Chapter 9
A BECK gig came up. I watched them, doing my part, 'be sexy that'll get attention' is what Chiba told me, Taira and Ray almost murdered him with looks. They were awesome, and a record label person came and wanted our CD, so told Maho, It was great.
Chiba and Taira came over the next week. I got changed quickly and went outside to meet us.
'An American release, huh?' I heard Taira say as I ran outside in a skirt and Dying breed top.
A few days later Belle Ame were in the paper, Ryusuke screw it up into a ball and gave it to beck to eat 'I'm sure that's not a good idea' someone called Ryusuke so he went to pick up his phone, I threw the newspaper into the river.
The boys came over again; Beck's CDs were selling really well in America but the contract they have doesn't have royalties so Beck don't get a penny for the CD's. This is totally unfair. They went and did a gig then came back to the house. Taira started asking about prudence. Ray told him about stealing from cars.
'Stupid boys' I commented dryly.
Beck had an audition at the Marquee live house. It's every musicians dream to work there so it's a big deal for the guys.
Koyuki came over a week or two later, he recorded some songs he made up, I thought they were okay. Ray stayed up teaching him things to make his songs more interesting for the ear. Beck had many gigs during that month. Every single gig of theirs I went to.
After the one at The Marquee we went to the nearest bar for a refresher, Koyuki seemed down, Maho hasn't been around because of T.V. shoots or something like that.
That night the crate of the American CD's came, with Beck's new name 'Mongolian chop squad' I saw it and laughed so loud, 'Now that's a stupid name' I told ray 'But your on the front! Bigger than everyone else, competition there' I giggled and Ryusuke swatted me with the CD.
A few nights later, I awoke to the sound of a helicopter, it shook the whole house, and I went into Ray's room, to see if he knew what was going on. We went outside and a blinding light found us. We looked up; we both knew who was here. Leon Sykes.
Ryusuke went inside dragging me and starting dialling Eddie's number on his phone, Beck was barking loudly outside. We looked out of the window a group of people were stood outside. Leon walked forward and smashed a window; he got prudence and then Beck. 'No! Give him back!' I cried but he just got me. Ray followed. He basically had no choice in the position. I screamed and kicked but Leon shot into Ray and I shut up.
We were taken to a room of one of his minions. They beat up Ray. I screamed and kicked as a female does, and after Ray became unconscious, I was tied up and gagged to stop me shouting. I whimpered though, I sounded like beck when I whimpered. Ryusuke got up and Hit the minion round the head. Ray had a nose bleed, the guy got up and they fought. Ray got the short straw then guy then went for me, and everything went dark.
I came into consciousness and was taken out of a car like Ray, Ray talked to them, and I stayed quiet, Dried Tears on my face. He got elbowed 'No' I whispered. I got a look but nothing more. Dried blood on my face as well, splattered from when we were taken.
Leon got up and Talked to his granddad 'Yeah that's him, Ryusuke Minami, and Eddie Lee's sister, Ayane Lee, she was there fighting so I had to take her'
'Bastard' I grumbled. They knocked Ray over.
'DON'T DO THAT!' I shouted with the only strength I had left, I got hit. Leon left and his Granddad picked us up.
'Man, that's bad, hitting a pretty girl like you?' He told me, I only stared in reply. Ray and John Lee Davis got jamming.
Leon returned.
'If your going to kill me at least let me play with Mr. Davis once.' Ryusuke told him. If Ryusuke got killed…they continued Jamming. I stared at the floor nervously. Afterwards we sat in the car nervously, Ray gripped my hand tight, knowing I was scared. Ray said something about them music and got knocked by a punch into me.
We returned home after a while. He looked at my hands, trembling 'Don't worry, I'll be fine' He kissed my hand then dialled Chiba I stopped it.
'Ray…'
He turned to me, smiling. I cupped his face in my hands 'I'm sorry, temptation is a bad thing but…' I kissed him and he kissed me too. I broke away.
'Its okay' He called Chiba and he was here in a second.
Ryusuke was fishing, I hated how he looked, bandages all over him. Taira came with the rest. Taira didn't care that I was fawning over Ray like I was. I was worried for Beck, my little Frankenstein mutt. We went out to eat, I was still fawning over Ryusuke 'For god sake, Ayane, pull it together it wasn't that bad!' He snapped at me.
'But… you almost were killed' I mumbled for him only to hear 'I was scared and still am.' I left him alone after though. Ray explained what happened. Taira grabbed my hand under the table.
We returned, I was cowering in Taira's jacket. Some lady was there, Maho called and Koyuki and she talked. I sat on my lonesome. Recovering. Koyuki ran off, to see the dying breed movie with Maho.
We talked to the lady, she wanted Dying breed for this grateful sound festival, and Ray told her he'd do it if she gets Beck in too.
That night we just hung around. Taira played video games, Chiba did nothing, Ray read and Koyuki and Saku made food. Pot Noodles. Yum. Ray told us about a dream he had, misty, he was outside, and trash everywhere, Koyuki dropped a pot noodle all over Chiba in surprise. Chiba got mad and pushed him over. I saw all this from the screen of the TV, I turned and watched.
'Its was getting cleaned up right, by the ghost's of dead rock stars' Said Taira looking from the screen. They discussed the dream and destiny. Destiny. I always turned my nose up at the idea, even when Taira goes on about it, but what if this actually was destiny. Chiba started yelling, He didn't have the dream, and Ray turned to me and whispered 'You got the dream didn't you?'
I nodded in reply, Destiny?
Later that night we decided (we being, me, Ray and Maho) to go to Koyuki's house. Maho threw rocks to get his attention, he opened the window and we climbed in. Maho handed him a piece of paper with the pop star he likes signature on. Ryusuke and I sat down on the floor. Koyuki shouted 'WOW!'
'Dude keeps it down' Ray replied, Ray took my hand and I moved closer to him, He put my hand behind himself and held it there. Ryusuke found a dirty comic of Koyuki's and began flicking through it. He found a page and showed it to Maho, sniggering. 'Wow, my little girls all grown up' He commented, Maho blushed.
'You're such a moron'
'Koyuki, why was this by your pillow?'
'No reason' Replied Little Yukio.
Maho decided to stay at Koyuki's for the night, Ray and I turned to leave, I say him reach down and pass Koyuki some condoms. Maho came over, saw the condoms and kicked dear Ray over. He got up grumbled then we left.
Rays wounds healed, and I had the handsome face back to normal.
A few weeks later, were practising again, Brainstorm, my favourite Beck song. If they get into the Grateful sound thing, I'll be on stage singing as well; well that's just what Ray said. The whole band wrote it, I guess Ray wrote it about me in some parts the whole future is murky bit, I told him that looking up at a few black clouds in America.
After we went to a café again, Ryusuke wants to make a new album with completely new songs. We decided to hand out flyers about the band. The others waved them about and shouting, I was being, well me.
'Hello people, why don't you come and see Beck' then thrust a flyer in there hand. It works.
At the end, they all ended up on the floor, we spent a while picking them up from the dirty ground.
They had the concert and a few people did turn up despite the flyers being on the floor, and luckily for me, Taira's attire was knee shorts and no top. I was at the front, starting the crowd up. The lights went off and they played Brainstorm. Soon the crowd was jumping and screaming. I sung (knowing all the words) and danced. All in all, the gig was a hit.
That night Ray and I couldn't stay away from each other, I remembered why I loved him so much, everything about him. I felt terrible to Taira…I was so guilty, and I knew this would be on my conscience forever now.