A/N: Sorry this one took so long but it's here now.
Thank you to outinritefield1, Kelly, ashmo2000, ciasteczko, Perfecta999, jillapet, ljhjelm49, MsNorthman, Shantigal, MissRon, kink, LostInSpace33 and covenmama for review the last chapter. It means so much.
I also want to thank outinritefield1 for editing this for me. You are an amazing second pair of eyes.
This is from Eric's POV which means we're back in the past. I also want to mention that this is a six month jump ahead from the previous Eric chapter.
Someone also asked that I list the songs that they sing at the beginning of the chapter so you can follow along when they sing them. There is only one in this chapter, they sing it when they perform at Bellefleur's and it's called The Oaf (My Luck Is Wasted) by Big Wreck. It's a fucking amazing song and Canadian and I suggest that you check it out. I'm linking it on my profile.
They do mention other songs and say lyrics from other songs but I'm only going to list songs they sing fully.
I hope you enjoy!
April 15th, 2003 - 12:45pm - Bon Temps High Cafeteria - Bon Temps
We more or less started living at Sookie's house as we began writing what we hoped would become our first album. We kept spare clothes in Sookie's room, toiletries in the bathroom and put mattresses on the ground in the garage when we stayed over on school nights. Gran had started grocery shopping for us so she could make meals she knew we would all like and the Stackhouse household was completely taken over by music.
We would meet for the five minutes between classes to discuss lyrics and how we could alter covers to make them fit our sound. Bill and Sookie argued incessantly about tune, melody, chord progression, back up vocals, bass lines and percussion. They agreed on nothing and fought each other on everything. This caused Alcide, Tara and myself to take the side of the person we thought was correct which lead to more arguing. As annoying as it was we usually ended up with a better song.
Sookie constantly asked about booking a gig but Bill never thought we were ready. We could always practice a little more, get the harmonies a little more unified and make the music a little tighter.
This was our life for six solid months before Sookie sat down with us in the cafeteria one afternoon. The band was exclusively hanging out with each other now, with the exception of Lorena who was coming to almost all of our practices and whoever Alcide's flavour of the week was. I was secretly having sex with Jessica Hamby but it had to be kept a secret so her actual boyfriend, Hoyt Fortenberry, a football player and one of Alcide's friends, wouldn't find out. Jessica was one of the most popular girls in school, head cheerleader and incredibly hot.
It was becoming difficult to balance Jessica, the band and whatever feelings I was finding myself having for Sookie. Whatever sisterly reaction I was expecting to have for her didn't manifest and I was on my way to developing a serious crush.
Sookie climbed over the seating, her incredibly longs legs making it difficult for her to sit, causing her to look awkward as usual. "Easy there Legs." I teased her.
She looked over at me with a death stare. "Don't call me that." She turned her attention to everyone else as she stole a fry from Alcide's plate. "So guess what I did?" She asked excitedly.
"Found out that you were the victim of a She's All That style bet to turn you into prom queen?" Alcide joked.
"Finally got a guy to kiss you?" Bill taunted.
"Took enough classes so you can graduate early?" Tara guessed.
"You got us a gig." I said confidently.
Her eyes lit up. "Yes!" She pointed at me. "Also, thank you Tara for thinking I'm smart enough to graduate early.As for the two of you," she pointed at Bill and Alcide, "what is wrong with you both?"
"You got us a gig?" Bill questioned, his joking mood gone.
"Yes!" Sookie exclaimed. "Can I have half of that?" She asked pointing at my sandwich. This was typical of Sookie. She could afford her own lunch, she brought her own lunch but she always ate ours. She told me it tasted better when it belonged to someone else. I handed her the half I hadn't bitten into yet.
"Where?" Bill asked.
"Bellefleur's." She replied her mouth full, little bits of food flying everywhere.
"How?" Bill seemed completely baffled that Sookie managed to do this.
"I asked and asked and asked and didn't stop talking until Andy finally said yes." She shrugged tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"When?"
"This Saturday, it'll be us five playing music as a band. I hope that answers all of your questions."She said shoving the last of the sandwich into her mouth.
