By: Miss Nine
Disclaimers: I do not own any of these people. I do not own any musical band, or the rights to tell any stories about them. This is a work of fiction and should be read as mere ramblings. I Luv.
The Story:
Adam raised his arms for one last time, bringing his sticks against the drum set for the last notes of the song. Slowly, the electric hum ebbed away, leaving silence in its wake. He knew it was wrong. He knew the whole song sounded wrong. And it wasn�t anything to do with their instruments, much to his disappointment.
If it was something technical, it could be fixed easily. Just a few minutes and they would find the problem and then continue. No, this was not technical. This was something. . . Else.
�Adam?� Hunter asked. He looked up to see his two other friends looking at him curiously. �There something wrong?�
Adam was nearly tempted to say, �Yes, as a matter of fact there is. It�s this: we fucking SUCK!� but he didn�t think he could do that to them. He was, after all, their moral support. Without his encouragement, none of them would have made it this far. Instead, he shook his head.
�No, nothing�s wrong.� He said quietly, adjusting his shoe.
�The hell it is!� Jade snapped, getting their attention. He frowned at both. �We suck. We�re terrible. How the hell are we going to get anywhere without a singer, even? We�re no good to begin with, but fuck! We don�t even have anyone to sing the freakin� song!�
�Then why don�t you sing?� Hunter said, really tired of hearing Puget�s whines.
�I told you, I can�t!� Jade said back, voice slightly raised. �I can�t sing! Why the hell do you keep trying to get me to sing? Why don�t you?�
�What?!� Hunter looked up incrediously. �Go up on stage an� make an idiot of myself? No way!�
�And you want me to?� Jade sneered back.
�Guys!� Adam cut between them sharply. �Look, we haven�t even made it to any stage so just cool your jets, okay? We�ll find a singer, so don�t worry. We should just go back to trying to learn the songs before anything else.�
�Well, I would but Hunter keeps stepping on my chords!� Jade gestured at the blond.
�What? How can I�� but Hunter suddenly grinned. �Oh, well fuck you! You think just �cause your fingers move faster, that you play better. Shit on that! You need to learn the chords before you can complain about people stepping on them!�
�Fuck you!� Jade retorted. �I know the fucking CHORDS, YOU don�t know the fucking SONG!�
�Guys,� Adam tried but they over-shouted him.
�What?!� Hunter demanded, �You mean this piece of shit you wrote on the john last night? I wrote better by just wiping my ass! Fucking �hate my life, fuck the po-leece, broke my skateboard�.� Hunter continued his mockery of Jade by moving about daintily, hands flapping in a blatantly �gay� way.
Fuming, Jade quickly took the guitar strap from around him and set his instrument aside. Seeing him, Hunter did likewise.
�You got something to say about my songs, bitch?� Jade said, stepping up.
�Yeah,� Hunter said, moving up close, also, �they fucking SUCK DICK!�
Adam was already up and heading for them but became caught with the amp wires. When he finally managed to get free, Jade and Hunter were already rolling around on the cement floor of Adam�s garage, each trying to get the upper hand on the other.
�Stop!� Adam shouted at them, then tried unsuccessfully to pull them apart. It was unsuccessful because no sooner had he put a hand on Jade�s shoulder that the two pulled him into the fight also. Someone, he couldn�t tell who, kicked him sharply in the ankle, making him yelp and fall on Hunter. Hunter, thinking it was a sure-fire three-for-all, pulled back and decked Adam across the jaw, making him see stars. Jade, on Adam�s defense, clocked Hunter one and received one from Adam who missed Hunter and instead got Puget.
Now, it was a three-for-all. They shouted obscenities at each other all while they punched, kicked, bit, scratched and pulled hair for what seemed like hours, but was only ten minutes. Finally, when all three couldn�t take anymore, they each pulled back, dragging in shaky breathe and watching each other warily.
�What the hell?� Adam said, glaring. �Why the hell do we have to end each rehearsal in a fight? Why can�t we just get along? Isn�t that what a band does? Aren�t they supposed to be all friends?�
�We are friends!� Jade said, defensively.
�Yeah, we are!� Hunter said.
�Yeah, well why don�t the both of you act like it! Jade, get off your fucking high horse, will you? Not everyone�s going to like your songs. Just deal with it!� Jade looked angry but too stunned to say anything. Hunter immediately went into his friend�s defense.
