A/N Thanks to my PTB betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. And as always, I don't own Twilight.
Chapter Twenty: The Show Must Go On
EPOV
I was excited. There was no other way to describe it. On my last tour, I didn't have this feeling of anticipation and excitement before a show. I hadn't felt like that since I first started playing professionally, when I first moved to LA. Now, I wasn't tethered by a label or expectations; I could just be me. Bella could tell I was excited this morning as she got ready to head out to the bar. She laughed as I bounced around the house, talking animatedly about performing again and the songs I wanted to play. I didn't tell her about Garrett and the boys because I wanted that to be a surprise. She'd find out very soon that I wasn't doing a simple acoustic set. I wanted to show her this other side of myself. I knew she loved my music and had seen some of my movies, but she had never seen me perform live. I couldn't wait to share this with her.
Last night, I told her about the paparazzi I'd seen on the way to her father's. Bella was surprised but not upset. I had assumed that she was going to be mad that I didn't tell her right away. Instead, she was thankful that she was able to enjoy the holiday worry-free with her family. She asked whether I would have told her if I had seen someone at her father's house. I replied that if I had seen something troublesome, I would have told her.
Maybe that was why she was completely unfazed about tonight. She knew that they were here already, but they hadn't messed with her yet. I already knew that she had made sure extra security was going to be there, but I hoped she had a realistic idea of how crazy tonight was going to be. With the advent of Twitter and other social networking sites, news of my surprise concert would spread like wildfire, bringing in fans and media personnel. Sure, it would start out small, but as word got out, I fully anticipated that it would get insanely crazy.
I really hoped Bella wouldn't be lulled into a false sense of security if the concert started out as calm as I expected it to be. She was a very strong woman but the media craziness could be too much. I was more worried about the media tonight than she was. I knew how they could be; she didn't. My worry was more like fear, fear that Bella would see just a fraction of what I normally had to deal with and bolt. She told me months ago that she could handle anything as long as we were together. I tried to keep that in mind as I prepared for the arrival of the equipment from Guitar Center and Garrett.
Carefully, I rearranged all of Bella's living room furniture to make room for everyone. I was originally going to ask her before I moved her stuff around, but then that would have spoiled the surprise of having a full band. After I got the furniture out of the way, the delivery van for Guitar Centerarrived. It didn't take very long for the men in the van to unload all of the equipment. Once I had made sure everything was in, I signed the bill and they were on their way.
I had an hour until Garrett and his friends were supposed to arrive, so I warmed up with the Gibson for awhile. Most of the equipment, like the mixing board and all the speakers, would have to wait until everyone was here. The Gibson was slightly out of tune, but I was able to take care of that easily. Chords and riffs flew from my hands as I played and I lost all track of time. It seemed like I had just started playing when the gate intercom buzzed again.
I jumped up and ran over to the door excitedly before being yanked back towards the living room. In my enthusiasm, I had neglected to unplug the guitar from the amplifier. Laughing at myself over something I hadn't done since high school, I unplugged myself and toggled the gate intercom, allowing Garrett's truck to enter. I set my guitar down on the couch and ran outside to meet my friend who I hadn't seen in far too long.
The truck came to a stop behind my Volvo. There was a small enclosed trailer hitched to the back of the truck. I waited on the path that connected the driveway and front door. My palms started sweating, but I had a big grin plastered on my face. A familiar sandy blond head stepped out of the driver's seat of the truck. Soon after, two of the other doors of the truck opened, and Garrett's 'Boys' exited the vehicle. Both looked to be around the same age as Garrett and me. The taller of the two wore a straw cowboy hat.
I approached Garrett as he started to walk towards me.
"Garrett, my man, you're looking well!" I said as we shared the time honored one-armed man hug.
"Cullen, doesn't look like you've changed much since I saw you last," the other man commented as he stepped back.
"Yeah, but you didn't see me in between," I replied dryly.
"Oh, I heard about it. You've been quite the popular man in the tabloids."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, that's not going to change any time soon, unfortunately."
"All comes with the territory, I suppose."
I shrugged.
"Well, let me introduce you to my boys," Garrett said, gesturing to the two men standing by the front of the truck. They walked towards us, each of them eyeing me up and down, not hostile but curious and a bit cautious.
"This is Rhys and Colin. Rhys's on drums, Colin's on guitar." Rhys was taller than I was with a slightly bigger build. He was the one wearing the straw cowboy hat. Colin was more swarthy, dark haired and tanned with a goatee. "Guys, this is Edward Cullen."
"Hey guys," I greeted, extending my hand to each of them. "Thank you for coming all the way out here. I really appreciate it."
