Whee! We're finally at this chapter. I feel like this story is so slow, but things start picking up faster and faster. Ah, so ready to get things rolling for these girls!
Thanks for your lovely reviews, Swag Giraffe and MikariStar! I appreciate the virtual dessert. xD
Another chapter's coming really soon! Thanks for reading!
Chapter Nine
Kathy hugged a pillow, folding her legs cross-legged across the bed as she leaned against the wall. She had a wry smile, for though she was sad to see her friend so worked up, it was nice to finally have things out in the open.
"I mean… I don't like Chase like that!" Molly ranted, pacing feverishly back and forth across her floor. Both girls were in their pajamas, and it was just hours after the festival ended in the dull hours of the morning. Kathy suppressed a yawn. "I, I mean, like… how?! How did this happen? Why?!"
"You've been friends for years," Kathy reasoned, patting the pillow across her tummy like a drum in her boredom. "I guess it's only natural."
"Natural?!" Molly threw her arms in the air. She couldn't stand all of the posters and magazine clippings she had of Mikhail on her walls staring her down, making her feel like an even bigger idiot. She tugged at her hair and spun on her heel, coming to a stop and facing the biggest poster she had of him by her bed. "Natural…?"
"Sure," Kathy fanned with her hand. "I mean… didn't you ever think about it? Ever cross your mind, at least?"
"No…" Molly admitted, hugging her stomach like she was going to be sick. "And that's what makes me so worried…"
Kathy watched her friend turn away and go to her kitchen. The fridge light came on, and the door slammed. After she checked the freezer, Molly emerged with a tub of vanilla ice cream. She pried open one of her drawers, brought out two spoons, and pushed it closed with her hip. Molly sloppily tossed the lid across the floor and dug into the dessert. She crashed next to Kathy, offering her the second spoon.
"You know I don't like sweets," Kathy turned up her nose. Molly stared flatly at her until she laughed. Kathy snatched the spoon from her. "Fine! For special occasions…"
"Here's to being blind as a bat," Molly toasted, raising her spoon high before stuffing it in her mouth. Kathy already felt a brain freeze coming on after her first taste. She shuddered. Molly offered the cardboard quart container, but Kathy refused. Molly helped herself to some more. "Really, though. How could I be so blind?"
"Welcome to the club of knowing things everyone's known for decades, honey," Kathy said, licking what was left on her spoon.
"It has not been decades…" Molly defended herself in a mumble. She waited for the vanilla to melt on her tongue.
"So?" Kathy asked.
"So?" Molly mimicked her tone, scraping the rim.
Kathy sat up straighter, tossing her friend a pillow. Molly took it and propped it up behind herself, getting comfortable against the wall. "You going to think about it?"
"I have to," Molly answered. She dug into the ice cream, taking out an unholy amount. "Can't seem to think of anything else…"
The blonde grinned, pulling her hair over her shoulder. She had curled it to impress her date, but now it was a crusty mess of hairspray. She tried to comb through it with her hand, but her fingers got stuck.
Molly stared off into space, trying to get everything straightened out in her head. Lots of things started to make sense, and she felt gut-wrenching guilt over half of them. He probably didn't even like hanging out with her at this point. She voiced her concern aloud. "How am I ever gonna face him again?! Everything will be awkward and silent and uncomfortable… We'll… we'll never be friends again…"
Kathy frowned. Did that mean… she was still rejecting him? She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Well… just give it some time, okay? You don't have to make up your mind over night or anything. It's a lot to take in."
Molly sniffled as new tears formed and leaked out. She stuck the spoon into the melting ice cream so it wouldn't get lost in her sheets, and she set the tub on her night stand. "It's just… e-ever since… ever since it happened, I mean… W-we've always been friends, b-but we didn't get close until after, a-and… I just can't imagine moving on without him… He made everything o-okay again…"
Tears coming to her own eyes, Kathy pulled on Molly's arm. "Come here…"
She obliged, crawling across her bed and falling into her friend for a much needed hug. The hiccupping sobs soon died, and Kathy sniffed and wiped the tears off her own cheeks, looking at the make-up stuck in them.
"We're a mess," Molly said.
Kathy laughed, patting her friend's hair. "Yeah… Yeah, we are."
Molly's eyes felt heavy from the late hour and the havoc of emotions. She rubbed her face, letting her eyelids droop even though the lights were on, her ice cream was puddling, and she was cold in her shorts since Kathy had the blanket.
"Molly?"
"Hm?" She hummed, not opening her eyes.
"Just think about it, okay? I mean… how bad could it be? Yeah?" Kathy jostled her shoulder, still trying to put a good word in for Chase.
