"Dude Looks Like a Lady"

Chapter 1 Together Again ~Crystal

Chapter 1

Together Again

~Crystal

‘Wow…’ Red said as he rested his chin on my head.

‘eeeeee…’ Drummer added pressing his chin on Red’s head.

‘How many is out there?’ Strings said, popping his head out between the curtain too and adding to our tower of heads, ‘Holy…’ we pulled back from the curtain before anybody outside saw us.

‘Gotta be at least one hundred.’ Red said.

‘That’s less than a primary school assembly.’ Strings shook his head; ‘I’d say at least three hundred.’

‘You think they’re all here for us?’ I asked.

‘Naw, they’re here for the pope.’ Strings said sarcastically before ruffling my hair condescendingly, ‘Of course they are… I forgot you’re not used to having this many people are you?’

‘Not really…’ I remembered how packed the venues were for The Blue Eyed Crafters. It seemed like such a vast ocean in comparison to what was outside, but it might have just seemed that way being in the audience. ‘I was more wondering if some of them are here for the support?’

‘Our folks an’ a cuppa ay friends.’ Came a voice from behind me.

I turned to see a skinny guy, tall with dark skin, which his bright cat-like green eyes clashed with. He didn’t look much younger than me, maybe sixteen at the least.

‘M’names Ragé, or that’s whet I’m called anyway. I sing.’ He held out his hand to Strings who shook it firmly. ‘Our band’s called Warout.’

‘Nice, we’re called-La-‘

‘-Zer Graffiti. I ken.’ He smiled shyly and scratched the back of his head, ‘We’re kinda big fans, ken? I’m no as big as Kay back there…’ He pointed at a purple haired girl who nervously smiled as we all looked her way and moved her drum sticks like knitting needles. ‘She gotta big crush on you, Scott.’

Drummer nodded, smiled and waved at the girl who waved back spastically as if he had sent electricity right through her. ‘That’s Hayden an’ Mints ova there.’ He pointed at a couple of guys whose only difference seemed to be in their faces. ‘But like I said. It’s our folks an’ a cuppa ay friends. This is the first round in our competition that we actually ‘ave ay audience. Before it wis jus’ judges. So the rest are fae you.’

‘Awesome.’ Red nodded.

‘Aye- fae us. I mean, it’s like ay honour to support ye, ken?’

‘Aw, yer cute.’ Strings said ruffling Ragé’s hair, making me laugh.

He stared at me for a moment, ‘What?’ I asked.

‘Nu’in.’ He smiled. I think being around Scots with broader accents than him made him revert back to his accent. It was like he had managed to cover it up, but I didn’t see why he’d do that.

Warout began to set themselves up on stage. We gave them the thumbs up as the curtains opened and they quickly turned to face the audience. They looked like children entering the dentist’s room.

They performed two songs, a cover of Time is Running Out by Muse and their own original called Mountain Plight. I noticed a few mistakes from the guitarists in the Muse song but their original stood out from most songs. I think we all seemed to feel pride to have them as our support.

‘Now for our main performance and the reason you all came here tonight…’ The spokeswoman said into the mic, ‘Welcome, Lazer Graffiti!’

We all went on stage, I had to hopscotch through wires to get to my amp and plug in Epiphony. The audience cheered and I even heard a few girls down the front began to sing the words to Glitch. I understood what Red had meant. It was a thrill to play on stage, but it was like taking a taste of something I’d never get to eat. But here I was stuffing my face with fame and importance, in a room with hundreds of strangers yet feeling like I was home. We had finally become real rockstars.