Rhys and Colin nodded and shook my hand.
"Garrett has told us a lot about you, Edward," Rhys said, his southern accent coming through.
"Yeah, sounds like you guys had some good times in college," Colin added. He also had a bit of a twang, but it wasn't as strong as Rhys.
I smiled softly. "Those were some of the best times of my life, to be honest." Garrett grinned at my admission and nodded as I continued speaking. "We made a great team."
I cleared my throat briefly before speaking. "Before we unload, let me show you the space we have to practice in," I said, waving them to follow me into the house. The three men followed quietly behind me.
"This is a nice place you have here, Edward," Garrett commented as we stood in the living room. Rhys walked over to the mixing board and started to tinker with the settings.
"Thanks, but it's not mine. This is my girlfriend's house."
"Not bad," Garrett mused, looking at the picture of Bella and me on the mantel.
"Um, if you guys need anything, the kitchen is just through there and the bathroom is down the hall."
They nodded and we all walked back outside to start unloading. A half hour later, we had transformed Bella's living room into a studio. The mixing board was programmed, the drums were set up, and the guitars and bass were tuned.
Rhys sat in the corner of the room surrounded by his drum set. He twirled his drumsticks in his hand as he waited for us to start. The rest of us stood in a rough circle around him.
"So, what do you guys normally do to warm up?" I asked. I had a routine down, but everyone's methods were different. Since I had been playing earlier as well, I felt I was pretty well warmed up already.
"Eh, we just pick a song we all know," Colin drawled.
Rhys nodded. "How about Brother?"
Colin nodded and Garrett cocked an eyebrow at Rhys' choice but went along with it. I shrugged my shoulders. I figured this was a test and I was ready to prove myself. It wasn't a song I necessarily would've picked to warm up with, but it was a good song. It was aggressive and had some really great lyrics. I hadn't played it in awhile, but I figured I'd be able to get into the groove easily enough.
Satisfied, Rhys counted off the beat with his drum sticks, and I started the guitar intro. About two measures in, Rhys started the drum line, and two measures after that, Garrett tore into the booming bass riff. The melody took me in as I sang the opening lyrics.
Once upon a time I knew everything
When I stop to think back on everything
It all runs away like a memory
The lyrics were written for a group, so it allowed for the rest of guys to sing during the chorus and during parts of the verses. I wasn't a big screamer, so Rhys was able to provide that part when the segue into the chorus started. As we played, I looked at Garrett and he nodded with a big smile on his face. This was definitely a song we needed to play at the bar. Originally, I wanted to strictly play my music, but this song was too awesome to not play. It seemed so fitting to my situation and Garrett was like a long lost brother to me. The look that Garrett was giving me gave me the impression that he was thinking the same thing.
As the last chords of the song died out, we all had huge grins on our faces, and the energy in the room was practically palpable.
"That was awesome," Colin said enthusiastically.
"It certainly was," I agreed. I realized at that moment that this was what I had been missing over the past several years, probably since I left Seattle. I didn't have The band I played with while I was on tour was assigned to me by the label. I didn't get to pick who played with me. They were paid to play my music and that was it. The touring band wasn't bad, I got along with the guys well enough, but they weren't who I would have picked to play with. The trio of men in front of me chose one another. These guys had a comfort level and a camaraderie that was plain to see. This relaxed attitude made it easy to step in and play with them. Tonight was going to be a blast.
"Did you guys have any questions about the music I sent to Garrett earlier this week?" I asked. The music I sent wasn't terribly hard, so even with the short time frame, they should've been able to pick it up relatively quickly.
"Nah, I don't think so," Colin said. "We ran over some of it the past two days to get a feel for your style. You've got some good stuff. I like the fact that while your basic style doesn't change, your songs shift from rock to folk to acoustic and even a ballad. That kind of creative diversity without losing your style is impressive."
I smiled at the compliment. "You can thank Garrett for some of that. He opened my eyes to some of the different types of music that I hadn't been exposed to yet. We also worked hard on not pigeon-holing ourselves in one particular type of sound but not being so eclectic as to not be recognizable from one song to another."
Garrett shrugged and adjusted the strap of his bass. "Nah, we showed each other shit. Different background, different styles and all. Alright, let's get down to business and play."
We spent the next several hours practicing. Playing with Garrett again was incredible. Rhys and Colin seemed to be pretty cool as well, especially after I was able to pass the Brother test. I discovered during short conversations in between songs that Garrett and his boys had met in a bar in Nashville. Garrett had returned to Tennessee after graduating from the University of Washington. This bar that the three of them were at was having a jam night. Colin and Rhys already knew each other and were playing on stage. Garrett waited his turn and hopped up on stage when a prior bass player had finished. The trio clicked, in a manner very similar to how Garrett and I clicked back when we were freshmen. After that jam session, they continued to play together and became a regular in the Nashville music scene. They didn't hit it big like I did, but they seemed very happy with where they were in life.
