Hi again. As promised here I am with the 2nd chapter of "Harmony". But before I start, I would like to thank: AWESOMEROCKSTAR101, Thatonereader1228, FEDEH0PE, kindashania, BlueMarvel616, Mr. Ursine, Guest, nyanya711477, Anjo-san, riders3211, uglyygurl22 and LilyTimbers for reading and following this little story. I will answer their reviews at the end of the chapter.
Things to keep in mind (I repeat this because it is necessary for this chapter):
1) The songs that appear here are cover versions made by a group called Pomplamoose that I recently discovered.
2) It wouldn't be a bad idea for you to listen to those covers when the songs appear, because that way you'll be able to know what the voices of the characters are like.
3) These are the covers:
Digital Love | Daft Punk | Pomplamoose.
Daft Punk | Something About Us | Pomplamoose.
Sweet Dreams + Withe Stripes Mashup | Pomplamoose ft. Sarah Dugas.
Bad Day | Daniel Powter | Pomplamoose ft. Johan Baker.
(copying this will help you find them quickly).
4) Yes, there will be explicit scenes, that's why the Summary's rating.
I hope you enjoy this chapter too.
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Chapter II: The Trial
Once everything was ready, Raven began to feel a little nervous. But when she saw Gar's mocking smile, her nerves transformed into a desire to wipe that smirk off his face once and for all. Gar only enjoyed the situation because of the murderous looks that woman gave him from time to time. This made him laugh even more and they ended up falling into an entertaining vicious circle.
"Okay, everybody ready?" he asked while playing with the drumsticks, ready to give the initial count. Everyone nodded including Raven who stood in the booth with the microphone in front of her and headphones on.
"One... two... One, two, three, four..."
When the music began with the keyboard, Raven took a deep breath and prepared to start singing:
Last night I had a dream about you
In this dream I'm dancing right beside you
And it looked like everyone was having fun
A kind of feeling I've waited so long
As soon as she started singing, everyone turned to watch her without stopping their playing. Not only was her voice beautiful, but her singing style fit the song very well, even though it didn't match her appearance. She gave it her personal touch, which in turn gave a new face to a song they thought they knew completely. But here she was, showing them the exact opposite with every verse she sang.
Don't stop come a little closer
As we jam the rhythm gets stronger
There's nothing wrong with just a little bit of fun
We were dancing all night long
After this verse, Raven opened her eyes and looked at Gar who, at that the same, looked up at her. Without stopping her singing, she said with her eyes, "That's it, I want to see you swallow your words you idiot." At least, that was what Gar interpreted when he saw her. He couldn't help but laugh internally while he nodded. Kory was right after all, they could use that girl in the band, if she was willing to give it a shot.
Ooh I don't know what to do / About this dream and you
I wish this dream comes true
Ooh I don't know what to do / About this dream and you
I wish this dream comes true
Oh Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And after the chorus, any little doubt that might have remained was completely gone. By the look of everyone in the band, Gar knew that they were thinking the same thing as him. The vibes that this woman transmitted were so different from the pressure that Tara used to exert on them. Now, everyone could say that they were having fun during a rehearsal for the first time in a long time. That woman definitely had to stay. Everyone loved her and Gar couldn't agree more.
The time is right to put my arms around you
You're feeling mine
You wrap your arms around too
But suddenly I feel the shining sun
Before I knew it this dream was all gone
He simply loved her voice and it was... by God, it was much better than he had imagined with what Kory had told him. Plus, seeing Kory smiling while doing the second voice was something sensational too.
Ooh I don't know what to do / About this dream and you
I wish this dream comes true
Ooh I don't know what to do / About this dream and you
We'll make this dream come true
During this part, Tara used to be silent in waiting for the instrumental to finish before singing
again. But Raven took the liberty of extending the last word a little and adding small sounds following the rhythm. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and connected her gaze with the guitarist who was more excited than he usually was. He dared to do a spectacular solo that the others supported until it ended. They all lowered the intensity for the next part.
Why don't you play the game? Why don't you play the game?
Ooh I don't know what to do / About this dream and you
I hope this dream comes true
In this part, only the instruments were left at the end, but Raven couldn't help but risk singing a few phrases in French following the rhythm. They were words that only she and Kory understood, but everyone equally liked the addition. They decided to extend a little more with another solo by the guitarist until they finally closed the song.
Everyone's face said exactly the same thing. Their smiles showed that they could only think of playing the next song, whose style was completely different. They were all dying to see the contrast between "Digital Love" and "Something About Us" sung by that woman. She had captured their hearts and they just wanted to keep listening to her give new life to their old covers.
Without saying anything about her performance, Gar stayed true to what he had said and prepared the band to start "Something About Us" . He made sure to look directly into those beautiful amethyst eyes as much as possible before she closed them again to sing as she had done in much of the previous song.
The song started first with the bass and drums leading for the first four bars. The keyboard came in on the fifth bar, and at the change of pitch on the ninth bar, Raven dared to hum along to the keyboard's rhythm as the guitar went in.
