Ricky awoke, and slowly opened her eyes. She didn't remember taking this position, and she sat straight in her seat. Realizing she had been sleeping on Darren's chest, she felt embarrased. She could only imagine how they looked, and looked around. She hoped no one had seen them, her embarrassed face didn't seem to calm down. She lifted her side of the blanket slowly and not too high, careful not to wake Darren. She slid out of her seat, and lowered her blanket side slowly. She looked around, right there a yawn caught her. (KagomeGurl, you didn't say where you are.) She could only see Gray in her seat, she couldn't quite tell if she was asleep still. She wondered where Violet, Noel, Elle and Katie were. She started walking towards the stage.

Noel looked up as she heard footsteps. Gently placing her flute in it's case, she began to reread the song sheets beside her, humming. She couldn't remember the lights going out, because she had been outside, and didn't think anything unusual had happened. Softly she began to sing "On my knees" by Jaci Velasquez. She was a Christan, odd after everything that happened to her, her parents disappearance, her adopted 'family', her real family had always taken her to church. The volume of her voice rose a little, she had a lovely voice but she had never let anyone but the others hear her. Definitely not Mr. Johnson.

Name: Ben House
Age: 17
Appearance: Very short, light brown hair, with dark brown eyes, and lightly tanned skin. He's pretty tall at 6'2"
Biography/Personality: He used to live in a nice family, but joined a band as their keyboarder, so his family hated him, and he decided to run away
Instrument you play: Keyboard, and Vocals, but he tries to hide his singing talent

----

Ben walked out of his home, with just his backpack on his back. His family always knew he would come back, but not this time, he wouldn't. For a long time he had heard about an old auditorium that local runaways lived at, and he decided to live there, also, he had heard there would be music, which he loved. Turning down an old street, he saw the back door, and cautiously opened it, peering inside, to see if anyone was there. Seeing a couple of girls and a guy about his age, he walked in and introduced himself, "Hi...I'm Ben, is this where runaways can stay?", Ben asked, nervously.

Noel stopped singing abruptly, staring at the boy who had just entered. Instinctively, she glanced around to see who he was talking to. Then she realized he must be talking to her, who was the only person on the stage except for Grey who was still in her seat apparently. Noel nodded at the boy, who was a few years older then her. "Yeah, this is where runaways can stay." Simply echoing his question as a statement and switching around two words.

"Cool", Ben said, walking in, "Will you guys let me stay? I'm just going to play the piano, if there is one", he grinned, looking around, and seeing quite a few instruments, and a piano in the corner. Walking over to it, he played a couple notes, just to see if it was in key. Ben smiled, it was in tune, now he wouldn't be so bored, and maybe if someone else played the guitar and drums, that would be fun.

At the sound of babbling voices, Gray startled herself awake. Safe, for now; it was only her new friends, and another person, an addition to the group? Gray stood up quickly, becoming aware, once again, of the danger that surrounded her. Today she was eighteen. But no mind that, there was someone else here and that intrigued her.

Gray wrapped her arms around her torso tightly and walked over to the boy at the piano. "Hi," she said softly. "I'm Gray." She forced a small smile to hide a yawn and her unhappiness.

((I can still play Mr. Johnson if you all would like? I don't mind.))

Ben continued to play until he heard someone behind him, and then he stopped and turned around. "Hey, I'm Ben", he said, sticking out his hand, to shake hers, "Do you play an instrument?", he asked curiously, smiling at her. "So...", Ben sighed, "Everybody is a runaway in here?", he asked, pointing to the others around the room, wondering who and why they were here. Glancing around the room, behind Gray, and what appeared to be a stage, there were a hell of a lot of instruments, he thought, grinning to himself, maybe they could start a band or something.

"I suppose so," Gray said before biting her lip, trying not to think about why she was here or what she was even supposed to be doing. "The idea is that you musically entertain for money, which you give to Mr. Johnson, I think." Gray had only been there a day, but she understood the concept. The word money stood out to her. This concept of being street entertainers did not pertain to her anymore as of today.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear. "Quite right my dear, quite right," came the deep booming voice of Mr. Johnson from behind Gray. He easily towered over her, but this did not frighten her. "And who is our newest addition?" he asked as if someone should have already introduced them.

Ben got up to greet the tall man, "Uh..I'm Ben sir, can I stay here? I can play the piano", he said, looking down, not really trusting adults. Ever since he left home, he didn't really trust anybody, fearing that they would force him back, and go live with his family. Sitting back on the bench, he played a little bit, to show the large man that he had talent, and that he could play.