A few times, we had to stop to work through some tricky chord progressions and fingerings. Garrett and I even put our heads together, like old times, to make some adjustments to a song.
"God, this brings back memories," I said softly as Colin and Rhys stepped away to get something to drink.
Garrett grinned and clapped me on the back. "It sure does." He thought a moment before speaking again. "Do you still talk to anyone from college?"
"Just Jasper. Do you remember him?"
"Hmm, Jasper Whitlock, right? Tall, blond guy with a Texas accent?" Garrett asked as he made a notation to the sheet music.
"That's him. Although he has almost lost his accent by now."
"Really? What's he been up to?"
I stretched and ran my hand through my hair. "He's a psychologist in Seattle and will be marrying my sister, Alice, in the spring."
"Wow! Little Alice is getting married?"
"Yep, Alice is still little, but she's all grown up now."
Garrett shook his head. "Damn, time flies. She was still in high school when I first met her."
Rhys and Colin walked back in the room and sprawled on the couch while Garrett and I continued to talk.
"What about you? You talk to anyone from college?"
"Not really. Since I moved back to Nashville, it made it hard to stay in contact with people. Although, I do get emails every so often from Amy."
"Amy? The same Amy who I dated?" I asked incredulously.
"The very same," Garrett replied with a grin.
I leaned against the speaker stack, stunned. "Holy shit! How is she doing? I didn't realize you two stayed in contact after I left."
"We didn't. She was down in Nashville last year and happened to be in the same bar we were playing in. She stopped by after our set and we chatted for awhile."
I shook my head in disbelief and chuckled. "That's awesome. She is a great girl."
"That she is. She's living somewhere up in Boston right now. She was in Nashville for work. She asked about you a few times too."
My head shot up as I looked at Garrett's amused expression. "Oh, really?"
"Yeah, nothing major, but she wondered if we had stayed in contact." He laughed. "I got an email from her just the other day after you called me about coming up here. I told her about the gig and she made me promise to take lots of pictures and email her a few. She also asked me to tell you she said hello and that she always believed that you'd make it big."
I looked down at my feet and couldn't stop the slight blush from coloring my face. Without Amy's support back then, I may not have taken the initiative to move to LA.
"Tell her, thank you," I replied softly.
"Will do," Garrett said, just as softly. I stood, slightly stunned for a moment, humbled and awed over Amy's comments. I had become a different man in the past few years and yet she still wished me well. I still had friends I didn't realize I had.
I cleared my throat and grabbed some sheet music that we hadn't looked at yet. "So, guys, I started writing a new song the other day, and I was hoping we could try to fit it in tonight."
All three men looked at me with interest. "Let's see what you got," Colin said.
I handed each guy a copy of the song and laughed a bit when I handed Garrett his copy. "I must've had you in mind when I wrote the bass line. It's pretty frantic, has some great riffs."
Garrett's eyebrows shot up as he looked over the music and saw what I meant.
"It's doable," he said as he silently ran through some of the chord progressions over the strings of his bass. Colin and Rhys were also immersed in their music, fingers twitching as they ran through the song in their minds.
"Edward, this is amazing," Colin murmured. "What inspired this?"
I thought a moment as I examined my mindset on Tuesday when I wrote most of it. "Anticipation?"
Colin nodded and read through the song again.
"Let's run this bitch," Rhys declared, causing the rest of us to laugh. He quickly clicked out the tempo and we began.
xOxOx
Later, as we were packing up our equipment, Garrett and I talked quietly, catching up a bit more.
"Wow, Tanya sounds like a piece of work," he commented after I told him the whole sordid story about my relationship with the she-devil and the lengths she went to try to break up Bella and me.
"Yeah, and what sucks is that I can't escape her quite yet. The movie is still shooting and then I have to be around her for the press junket and the premieres."
Garrett shook his head as he reached for a box. "Dude, I do not envy you one bit," he said seriously.
I shrugged my shoulders. "It's not all bad. Things have gotten a lot better since I met Bella. If I hadn't gone through what I did with Tanya, who knows if I ever would've met Bella. Although, I do have to admit, I envy the camaraderie that you, Rhys, and Colin share. It was never like that with my touring band."
"That's too bad." Garrett took a deep breath before he continued. "You fit in well with us, Edward. Ever consider slowing down a bit?"
I regarded my friend for a few minutes, trying to figure out what he was really trying to say. "Not really, but things are a little different now."
