Babysitting the Band

​“Extra, extra! Read all about it!” ​I looked up from my lunch at Parker, who slapped a copy of the school’s newspaper in front of me before sitting down. ​“Why do you even have a paper?” I asked, staring at it for a second before turning back to my food. “Usually, you take it without even looking and then burn it after school.” ​He shrugged, flipping through the pages. “Zoey’s tired of me ruining the things she and the rest of the newspaper class work so hard on. She said she’d burn me if I destroyed another copy.” ​I rolled my eyes. “And we all know you’ll do whatever Zoey says.” ​His face turned red, and he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Shut up.” ​Intrigued, I grabbed the paper. Both Parker and I rarely read it, even though everyone was required to take a copy. It was the school’s primary news outlet, but I could have sworn only three people outside of the staff actually read the thing. ​“Zoey said this one’s got something good in it,” Parker informed me. “She didn’t have time to tell me what because we were both late for class, but knowing Zoey, it’s probably not hard to figure out.” ​I slammed the paper down the moment I found what she was excited about. Parker looked down to where I was pointing and rolled his eyes. “It seems like Hello Aria even made it to our school paper now, huh?” ​I made a face and pushed the paper away. I wasn’t a fan like every other girl was, and I wasn't about to waste my time reading a full-page article about them. I didn’t see what a boy band had to do with school anyway. ​“Wow, you must really hate them,” Parker snickered. ​“I don’t hate them,” I countered. “They just... annoy me. They haven’t done anything to make me hate them.” ​“Whatever you say,” he started, a smirk growing on his face, “Aria.” ​“Ugh!” I groaned, dropping my head into my arms. “Don’t call me that. I’ve heard it fifty times already today, all about how ‘lucky’ I am to share a name with that band.” ​Parker laughed. “It’s your name, isn't it? What do you want us to call you?” ​“I don’t know,” I shrugged, my head still on the table. “I’d like to go nameless while I figure it out.” ​“Maybe we could reverse it and call you Aira,” he suggested. I gave him a look that made him burst out laughing. “Okay, okay. Aria it is.” ​After school, Zoey and I rushed out of our last period to beat the rain. “I heard their concert sold out hours after the tickets went on sale,” Zoey said as we walked toward our block. “Luckily, I was able to snag two before they were gone!” ​I forced a smile. “How great.” ​“Are you busy later?” she asked. “I was thinking we could go to the mall.” ​“Sorry, I have to babysit tonight.” ​“Of course you do,” she laughed. “They don't call you the best babysitter in town for nothing. Every kid knows who you are.” ​“Not every kid—” ​“Hello, Aria!” a tiny voice called out, cutting me off. It was a boy I had babysat the week before. I waved back, and Zoey smirked. There was no point in denying it. ​Suddenly, a crumpled-up school newspaper hit the back of my head. I turned to see Parker jogging toward us, grinning. “That worked out easier than I thought,” he laughed, picking up the paper as Zoey glared at him. ​Zoey snatched the paper, trying to smooth out the wrinkles. She smiled when she caught a glimpse of the Hello Aria picture inside. Parker and I exchanged a look of shared disgust. ​“So, did you find a presentable outfit for the concert like I told you to?” Zoey asked Parker. ​I stopped dead in my tracks. “You’re going? I thought you hated them!” ​Parker shrugged. “Zoey didn’t want to go alone, and she knew you wouldn’t go.” ​I stayed silent. I knew Parker liked Zoey, even if she was too dense to see it. Maybe some time alone at a concert would help them move in that direction. ​“Whatever,” I sighed. “Go if you want. I’m not stopping you.” ​Zoey pulled a ticket out of her pocket to show me. “We’re going to miss you, Aria. It’s going to be so much—” ​Suddenly, a strong gust of wind plucked the ticket right out of her hand. She screamed. Without thinking, I dove into the street after it. ​“Aria!” my friends shouted as I dove in front of a car. I shut my eyes, waiting for the impact. ​Tires screeched. I opened my eyes to find my face inches from a tire. A car door opened. ​“You okay?” a guy asked, offering a hand. He wore a hood and sunglasses that were too big to see his face clearly. I took his hand, thanked him, and backed away, brushing off my scrapes. ​“I’m fine,” I assured him. ​The stranger c****d his head, grinning in a way that freaked me out slightly. ​“The ticket!” I suddenly remembered, looking around. “Zoey! I can't find it!” ​Zoey ran up and hugged me. “I don’t care! I’m just glad you’re alright!” ​“Actually, I found it,” the stranger said, holding the ticket between two fingers. He looked at me for a long beat before finally handing it to Zoey. ​“Thank you so much!” Zoey chirped. ​“No problem,” he said, his voice smooth. “Just try to stay out of the street.” He hopped back into his car and drove off. ​Parker broke the silence. “Well, that was intense.” ​We started walking again, but Zoey stopped suddenly, staring at the ticket. “This isn't my ticket,” she whispered. “Mine was for the upper mezzanine. This one is front row. And there’s something written on the back.” ​We leaned in to read the handwriting: ‘For the girl who’s brave enough to jump in front of a car for a friend. See you at the show, Aria.’ ​When I got home, my sister Sophie was waiting. “You know how Hello Aria is coming to town?” she asked, talking a hundred miles a minute. “I won a ticket and a backstage pass in a radio contest! I was wondering if you’d take me!” ​The ticket in my pocket—the one from the stranger—felt like it was burning. I didn't even have to buy one. ​“You know I don’t like them, Sophie,” I sighed, heading for the stairs. ​“Aria, please! You’re the only one who can take me! Mom and Dad won’t let me go with friends!” ​She was using me as a last resort. I didn't hate the band, I was just annoyed that their name was everywhere—my name. But seeing her desperation, I gave in. I pulled the two pieces of paper from my pocket. ​“How did you get these?” she gasped, her eyes wide. ​“Someone who works with them almost killed me with their car,” I shrugged. “They gave me these to make up for it.” ​Sophie started squealing, jumping up and down. She bolted downstairs to tell Mom, leaving me alone in my room. I placed the tickets in my desk drawer. ​I was going to be squished by thousands of screaming fans, and then I’d have to go backstage. I could only hope it wouldn't be as bad as I imagined. ​And people wondered why I didn’t like Hello Aria...