Expanding Tastes

[Katy Miller]

It had been pretty easy to convince her mother to let Katy take a trip into the city under the loose pretense of gift shopping for Yule, but this trip had really devolved into Katy shopping for herself. She'd been scouring the muggle record shops most of the afternoon, looking to expand her slowly growing muggle music collection since she'd started listening to more muggle artists last year. The wizarding music industry was all well and good, but it had nothing on the ingenuity and variety of what muggles got up to. Not having magic to lean on had really allowed muggles to explore amazing musical avenues and Katy lamented that so many witches and wizards would never even hear half the artists out there. Flipping through the records, Katy let out an excited shriek, pulling out one of Tracy Bell's earlier albums that had appeared sandwiched between some other muggle R&B artists. Flipping the record eagerly in her hands, Katy scanned the track list, grinning to herself. Tracy Bell was one of her favourite muggle artists right now, Katy was in a little in love with her vocals. She'd be realizing lately she might have been born in the wrong generation, music was so good in the early 2000's. Other kids her age just didn't get her taste in music, she wasn't even sure if some muggles still listened to the sorts of albums she did anymore either, but it gave Katy a little thrill to think she liked music her peers would never have heard of.

 

[Wendy Bell]

The sound of a small bell rang overhead as a new occupant shuffled inside the old record store. Mamma Mia on Broadway will be starting a little over an hour, and the young teen needed to do something to pass the time. Or else waiting around outside or something as simple as getting food would generate attention she really didn't care to have at the moment. Being the granddaughter of a well-known R&B singer would attract all types of attention. The brunette scans the old shop, it was comfortably quiet inside except for some kind of song playing through nearby speakers. Wendy wasn't familiar with the song, yet, it was sort of a bop. A song Wendy wouldn't mind investigating who the singer was. Wendy likes discovering new music, she forever adding new songs to her playlist when she was home. Wendy casually roams the shop to see what else was new and popping these days. Magic hadn't entirely separated her from music and most electronic things. At home, she did own an old record player that was given to her by her nana. Tracy Bell cited the beauty of appreciating antiques and owning a phonograph. Wendy didn't always understand her grandmother's reasoning, but she cherished anything her grandmother gave her. Her gifts were always personal with a story behind it. Wendy stopped to see a girl was holding a record she was very familiar with, it was one of her grandmother's. Wendy's grandmother well known but they didn't play her music that much on the radio. A small smile formed on her lips as Wendy approach the girl. She seemed very elated to have found that record in the old shop. "Tracy Bell, she great, right?"

 

[Katy Miller]

Katy turned when she heard someone comment on the record, facing the girl and clutching the record to her chest, smiling when she spotted a girl roughly her age. "Oh heck yeah, I wish I had known about her stuff sooner, I'm a little in love," Katy said with a laugh, tucking her hair behind her ears. It was nice to talk about music with someone else her age who actually knew some of the artists she liked, she thought, considering the other girl momentarily. "Can you imagine how cool it would've been to grow up with her music?" Katy sighed, modern music was fun, but somethings just couldn't hold up to classics.

 

[Wendy Bell]

Wendy can understand that nostalgic feeling when it comes to her grandmother's music. They were still timeless creations to so many, usually, those who were a lot older in age. It's rare for Wendy to see someone of her age group to gravitate towards that style of music. "Yes I can, actually," Wendy peered around the shop before she exposes her identity. There weren't that many here, she won't be swarm by older fans fishing for details about her grandmother. "I'm her granddaughter," Wendy shared with the girl. "Her music was on all the time at home," Wendy spoke with a genuine smile, she loved her grandmother. She was more supportive of Wendy about her magic than her own parents. Tracy Bell's love never falters even when she found out she had a witch for a granddaughter.

 

[Katy Miller]

Katy felt her jaw drop open when the girl admitted to being Tracy Bell's granddaughter. "No way," She breathed, glancing around the store as well to see if anyone else was listening. "What's your name, prove it," She said, lowering her voice and leaning towards the girl conspiratorially. Either the girl was lying, which would be a shame, but could be pretty fun to mess with her, or, she really was Tracy Bell's honest to merlin granddaughter. Honestly, Katy really did want to believe her, because meeting the grandchild of one of your musical favs was something straight out of a movie and Katy wasn't one to turn down becoming the protagonist of a cliche teen movie if it meant she might get to meet Tracy Bell.

 

[Wendy Bell]

Wendy patted her pockets searching around for her cellphone. She felt the hard plastic poking from behind her back pants pocket. Wendy pulled out the smart, minimal device and went searching for a picture to show proof she was related to Tracy Bell. She came across the latest photo they took last week on Wendy's first night on school break. Tracy smiled as her granddaughter stood beside her. The caption underneath the photo read: Wendy home for the break, time to hang out with grandma! The first two days they spent a good chunk of it together, then grandma had to work so she gave Wendy tickets to see Mama Mia. "There, I just came back from school. She a little busy, but we were able to hang out for a little while," Wendy shows the girl the picture. Wendy shows her another as both, grandmother and granddaughter were getting a manicure done together. "Wendy, Tray's daughter, and Tracy's granddaughter," the girl mused with a smile then return her minimal device shoved back inside her pocket. Wendy would think the girl would believe her as she gave her indisputable proof of her relationship with the singer.

