Page 4 of Ticket to the Stars: Part One

“Yes, let me pull it up.” Ramona found the video in her phone, and then she turned her phone screen toward us, allowing us to see it.

The video quality wasn’t good, which meant it had to have been taken on Cleo’s phone. I was in my bedroom, hanging some clothes while singing to myself. Usually I kept my door shut, but when Mom was home, I kept it cracked—which was where Cleo had poked her phone through.

When I saw that Cleo had filmed me singing alone in my room, I tossed her a dirty look. All the girl did was shrug and grin.

Mom was busy watching and listening, while Cleo beamed. I was the only one who spoke up, “This is what won me the competition? There had to be better entries than that.” I didn’t know why I was grasping for straws.

This was huge. It put me in the spotlight. My ticket to the stars, as Ramona had said. This could literally change the rest of my life, so I didn’t know why I wasn’t happier. I mean, what were the odds?

“The team and I combed through every entry, and given your voice and your story, we think your addition to the band would be exactly the rebirth Black Sacrament needs,” Ramona rattled it off so quickly it sounded rehearsed.

“My story?” I echoed. “I don’t have a story.”

“Everyone has a story.” Ramona took her phone away from us, shutting off the screen. “You, for instance, are an eighteen-year-old girl getting ready to leave for her first year of college. You come from a small town in the middle of nowhere—no offense. You’re beautiful and your voice is equally as beautiful, even when you’re just singing to yourself in your room.”

College, yeah, that’s it. “So, you know I’m going to college. How would all this work?” I glanced to my mom, expecting backup. She’d always pushed for me to get a higher education so I wouldn’t get stuck working multiple jobs like she was.

But to that I say, welcome to America, where most people have to hustle to survive.

“Well,” Ramona paused to give my mom a look, “you’d have to postpone or take online classes. If you accept, you’ll need to leave your old life behind—at least while you’re part of Black Sacrament.”

“That doesn’t sound right.” I elbowed my mom, wanting her to say something, anything, but she stayed quiet.

“Maggie, if everything goes like the team and I expect, you’ll have enough to pay for any college you want. I’m not asking you to sign up with Black Sacrament forever. One year. One album with re-released singles with your voice added and maybe a few new tracks, and one official tour after the album is released. You will be paid for every minute of your time. If, at the end of the year, you want to walk away, that’s okay. You can. Or, you can stick with Black Sacrament if you decide to, or, hell, you could try to solo. If everything goes well—and I fully anticipate it will—I’d be happy to be your manager.”

Oh my God. My mouth dropped open at that, and I didn’t know what to say. All I had to do was fulfill an obligation to Black Sacrament, and then I could try going solo? What… I mean, what the hell kind of dream was this?

Because this couldn’t be real. It couldn’t be. Things like this didn’t happen to girls like me. Opportunities like this didn’t just fall into the laps of nobodies… but that’s exactly was what happening, all thanks to my sister who’d gone behind my back and taped me in my room while I was mindlessly singing.

Both Mom and Cleo were staring at me. It was Mom who said, “It’s your decision, Maggie. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. I won’t tell you not to do it.”

“Screw college!” Cleo practically shouted, earning herself a hard glare from our mom, but she didn’t simmer down. “You have to do it, Mags. You have to! And then you have to dedicate a song to me when you’re on stage—”

That got Ramona to lean forward and fold her hands on top of her phone. “I’m afraid she couldn’t do that, Cleo. I want to tell the world her story, but the details of who she is, and therefore who you are, can’t be shared. If you’re a Black Sacrament fan, you understand.”

That got her excitement to wane. “Oh, yeah.”

Mom’s eyebrows furrowed, and she said, “I don’t get it. So you want her to be a part of the band, but you don’t want the world to know her identity?”

“There are only a handful of people who know the real names of Black Sacrament’s members. They wear masks anytime they’re on stage, and anytime they have meet and greets. Maggie will do the same. In fact, we’ve already picked out a new name.”

So I couldn’t go by Maggie? I had to go by whatever weird name they gave me? Oh, this should be good.

Ramona’s black eyes were on me as she said, “Angel.”

Cleo clapped her hands together and squealed, like it was the most perfect name ever, while I sat there, confused. When I didn’t say anything, Cleo said, “It goes with Priest, Deacon, and Bishop perfectly. I love it!”

“So, what’ll it be, Maggie? Do you want to change your life?” Ramona smiled—this time, it was a real smile, one that turned the corners of her lips up. I had the feeling she didn’t smile often.

“Um” was all I could say for a while, mostly because this didn’t feel real. It felt… well,fakejust didn’t feel like the right word here. And then, because I was lame and I couldn’t think of anything else to say, I finished with, “Sure.”

Ramona sighed and stood. She offered me her hand to shake, and I slowly got to my feet and took her hand in mine. “Great. Let me run to the car and grab the contract I have printed up for you. I assume you’ll want some time to look it over before signing—there are some extra clauses in there due to the nature of Black Sacrament. I’ll swing by tomorrow, five o’clock, to pick you and the contract up.” To my mom and my sister, she added, “I have NDAs for you both as well. Since you’re not eighteen yet, Cleo, your mom will have to sign for you. Until we go public with this, it’s all strictly under wraps—and no one can ever know Angel’s true identity.”

Cleo nodded solemnly, and I knew she’d take this as a duty. My secret would be safest with her. She didn’t mess around when it came to her favorite bands. My mom, on the other hand, seemed more hesitant.

Who knew thatum, surewere the two words that would change my life as I knew it?

Chapter Three– Bishop

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