Garrett looked me straight in the eye and spoke plainly. "You and I were a great team before. The magic is still there. If you ever change your mind, look me up."
I almost stumbled, dumbstruck at what he was offering me. To most, Garrett's offer would seem backwards. After all, I had already made it and was reasonably successful. Slowing things down and limiting my visibility would be considered a step down to a lot of people, but I realized that while I had been successful, I wasn't truly happy. Sure, I had moments of pleasure and happiness but deep down I wasn't happy with the direction my life had taken. Bella certainly helped make things better and she was the only reason why I was still sane, but I hadn't really done anything to change where my life was going. I was happiest with my life when I played the bar circuit with Garrett. I wondered where I would've been now if I had met Bella in college.
My mind whirled with question after question. I loved what I did, minus the harassment from the paparazzi and crazed fans, but did I really want to give that up now? Would I really be giving it up or just channeling it into something simpler? Did I want to slow down? Would I miss performing in the bigger venues? What advantage did playing the bigger venues provide me?
Money wasn't the issue as I had enough for a lifetime now, so the financial draw of big tours wasn't there. Garrett and I really did make a great team. Playing with him again made me realize what I had been missing when I left Seattle. It wasn't the fame or the fortune, although at the time I left I thought that was what I wanted. What I had done was left half of my creativity in Seattle. Granted, I had found success on my own, but when I looked back, I was most proud of the quality of music that I created with Garrett. Could I be satisfied with what I'd done since then and continue like nothing changed? Or even better, would Garrett consider joining me in LA and creating a new band together?
How would this affect my acting, if at all? If Everything But did well enough at the box office, it would solidify my status as an A-list actor. Then it would not matter where I lived, the roles would come to me instead of me going to them. If I were to join Garrett, we could still cut albums, but doing tours would be an issue. And where would I live? Nashville? Ohio? California? What about Bella? Would a label let us stay in small venues? Would Garrett even want to tour? He was good enough he could've made it big on his own, as I had, so why didn't he pursue stardom?
Ultimately, could slowing things down be the opportunity that Bella and I needed to make our relationship last? Would performing in smaller settings provide enough stability for our relationship to grow? I would still be gone for a month or two if I was doing a movie that wasn't being shot nearby, but tour commitments were always longer and more tiring. If I continued to do both, I'd hardly ever see Bella. Seeing her for a week every couple of months was no way for a relationship to grow and thrive.
Garrett clapped me on the shoulder, startling me out of my rapidly spinning thoughts. "Don't think that hard about it, man. You'll give yourself an aneurism. Just know that the offer is there if you ever want it."
I nodded dumbly as I coiled up a microphone cable.
Rhys and Colin interrupted my thoughts when they came outside carrying the mixing board between them.
"Is that the last of it?" I asked, trying to ground myself in what we were doing.
They nodded as they heaved the board into the trailer carefully.
"Great! Let's head out to the bar and get set up. Then I can introduce you to Bella."
xOxOx
As we pulled into the bar parking lot, happy hour was in full swing. The lot looked fuller than normal for the typical happy hour crowd. I quickly scanned the lot for rental cars and camera lenses. I found none. Sinking back in my seat with relief, I directed Garrett to pull around to the back of the bar to unload. As he was parking, I shot off a quick text to Bella to let her know we had arrived. Bella was quick to respond.
-We?-
-Yep, it's a surprise-
-Alrighty.-
-I'll introduce u after we r set up-
-Ok. Oh, we r pretty busy too. Good crowd for ur show & biz.-
-Jake keeping every1 under control?-
-Oh yeah, we've got plenty of security 2nite-
-Even better. Love you-
-Love you-
Garrett looked over at me with an amused expression.
"What?" I asked as I slipped my Mariner's hat on.
He shook his head and chuckled. "Nothing, man. Just glad to see you again."
I grabbed the dolly that Bella used to move cases of beer to help us move the speaker stacks. It was much easier to move them all at once than to carry them individually. After Rhys stacked up the dolly, he followed behind me with the box of cables and our distortion pedals. Garrett and Colin grabbed the mixing board. Eventually we got the rest of our equipment inside and set up. It didn't take as long as it had at Bella's house, which was good. I kept an eye out as we worked to see if I could find Bella. She caught my gaze a few times and smiled warmly, her face lighting up. I'd flash a smile for her and then go back to what I was working on. I tried listening for her voice a few times, but the noise of the bar was too much to hear anything that far away. A few times, I heard Garrett chuckling behind me. I really wanted to know what he found so funny about Bella and me. I saw Jessica bounce around the bar a few times. She was clearly excited about my upcoming concert. I was just glad she didn't come running over and disrupt us as we were setting up.