A willing participant, the large man thought to himself. "Certainly, m'boy," Johnson approved. "You have quite a talent." He patted him lightly on the shoulder,glaring at Gray who had yet to do much. Gray knew exactly what his stare meant though. She was free and she could see the slightly shock in his gaze that she was still there.

"Tell him what he needs to know, Gray," Mr. Johnson ordered, taking afew steps back. "And later I'll have you introduce my good friends," he grinned, knowing very well that Gray would not want to see her uncle. Gray turned back to Ben, unsure of what to say, and shrgged her shoulders.

"Uhh...", Ben said, "What does he mean by his 'good friends'?", he asked, nervously. Looking around, he grabbed his backpack, and set it against a wall, near the piano, and took out a single sheet, and laid it on the ground. Walking back, he asked, "So, what do you guys do around here?", he asked, watching the man walk away. Sitting back on the bench, he looked up at Gray, she's pretty hot, he thought, but then quickly looked away, back at the piano.

"No one important," she replied with a false and reassuring smile. Just some people trying to get filthy rich and kill me in the process, she added in her mind. She thought another moment, he kept changing topics like wildfire, but she didn't mind. "Practice, I guess," she had blushed a moment, not exactly sure what else. "I only got here yesterday." And she knew she should have left while she had the chance.

While Ricky walked slowly and tiredly to the stage, she heard a small voice from the back. She looked to see the door open, and a guy peering through. She stood there, wondering who he was. As he had went to the stage and started playing a bit with the piano. She could hear some talking, from Gray, Noel and the guy. Ricky couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, she was still a few steps away from the stage. Only 1 voice stood out clearly to her, which was Mr. Johnson's. She looked up and saw him walking over to Gray and the boy, with his famous good-business-man apparel. She shivered, every time he showed up he would give Ricky an unpleasent air. She began walking slowly to the stage, and reached it when Mr. Johnson had gone out of sight. Ricky looked at the guy at the piano, and smiled saying, "Yeah, practice for some future shows. I'm not sure when, though. He never tells us." She looked at where Mr. Johnson was last, "I think he does it on purpose so we have to keep practicing, non-stop."

(You're cool as Mr. Johnson, PureInsanity. )

Ricky turned around to her 2 friends, and smiled at Ben. "Hey, who are you?"

Seeing another girl walk over, he smiled, "I'm Ben", he said, sticking out his hand. "What's your name?", Ben asked, looking back around the auditorium, noticing how big it was. This place is big, he thought, and then thinking back to that large man, he wondered who his 'friends' were, Gray didn't exactly seem to be too excited about hearing about those other people who came.

Ricky looked down at his hand, and grabbed it gently. "I'm Ricky. What you play?", she friendly asked, letting go of his hand after a quick shake. She looked down at the piano, and quickly remembered him playing it before she'd gotten onto the stage. He sounded pretty good, and she quickly added, "Besides the piano."

"Hey Ricky", Ben nodded, and then stammered for a second, "I uh...I can...sing", he said, a little embarrassed. "But yeah, the piano is what I like to do, and what I practice", Ben said, looking up again, and smiling. "What do you play?", he asked, wondering if anyone played the guitar around here.

Noel blinked, retreating to the back of the audiotorim. Ben seemed kinda nice.. she wondered what his story was. Sitting down in the back row Noel began to go over the songsheets again. Since it wasn't raining, everyone would probably out in the streets playing music today, it was an okay-day, but a bit gloomy with the greyish skies. It had been a day like this when her parents had disappeared.

One miniminute Noel had been a happy girl with loving parents and her own flute and her best friend Vicky, and the next she had been an orphan runaway, playing her beautiful, brand new flute on the streets.

Darren rolled on to his side and put his hand's out expecting to feel Ricky rite near him. When his hand fell through the air and landed on nothing but the seat next to him he started to panic. As he threw the cover of in a fit and looked around the room desperately looking for Ricky, He finally noticed her standing near the stage. Darren sat back down and put the covers to one side until eventually walking over to Ricky. As he approached her from behind he slowly let his hand's slide across Ricky's hips until they met and made a soft, But firm grip around Ricky's stomach. Darren pulled him self in closer and tilted his head to the side until finally kissing Ricky on the cheek and returning his head to face toward the guy, Who until then he hadn't noticed.
"Sorry, Didn't see you there. I'm Darren" Darren smiled at the boy but didn't let go off Ricky.

((OOC: Nice to see it up and running again, Was definitely one of my favorite RP's))