Just Listen – Owen's Point of View
"So big night, eh?" Rolly said from his spot at my desk.
"What do you mean?" I asked looking in the mirror again.
"Well, just that it's you first date with Annabel."
"It's not a date."
"Yeah it is," he said standing and moving towards my CD player. "You asked her if she wanted to go to Bendo with you and she said yes. Sure sound like a date to me."
I didn't say anything. He put in a new CD and sat down on my bed.
"You don't know anything," I told him under my breath.
"I am frequently told that, and a don't doubt it believe me. But honestly, this is a date."
"Well, even if it is," I said spinning around in my desk chair. "It won't be any different than any other time we've hung out."
"Okay," he said. "Whatever you say chief."
We sat in silence listening to the CD for a minute, both bobbing our heads to the music. When the singing began we both looked up simultaneously, and seeing each other mouthing the words in perfect harmony, began laughing, forgetting our small disagreement.
"So,' Rolly said leaning back against my headboard and putting his arms behind his head. "Have you talked to Dexter or any of them recently?"
"Yeah," I said. "I called this morning and talked to Dexter. He said their set tonight should be pretty good. They're trying out a new rendition of 'The Potato Opus' or whatever their calling it these days."
"Fantastic," Rolly said laughing. "I swear that's all those guys ever work on. They're obsessed!"
"Yeah," I agreed. "But you gotta admit, it's pretty great. Totally original."
"Totally. Think Annabel will like it?"
"I hope," I said, trying to sound less nervous than I actually was. "Normally if it's not techno, she likes it."
"Huh?"
"Annabel doesn't like techno, remember?"
"What?"
"I swear I told you this already," I said sitting forward on the chair, knowing that I did.
"I thought you were joking!" he said in disbelief sitting up.
"No," I said. "I was completely serious. Why would I joke about something like that?"
"Well," he replied looking confused. "I don't know. I just can't understand how she can't like techno. Everyone likes techno."
"You know, that's what I thought too, but she doesn't."
"Didn't you play the new CD that we got last month for her? I thought you said you did?"
"Yes…" I said slowly.
"And she didn't like it?"
"Nope."
"What's wrong with her?" he asked dubious. Rolly was a huge promoter of techno. We both listened to all genres of music, but while I tended to lean towards the crazy, abstract, alternative music as my favorite, he leans toward techno. It had been that way since we first met. I always found the latest cricket-chirping-raw vocals CD, and her would find the latest synthesizing-bass-popping one. It was a beautiful relationship.
"Rolly, I don't think there's anything wrong with her," I began coming to her defense. "She just doesn't like it. She's entitled to her opinion. I know it's hard to accept at first, but it gets easier."
"I guess. But why techno? Why not country or some other shit like that?"
"I couldn't tell you," I said trying to avoid one of his rants.
"Techno, is the beautiful blending of music and technology." Oh boy, here we go, I thought. "I goes where no other genre dares to go. The emotion that it can suck out of you is astonishing. To say that you don't like techno is like saying to don't like air, or pancakes. It's a sin!"
"Okay," I said sighing. "No more sugar for you."
"I'm serious."
"I know you are, Rolly. You don't need to tell me this, in fact I've heard it before so I already know twice over."
"Yeah, I guess," he said running his hands over his face and through his hair. "I just get so… intense, you know?"
"I know, but now I think we should just drop it. We can talk about it more later, but right now we have to talk about the show."
"Right," he said relaxing a bit. "What do we got?"
"Well, the show's mostly all set up, we just have to decide on a strong opening. I got a good Celtic dance/jig type thing for the closing song, you know, go out strong; nice and happy. But now we have to come up with a kick-ass opening song."
"So, do we have any prospects?" he asked leaning back again.
"Well, actually," I said swiveling around to face my computer. "I found some pretty good songs online last night."
"What are we waiting for? Let's check them out."
I opened my iTunes account and scrolled down until I found the first song I was looking for. I sat back as the song began.
Something's got my fearAnd it won't get through my head
There's something missing
There's something missing here.
Even before the chorus, let alone the second verse kicked in, Rolly shock his head.
"No?" I asked pausing it.
"Not prominent enough. Put it on the lineup for next week through. I like it."
"You got it," I replied dragging it to the playlist I made for next week's show.
I scrolled back up to the top and selected another song.
"I'm not sure if this one would be a good one either but I really like it," I told him before playing it.
We listened in silence for a moment before turning to each other.
"Nah," we both said in unison.
"I'm gonna put it on the list for next show though. It's cool. Kinda different."
"I guess," he said doubtful. "Who is the man singing?"
"Andrea Bocelli. He's some famous Italian opera singer or something. My mom likes him. Supposedly, he's really old and blind but is still able to put on a rockin' show."
My mom liked to listen to him a lot whenever Mallory was out of the house at a sleepover or something like that. She said it relaxed her, but I think it is because it reminds her of my dad. Or at least the dad before things got bad; when he was still the man she fell in love with.
My parents used to dance to his songs in our living room when I was little. They loved to dance together.
I think she thinks I was too young to remember, but I do.
"Okay. Anything else?" Rolly asked.
"One more," I said pushing the memories of my childhood into the back of my mind where they belonged. Those times were over.
I pushed play. The bass began and soon the striking lyrics too.
Careless in our summer clothes
Splashing around in the muck and the mile
"Ooo," Rolly said. "I like this one."
"Shhh," I said. "Keep listening."
Fell asleep with stains
Caked deep in the knee – what a pain
I paused it before the chorus.
"What do ya think?" I asked spinning around.
"Now that," he started. "Is kick-ass!"
"So we're going with this one?"
"Totally."
"Cool." I dragged it to the playlist, pulled my iPod out of my pocket, and plugged it into the computer to update it.
"Wait," Rolly said suddenly. "Play the rest." I pushed play and we sat there in silence listening to the steady beat of the music, and the haunting lyrics that filled the small space that was my room. It was a great song.
A/N: Hoped you liked it. I know it was kinda short, but I wanted to put something like this in and I didn't want to get into the whole Bendo thing yet…
So I got two more little quizzes in here. I know a lot of you like them. So if you can tell me who both of the songs are by (different bands) you get a special surprise. Yay for surprises!!!!
Thanks so much for all the reviews. It makes me feel so awesome that you all like the story so much.
Just to let you all know, I was thinking about what I would do when I was done with this which will probably be before the end of the summer. I was thinking of either "This Lullaby" from Dexter's point of view, or "The Truth About Forever" from Wes's point of view. I'm leaning towards the later, but I'd like to know what you think I should do. So vote I guess…
Keep reading and reviewing!