Once we were done, we made our way through the crowd to the bar. There weren't any stools left, so we clumped together where there was room. Bella saw us and quickly made her way over while the other bartender helped at the opposite end of the bar. She looked great. She was wearing her normal bar attire, but her eyes were bright with excitement and her glossy brown hair swung back and forth from where she had it pulled back in a ponytail.
"Wow, that bartender is hot," Colin drawled as Bella approached.
I smirked and thought about trying to kiss Bella over the bar. The move was a bit too caveman-ish, and I really didn't need to show up Colin so I decided against it.
"Hello, boys, welcome to the Midnight Sun," Bella greeted as she grabbed four napkins and placed them on the bar in front of us.
"Hey baby," I said, leaning against the bar on my elbows.
Bella smiled and rolled her eyes. "What can I get for you guys?"
"Black and tan," Garrett replied.
"Bud and a shot of Jack," Colin said.
"Dos Equis," was Rhys request.
Bella turned to me, raising one eyebrow as she waited for my order.
"My usual," I replied simply.
Bella laughed and shook her head as she got our drink orders.
"Your usual?" Colin asked. "You come here a lot?"
"Oh, on and off," I replied nonchalantly.
Garrett started laughing. "Colin, you are very unobservant, you know that?" I couldn't help but snicker as well. Rhys looked amused but didn't say anything.
Colin's eyebrows furrowed as he glared at Garrett, then the rest of us. "What?"
"The bartender is Edward's girlfriend, dumbass."
"How-"
Colin's question was cut off as Bella returned with our drink orders.
"Thank you, baby," I replied softly. The guys murmured their thanks as well as Garrett threw a twenty on the top of the bar. I took a pull thirstily from my beer.
Bella nodded thanks to Garrett and put the twenty in the tip jar by the cash register behind the bar.
"Bella, this is the surprise I told you about. I called in an old friend of mine and asked him to play with me tonight. Not only was he able to come, but he brought his two band mates with him," I started as she walked around the bar to join us. When she was close enough, I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close. It was hard not to touch her when she was nearby. Inexplicably, everything was a little bit better when I was in physical contact with her. She smiled warmly at me and put her arm around me, slipping her hand in my back pocket.
"This is Garrett. He and I had a band in college together. And these are his boys, Rhys and Colin." I gestured to each one. Rhys pulled off his cowboy hat as I introduced him.
"Guys, this is Bella and this is her bar," I said proudly, squeezing her side as I spoke.
"Pleasure to meet you."
"Ma'am."
"Edward has told me a lot about you," replied Garrett, the last of the three to speak.
Bella blushed and laughed lightly. "All good I hope! He's told me a bit about you as well. It is good to finally put a face to the name."
Garrett smiled widely and winked at Bella. "And it's good to see a woman who is able to keep Edward out of trouble."
I groaned while Bella continued to giggle. "He better stay out of trouble. My dad is the police chief."
"Oooooooh," Rhys said as we laughed.
"Well, boys, it was great meeting all of you and I can't wait for your gig, but I have a bar to run," Bella said as she pulled away from me.
The men smiled and nodded their heads, murmuring similar pleasantries.
Before Bella walked away, she pulled her face down to mine and gave me a quick peck on the lips. "Can't wait to see you on stage, baby," she whispered.
Once she was back behind the bar and immersed in drink orders, Garrett leaned against the bar beside me. "That's a good woman there, Edward," he observed.
"Yeah, she is. She saved me."
Garrett looked at me speculatively as he sipped his drink. "But can you save her?"
I turned to him, confused. "What are you talking about? Save her from what?"
"That's something you'll need to figure out on your own there, man," he advised, leaving me full of questions.
Thankfully, Colin took this moment to decide that we needed to do a round of shots before we went up on stage. I declined, said I'd take a sip of my beer in its place.
"Dude, its just one shot," Colin insisted.
I shook my head. "I can't stop when it comes to liquor. One shot will become two shots, then three and so on. I can handle beer."
"Aw, come on," he pressed. My eyes narrowed as I felt my temper start to rise.
"Colin, stop it. Respect the man's wishes," Rhys said softly, clapping a hand on his shoulder. I nodded my head in Rhys direction in thanks.
Colin grumbled a little but did not push it any further. The three of them did a shot of Jack while I drank my beer. The crowd in the bar continued to grow as it got closer to the start of the concert. My excitement continued to grow as I fed off the energy in the room. I finished my beer and set the empty bottle on the bar.
Garrett looked about the room and took a deep breath. "Ready, guys?"