"How could you do this without consulting any of us? Without consulting me?"Bill was becoming flustered. The thing he wanted, his music career, had just become very real and he was nervous. Bill had never sung in front of anyone before other than the church congregation.
"We've been practicing for over six months now and you were always talking about how you wanted to play Bellefleur's, here's your chance. You want to play in a band and that means you gotta play gigs, unless you want to be one of those bands that never makes it out of the garage? I thought this was your only option."Sookie smirked at him.
Bill and Lorena were both staring daggers at her. Bill hated when people went over him and Lorena hated Sookie because she saw her as a threat. Bill was as into Sookie as any of us were.
"Well I'm stoked about this."Tara said excitedly. "Thanks Sook."
"Yeah, thanks Sookie."Alcide said as he stood, slapping Sookie on the back.
She looked up at me. "You don't need to thank me, your sandwich was thanks enough."She stood up and winked.
"Where are you going?"I asked her.
"I have lunch detention cause I called Ben Flynn a dickhead."She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she ran her hands through her hair.
"What for?"I inquired as I opened a bag of chips.
"He said my tits were lopsided. He deserved it but of course he doesn't get detention cause he's on the fucking football team."She growled in frustration. "Our principal is a misogynistic prick asshole…"She began mumbling to herself.
"You!"Bill shouted as he pointed at Sookie pulling her out of her inner rant. "We are all meeting at your place tonight for practice. We'll probably sleep there, so let your parents know you're studying with whomever. We need to make sure we are perfect!" Bill was in full meltdown mode now.
"Bill we are perfect!" Sookie shouted at him walking away. "Calm down, we'll practice and everything will be alright." She kicked open the cafeteria door while shaking her head and muttering, "Jesus."
"Bro, she's right, you need to calm down." Alcide echoed Sookie's words.
"I'll calm down once the gig is over." He huffed and left the cafeteria, Lorena following behind him.
I watched him go and looked over at Alcide and Tara. "On a scale of one to shit-show how bad do you think this is going to be?"
Tara shrugged. "I think it'll be fine. He just needs to do it. It's the first one and the first time is never good." She got up just before the bell rang and headed to her locker.
Surprisingly Tara's words actually comforted me. I shouldn't worry about doing an amazing job because the first time always sucked, for everything. So I was going to try my best and enjoy myself even if Bill didn't adopt this way of thinking.
April 15th 2003 - 7:50pm - The Stackhouse Garage - Bon Temps
I wasn't surprised when we all arrived at Sookie's and Bill was wound even tighter than when we saw him at lunch. "We should all wear black." He said pacing back and forth.
"Why?" Sookie challenged.
"So we look uniform." He stopped and looked at her. There was panic in his eyes and he looked manic so she didn't push him further. "We also need a set list."
"It's five songs man," I tried to reassure him, "we do two covers and three originals and we're done. Can you please relax? This is supposed to be fun and you're sucking a lot of that out of this." I put my hands on his shoulders and looked at him in the eyes.
He huffed, shaking me off, sitting on the floor next to Lorena. "I'm sorry, I'm just really nervous." He ran his hand through his hair. "I've never performed like this before."He looked down at the floor and his cheeks flushed. "I'm not like this because I think you guys are gonna fuck up, I do this because I'm afraid I will, I need to be the best."
"It'll be fine." Sookie said to him with a smile. "Just pretend it's here, that Bellefleur's is the garage and you'll be fine. You're electric, Compton."
Sookie was right, Bill had come alive in the six months since Tara and Sookie had joined. He was the same old Bill every other time, neurotic, sarcastic, high strung but the second we started to play and he stood behind a microphone or sat in front of a piano something changed inside of him and the rock God came out.
Lorena moved closer to Bill to establish her territory in response to Sookie's comment. Since Sookie had joined the band Lorena's hair had become more and more blonde and her wardrobe became more and more simple. Even if Sookie and Bill didn't realize they were drifting towards one another Lorena noticed; so did I and the idea of them together made my chest feel tight.
"So what three originals should we do?" Bill asked us relaxing, trying to enjoy the moment.
