commented the driver. They both blushed and continued to practice. When they arrived at the tall building, their mouths could only hang open in awe. "I'll be back to pick you up in a few." They barely heard him before stepping into the large building. They headed up to the office of J. Adams, the manager.

They waited in a room with other acts. "What song should we do?" asked Juli as she tuned up her dark, opaque guitar.

"A good one. How about the Michelle Branch song?" asked Heather as she looked over the obvious bloodstains on the music sheet. "Juli, why are blood stains on the music?"

Juli quickly grabbed the paper and hid them in her backpack. "I cut myself with something, accidental. No biggie." she muttered. She scrunched her nose. "Do we have to do that song?" she asked. Heather only pouted her response. Juli sighed. "Ok, fine. Just let me test it for a bit." She played a few chords on her guitar before nodding.

"Heather Drake and Juli Saunders?"

"Yeah, that'd be us." Heather replied. They stood up and walked into J. Adams' office. They sat in chairs in front of a large desk. A woman sat in the large recliner and turned towards them. Her green eyes bore into them, making their jitters tenfold.

"So you're the duo team of Heather and Juli?" she asked quietly yet coolly. "Explain how you are."

"Um, we're a duo. We work together, write music, play music, and sing together." Juli replied nearly as calm as she can be.

"Let me hear you." Ms. Adams said.

Heather looked at Juli before letting out a breath. "On the counta 3...1...2...3...Turn it inside out so I can see...The part of you that's drifting over me...cause when I look you're...you're never there...and when I close my eyes...you're everywhere...you're everywhere." Juli became strong in the background with her guitar and backup vocals. As they got further and further into the song, they began to loosen up and enjoy it. And all the while, Ms. Adams watched their movement intently.

As they finished, they looked hesitantly over at Ms. Adams. "I'll call you girls when I have reached my decision." She looked through papers as they leave and when she was sure they couldn't hear a thing, she picked up the phone. "Hello, Mr. Buxton? Janine Adams here. I have a great act you can book for that rookie tour."

Juli lay on her stomach, reading a new magazine. Her arm was bandaged after an accident with a mirror. The sharp ring of her phone brought the room out of its reverie. "Hello, Juli here." she answered as she picked up the phone.

"Hello, Ms. Saunders." laughed a familiar voice. "I'm Janine Adams. Your new manager? Congratulations, you and Heather Drake will need to stop by my office tomorrow to sign the papers. Then Monday, you start rehearsals for your tour."

Juli lived a moment of shock before actually believing what the woman had said. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! We'll drop by tomorrow to sign. I'll call Heather right now." she laughed as she hung up and dialed Heather's number.

"Better be a good reason for interrupting my Friday movie..." seethed a voice.

"Feather, we got the contract!" Juli laughed.

"Are you pulling my leg? WE GOT THE CONTRACT?!" asked a disbelieving Heather.

"YES!" Mr. Drake came running towards his daughter when he heard her scream.

"Heather, is everything ok?" he asked, a bit out of breath.

"Yes! We got the contract!" Heather squealed, hugging her father.

"We have to drop by the office tomorrow to sign the papers. Then we got to practice for our tour Monday." Juli informed. "I'll be over at your place around 8:00 tomorrow morning, ok?"

"Sure." Heather replied. "We're up at 8 anyway." She hung up and turned towards her father, a bit confused on her friend's behavior.

The next morning was dreary as rain cascaded onto the roof, sending wanted chills up and down Heather's spine. She looked out the window to see a figure hobbling towards their home. The figure reached out with a slim hand and knocked on the door. Heather answered it as Juli shook from the raindrops.

"Boy, did it come down hard last night or what?" Juli laughed as she slipped off her green hood.

Heather moved towards Juli. "Juli, there's a bruise on your cheek. Where did you get it?" she asked worriedly.

Juli moved away and looked at herself in a mirror in the foyer. She became a bit nervous. "Oh that. Well, I ran into the coat rack or something. It was pretty dark at my house." Heather was about to ask more when Juli quickly changed the subject. "So, your dad's driving, right?"

"Um...yeah." Heather replied hesitantly. Her father walked in, keys in hand and coffee in the other.

"You girls ready to roll?" he asked.

Juli applied concealer to hide the bruise. "Yeah, let's go. Come on, Feather. As soon as we sign, we're on a one-way ticket to stardom!" she laughed as she spread her arms wide open. She grabbed Heather's arm and ran outside. "Hey, if our tour hits San Diego, we might be able to see your girlfriend."

Heather smiled dreamily. "Yeah..."

Mr. Drake revved the engine. "Take one last look at the neighborhood, girls. You won't see it often from now on." he told them.

Heather looked back on the rain-slicked roads. Juli was in her own world. "Bye..." she whispered. A new chapter was about to unfold in their world.