It might not be the right time
I might not be the right one
But there's something about us I want to say
Cause there's something between us anyway
And there she was again with her voice vibrating in his bones. Tara used to sing in a drowsy mood because she was bored with this song. In contrast, Raven sang with the feeling that this song was trying to convey. That was just what any musician should do, convert the feeling into music and then express it as she did now. Those were, without a doubt, the best kinds of performances.
I might not be the right one
It might not be the right time
But there's something about us I've got to do
Some kind of secret I will share with you
I need you more than anything in my life
I want you more than anything in my life
I'll miss you more than anyone in my life
I love you more than anyone in my life
Good Lord! Gar felt goosebumps on his skin after the chorus. He had already decided; Raven had to be part of the band, yes or yes. And what's more, she had the ability to know when it was good to fill in a section or not, just by feeling or rhythm.
It might not be the right time
I might not be the right one
But there's something about us I want to say
Cause there's something between us anyway.
I need you more than anything in my life
I want you more than anything in my life
I'll miss you more than anyone in my life
I love you more than anyone in my life
By this point, it was not only clear that the entire group wanted Raven to join them, but that Gar was in for a good kick in the crotch. As masochistic as it might seem, even though he was sure that he would be dying of pain, it would be completely worth it. Although, that didn't mean he wanted her to kick him.
As soon as Raven left the vocal booth, the whole group applauded for her enthusiastically making her feel embarrassed but happy. This was the first time something like this had happened to her for as long as she could remember. Then, Kory made her even more embarrassed when she suddenly jumped on Raven and tackled her to the ground, taking advantage of her distraction. Annoyed, Raven managed to get her friend off her back. When she turned to get up, she found herself facing Gar who offered his hand with a smile.
She saw him, turned her eyes to his hand and then turned to him doubting whether or not she should accept his help. In the end, she decided to accept it by taking his hand and letting him help her up with a slight jerk. Raven gave Gar a slight smile, then let go of his hand and stared at him.
"Well?" she asked, connecting her gaze with his emerald green eyes and waiting for his answer.
"Didn't the applause give you a clue?" he asked sarcastically, smiling sardonically. She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow, demanding a real answer with her eyes. "Fine, you win. You are much better than I thought and your voice is even more beautiful than Kory had told me, I really loved it. And I would love it if you would not only record with Donna, but I also want you to be the new lead voice of our group from now on. What do you say?"
Raven simply froze and blushed at such an acknowledgment, which could easily become a confession if you only changed a few words... Damn it, even the last part would serve Dick to propose to Kory! Too bad he wasn't present because that was a priceless example indeed. Strangely, Gar tilted his head when he saw that she didn't respond right away. Upon realizing this, Raven had to force herself to get that idea out of her head because obviously, he hadn't done it with that intention. Even so, his words had had an effect on her and that displeased her a little.
"I have to admit that I am flattered by the offer, but I can't afford to do this. I have to get a job with good pay urgently and..."
"That's not a problem," Gar interrupted her seriously by looking at her in an evaluative way, "You just have to work with me here in the studio. I'll make a formal contract and pay you well for both your work and your attendance at the band as a lead singer. Believe me when I tell you that I can pay you as much as any company would pay a normal employee. And if we have a good day, you'll get bonuses from the extra earnings."
That sounded too convenient not to have something hidden.
"If you're thinking, what's the catch?", Gar continued, "Well, let me tell you that there's none. It's the same plan I offer to all my employees and as a band we have profits. Therefore, the salary is based on that." Gar was determined that she would accept to be part of the gang even if he had to beg her on his knees, "If you are part of the band, you would have that salary plus the one you would earn working here with me."
"Fine, but on one condition," she finally gave in, feeling everyone watching intently waiting for her to finish speaking, "I will try it for three months, and if it doesn't work out I will go and look for another job."
"Then we have a deal, Miss," he nodded with a smile, shaking Raven's hand to seal the deal. "Tomorrow I will have the papers ready, so make sure you are here by 11:00 a.m. at the latest. But for now, go with Donna and Kory to the control room so you can exchange ideas and get to know each other better before they start. I will join you as soon as I finish adjusting some details with the instruments."
"Okay," she nodded and went to the control room along with Kory who was smiling radiantly at what had just happened.
"You do realize we're going to have a long talk when we get home, right?" asked Raven.
"Yes, and I will gladly accept it, my dear friend..."
After this, everything developed in the best way in that studio, from the exchange of ideas to the direction of Gar, from the rehearsals to the correction of errors. They finally managed to reach the point where everyone agreed with what they wanted from their next song. It would be a mash-up of "Sweet Dreams" by Eurythmics and "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes. They only had to define the takes and record the final version, which they would do the next day.
Raven had to admit she had a lot of fun in that place, except for the uncomfortable incident with Tara of course. Everyone had been very kind and enthusiastic. The atmosphere was very pleasant and everyone seemed to enjoy it as much as she did. So when it came time to leave for her job at the café where she was doing the night shift, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. However, Gar wouldn't let her leave so easily by blocking the exit when he went to her.
"What are you doing?" she asked, wondering at the look of resignation on Gar's face at that moment.
"We made a bet, remember?"