 

[Katy Miller]

Katy resisted the urge to grab the phone out of the girl's hands as she showed her the pictures of her and the real Tracy Bell, glancing repeatedly back and forth between the photos and the girl, Wendy, Tracy Bell's granddaughter. "No way!!" She hissed out again, bouncing up and down a few times before trying to regain her cool again. Looking around the store, Katy grabbed Wendy's arm, dragging her over to a listening nook in the corner, hoping for a little more privacy. "You have to tell me everything. What was it like growing up? What's she like? Oh wow, do you sing too?" Katy knew she was probably being terribly uncool, but she was too excited at the idea of getting to know Wendy and maybe by extension, Tracy, to keep everything in check.

 

[Wendy Bell]

Wendy knew there would be an awe-inspiring reaction to the exposure. This is why she was shipped off to New Zealand with her parents, the smaller country didn't bring that kind of exposure as it did in America. This was brought on by her, she didn't have to prove anything or talk to the girl in the first place, but it was nice to relate to someone as young as her when it came to her grandmother's music. "Whoa, okay chill," Wendy laughs, waving her hands down in front of her. "It was like whatever you think it was like. You're surrounded by cameras when you're out and about, mostly her. Fame and fortune came with the talent but she always says to stay humble," Wendy speaks of her grandmother's wisdom. Sadly, her parents didn't follow her grandmother's advice. They did the exact opposite. "I can sing, sort of," Wendy hesitant to say, but it comes out ambiguous. "So, what's your name?"

 

[Katy Miller]

Katy took a moment to regain her composure, laughing at her own excitement. "Sorry sorry, it's just so cool, your life sounds so cool," Katy always figured she could manage to be famous some day, probably not a musician, but maybe a famous explorer or travel writer or something. But that dream seemed a bit at odds when suddenly faced with what one could consider a real live famous person. "She's not.. here with you right now, is she?" She asked, trying to subtly scan the store one more time before focusing on Wendy. "Sorry, but that's cool that you sing too! Carrying on the family legacy would be awesome," The idea of new Tracy Bell music, or music from her granddaughter being the next big thing, made Katy grin. She straightened up when Wendy asked her name, realizing she really hadn't been making the greatest impression, just coming across as some fangirl. "I'm Katy." She said, fixing Wendy with what she hoped was a more even, confident smile.

 

[Wendy Bell]

Wendy welcomes when the attention was on grandmother and less on her, but she didn't blame the girl for simply being curious. If Wendy took the time to talk to her grandmother's fans all the time, she would be hearing the same questions thrown at her over and over again. Wendy didn't think her grandmother's older fans would be asking personal questions about her, Katy was a first unless Wendy counted those magazine interviews she sat alongside with her grandmother. Wendy usually wasn't forthcoming when the interviewer asks about her future plans, she kept it vague most time. Or her grandmother would butt in and divert the attention back to her. "No, she not, she busy and gave me tickets to go see this show," Wendy mentions, pulling tickets out of her front pocket. "Mama Mia on Broadway....I'm actually going to check out backstage, would you like to come?" Wendy went on a whim and invited the girl. Since her friend was a no show, Wendy thought why not and the ticket would go to waste if she didn't. "Whaddya say, Katy?"

 

[Katy Miller]

Katy was a bit disappointed when Wendy said Tracy wasn't there, but honestly she hadn't really expected her to be. This meeting was already a super awesome coincidence in itself. Still, Wendy seemed pretty cool, famous grandparent non-withstanding. She seemed modest too, which Katy admired. If her grandma was a famous artist Katy bet she wouldn't be quietly hanging out in random record stores talking to potentially crazy fans. Or inviting them to see broadway shows with them. Katy's eyes boggled at the offer and she opened her mouth in wide smile. "Oh heck yeah, count me in," Her mother would probably be mad when Katy didn't come home till way later tonight, but backstage at a musical with Wendy was probably a good excuse for disappearing for a few hours. Or at least, a good enough reason to get into trouble in Katy's book.

 

[Wendy Bell]

Wendy chuckles, she half expected the girl to agree to go with her. Wendy was still a stranger after all, but a little verifying of her identity labeled her legit. Wendy sent out a quick text to her grandmother and parents informing them of a small change in the plan. Wendy smiles, nodding at Katy, "Cool, and maybe my grandmother will pick me up later and you can meet her," Wendy convey back to Katy after sending out the text. If Wendy wasn't a witch, if she wasn't attending a school of magic, there no telling how she would behave in these circumstances. Would she be chasing the spotlight, following her grandmother's footsteps? The possibilities may have been endless with her, she had the connection and the means to go far. Maybe it was a good thing she was a witch, it slows down the fast pace of the music industry and Wendy gets to freely decide if she wanted any part of it or not. "Alright, let's go. I heard this cast is amazing." Wendy casually comments as she head for the exit.