"Instant Pleasure." Alcide chimed in, he would want to play that song considering he was the inspiration. Alcide had been complaining one afternoon about how he didn't want to be loved by all the women he bedded, he just wanted sex whenever he wanted it. These words inspired something in Bill who began to write a chorus immediately.
Tara shook her head. "I don't think so."
Alcide shot her a hurt look. "Why not?"
"We are playing a redneck bar in a redneck town, we should be playing rock songs with country roots." Tara explained.
"Agreed." Sookie said. "We should play 'The Oaf'."
"'Ain't No Rest For the Wicked'." Bill suggested.
"And 'Hey I Don't Know'" I rounded out. I wanted to play that song because I had to sing and play the violin at the same time, a talent which had always impressed Sookie.
We all nodded in agreement.
"Then the covers should be 'Welcome to the Jungle' and 'Stranglehold'."Alcide proposed.
"That's it." Bill smiled widely. "'Welcome to the Jungle' as the opener, the three originals and then we close with 'Stranglehold'."
"I like it." Tara admitted as she laid down on one of the make shift beds she usually claimed.
"So, do we still need to practice or can I go to sleep?" Sookie asked with a yawn.
Bill shook his head. "We are practicing all night and none of us are sleeping at all this week." He stood and readjusted his keyboard.
We all groaned and picked up our instruments. Even though we were all exhausted I knew there was no place any of us would rather be.
We practiced every available minute for the rest of the week. We slept very little, skipped school and slept in Sookie's garage while her Gran generously kept the food and lemonade coming. We had all grown on her and we had all come to adore her. She cared for us like her own children, supported us, even listened to our practices from time to time when we needed an outsiders opinion.
April 18th, 2003 - 8:45pm - The Northman Residence
We had convinced Bill to let us have the night before the gig off. We needed to sleep or we were more likely to fuck up. I was getting ready for bed, puttering around downstairs shirtless in my flannel pajama bottoms when the there was a knock on the door.
"Mom!" I shouted hoping she would get it. When I heard the knock again I yelled her name even louder. "Mom!" When it was clear she wasn't coming I sighed and headed over to answer it.
Sookie was on the other side in her white tank top and black jeans, her backpack slung over her shoulder. I watched as her eyes went up and down my body and a hint of a smirk tugged at her lips. "Hello." She giggled.
"Hey." I said trying to cover my chest feeling very naked under her gaze. "What's up?"
"You left your backpack in my garage. I figured you might need it." She smiled.
"You drove all the way over here to give me my homework?" I questioned with a cocked eyebrow.
She shook her head. "I noticed it before my shift, threw it in my car, my shift has ended and here I am."
"Eric?" My mother, Alice, croaked. She came down the stairs of our modest two-story home in grey sweats and an oversized t-shirt with Minnie Mouse on it. My mother was blonde, 5'10, her build was curvy after three children and she was still beautiful even though age and day to day life had dulled some of her lustre.
"Oh good god." I mumbled, rubbing my face as she approached us. I loved my mom, I always would but she was embarrassing and inappropriate as fuck.
"Eric who is this?" She sounded delighted. I had been with girls before but I had never brought one home.
"This is one of my bandmates Sookie Stackhouse." I said pointing to her as Sookie held her hand out.
"Oh,"her eyes widened realizing who she was, everyone in town knew the Stackhouse saga. "She's beautiful Eric." My mother started to whisper, even though she was still fully audible, ignoring Sookie's hand like she wasn't actually there. "Is this your girlfriend?" She asked.
I started to rub my face again to hide the flush that was creeping up. "Mom."I groaned.
"Oooooo, Eric has a girlfriend." My nine-year old brother Damien taunted as he passed the foyer making kissing sounds. Damien looked like my father, his hair and eyes were a dark brown and his skin wasn't as fair, he tanned easier. My mother was of Swedish decent while my father, Craig, was third generation American but he had Spanish ancestry on either side.
"Why are you all so embarrassing?" I asked through my hands. I parted my fingers to look at Sookie who was looking at me with a wicked grin, biting her lip to suppress a laugh.
"I think she has pretty hair." My five year old sister Clara proclaimed as she padded up to Sookie and began tugging on her hand. My sister looked a lot like me and my mother; fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes.