�Hey, fuck you Adam!� he said, �there�s nothing wrong with Jade�s songs! You just got your head up your ass too far you can�t hear them!�
�Yeah?� Adam sneered at Hunter. �A moment ago you didn�t think so. I believe you said they �suck dick�. That what you said, wasn�t it?�
Hunter turned red. �Well, yeah, but that was only to get Jade mad. I don�t think that.� He shifted nervously and looked away from Adam�s steady gaze.
Jade saw Hunter�s uneasiness and glared at Adam. �Fuck off, Adam! Leave him alone! None of this is his fault! It�s yours!�
�Mine?� Adam looked up in shock.
Hunter saw his expression and spoke hurriedly. �Yeah! It�s yours, not ours! You said you�d get a singer last week! That guy sucked! Then you said you�d get one by today, and look! No singer! What the hell?�
�Yeah, we wouldn�t be fighting if you�d just keep your promises!� Jade put in.
Adam looked from one to the other. �Oh, I see. This is a pick on Adam-thing isn�t it? Fuck. I knew once you two were going to start, I�d be the one left to defend myself. It�s always like this!� He laid his head back so it rested on the front of his drum kit.
Jade and Hunter heard the weariness in his voice and shifted uneasily. �We�re not trying to get on your case. . . not really.� Hunter said quietly. �Sorry about that, man, but what�s up with the singer? For real this time. Thought you were talkin� to Eddie last night about that.�
Adam sighed, not bothering to open his eyes. He swallowed in a suddenly thick throat. �I�m not talking to Eddie anymore. We had. . . a falling out, I guess you could say.�
�W-wait,� Jade said, looking from Hunter to Adam, �wait, the Eddie from up the street, Eddie? What you two fight about?�
This time, Adam brought his head up but didn�t look at his friends. Instead, he focused on the cement floor. �Well, he sort of found out about me and his sister. You guys remember Cathleen?�
�Cathy the Horse?!?� Hunter asked, jaw dropping. But when he saw Adam�s expression, he hurriedly said, �I mean, Great Personality Cathy. Yeah, that�s what I meant.�
�But that was like,� Jade squinted. He looked strange without his glasses, which had fallen off sometime during the fight. �I dunno, last year?�
�Yeah, like seven months ago.� Adam said quietly. �He an� Cathy got into it, some sibling-thing, and I came up. He called me up with Cathy on the next extension. Forced a confession outta me. Got Cathy cryin� her head off the entire time. Shit, so now Eddie thinks I�m only using him for his sister and Cathy�s thinkin� I�m using her to get to her brother to help our band. Shit, wish I never got mixed up with them.� He shook his head slowly, rubbing his temples with his thumbs.
Jade and Hunter frowned, not knowing what to say. At last, Jade snapped his fingers. �I got it!� He said, grinning. �How about we get Miguel down at the Tavern to like, let us use his place for like, maybe a couple of hours and we hold auditions there? It�ll be cool, all we need to do is, I don�t know, advertise it some how. . . maybe the paper. . . or. . .�
�Or we put flyers up at all the music stores in town!� Hunter put in. �We put them up anywhere WE�D go!� he began counting off on his fingers. �The music store, the equipment store, the coffee shop on Third, er. . . Ooh! The Chicken Hut! Let�s put some there!�
�Hella! And while we�re there, we�ll grab a bucket or two!� Jade and Hunter high-fived each other, grinning.
Adam looked from one to the other in disbelief. �Hey,� he said, getting their attention. �Not to put a damper on the food thoughts (though it sounds like a good idea) but how the hell are we going to get money for flyers? And don�t you think ol� Miguel will want to see some green, too? Hunter, you lost your job at the packing plant. Jade, you�re whoring won�t pull in enough money to buy ONE paper!� at this, Hunter smirked and laughed while Jade flipped Adam off. �And I don�t get paid until next Friday! We�ll have to wait nearly two weeks to get our act together!�
Jade unwrapped and put a stick of gum in his mouth. He gave Adam a wry grin that made him look innocent, but his eyes were full of mischief. �Don�t worry, Adam man, don�t even bother about the money thing. I got you covered on that.� He snickered, rolling the gum wrapper between his fingers.