Molly curled in on herself, her brow furrowing. "Alright…"
"Good girl," Kathy gave her head a pat, much more awake than her friend. Molly felt the bed shift as Kathy hopped up, and she heard her collect the ice cream. "Where'd you put the lid? Molly?"
But Molly didn't hear her. She was already drifting off, lost in memories she had either repressed or sincerely forgotten. To make things easier. And the sun a little brighter…
Everyone was crying.
Tears. So many tears. Sniffling and sobbing. There was hugging and shouting and soft words of comfort. Molly distinctly remembered Gill's face where he was standing behind his father. It was pitying. Sad. Understanding.
Paper work. Hayden was there. Kathy was holding onto her, and she wouldn't let her go. Molly's shoulder was wet from the girl's ceaseless bawling. Hayden's eyes were glistening. Molly couldn't recall another time he ever cried.
The steps. The steps that seemed to go on forever and ever. Molly's feet stumbled down them. Stopped. She couldn't see. The numbness was ebbing away, leaving a terrible ache. A hole. Like someone had ripped out her heart and replaced it with someone else's. Foreign. It couldn't be her.
She remembered falling. Sitting. Holding her head. Not believing. Shaking. Tears blurring everything out.
Footsteps behind her. Slowly, smartly descending after her. They stopped just behind—
Molly's eyes snapped open. The room was bright in midday, but the sky was overcast. She shivered and found Kathy was all snuggled up, hogging the blanket and sprawled at the foot of the bed without a pillow. Molly kicked the sheet off and threw her legs over the side of the bed.
Looking down at her feet reminded her of her trail of thoughts last night. Or was it a dream? Funny, it didn't feel like sleep at all…
Molly held her head and waited a minute, focusing on the hardwood floor. Not concrete. Not stairs. She sighed.
Getting up, Molly felt sick after falling asleep with a mouthful of ice cream. She quickly freshened up in the bathroom, taking her time and not staring too long into the mirror. She emerged and slowed as her hand traced the wall. The door frame was littered with chips both accidental and intentional. Her eyes roved over the numbers and letters going all the way up to her shoulder.
When Molly looked out the window, she finally broke out of her dreariness. She could see her mailbox next to the house, and the red pole was back down.
Molly opened the door and dashed outside, hopping from foot to foot in the cold. A chilly breeze blew by as she flipped the mail box open, grabbing the lone letter inside. "Cold, cold, cold!"
The door slammed, and Kathy jumped up. "Ah! What?! Where's the sprinkles, little birdy?"
"Kathy! Wake up!" Molly shouted. She dived onto her bed, tearing open the envelope from the General Store and bouncing on the mattress and rattling her poor, drowsy friend.
"I'm up! I'm up! What is it?!" Kathy grouched, holding her head and sitting up. "Jeez, girly…"
Molly grabbed Kathy's shoulder and forced the letter to her nose. "Look!"
Kathy took the paper from her, squinting at the words and yawning. She read aloud: "'Dear Molly, I hope you're doing well down there on the farm…' Blah, blah, blah, pleasantries…" she gasped, "'Your shipment is in; I hope you can pick it up soon?!'"
Molly nodded, biting her lip in excitement. "The instruments are here!"
"This was a terrible idea…" Luna huffed at her bangs, sitting before he pink drum set and eyeing it like it would come to life and eat her.
"Nonsense!" Kathy said, finally figuring out the amplifier. She set down the guide, picked up her guitar and strung it around her neck. She tested a chord, ripping through it at a massive volume. "Hell, yeah!"
Candace dived for the volume knob, turning it down a good deal. "A-are you guys sure about this?"
"You can't doubt me now!" Molly said, setting up the microphone on its stand. "We just got all of our cool stuff!"
Lucky for Luna's charm, the girls hadn't had a problem getting all of their equipment down to the Brass Bar from where it was delivered to the General Store since Luke was more than willing to 'date a chick in a girl band,' and Bo was roped into carrying a massive keyboard all the way down the mountain side by association. Even Kathy's now-very-official boyfriend Owen dropped his work for a couple of hours to help bring everything down.
"Cool stuff," Luna snorted, crossing her arms and holding both drumsticks. Candace shook her head in warning at her sister, but she was ignored. "Putting us into bankruptcy, more like it."
"Oh, shush! You're sitting here; you're in this mess with us," Kathy smirked, proudly holding up her guitar. "And we're not going to let all of our hard work go to waste. You all read your manuals, right?"
"Girls, the bar's opening soon," Hayden warned from the counter, slicing up lemons to put on the glass' rims.
"Okay, Papa!" Kathy huffed. She turned to Molly. "We better make this a quick first practice."
