Free Wheels of Steel, Book 3 by Pepper Pace Page A

door and Jason blinked as if awakening from a dream.
     
     
    “What?!”
     
     
    Normally no one bothered him when he locked himself away like this. Everyone knew the familiar sounds of the Omicron Halloween party DVD that Amberly had created and had then given to him and Peter for Christmas. Sometimes Jason would sit for hours watching the video or listening to the DVD that he had recorded of Robin’s singing, just playing it over and over.
     
     
    “Jason, can I come in. I need to talk to you!” Amberly voice drifted through the closed door. He didn’t immediately move but finally pressed stop on the DVD player and got up and walked to the door unlocking it. He ignored the cane that sat propped against the chair, and it had been a long time since he’d needed crutches or his wheelchair. Jason wordlessly returned to his seat after unlocking the door without bothering to open it, plopping down listlessly. Amberly opened the door, her eyes flitted to the television screen uneasily but then she smiled again.
     
     
    “Jason, I saw Robin tonight!”
     
     
    Jason’s head instantly swiveled towards her. “What?”
     
     
    “At a club!”
     
     
    He suddenly sat up straight. “What club? Why didn’t you call me?!”
     
     
    She bounced on her toes happily. “Because she performs there every Thursday!” He frowned at her in confusion. “Robin’s in a band!” She explained.
     
     
    “A band…” His eyes narrowed. “What’s the name of it?” He had already leaped to his feet and was limping quickly to his computer.
     
     
    “Orange Crush.”
     
     
    Jason began pecking away quickly on the computer. “Eh!” He scowled as Amberly moved behind him to see what he was doing. “Nothing! What’s the name of the club?”
     
     
    “Nuthouse.”
     
     
    Jason’s pecking continued and then he paused, a slight smile tilting the corners of his mouth. He pulled up a site for The Nuthouse and saw that it was a Club in Madisonville. They had an open mic night, Karaoke as well as nightly live band and dj’s. Orange Crush was on the schedule each Thursday; no picture of the band, though.
     
     
    He rubbed back his hair turning to Amberly. “How…how was she?”
     
     
    “Good. It’s just three girls; Robin singing and the other two on guitar.” Amberly shrugged. “She’s a good singer-”
     
     
    “No…I mean, how did she seem? Did she seem okay?”
     
     
    Amberly looked uncomfortable. She scooped her hair back behind her ears and frowned. “She seems…different. I would have never thought that she’d be singing or even dancing in some club.” She shrugged.
     
     
    Jason considered her words. “Orange Crush…”
     
     
    ***
     
     
    The girls had jammed all week, sometimes they blew off studying to meet at Becca and Tracey’s apartment to kick back with the guitar, singing whatever came to mind. Which didn’t mean that they had practiced for Thursday’s set. But since they rarely did, it was all cool. Even when they messed up a little the band was still quirky and fun and no one ever complained or booed them.
     
     
    Earlier they had messed around with learning A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall, and now they were lying around smoking weed. Robin was on the chaise with her head hanging off the edge and nearly touching the floor. She was stoned but it was cool because at least she wasn’t drunk as well.
     
     
    Tracy was strumming lightly on the guitar. She was petite, with non-existent breasts or ass. Her dyed pink and blonde hair was cut short into a boy cut. Her eyes were light grey and her skin was pale beneath a spattering of freckles. She was bisexual and could easily pass for a prepubescent boy…and often had.
     
     
    Becca moved across the room to hand Robin the joint that she had just rolled. She could have been a supermodel except that she wasn’t even as tall as Robin. She had long raven hair and sky blue eyes set within a tanned face. She was a girlie girl that had to get her