Sookie smiled down at her before crouching so they were at eye level. "I think you have very beautiful hair too." She said fingering the ends of it.
"Can I show you my make-up?!" Clara exclaimed not waiting for Sookie to agree, if you showed Clara any attention you were immediately her friend, and began pulling her up the stairs.
Sookie looked back to me with wide eyes before she disappeared around the corner with my sister.
"She has really narrow hips though, won't be good for birthing children." My mom said shaking her head, patting my shoulder.
"Mom, please stop." I sighed as I ran up the stairs to save Sookie.
Clara was already putting electric blue eyeshadow all over Sookie's eyelids. "Do you kiss my brother?" She asked her as I pushed open the door.
I watched a flush creep into Sookie's cheeks. "No sweetie, we're just friends. We're in a band together." They were sitting on tiny bright pink plastic chairs - which was not easy for Sookie's 5'11 frame.
"Are you the singer?" She asked moving onto blush which was way to dark and pink for Sookie.
"No, I'm the guitar player." She smiled opening her eyes and looking at me.
"I want to play but Eric won't let me touch his guitars." I couldn't see the frown on my sisters face but I could hear it in her voice.
"How about I bring mine over sometime and I'll teach you." Sookie smiled looking at Clara.
"Really?!" Clara exclaimed before wrapping her arms around Sookie's neck getting makeup all over her shirt.
"Sure." Sookie laughed hugging her back looking at me with a soft smile. "But you have to promise to be very careful with it."Sookie warned looking back at Clara.
"I promise."Clara nodded furiously.
Sookie looked back up at me and smiled deviously."But I think we need to focus on the task at hand and if anyone needs a makeover, it's your brother." Clara stood up and looked at me while Sookie cocked an eyebrow. "What do you say Northman? You man enough to get into the chair?"
I stared at her with what I hope was annoyance but in the end I just ended up grinning at her. "Fine." I said sitting on my sisters bed. "But you don't tell anyone."
She shook her head and made a cross motion over her heart. "And hope to die."
Sookie and my sister worked on me for nearly thirty minutes. Sookie took a step back to admire her work. "You are a pretty dude, man." She said before laughing and falling onto the bed beside me.
Clara jumped up and began putting my hair into ponytails before I shooed her away. "That's enough. You need to go to bed." I said to her as I stood and picked her up, tickling her sides causing her to squeal with laughter.
Sookie stood up, I pulled the covers down and put Clara under them. "Sookie, you're gonna come back right?" She asked with a yawn as she rubbed her eyes.
"Sure kiddo. Next weekend I'll bring my guitar and we'll practice okay?" Sookie smiled.
Clara nodded and rolled over as we both left her room quietly and turned off her light. I turned back to look at Sookie who was looking up at me, her makeup was as ridiculous as mine I was sure. "Sorry about all this. I'm sure this isn't what you bargained for when you dropped off my bag." I rubbed the back of my neck nervously.
She shrugged. "It was nice actually. I never really had this kind of family or home life." She turned and pointed to the door across from Clara's room. "Is this your bedroom?" She asked.
"It is." I said getting nervous with the idea of her being in my room.
"Is your mom gonna wig out if I go in?" She inquired as her fingers traced the doorknob.
I shook my head. "Go ahead." I said as smoothly as possible even though I was freaking out. I had never had a girl in my bedroom before. When I got together with Jessica it was always in hidden places: janitors closets, back seats of cars, the woods, pretty much anywhere that was quiet and alone.
Sookie opened the door and looked around taking everything in, dropping her bag on the floor. "You are very clean for a teenage boy." She commented as she slowly walked around my room.
My room was simple, a twin bed in the middle of the room with plaid flannel sheets. A few dressers, band posters and more embarrassingly a few posters of Kirsten Dunst and Kate Bosworth covered the walls.
"It only looks clean cause you're such a slob." I retorted. My comment was true. Sookie's room was a disaster, clothes everywhere, books scattered, guitar picks, strings and crumpled paper everywhere.
"Touché." She said with a smile. "So you like blondes?" She asked walking over to a poster of Kate Bosworth. "She's a little obvious don't you think?"She asked grinning at me.
