A Beautiful Melody (5 page)

There’s a song that Marcus wrote that I’ve never been a fan of. It’s called
Then You Were Gone
and it’s about this chick leaving him and his ability to write music suffers as a result. It’s ok, and the fans seem to like it, but I’ve always felt that he could write better than that.

However, today, it just became amazing.

The moment we’re getting ready to wind down the song after the last chorus, Naomi starts to play this amazing solo. I keep the beat with her, I can see where she’s going with this, and it adds a lot more body to the song. When her solo is over, she leans in to the microphone and hums. I continue my gentle tapping, feeling pleased when Marcus joins in, humming the tune along with her to finish off the song.

“Whooo
,” yells Lachlan as they finish. He starts clapping his hands, smiling broadly, closely followed by Jack, who is nodding his head excitedly. “That was fucking brilliant!”

“I’m so glad
you all liked it,” she says, placing a hand on her chest. Her cheeks are flushed and she looks over at me. I guess she’s looking for some sort of approval, but I just can’t give it. Call me a jerk all you want, but even after what she just did, I can’t be happy about her being here.

She’s an amazing artist,
I’ll give her that. But I still feel that this is all wrong. Her eyes hold mine for a moment, and I see her smile falter before she turns back to Marcus.

“
I um… was worried you’d hate it,” she says to him, her eyes flitting toward me a couple of times before she positions her body so she can’t see me in her periphery anymore. “You said to do what I felt was best, so…”

“No, that was perfect,” praises
Marcus. I can tell he’s really affected by how that song played out, and admittedly I am too – I think we all were. As I look around at the guys, they gush like little girls over how great she was. I realise that I’m going to get overruled. So as much as I didn’t want her to, I think Naomi just became a part of the band.

Shit.

While everyone stands around talking about songs they want to show her, I quietly leave the room. I admit that she makes us sound better, and I agree we can benefit from a violinist and some female vocals. But she’s not the only woman capable of joining us.

I
simply don’t want her in the band. Not that it seems to matter what the fuck I think.

“I think it’s time to take a vote,” Marcus announces. “All in favour of Nomes joining the band?”

Immediately, Lachlan and Jack raise their arms above their heads in agreement.

“No question,” Jack says, running his hand over the top of his close cropped black hair. “She’s awesome.”

“Aw, thanks Jack,” I smile, nudging him gently in his arm.

Winking, his blue eyes shining amusedly, he says, “I only speak the truth.”

“What about you Theo?” Marcus asks, drawing all of our attention to the empty seat behind the drums. “Where the hell is he?”

Switching off his amp, Marcus removes the lead to his acoustic guitar and takes it off his shoulder, leaning it up against his amp, mumbling something under his breath about his brother.

The rest of us stand and watch as he stalks out of the room, undoubtedly looking for
Theo. As the door bangs shut after him, I jump slightly.

“Don’t worry about them. They’re always fighting over something. This is pretty normal,” Jack explains.

“Theo doesn’t seem too happy about having me around,” I add, starting to pack up my violin and bow.

“Yeah, well. That’s Theo. He’s got issues. But he’ll come around. You make his songs sound too good for him not to.”

“What do you mean ‘his songs’? Does he write them all?” I ask.

“Sure does,” answers Lachlan. “Most of them anyway. Marcus has written a few, but our most popular stuff is all Theo.”

“Hmmm. Maybe he thinks I’m ruining them? Maybe he doesn’t want strings in his songs?”

“No, that’s not it at all. I saw him, he liked what you were doing. He’s just got a bug up his butt. He’ll come around though. You’ll see,” Jack assures me.

We all sit around making small talk while we wait for the brothers to return. I have to admit that I’m worried right now. I haven’t felt more alive than I did while playing just now, for such a long time. I don’t want this to be it. This can’t be it.

“What the fuck is your problem?” Marcus bites out from behind me.

“You’re the one with the problem. What the hell are you thinking, bringing her in the band? After what happened! Are you retarded? Of all the girls you could have gotten to play with us, why does it have to be her?”

“Because she’s the best Theo.
”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.
You can’t just bring in every girl you want to give a good fucking to. Remember how crazy you made the last one?”

“Fuck you. It’s not like that.
And you’re only pissed about Naomi because you want to fuck her and you’re annoyed I got there first. You can have her if you want. I’ve already been there.”

“Shut up
dickface,” I say, shoving him in the chest. Fuck he pisses me off. I would never touch one of his whores. I might as well be fucking my own brother, and that’s just gross – there are just some things you don’t ever share with you family, and women is one of them.

“I’m right though aren’t I?”

“No. You couldn’t be more wrong. I just don’t want her in the band Marcus. She’s going to be the end of us. Get somebody else.”

Marcus folds his arms across his chest and leans against the kitchen bench. “No.”

“No?”

“Yeah, you heard me.”

“Seriously Marcus. If she stays, I go. And all of those songs come with me.”

“So, we’ll write more. I’m pretty sure she’ll be a great song writer too. Just imagine it Theo, me and her, spending long nights together
, working on songs. It’s going to be pretty sweet.”

“Don’t,” I warn, gritting my teeth and balling my fist
s at my side.

“Why? It’s not like anything
ever happened between you too. She doesn’t even remember who you are.”

“Don’t be a jackass.”

“No Theo, don’t you be a jackass. If you’re going to let your feelings over a girl - who doesn’t even know who you are; ruin this band, then you’re more fucked up than I realised.”

