Story #28: The Night Out

The Night Out

It was a chilly November morning when a young, excited Serena Jones received the best news of her life through a Facebook notification. She has been hoping for this day for as long as she could remember, and it was finally happening! Not only was her favorite singer coming to the concert center just a few blocks away from her house, backstage passes were going to be handed out to random audience members! After letting out a squeal of excitement, Serena ran down the stairs only to be greeted by one word. "No."

"Bu-," Serena was cut off by her father, Dante, who was too busying flipping through T.V. channels to notice his daughter was holding back tears.

"You are not going to that concert. You're only 15 and that is not old enough to attend a concert."

"You went to your first concert when you were 13!" Serena yelled back at her father. After bickering for a few minutes, a soft yet assertive "Enough," came from the next room. It was April, Serena's mother. Without giving Serena a chance to plead her case, April agreed with her husband, "Your father's right, you are way too young to go to a concert." Serena stormed out the door and walked angrily to her best friend's house.

Serena slammed her fist on Gabi's door. Gabi opened the door with a surprised look on her face. "What?" Gabi said, almost yelling.

"Beyoncé. Beyoncé is coming to the concert center. This Friday," Serena said, barely breathing from her excitement, "and they're giving out backstage passes to random audience members!" she finished, gradually getting louder.

"Well, that's amazing, but why couldn't you just text me?" a confused Gabi asked. Serena's face fell, and with a sigh of disappointment she said "my parents said no." Serena then welcomed herself into Gabi's house, and took a seat at her breakfast bar.

"You can't not go to the concert!" Gabi yelled, frustrated. Concerned with all the yelling, Gabi's mom, Leah walked in.

"Is everything ok in here?" she asked, curiously.

"There's a Beyoncé concert coming up on Friday, can I go?" Gabi causally asked her mom.

"Sure sweetie!" Leah answered back.

Now in Gabi's room, feasting on an array of snacks, Gabi asked "Can't you just ask them again? Explain how much this concert means to you!"

"It doesn't work like that, Gabi," Serena sighed, "my mom's one of the strictest parents on earth and my dad is too busy flipping channels to question her". At this moment, Gabi's face lit up.

"I have an ide-" "Oh dear," Serena didn't let her finish, "I already know what you're going to say." "You're sneaking out Friday night, and we are going to a Beyoncé concert!" Gabi let out with a squeal of excitement.

"I can't!" Serena argued.

"Oh yes you can!" Gabi snapped back. The girls talked for two hours working out all the kinks of their secret plan.

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, Friday night arrived. Serena ran downstairs from her room, with her overnight bag in hand, and nervously said "I'm off to Gabi's!" She was almost out the door when her mother, April stopped her.

"Aren't you a little overdressed for a sleepover?" April concluded with that I-know-exactly-what-you're-up-to-because-I'm-your-mother tone.

"What this old thing?" Serena looked down at her sequin dress with strappy sandals, "this is an everyday look!"

"Okay then, have fun tonight!" April yelled as Serena disappeared out the door.

When Serena arrived at Gabi's, she was a nervous wreck. "I don't think I can do this," she whined, "they're so onto us."

Gabi lent some reassuring words, "No, they're not. You're just being anxious." After giving Serena a few minutes to calm down, they loaded up the car and drove to the concert.

"Now, they're giving backstage passes to random audience members, so be on the lookout for anyone who looks like the staff," Serena coached Gabi, "we need those backstage passes!"

The girls had a ball at the concert. They sang their hearts out and managed to be picked for the backstage passes! Serena almost fainted when she made eye contact with the one and only. Beyoncé was flattered by her reciting of every album title. After the five minute meet and greet, Serena and Gabi were ushered out of the concert center, and returned to Gabi's house for the rest of the night.

At about 10 in the morning, Serena decided she should head home. She was so proud of herself for actually sneaking out! Serena opened the front door and cheerfully strided into the living room, where she was greeted by her parents. "You really think you can get by us?" April and Dante said in sync, as though they had rehearsed this moment.

"I'm so sorry, I'm really sorry," Serena begged.

"It's too late for sorry," April scolded.

"No technology for six months," Dante added.

On her walk of shame up to her bedroom Serena said under her breath, "it was worth it."