I shrugged. "She's alright."I rubbed my arm nervously. I did not want to talk about my attraction to blondes right now with Sookie in my room, very blonde Sookie.
She jumped on my bed, lying back against the pillows as she took my journal into her hands. "What have you been writing lately?"She asked dropping her questions about my taste in women.
I walked over and took the book out of her hands. "Nothing, I've been writing nothing. I'm having writers block as of late."
"Ditto." She said sitting up looking at me.
"What's your problem?" I asked sitting beside her.
She shrugged. "It's hard to write about love when you've never been in love." She half smiled as she glanced at me.
"Well what do you have?" I asked her. "Maybe I can help."
"You've been in love before?" She questioned as she fished her notebook out of her bag on the floor.
"No,"I admitted. "Not yet." I ran my hand though my hair pulling out all the hair ties Clara had put in.
"Here." She ripped out a page and tossed it to me. "I'm trying to express wanting someone like the Earth wants to turn, or animals need to feed or the ground wants to reclaim our bodies when we die." She moved over to me so she was looking over my shoulder, her front pressed against my back.
I looked down at the only verse she had.
I have never known peace like the damp grass that yields to me/I have never known hungry like these insects that feast on me/A thousand teeth and yours among them I know/ Our hungers appeased, our heartbeats becoming slow
"I don't think I'll be able to finish it anytime soon. Maybe one day." She pushed all the hair out of her face, a majority of it brushing against my back.
I looked at her, her large brown eyes looking into mine, our lips only inches apart. I could feel her breath on my face when she breathed and I swallowed hard before speaking. "Maybe if you wrote the chords the rest of the words will come." I suggested looking away from her.
I had a crush on her, there was no ifs ands or buts about it. She intimidated me and I was afraid of her rejection. I may have been able to land girls in the past and been told on occasion that I was attractive;but it didn't change the fact that I was a teenager filed with paranoia, self loathing and self doubt. An innocent crush was easier to handle than the possibility of her saying no.
I picked up my acoustic guitar and handed her my electric. "I thought you didn't let anyone play you're guitars." She joked as she crossed her legs and positioned the guitar in her hands. There was something sexy about seeing her handle my instrument.
"Just my siblings, you are not a sibling." I hopped up onto the bed with her and she began to play, eventually taking the acoustic out of my hands and playing it herself. We managed a chorus or two but mainly we talked about each other's pasts. I told her about my parents and siblings and my early life. How I was born in Houston and moved to Bon Temps so my mother could take care of my grandmother who ultimately passed away. My father was a construction worker and my mother stayed at home.
Sookie told me about her dad and what she remembered of him. How her mom had put her to bed one night and in the morning she just wasn't there. No note, no nothing. Sookie and Jason only being eight and thirteen at the time, lived alone for three days before Jason decided it was time to call their Gran. Their mother also saddled her Gran with all of her fathers hospital bills.
"That's the reason I work so much at the restaurant." She said scratching her head. "I mean Gran earns money here and there and Jason has a construction job but it's not always enough without me helping." She looked up at me with a sadness and a tiredness in her eyes I would catch from time to time. She looked past me and her eyes went wide. "Fuck, is that the time." She hopped up and grabbed her bag. "I gotta go." She smiled and opened the door rushing out of the room.
I got up quickly and ran after her, taking the stairs two at a time. I caught up to her just before she ran out the door, she turned and looked up at me. "Thanks for tonight, I had a lot of fun." She smiled sweetly before pushing up on her tippy toes and kissing me lightly on the cheek. She turned and ran quickly to her car and peeled out of the driveway. Among other things Sookie was a terrible driver.
I closed the door and felt the tingling of where her mouth had touched my skin. A heavy sigh passed my lips as I leaned against the door and whispered, "fuck."
April 19th, 2003 - 5:45pm - Night of First Gig
I had agreed to pick up Sookie and Tara from Sookie's house two hours before we were supposed to go on at eight. The two of them were doing their hair and makeup and 'other girly shit' as Sookie had so lovingly put it. We needed time to get there and do sound check before we started. I loaded Tara's drums and Sookie's guitars into the back of my truck before the two of them came giggling out of the house.
