Now that she's thirteen years old, the narrator realizes that she can't afford to go to the next big ball, the "land debutante ball," because she'll have to dress up like a "prettiest and proper" member of the punk rock band, "Dougen Slash Patrol." She tells her father that he's got a deal with the band: if he gives her backstage passes, she can wear whatever she wants to the gig. But if he doesn't give her the backstage pass, she won't even be allowed to go backstage at all. She tells him that she made her own outfit for the gig, inspired by the band's lead singer. She also tells her that she and the band are going on a "runway scream" at the gig because it's "just a concert" . She's so excited that she tells her mom that she just wants to "just pretend I don't know her" , which is a reference to her love for the band.