Rockstar Serenade: The Verse

Ch 9: Band Practice For Attempt Number One

dedicated to @broken_dreamerxx. We made friends during the last days of 2013. Hahaha, such a good way to start a new year! :)

TREVOR~

She’s been making faces at Jake all day. Whether Jake’s resting, exhibiting drumstick twirls or throws, or simply doing a beat, she’s been frowning at him. Talk about an awkward and eerie aura inside the studio.

Jake isn’t numb not to notice though. He’d return the scowl every now and then but he refuses to talk. I just don’t think the both of them would be able to keep this up any further. I could picture flying drumsticks, cymbals, and toms flying across the studio. Exaggeration? I don’t think so.

We agree to do another round of the song, perfecting the chorus while we’re at it. The announcements from CJA say that we need to perform three songs: two covers and one self-composed. Our two covers are well-practiced enough that I could already do the guitar solo with my eyes closed. Our own composition, however, is still rough around the edges.

We decided to be a hard rock band. Apparently, all four of us are fans of Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, The Who, Black Sabbath and other bands along that line. Along with the formation of the band is my desire that someday or anytime soon, we’d enter CJA and then rise to prominence. My name would then be written along the legendary guitarists, linking it to my idols Jimmy Page and Angus Young.

Being a four-man band, our bassist also happens to be our lead singer. I’m so grateful that Xavier has a huge circle of friends that we were able to find people to complete the line-up quickly. And, I think our group will do great.

I press the final notes to end the song, and Jake does the final drum roll.

“So, how’s that? Do you think the chorus is good enough?” Drew asks after he clears his throat.

“I dunno, man. Something’s just not right,” Xavier replies. “We need to repeat the last eight bars, or the whole bridge at least. It just doesn’t go well with the chorus.”

Before anything else, we all jerk upon a slam on the snare drum and bass drum. “Again?! Aren’t you guys sick of doing that part over and over?”

I’m about to open my mouth to agree with Xavier, but then, little miss audience interrupts. “Quit complaining, drummer boy. It’s not like you’re the god of music or something.”

So, she has finally spoken.

You know what’s weird? Her bluntness sounded just like Terra’s.

In a quick blow of exasperation, Jake stands from his seat. “Told you to mind your own business, she-wolf!”

In reply, Kailey rolls her eyes. I have this pain-in-the-gut feeling that something bad is going to happen soon, and that having Kailey come over is a bad idea. “I’ve seen better performances, drummer boy.”

It’s a shot through the chest that had each one of us gasping. Is she telling us that we’re not good enough?

Impossible.

But, she’s been around Terra quite a lot. Surely, she must’ve already picked something up.

“Ha! Who are you, our talent manager? What the hell do you know about music? All you know is nothing but to be alone, frown at people and get into a brawl! You can’t even get the easy questions in the exams correctly!” Jake laughs in an insulting manner, a way that he actually made it sound Kailey a pitiful girl.

But she is kinda pitiful, right?

Kailey takes it calmly at first, but under the surface, I can tell that she’s seething. A wave of rage sweeps over her the moment Jake rudely tells her to get out of the studio. “Hurry, sucker! Take the fuckin’ door and leave! And bring your bitchiness with you!”