I knew I was in trouble the moment I saw her, both of them really. Tara's hair was pulled up and some of her hair was wrapped around her ponytail to cover the elastic and certain pieces were curled. Her eye makeup was purple, her eyeliner was winged and her lashes looked long and full. She was wearing a black tank top that cut off exposing her stomach which was toned. Her pants were patterned white and black and tight and she had ankle high black sneakers on.
Sookie's hair was similar, the crown was teased and she had pulled it back into a full curled ponytail with some hair wrapped around the elastic. Her eye makeup was dark and smoky and her eye liner gave her a cat eye. Her cheeks were highlighted with blush and her lips were covered with a dark cherry red lipstick. Her pants were tight and burgundy, her shoes were ankle high, black suede, lace up, high heels.Her tank top was also cut off exposing her midriff and bits of lace were hanging down off the shirt. It was then I realized Sookie had another tattoo on the side of her rib.
I walked up to them and smirked. "Bill is going to be super pissed at you both, your pants aren't black." I pointed to both of their legs.
"I think he's going to be angrier with you." Sookie stated. "You're the one who is wearing a white t-shirt that says 'I have no tits'on it." She grinned, slapping me on the shoulder before hopping into my truck.
The ride was quick and we got to the bar at six pm on the dot. Bill was already outside. "You're late." He chirped.
"We're not but okay." I helped Sookie out of the truck and Tara came around the other side which caused Bills mouth to fall open and not because he was wowed by them.
"I told you all to wear black." He said through gritted teeth as we all began to pull instruments out of the back of my truck.
"We are wearing black." Sookie said innocently as she moved past Bill towards the bar.
"Your pants are red!" He shouted at her.
She turned to look at him. "Actually they're burgundy, Bill." She gave a coy smile and disappeared into the bar.
I looked at Bill. "It doesn't matter what we're wearing. All that matters is that we're here, the music is good and we have a fucking gig! Be happy!" He looked up at me with no retort, wanting to micromanage but knowing I was right. "Now help Tara with her drums."
I walked up to the stage and looked at the small area that was set up for us. "Is this going to fit all of us?"I asked out loud as Sookie helped Tara set up her drums while Alcide was tuning his bass.
"We'll make it work."Bill said setting down Sookie's amp.
After everything was set up and sound check was done we waited until eight in the back room.
"I'm nervous." Bill admitted as he paced.
"We're all nervous, it's good to have nerves, it keeps you alert." Tara reassured.
"Bill, you just gotta make all the guys want to be you and all the girls want to sleep with you. It's not hard." Sookie comforted.
"I'm not too thrilled about that last one." Lorena moaned grumpily.
"If you want to date a rock star you best get used to it, sugar." She winked at Lorena with a huge grin on her face.
This triggered Lorena's token scowl and death stare in Sookie's direction.
We sat in silence a little while longer, our nerves building to the point where the air felt thick.
"What's this?" I asked Sookie quietly as I ran the back of my finger along the tattoo on her side.
She smiled and leaned over pulling up her shirt. "It's a guitar. It seemed fitting."
"Did you get this one in honour of anyone?" I questioned.
"In honour of myself and my bad ass guitar skills." She joked, nudging me in the side.
I laughed as Andy barged into the room."You guys are on," he said boorishly startling all of us. "Don't fuck it up."
We all stared at each other with anticipation. We knew it was just Bellefleur's, we knew that this gig probably wouldn't lead to a record deal but it was the first. The first time we stepped onto a stage as one. This would be the gig chronicled in our VH1 Behind the Music special. This was important and no matter how small, we all knew it.
"Let's kill it." Alcide said standing up and pounding his chest with his fists, a tradition he no doubt picked up from football.
Tara took Sookie's hand while twirling her drumsticks in the other and they giggled as they went out the door behind Alcide.
I stood, holding out my hand to Bill. "It's do or die time Compton. You assembled us, now take us there." I smiled at him trying to be as encouraging as possible.
He looked over at Lorena and kissed her before she stood and left the room no doubt going to her seat. He took my hand and smiled back up at me. "It'll be fine." He convinced himself.