Adam and Hunter looked at each other and knew neither of them liked this. They both had a bad feeling whenever Puget said �Don�t worry.� It was then that you had to worry.
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The bus pulled to a complete stop at the designated bench on Garamont street, just in front of the old Sew-and-Sew. Only one passenger got off, but that was okay since there wasn�t anyone else on board.
He was a thin man, almost too thin. He wore black pants and a black shirt with a faded black button-up shirt on top, left open. He carried a beat up duffel bag and had a black shoulder bag in a similar status. Each was adorned in various patches and buttons, the newest being at least two to three years old.
He had dyed black hair and had white skin, darkened slightly from lots of day traveling. His eyes weren�t easily seen behind the dark sunglasses. His lips were thin and had a habit of pressing together every so often. His chin jutted out slightly, ending his face narrowly. Despite his thinness, he was still quite muscular. His arms, though covered by his shirt, were nonetheless thick and shapely. His chest was on the thick side but his stomach was flat and toned.
He walked with a steady sureness and confidence. Even though no one recognized this man that they passed on this street, they could tell by the way he walked he knew this town. He knew where he was going. No chance in the world this man could get lost here. He was a native.
The truth was, this man WAS a native, but that had been so many years ago he could hardly remember. But he was here, and he�d be damned if they�d try and take him away again. He had a goal: try and find his parents. See old Ma and Pa. See if they still remembered him. See exactly what they had to say to him after all these years.
But this man, this man named Davey, also had a secret goal, too. This was one goal not even he said out loud in his own mind. This goal was special to him. It was the very thing that had kept him going for all these years. It was what kept him from giving up so easily.
Davey was looking for someone. Someone special. Someone he used to know as a child. Someone who swore to Davey they would forever be friends until the day they died. Well, he wasn�t dead yet and he was hoping his friend wasn�t either.
Davey turned his head this way and that, sizing up the area. Everything looked different. It wasn�t just the whole time thing. . . no, he was sure of that. He was used to things changing with the times. No, this place looked different because of his size. The last time he had been in this town, he wasn�t more than half the height he was now. And everything had looked big and foreboding. Now, all the stores and buildings looked old and miserable in their own squalor. How could this place change so drastically? Was it just his mind�s eye? Or had something changed in this town to make it. . . well, CAVE-in on itself?
As Davey mused on this, he found himself passing by a very familiar corner convenience store. He stood on the corner of June and Franklin, looking sadly at the front of the store. From his memories, he pulled up a vision and infused it with the picture he saw now.
In this new view, he saw a kid, not yet near adolescence, leaning against the wall beside the store�s front door. This child stared down at the ground while using the toe of their shiny shoes to gently tap a wild dandelion that was growing out of the cracks in the cement. They wore a dark blue skirt with a white blouse. Their hair was held back from their soft face by a dark blue ribbon. . .
Davey snapped out of his reverie and blinked rapidly. He looked at the store again and was surprised to see there actually WAS a little girl there now, almost as if he had conjured her out of sheer thought. But this little girl had skin the color of mahogany and her thick black hair was held back in tiny corn rows. She stared at him with curiosity while licking a stick of green apple Jolly Rancher. She grinned at his dazed expression.
Davey gave her a smile and started walking on. He turned down Franklin, very positive his feet would take him where he needed to go without much more thought. But there was something strange about this street, Davey saw. Immediately after the corner store, there should have been the start of homes. Instead, there was what appeared to be a last wave of business stores that popped up in the last five years.
Davey saw one of them was a music-equipment store. Various guitars and wind instruments sat on display in the window, desperately trying to entice the young into a life of sound. Davey gave the red fender glinting at him a small smile before walking on. He took two more steps, then turned back, frowning.
Beside the display window, on the white painted concrete wall, various flyers and advertisements papered the wall, stuck by yards of tape. Most were notices concerning concerts months old, others were for job opportunities from the convenience of your own home. But the one that interested Davey was the newest one. It was on a sick-looking melon colored paper with a cheap sharpie marker look to it. Someone had tried to draw what looked like a microphone in the corners, but it came out looking like a weird ice-cream cone.