I nodded and clapped my hands together. "Show time!"
I craned my neck around as we walked towards the stage to try to find Bella, but I couldn't see her. As I climbed the few steps to the stage, a sense of calm came over me. This was my dream, playing on my terms, not dancing to a label's tune. If I ever wanted to sign with another label, I had to find a way to keep it like this. Maybe Garrett would want to go on the road with me.
We quickly and quietly tuned our instruments. I vaguely noticed that the jukebox volume was turned down and the stage lights were lit. Thankfully there weren't that many as it got very, very hot underneath them. The crowd in the bar started to gather around the stage in anticipation. Tables and chairs were pushed and pulled in various places to make room. I still couldn't see Bella in the room, even from our elevated vantage point. I wondered where she went. Jessica was standing right up front with a few of her friends.
Bringing my mind back to the task at hand, I stood with my back to the bar, facing my band mates. I hefted the weight of my guitar, running my hand down the smooth body, whose shape was singular to Gibson. I closed my eyes and said a brief prayer of thanks. When I opened them, Garrett was looking at me solemnly and nodded once.
"Everybody ready?" I asked quietly. They nodded, and I turn and face the crowd which consisted of a nice mix of both men and women. When I turned towards the crowd, everyone started cheering. I took a deep breath, pulled out my best, most dazzling smile, and approached the microphone. "Hi, I'm Edward Cullen."
People in the crowd gasped and I saw cell phones whip out as texts were sent announcing my presence. I looked around for Bella again and was struck dumb when I saw her. Apparently, she had changed before the show and was now wearing a short dark blue strapless dress that hugged her curves and showed a mile of leg. She smiled up at me as I eyed her up and down. Her smile turned into a smirk as she saw the effect her dress was having on me. Thankfully, my guitar covered any physical manifestations of what she was doing to me. I had only seen her in a dress once before, and that green sundress was rather conservative compared to this. I had a feeling my sister had a hand in this purchase, and I didn't mind one bit. Garrett cleared his throat behind me, reminding me that I was there to perform not ogle my gorgeous girlfriend.
Colin must've been following my gaze as I heard him mutter, "Damn, Edward, Bella is somethin' else."
I nodded and got my head back in the game. "Thank you for coming out tonight. We have a great show for you," I said quietly into the microphone.
Rhys clicked off the beat with his drum sticks and opened our gig with an attention grabbing intro. Time seemed to slow as I felt every muscle in my body. My heart thumped deeply in my chest, my breaths, deep and full. I stood with my weight on the balls of my feet. My fingers flexed across the neck of the guitar as I pressed the pads of my fingers down on the frets, pushing against the tension of the steel strings. My other hand hovered over the pickups, the pick pinched between my thumb and forefinger. Garrett kept the tempo going with the bass line, and I closed my eyes as I waited for my start. Finally, the bass line ramped up to bring in the main guitar and rhythm guitar. My wrist flicked down, picking across the strings, the nylon pick making each one vibrate. It felt like I felt every vibration down to the soles of my feet and deep into my bones. Time came rushing back to normal speed, and I found myself at the microphone singing my heart out. My hand flew up and down the neck of the guitar ripping out chords as my other hand strummed furiously away.
We played and we sang, a cohesive unit, and it was amazing. I felt like I was flying. This was not an obligation. This was not just a job. This was me, my life, my passion. The past several years of my musical career felt like nothing more than an obligation, a job not a career. The only thing that was missing from that experience was a time clock to punch every day. I needed to find this again.
As we played, I constantly looked for Bella in the crowd. She was usually around the bar, but I could always find her. God, she was gorgeous. I saw the looks of the men in the room as she went to and from the bar. It didn't bother me like I thought it would. What did those guys have on me? I was the one that was going home with her, not them.
Once we had played for about a half hour, we took a short break. We had all worked up a sweat and I desperately needed to relieve myself. The crowd cheered happily when I said we'd be back in ten minutes. Camera flashes went off left and right as I waved to everyone and hopped off the stage.
I probably should've thought that out a little bit more before I willingly went into the crowd. All I could think about was getting to the bathroom to freshen up and to properly kiss Bella, the paparazzi and people with camera phones be damned. The chaste little peck she gave me earlier was fine, but I had to kiss her the way a man kisses his woman. The crowd, however, all too excited that I was wandering around them, took the opportunity to stop me for pictures or autographs. Normally this wouldn't be that big of a problem except my bladder was getting really insistent. I was trying to extricate myself once again from a group of giggling women when I felt a large hand clap me on the shoulder.
"Come on, ladies. Let the man breathe," rumbled Jake's deep voice. They pouted but stepped away as Jacob made a path for me.