"Of course it will, do your thing and it'll fly by." I pushed him out the door still feeling his hesitance.
The bar was packed and I couldn't tell if it was the dinner crowd or people were there to see us. We had been canvassing all week, putting up flyers and telling anyone who would listen that we were playing Bellefleur's on Saturday night at eight. We even drove to Shreveport and put up a few posters there.
Adele was sitting at a table in the back with Alcide's and Tara's parents. Mine and Bill's parents were at a table right beside theirs.
We got on stage and strummed quickly to make sure we were all still in tune. I looked over at Bill who still had his back to the audience so I took a step towards the mic. "How is everyone feeling tonight?" I asked only to be met by large amounts of feedback. The audience visibly cringed as we adjusted our levels. "Sorry about that." I laughed awkwardly. "How is everyone doing tonight?" I asked again only to be met by a half assed response. "Okay well we are..." I trailed off realizing we hadn't named ourselves and laughed, "we actually don't have a name but we're here to play a few songs for you tonight. I really hope you enjoy them."
I looked over at Bill and worry came over me. I didn't know what it was, most likely nerves, but something was wrong. Bill wasn't ready and we had to start playing. We had been on stage for a full minute and nothing had happened.
I looked over at Sookie who was staring at Bill before walking up and whispering something to him. He looked up at her with a furrowed brow and she nodded and smiled.
At that exact moment someone in the bar shouted, "play something already!"
Which prompted Tara to yell into her microphone, "we are Tara and the Giants! 1,2,3,4!" She then pointed at Sookie who started to play 'The Oaf' and not 'Welcome to the Jungle."
I could see the panic on Bill's face. Not only had Tara just named the band without consulting anyone, Sookie had changed the line up.
Everyone followed in Sookie's footsteps immediately falling into to place and playing the song Sookie had decided upon. Bill's back was still to the bar and I was beginning to pray, screaming at him in my head for him to turn around!
Just before he had to start singing Sookie yelled his name, snapping him out of whatever daze he was in and he turned around stepping towards the microphone.
Who'd you drag around my door/If I keep it cracked they won't be there no more/And who'd you leave along the way/Leave 'em there and don't come back today
The levels were perfect, his voice was perfect and our playing was exceptionally tight. All the practice that Bill had forced us to do had paid off big time. It was effortless between all of us, we finally, truly in that moment became a band, a uniform unit. It didn't matter what we were wearing or what we looked like, the music was loud, crisp, clear and we sounded amazing.
Now who's the one that treats you right/Yeah, leave 'em there and don't come back to fight/Now who's the lad that wants to be/It never was and it just can't be me
Sookie and I took a step up to our microphones and aw'd in perfect harmony. Bill ran his hands through his hair and his body began rolling to the music, grabbing the microphone stand confidently. He was becoming, how Sookie liked to refer to it, electric. Half the bar was watching us now and they were interested, especially the women.
My luck is wasted/I'm on the run somewhere/My luck is wasted/I'm on the run somewhere
It's true what they say that the energy from the crowd makes the band give a better performance because Sookie was into it and so was Alcide, stomping their feet on the stage in rhythm with the music as they looked at each other smiling. I was worried the stage was going to fall apart.
Throw the rocks and break the glass/I'll get down on my knees and kiss your ass/Cause you're the one that be in my dreams/It never was and isn't what it seems
My luck is wasted/I'm on the run somewhere/My luck is wasted/I'm on the run somewhere
Bill took a step back from the microphone and turned to me with a wild smile on his face, he was in his element and whatever fear he had only moments before was gone. Sookie began her guitar solo as she slowly hunched over her instrument watching her fingers work, her foot still stomping on the stage, an action that prompted most of the bar to clap along to her playing.
She took a step back behind her microphone and we all prepared for a harmony we weren't sure we were going to get right. It required all of us, joining at different times and we hadn't gotten it right ever.
Now who's the dragon at my door/I shot it now, it don't come back no more
But this time we did. The adrenaline flowing through me was intense and in that moment I never wanted to get off the stage. We were going to be rock stars, legends.