�Wanted: one singer,� Davey read out loud to himself, �must have great personality and not afraid to get up on stage and boogy. Choice of music varies but mostly rock and punk played. Male and female welcome alike. If interested, meet at. . .� but Davey had stopped reading already. He carefully tore the flyer off the wall, careful to press the remaining tape closed on itself. He looked at the time, then at his wrist watch. Well, it was cutting it close, but what the hell? Wasn�t this also his goal after he found his parents, to make it to the stage? This could just be his ticket.
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Adam tried desperately to keep the moan from escaping his throat. This was hell, it had to be. He was getting punished for all the sins he had in his mortal life.
The girl on stage in front of them did another one-handed cartwheel, letting her skirt fall open to show a pair of hot pink panties. She straightened and yelled once more into the microphone, �Skater boi, see ya later boy!� with such enthusiasm it made him wince. When the song finally ended, Adam sighed in relief.
Jade and Hunter immediately stood, clapping fiercely. �Yeah! That was great!� Jade told the girl.
�Awesome! We�ll call you!� Hunter added, both grinning like the jackals they were. When the girl had gone, Adam turned on the both of them for their behavior.
�What?� Jade shrugged defensively. �You don�t think she was good? Had plenty of enthusiasm!�
�Yeah,� Adam nodded, �to show you her underwear! How long do you think until someone knocks her up in the middle of a tour? Think she�ll still be up to singing then?�
�Ew, harsh, man, harsh.� Jade shook his head.
Beside him, Hunter grunted. �He�s right though. I heard stories about Tina there. She�s not as innocent as you might think. And I really didn�t like her choice in audition music. She coulda did better.�
�Yeah, I didn�t like that.� Adam said.
�Me neither.� Jade admitted. He looked down at the list on the clip board. �Okay, so Tina McLaw is off the list. So, who�s next? Er. . .� papers shuffled and silence followed.
Adam straightened in his seat. �Who�s next?� He asked.
Jade flushed. �Ehm, well, that seems to be it.�
Hunter grunted. Adam nodded. �Okay.� he said slowly. �And how many people have we agreed to take a second look at?�
�Including all the ones that got a two-to-one vote?� when Adam nodded, Jade went on, not bothering to look at the list. �Uhm. . . none.�
Adam looked at him for a minute or two. At last, he frowned. �What? Let me see that.� He took the list and read it over. His expression hardened. It was true. They hadn�t so much as half-agreed on any of the auditions. Most were too young, others couldn�t keep a note. Or, like Tina, there was just some other reason they didn�t agree on it.
�What about that Gary-kid?� Hunter said, �He seemed hella cool.�
Jade turned a disbelieving look on him. �What? Are you crazy? That guy was a freak!�
�Hey!� Hunter said, indignantly, �just �cause he knows all of Prince�s songs doesn�t make him a freak! I know all those same songs!�
�My point made.� Jade smiled, sitting back and crossing his arms.
Adam went over the list again, then tossed it in disgust back on the table. Miguel shuffled over, already wearing his white apron he�d be wearing the entire night through. Adam looked up at Miguel.
�Oh, hey, we�re nearly done here.� Adam said, standing, �we�ll start cleaning up.�
�That�s what I was gonna come tell ya.� Miguel said, wiping his hands on a hand towel. �There�s one more�n come ta audition for ya. He�s sittin� at the bar. You�s wanna come meet him?�
�Oh, sure,� Adam said, standing. Jade and Hunter heard, also, and followed after him.
Miguel pointed to a figure standing over by the end of the bar. They were dressed in black and wore sunglasses. . . inside the dimness of the bar. Adam watched as the guy made a flicking gesture, tossing his loose black hair over his shoulder. The move was feminine but the set of the guy�s jaw was pure masculine.
As confusing as this was, the guy turned and watched Adam approach, mouth slackening in surprise. This was strange since Adam didn�t think he�d ever seen this guy before. Well, that was his line of thinking up until the guy removed his glasses, making Adam freeze instantly.
Those soft, brown eyes with that nose. The thin mouth with that habit of pressing the lips together when he was worried or when he was upset about something or other. That face, he knew. That face, that so many years ago would smile up at him with such pure adoration it filled him with courage and also with what he didn�t know had been love. This face, this face that was now smiling at him with the same expression.
One word. One word rang through his mind. �Davey.� Adam said quietly, earning a wide smile from the man.
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