"I really need to get this key fixed…."
For about the millionth time this week, I approached my apartment door with trepidation. I had once again forgotten to ask the landlord for a new key, as mine had somehow gotten bent just enough to not want to always cooperate with me or the lock. Finally the door opened, and I sighed with relief. I immediately called the landlord, who agreed to bring me a new key within the hour. Figuring I had some time before he could make it up to my place, I grabbed a quick shower and cleaned up the place a bit. Sure enough, 45 minutes after I'd called, I had a new key, and he'd had a quick laugh at my expense.
"Try not to break this one Mel, or i'll have to charge you extra." He winked, chuckling as he walked out the door. I had just sat back down to finish my chapter when my phone rang. I answered it without looking, ninety percent sure I knew who it was.
"Mel! I got us a gig tonight! We need you downtown. I'm begging you."
I rolled my eyes, doing a mental dance that I had guessed correctly, but still not quite happy about it. It was Claire, my best friend and also the lead singer of the band we had started over a year ago.
"You know I have a meeting in the morning. We can't all survive on our musical talents you know." I heard her squirming, trying not to openly beg. I sighed again, feeling myself give in.
"Where is it? It's not another coffee shop is it?"
"No! It's at the new bar that just opened up on Main. The wait list to get in is ridiculous, and I got us a slot to play tonight. But you'd need to be here in an hour for sound check, or we don't get to play."
I hopped up, running into the back bedroom to grab an outfit.
"What kind of bar? I need to know what to wear."
She was getting impatient. "Just wear your plaid shirt and get over here! Jesus Christ! I need you to hurry Mel. This could be our chance."
I told her I'd be there as soon as I was changed, and hung up. I threw on some skinny jeans, canvas tops, and my lucky blue plaid shirt and as soon as I had some kind of makeup on, I was out the door with my gear.
"You're sure they're actually going to choose her? Because she's the only one I think can do it justice….. Of course I'm serious… I'm really leaving. This girl is who I picked, so they can either pick her for the tour, or postpone and audition….i know they don't….. I know. Time management. Got it….Thanks Piers. You're the man." Shaun ended the call and put his phone back in his pocket, knowing everything would fall into place before he revealed his departure to the girls.
When I arrived at the club, I was shocked to find that Claire had been correct. The line of people waiting to get in was insane. I went around to the back entrance, like Claire had instructed in her texts, and was immediately rushed on stage for sound check. The bar was honestly more like a club, very modern and minimalistic but it also seemed like a venue of sorts. The stage was larger than I had imagined, and about four feet higher than the floor. The lighting was top of the line, and the sound equipment was insane. We were all extremely excited to be playing tonight. Sound check went great. The equipment they'd installed in this place was amazing, even better than we thought once we'd actually used it, and before I knew it we were playing our set.
It all went quickly, so fast I could barely take it in. I loved every minute of it. The crowd was enthusiastic, and some fans from over the past year had showed up which definitely helped, and by the time we finished and ended up backstage, Claire was glowing.
"That was amazing! I'm so glad you could make it." She shoved me playfully, jumping in her excitement. "This is how it could be! We could really make it, Mel!" I grinned. Her excitement was infectious, and it was hard not to imagine that she could be right. We chilled backstage for a bit with our drummer, Steven, and our manager, Andrew, before he finally convinced us that we should go enjoy the new club, since we had been offered free drinks for playing. I was hesitant, as I wasn't really one for clubbing, but I have to admit I did enjoy myself. Claire found some guy to dance with, and I mostly sat at the bar nursing my drink. I was pulled onto the dance floor a couple times by a fan who'd seemed to have a crush on me for a while, but she wasn't really my type. What seemed like hours later, I pushed my way outside to find Andrew, who was always good for a smoke, and I was craving a cigarette like crazy. Sure enough, I found him on the smoke deck built along the side of the building, talking animatedly on his phone. I waited back a bit to give him some privacy, before he turned and his eyes met mine. He lit up, and before I knew it he was grabbing me and shaking me in his excitement.
"You are NEVER going to believe who I just got off the phone with!"
I pushed him off, eyeing him like he was crazy. He was shaking with the anticipation of telling me though. I assumed he'd had some big break, which would most likely mean he wouldn't be our manager very much longer.
"It must've been someone insanely important. Are you gonna tell me, or leave me hanging? If we need to find a new manager we nee…." He cut me off, covering my mouth with his hand.
"They don't want me. They want YOU! For a headlining band! The bass player is leaving for a few weeks, maybe a month, and he said they needed to choose you, and their label agreed. You're never going to guess who it is."
I furrowed my brow as I thought of any band that would honestly take me. A headlining band? I would've been lucky to end up as an opener for someone small. I looked back up at Andrew and I swear his face was glowing, he was dying to tell me.
"Alright, spill."
"It's Tegan and Sara."