"Thanks, Jake," I yelled over the din of the bar.
"No problem. You looked a little panicked back there."
"I was starting to be. My eyeballs were starting to float."
After we got through the worst of the crowd, I was able to walk freely to the restrooms. Jake stood nearby and waited for me to finish so he could escort me back to the stage. A few minutes later, feeling much more comfortable, I sought out Bella. Thankfully, she wasn't far. Her back was to me and I was able to sneak up on her, the noise providing perfect cover. I snaked my arms around her waist and dusted her shoulder with kisses. She tensed up immediately, startled, but relaxed just as quickly once she knew it was me.
"Edward," she breathed, as she turned in my arms and rested her hands on my chest. "What are you doing? Just about everyone has camera phones around here and there still could be paparazzi around."
"I don't care about them. They already know about us. I had to kiss you properly," I whispered. She was so much more beautiful up close. Her hair was still pulled back in the ponytail, but she had put on some make-up. I personally didn't think she needed it, but it definitely helped create the look I think she was going for this evening.
"You sound amazing," she gushed, her cheeks flushed in excitement.
"Thank you. I'm having a lot of fun up there. I wondered where you disappeared off to when we started playing." I ran my hands up and down the silk-like fabric of her dress. "You look absolutely gorgeous, Bella. I wanted to jump down off the stage and ravish you the moment I first saw you in this."
Bella blushed even more and shyly glanced down at herself. "Alice picked this out for me when we went shopping, before you came back. I never thought I'd have an opportunity to wear it. Today seemed like a good opportunity."
I hummed and pulled her closer to me. Her arms slipped around my waist and I leaned down to her ear. "As much as I love seeing you in it, I can't wait to see you out of it," I purred, my lips brushing her ear lobe.
Bella gasped and I pulled my face back so I could look at her. Before she could speak, I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her. Her lips were so soft, and I didn't want to leave this moment, but the show must go on. Regretfully, I pulled away and dropped my hands to her shoulders, down her arms, to her hands.
"I need to get back out there."
She nodded and squeezed my hands.
"I love you," she whispered. I could barely hear her over the noise, but I was able to read her lips.
I smiled and mouthed it back to her before I turned to head back to the stage. Jacob accompanied me, and I managed to return to the stage without being mauled or manhandled by over-enthusiastic fans. Back on stage, I noticed that the size of the crowd had increased significantly. The word was officially out that I was here. I idly wondered what the occupancy limit was for the bar and if the crowd had maxed it out. The rest of the guys were already on stage and were getting ready to start again. Our second set would be a bit longer than our first. We had decided to start with the song we used to warm up with. In the middle of our set, I was going to throw in a couple acoustical songs, then back to the rock that everyone was used to hearing. To end the night, we were going to leave everyone with my new song. The energy of that song would translate well for the completion of a show.
Ready to begin, I approached the microphone and the noise of the bar went down considerably. I peered out to the array of faces, all looking up at me. It struck me at that moment that this level of intimacy could not be found in larger venues. In places like this, I could look every person in the eye. I could perform to them and not some nameless, faceless mass of people.
"Thank you again to see us tonight. We really appreciate you coming out," I said humbly. "You all know who I am by now, but let me introduce you to the band. On bass, we have Garrett." Garrett let out a quick bass riff and nodded his head. "Drums, we have Rhys." Rhys answered with a drum fill and let out a shout. "And rounding out our group is Colin on rhythm guitar." Colin did not disappoint and did a quick slide up and down his guitar. "Now, normally I don't play covers during my concerts, but this song was very fitting. I hope you like it."
I stepped away from the microphone closed my eyes as Rhys set the tempo for Brother. My mind was in tune with the music as my hands danced across the strings of my guitar. I gave myself over to the music and let the pulse and beat guide me. My head began to bob once Rhys came in with a loud cymbal crash and some drum rolls. I felt my heart beat in time to the music as I tore into the melody of the song. Garrett came in at the same time with the booming bass line. The hairs on my arms stood on end as Colin started the harmony. I'd heard this song many times before but never had I had this physical of a reaction playing it. This just felt right, playing this song at that moment with these guys in this place. I approached the mic and kept my eyes closed, letting my hands fly across the guitar. As the melody fell away, only Garrett and Rhys played as the song approached the first verse. I stood; one hand rested on my guitar and the other clutched the microphone as I crooned into the mic. Colin and Garrett's voices blended in the background, fleshing out the harmony. Eventually Rhys came in, providing the segue into the chorus, and my hands went into action again. The song continued and as we approached the bridge, I felt that feeling again, like an epiphany, that this was right.