Raven couldn't believe what she was hearing at the time. That idiot was really reminding her about the bet, even though she had forgotten it herself with all the busy work she had done afterwards.
"Hey, don't look at me like that," Gar said, "I'm a man who keeps his word... so please make it quick like taking off a band-ai..."
Gar hadn't finished speaking when Raven suddenly and quickly moved her foot in the direction of his crotch. This caused him and all the men present to hold back their screams as she stopped only a quarter of an inch from her target. Gar broke into a cold sweat from the fright that the crazy Goth woman had given him. But just as he relaxed, she finished raising her foot with a "tap" that made him fall to his knees with his face contracted in pain. As he breathed heavily, the rest of the men present shuddered and made an exclamation of pain as they instinctively covered their parts.
"Please don't exaggerate, it was just a tap," she complained, looking at him as if he were making a ridiculous scene, "plus it was you who wanted me to do it."
"You're a... woman," he grunted, checking with one hand that everything was in place and complete, "you... wouldn't understand."
"You're a crybaby," she said, patting him on the head before she walked past him so she could leave, "I'll see you tomorrow."
And so, Raven went straight to the café as Kory would stay with Gar and the others in the studio until Dick came for her as he always did. What Raven did not imagine was that as soon as she left the studio, all the members continued talking about her and her impressive performance for an amateur, among other things. They also bombarded poor Kory with questions. She only smiled and answered what they asked her, because she was very happy with the interest that her colleagues showed towards her best friend and her abilities as a singer.
"Raven and I have lived together since high school. I had just moved here from abroad, and she and her mother offered to let me live with them. That way, I wouldn't have to go through the trouble of the dorms because I had already been ripped off," she confessed with a little embarrassment, "When I joined our group, Raven always agreed to help me practice singing when I asked her to, even though she said I bothered her or was a pain in the ass. We would do the intonation, pronunciation, and breathing exercises together."
"So she's not exactly an amateur," said Gar while stretching out in the chair in which he was sitting, "now it makes sense that she would have that instinct to fill out the songs like she did today."
"That, and she always thought those parts of those songs were dead," Kory corrected with a funny laugh, "When we practiced together she did the same thing, like adding French phrases. That's why it was so easy for me to follow her... although today it was better than usual. I think it was because someone," She said turning to see Gar, "did a good job of provoking her."
"Hey, stop the car. Why is it my fault?" Gar replied on the spot because he didn't remember doing anything to provoke her, except when she kicked him.
"You did! It was her pride that drove her to sing today," Kory corrected him again, "and it was glorious, I've never had so much fun rehearsing."
"That's because she's not like Tara," a bitter smile was drawn on Gar's lips at the mention of his ex-girlfriend's name and everyone could see how much what happened that afternoon had affected him, "The change was necessary... both for the group and for me."
After that, everyone tried to cheer up poor Gar, who reassured them by playing down the issue. But when everyone finally went home, he could feel the pain of being done with Tara slowly increasing. Eventually, he collapsed completely into the bitter feeling of betrayal that had taken hold of him, just as it had when he discovered that she was cheating on him shamelessly.
Didn't all these years mean anything to her? And if he was the one who made a mistake, couldn't they talk about it and try to work it out together? No. That was the answer, and Tara had made it known to him in the worst possible way. Ever since she had started cheating on him with that bastard Tommy, she only approached him to get some benefit or to satisfy some whim. All of that just made the pain and anger build up, until today his tolerance finally reached its limit and the inevitable discussion of that afternoon occurred. It's equally inevitable conclusion marked the end of the longest relationship he had ever had in his life. He was devastated, he knew it better than anyone else and that's why he wouldn't go home tonight. He knew he would die of depression with all the memories of her there, not to mention the remote possibility that she was also waiting for him outside the house and he didn't want to see her for now either.
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Well, I hope you liked this second chapter too. In case your answer is positive, then I will be waiting for you next Sunday with the 3rd chapter of this short story.
I know that I have answered several of you for PM before, even though I said that I would do it that way if you requested it and I apologize for that, I am used to answering for PM generally and here I did it without thinking, I will avoid this from happening again unless you ask me to answer you that way. Now, I'll respond to the reviews.
AWESOMEROCKSTAR101: Thank you very much. I know I've answered to you before for PM, but I couldn't stop doing it around here too. I hope you liked this chapter too, and again thanks for reading and for comment.
Mr. Ursine: I'm glad you liked the chapter and the translation. I already sent LilyTimbers your message. And as I told you before by PM, I hope I can translate the rest of my stories when my English improves a bit more, I hope it won't take too long hahaha. Anyway, thanks again for reading and for commenting.
Thatonereader1228: Thank you very much for reading and commenting. I can tell you that you will find a couple more funny things throughout this short story.
Guest: Hi, how are you? First of all, thank you very much for reading and commenting. I'm glad to know that you like the first chapter since this kind of stories are not my strong side hehe. I hope you enjoyed this chapter too.
Well, that's all for now. See you next Sunday, until then take good care of yourselves and keep safe in your homes until this pandemic is over once and for all.
See ya.