"Got it," Molly nodded. She turned to the girls. "Okay, for our first practice, I want all of us to play the first section of the song we wrote. See how the instruments complement. We'll focus on getting just one song together and see how we do, and on our off days when we can't get together here, just practice your scales and get better!"
"Yeah, yeah, you drill sergeant – let's start already!" Luna whined.
"Okay!" Molly giggled, running up to her mic and tapping it for a test. She spoke into it, her voice echoing throughout the bar much louder than she expected. "Everyone ready?"
"Let's rock!" Kathy cheered, fist pumping proudly.
"Oh, dear…" Candace mumbled, nervously positioning her fingers.
"And 1, 2, 3!" Molly called out.
Everyone within a fifty foot radius covered their ears as a nasty screeching echoed out from their instruments, filling the vicinity at a deafening decibel. Molly jumped for the nearest amp and turned the volume all of the way down until the notes subsided, and her ears stopped ringing. "Okay, that wasn't what I expected…"
"We're terrible!" Luna groaned, slowly uncovering her ears. "I knew it!"
"It was probably something with the amplifier… right, Molly?" Kathy doubtfully looked to her friend who was crawling around on all fours to inspect the equipment.
"Let's not do that again, guys…" Candace wrung her hands. She'd never heard something so loud in her life, let alone been the cause of it. She was almost afraid of the innocent-looking keyboard in front of her.
"Ah-ha! Actually, it was," Molly laughed, adjusting a cord's input and turning a few knobs. "There. Okay, now let's try that again nice and slow. Simple stuff. Back up rhythm on drums, light melody on keyboard, support on bass—"
"I'm the backbone," Kathy nodded with a mock bow.
"If you're the backbone, I'm the soul," Luna one-upped her.
"Do we have to be body parts…?" Candace asked with a disgusted look.
Molly giggled, letting out an unsteady breath. "And it's up to me with the words… Okay, we can do this. Ready, girls?"
"Right!" Kathy said.
"Um, okay…" Candace carefully laid her hands back on the keys.
"Let's get this over with!" Luna cheered, her foot on the pedal.
"Alright… 1, 2, 3!" Molly counted them in.
On their second attempt, the girls were pleasantly surprised. Hayden was just glad they weren't going to shatter any glass this time around. He smiled as the disjointed notes actually sounded like rusty music. Luna repetitively tapped the snare, every now and again rattling the cymbal lightly. Her tongue was between her lips a she concentrated. Kathy waited for her cues from Candace, strumming a light cord that kept the energy. Candace had the most sheet music to read, but she performed her part effortlessly. Her fingers glided over the keys to bring Molly and Chase's silly song "Just You" to life.
Molly was shaky. She closed her eyes to pretend there was no one listening to all of her mistakes, but she felt so drowned out by the music. By the time the first chorus was over, she held up her hand and lowered it. The girls came to a stop.
"Wow! We didn't suck," Luna was genuinely surprised.
"Could've been a lot worse. Like the first time," Kathy laughed, feeling proud.
"Do you really think it wasn't bad?" Candace smiled, finally looking excited. "I-I didn't hear anyone miss anything…"
"Couldn't hear me at all…" Molly chuckled, rubbing her hair.
"You just need to work on your power," Kathy advised. She walked over and tapped Molly's chin up. "Don't rely on the microphone to do all of the work for you. Really get through it."
"Since when did you know so much about singing?" Luna asked with a snide smirk.
"I just know Molly's got more in her than she's giving," Kathy shrugged.
Molly bit her lip in embarrassment. She clapped her hands when she saw Hayden go into the back again for the final dinner prep. "Okay! You guys… I think we actually have a chance!"
The girls squealed and high-fived in excited celebration. Molly got their attention again as they turned everything off and pushed it to the side so the bar's dancer Selena could have the stage for the night. "I think I need the most practice and same with Luna, only because the drums are so new to her."
"No offense taken," Luan nodded, swinging on her heels.
"Wow!" Molly giggled, clapping a hand over her mouth as everyone gathered into a circle. She put her hand in the center. "We just had our first practice!"
Kathy, Luna, and then Candace stacked their hands over Molly's. They each exchanged enthusiastic grins. It was in their eyes. It wasn't just another phase. An idea. They could actually do this.
"We're a band," Molly said, hardly able to contain herself. "We're a band!"
"Woohoo!" The girls cheered, throwing their hands in the air and bouncing around.
"Are they going to do this every night?" Ramsey asked, early as usual as he pulled himself out a chair.
"Looks like," Hayden chuckled, setting down a beer for the old man. He grunted, popping the top off on the edge of the table.