When it's something we love that keeps us away
Well it costs even more and it's so much to pay
To have you all here with me
The song ended and the crowd clearly loved our version of Dark New Day's song. We continued into the rest of the set, reveling on the high from the energy between the four of us and the crowd before us. Even when we slowed things down a bit when I played my favorite acoustic songs from my albums, the energy was still there. I was surprised when I heard groups of the crowd singing along with me. I looked over in wonder at Garrett, then to Bella as I cradled my treasured acoustic guitar. Bella had tears in her eyes as she clutched her hands to her chest. I smiled just for her and returned my gaze around the bar.
We played a few more of my rock standards before we went in for the home stretch with my new song, aptly named Hysteria. Garrett had his work cut out for him with this song, but I had faith in him. Of all the bass players I knew, he was the only one I would want to play this song.
I approached the microphone for the last time of the night. "For our last song-" I was interrupted by boos and sounds of complaint from the floor of the bar. "We'll be playing something brand new, something I wrote just recently. I hope you like it." Everyone there seemed to be pacified that they'd be hearing a brand new song before anyone else anywhere, even if it meant the last song of the night.
Rhys set up the tempo once again, and Garrett began ripping up the frenetic bass line. As the song began to build, I looked over at Bella again. She stood in front of the bar; her eyes were wide and dark. The song already had a sexual element to it and her looking at me the way she was wasn't helping. I groaned to myself, thankfully not loud enough to be picked up by the mic, and tore into the song. The guitar felt like an extension of myself as my hands slowly came down the neck in a slide of increasing intensity.
I looked over at Bella again and she licked her lips. That woman is pushing my restraint. I wasn't even sure if she realized she'd done it.
As I reached the base of the neck of the guitar, I ripped into the melody. I found myself prowling around the stage like a caged animal as I played. Bella's eyes never left my body as I moved. Nearing the start of the first verse, I made my way back to the mic and poured everything I had into this last song. Everyone in the crowd was watching us with rapt attention. Garrett was a machine on the bass, Colin was holding steady on his guitar, and Rhys was having a ball. I glanced back at him quickly to find him staring back at me with a huge smile on his face as he wailed on the drums. He was clearly in his element. I looked toward Bella again as we got into the chorus. She was now leaning against the bar, her face flushed. Bella evidently liked this song. My body was already responding to the intensity of the song and the intensity of her gaze.
I had to close my eyes before I jumped off the stage mid-song. The timing was perfect as we entered into a guitar solo. I took a step back and let the music come over me. The solo was tricky, but my fingers flew across the strings and up and down the neck of the guitar. The song was ramping up for a big finish and I had to connect to Bella again. I stomped towards the mic again and opened my eyes wide and stared at Bella as I sang.
And I want you now
I want you now
I feel my heart implode
And I'm breaking out
Escaping now
Feeling my faith erode
Seconds after that, the song ended with the four of us all playing one final note. As soon as the chord was done, I unplugged my guitar, tossed it at Garrett who laughed at me, and jumped off the stage. Bella was in my line of sight, and nothing was getting in my way. Fans tried to talk to me, people touched me as I stalked by, but nothing was keeping me from my goal. Bella's eyes never left mine the entire time, and she was almost shaking by the time I made it over to her.
"Bella," I croaked.
She did not say a word but launched herself at me. I wrapped my arms around her as her lips crashed into mine possessively. The crowd cheered around us and not even that was enough to make me let her go. I normally was not big on overt public displays of affection, but I couldn't help myself this time. Not after playing that song that I'd written when I was thinking about her. Not after she looked at me the way she did. Not after she kissed me the way she was kissing me.
"Office," she panted against my lips. "Now."
I grinned and quickly steered her in the right direction.
A/N Muse fans out there, please forgive the borrowing of Hysteria. I have always loved that song and can see my Edward singing/playing it.
For those that want to hear the entire song of the two that are mentioned in this chapter, use the links below after taking out the (dot) or you can just google the band and the song and they will come up.
"Brother" – Dark New Day www(dot)spike(dot)com/video/brother-dark-new-day/2672400
"Hysteria" – Muse www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=k7la0SndoCl
As always, teasers for the next chapter will be given with reviews. I also post a second teaser in the thread on Twilighted. Come join us in the thread for BFTO: www(dot)twilighted(dot)net/forum/viewtopic(dot)php?f=44&t=9524 (replace the 'dot' with .)
I have also started writing weekly picture prompts on a blog with some other great authors here in ficdom. If you want to read them, you can find them off of my FF profile or stop at the blog to see the other submissions as well: picprompt(dot)blogspot(dot)com
Chapter 21 will be up on or around July 16th.