Rockstar Serenade: The Chorus

The Chorus: Epilogue

TREVOR~

I watch Travis flick a cigarette out of its carton and lower its tip to an ignited lighter. The wick of his cigarette spits out a vivid orange, hissing in delight as it receives the fire. My brother shuts his eyes and inhales. He takes a moment or two to welcome gray air to his lungs, and then he slowly pushes the smoke out, some escaping from his mouth and some routing through his nose. I watch as the ghostly smoke curl up into the sky until it fades in color.

“So, little brother. How’s that chic I introduced to you last week? ” he says with a playful smirk.

I turn to my side, my ear facing him. I twisted my body this way so that he’ll see the earphones jammed in my ear. This way he’ll think that I didn’t pick up when in truth I heard him loud and clear.

     I used to stay away, I used to stay away from you

The music incorporates a killer melody, with only clean vocals and a guitar, setting some screaming aside. You can say it’s not the usual type I listen to, much less I play, but I am listening to it.

     Such a funny thing the liars in us do

“Yo, little brother. Can you hear me?”

I let my back fall to the couch, pretending to be tired. Travis could be such a bother sometimes.

     I used to stray away, I used to stray away from truth

Travis makes a sudden movement. He stands from his seat opposite me, places both palms on my center table, and leans towards me. “Trevor!”

     I cling to confliction like the battered and confused

Because I’ve made up my mind not to speak about that ‘girl’ Travis was pushing me to, I only give a grunt.

     You’re a guilty pleasure...

Off all things that could piss me off, Travis chooses to yank one of my earbuds out of my ear. “Trevor, don’t ignore me! I know you can hear me ‘cause I don’t hear your music from where I’m at!”

     You’re a guilty pleasure...

“Damn, Travis! Couldn’t I get a rest for once?!” He’s got my earbud contained inside that big hand of his, lost in the vast darkness surrounded by his flesh. I don’t bother trying to snatch it away from him. Instead, I grab a throw pillow and cover my face to completely get him out of my sight.

     Hearts knocking like a ticking bomb, like a ticking bomb

“Trevor, I’m helping you out here!” he thunders, though not angrily, rather teasingly. My brother is too particular when it comes to dating ladies and sleeping with them. “I’ve gone through hell looking for a woman of your standards!”

     Hearts knocking like a ticking bomb...

“I dumped the lady,” I say.

“You what? Again?!”

I rise from my position. “Travis. I appreciate what you’re doing for me but I don’t feel like being in a relationship now. I’d rather be focused on my band.”

He slumps back to his seat with a disbelieving look. He cocks his head to one side. “Yeah right,” he says coolly. “As if you’ll marry your guitar one day.”

     I used to tell myself that I would never change a thing

“He wants a blonde lead singer, Travis,” Xavier, who is sitting on the opposite side of my couch, interjects. “One who could tolerate his quick-temperedness and has the power to calm the volcano in him, and knows how to cook a good meal.”