Gonna fire up someday/My luck is wasted/I'm on the run somewhere/Feel my hand wrapped around/My luck is wasted/I'm on the run somewhere
That thing that draws someone to someone else, the thing that Sookie and Bill had was causing everyone to look our way, to watch us, to hear us and it looked as if people we actually enjoying it. We had hooked them, we had hooked the crowd with one song.
The rest of the set passed quickly, almost too quick. When we were finished we unplugged and got off the stage as fast as we could. As we went into the back room I could still hear people clapping, some were even cheering.
"Oh my god!" Sookie exclaimed with a massive smile on her face placing her guitar down. "They loved us!" She hugged Bill and then hugged me for a moment longer than appropriate.
"That went really well."Bill beamed.
"A little too well."Alcide chimed in suspiciously.
I looked over at him with a annoyed look on my face. "Shut up dude."I shook my head and hugged Tara.
The giddiness lingered in the air and we started to make plans to celebrate our very successful first show but before we could confirm anything Andy burst through the door. "You guys were amazing! People started drinking more, ordering more food. You guys need to go back on."
"You said five songs and you got five songs." Sookie said curtly. "You aren't even paying us." She pointed out.
He sighed rubbing his head. "I'll pay you fifty bucks to play five more songs."
We all looked at each other deciding if this is what we wanted to do. We had five more songs but we weren't as rehearsed, finally Bill spoke up. "Fifty bucks a song. You want us to play five more that'll be two hundred and fifty bucks."
I looked over at Sookie with wide eyes and she looked back at me with an impressed expression.
Andy looked baffled. "Absolutely not, that's outrageous. Your high school students and your band isn't even famous!"
"But your customers love us and their love for us is making you money. It's only fair we get a sizeable cut." Bill reasoned smoothly. He had confidence and the adrenaline of performing running through him.
"No." Andy said flatly.
"Fine," Bill shrugged. "It'll be a real bummer though for your customers to find out that you didn't want to entertain them over something so silly as money."His tone implied that it was no problem to us either way but he was rather upset that he was going to have to bad mouth Andy . "I mean is it really worth the 250 bucks when you're sure to make ten times that during our set?"He reasoned.
Andy sighed. "Fine, 250, whatever. Get out there!"
Sookie grabbed her guitar and giggled. "Very suave Mr. Compton."
"Thanks." Bill looked at all off us. "'In the Meantime', 'Instant Pleasure', 'Ship of Fools', 'Harder to Breathe' and 'I Believe'. Is that a good set list?" He asked all of us.
We all nodded.
"Everyone remember it?" He asked.
We all nodded again.
"Good. Let's do this." And we headed back out on stage. The next five songs went as easily as the first and Bill even got the chance to play the piano during 'Ship of Fools' and 'I Believe'.
We finished, took a bow and began tearing down. Lorena immediately started hovering around Bill, staking her claim, making sure that every girl in that bar knew Bill belonged to her. I pretended to be interested in the girls that slipped me their phone numbers as my parents tried to wade through them to congratulate me. Alcide told a few girls about an after party at Sookie's house, Tara was talking to her mother and Sookie was ignoring all the men that were clearly interested in her as she excitedly talked to her Gran about the set.
We started to haul all our equipment to the car when we were stopped by an older looking gentleman. "Tara and the Giants?" He called out which caused us all to stop and look at him.
"Who's asking?" Bill questioned with suspicion.
"My name is Damon Barnes and I'm the owner of Sneaky Dees in Shreveport." He smiled cockily.
We all new what Sneaky Dees was. It was one of the best rock clubs in Renard Parish and it was renowned for letting people in underage which was one of the reasons it was so popular. "And?" Bill said again trying to appear aloof.
"I really loved your sound and would love to know if you could play the club next weekend. We had a last minute cancellation." My heart skipped a beat and excitement coursed through me as Sookie grabbed my hand, squeezing tightly. "You guys are all twenty one right?" He inquired.
"Of course we are." Bill answered smoothly, "let's talk numbers shall we?" That was the day insecure, high strung Bill Compton died and the suave, confident rock god Bill Compton was born.
So there it is, their first gig. What did you all think?
I really love this chapter actually.
I hope you enjoyed and please review if you can. I love them all and it's truly appreciated.