I continue to glare at my brother. He’s got me
. He knows I’ll agree to her joining. There’s no way I’m walking away from something I worked so hard to build. Plus, she’s fucking awesome.

“Fine. We’ll do this. But we need to see how the fans react before we make anything permanent. Alright?”

“Deal,” Marcus grins, slapping me on my arm as he shakes my hand. “And just to be sure. Hands off alright – for both of us. Neither of us chases her.”

“Agreed. The past is the past. I’ll let it go.”

“Well, don’t let it go too far. I don’t want it to ruin your ability to write good lyrics.”

Chuckling together, we make our way back to the rehearsal space. Lachlan, Jack and Naomi are all talking and laughing together. She seems to be fitting in really easily.

“So are we good now?” Jack asks.

“Yeah we’re good. Naomi’s in,” Marcus smiles.

“Well, she is for now. We’ll see how the next show goes. If the fans like her, she stays,” I add.

“Sounds fair to me,” Naomi says standing. “Thanks guys. I won’t let you down.”

“Oh, and before any of you guys get the wrong idea, I just want to put this out there now. Since we now have a woman in our ranks, there is to be no hitting on her. Relationships break up bands, so sniff around girls anywhere but in here. Understood?” I announce, looking pointedly at each guy, who whole heartedly agrees.

“We’ll consider her o
ne of the guys,” Lachlan smiles, his blue eyes watching Naomi closely for a reaction.

“I think you should consider me one of the girls, you’ve all got such long hair,” she teases, reaching up and p
ulling on Lachlan’s dirty blond do.

“Alright ladies,” I boom over their laughter, as I clap my hands to break up the joke. “Let’s get out of here. I think we need to meet a couple more times this week to make sure Naomi is up to speed with our set list. We’re playing The Basement this weekend, so we don’t want to mess this up.”

The guys all file out one after the other, leaving me behind.

“Are you coming too?” Naomi asks as she collects the last of her things.

I shake my head. “No, I live here.”

“Oh really? Wow, that must be great. You can play whenever you want with a soundproof room like this.”

I simply nod.

She takes a couple of steps towards the door, but pauses, turning around to face me. “I just wanted to say thanks for giving me a go. I can tell you don’t really want me here, but I hope I’ll win you over. I’m happy to play however you want me to. I mean, I don’t want to mess with any of your songs.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your playing Naomi.”

“Oh… so it’s just me then?”

We stand and look at each other for a moment, and I wonder if she does actually remember me. I open my mouth to ask her, but she gets her words out first.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I mean, we don’t even know each other – do we?”

“No… We don’t,” I respond, deflated. She lifts her hand in a wave and makes her way to the door, leaving me with my own thoughts.

After a while of just s
taring after her, I walk over and remove the sheet that covers my piano then sit down in front of it. Positioning my fingers, I start to play. The notes flow out of me easily, as it’s a song I’ve played hundreds of times. Only one other person has ever heard it. It’s music I wrote years ago, and reminds me of who I was, and what I wanted to be. I’ve never given it to the band. This one is mine. I won’t share this either.

“So tell me all about the big jam session,” Stephanie asks me over the phone. I feel like she must have been spying on me because she’s called me the moment I’ve reached my car.

“It was good. Great actually. I can’t stop smiling,” I confide in her
, as I slide behind the wheel of my forest green Rav4.

“That great huh? Are you part of the band now? What’s happening?”

I fill her in on the details of the session, and how I’m to practice with them a bit more this week before we perform next weekend. “And get this – we’re performing at The Basement on Friday night. I’m excited and freaking out at the same time.”

“Oh god, I so need to come and watch!” she squeals.

“I think you’d better. If the crowd doesn’t go for it, then this will be my one and only performance.”

“Nomes, they will love you – the
re’s no way they won’t like you,” she assures me.

“I hope so.”

“What’s it like playing with Marcus again?”

I connect my phone to the Bluetooth in the car and start the engine. “It’s fine.
All of them are really nice. Well, except for Theo.”

“Who’s Theo?”

“Marcus’s brother. Supposedly he went to our school. Do you remember him?”

“No. I don’t remember
a Theo. What grade was he in?”

“He was a year above Marcus, so two above us.
”

“
Is he as hot as Marcus?”

“Well, yeah. As long as you find guys who are permanently angry, hot. He looks like a more manly version of Marcus. He’s not as pretty - if that makes sense.”

“Yeah it makes sense. As long as he has those same killer blue eyes.”

“They’re brown actually – almost black. And his hair is darker too, still brown, but darker.”

“I’ll have a perve on Friday night.”

“No perving young lady. You’re a married woman,” I joke.

“I’m just window shopping – it’s not like
I have any intention of buying.”

“Fair enough,” I laugh. “
Listen, I have to get going. I need to get ready for work,” I tell her as I pull into the parking garage of my apartment building.

“Alright, well text me the details of your gig on Friday and Gary and I
will be there. We’ll leave Amanda with my mum.”

“S
ounds great. Talk soon,” I say, hitting the button on the steering wheel to disconnect the call.

Looking at the time read out on my phone as I grab it from
its cradle, I curse myself silently. I only have fifteen minutes to get ready and be at work.

Racing up the stairs, I give my
armpits a sniff and decide I can forego a shower in favour of a good dousing of body spray and some roll on deodorant.

Thankfully, I’m already in jeans, so I just grab the black fitted
t-shirt that is my uniform and race for the door. I don’t have any time for makeup, so every time I have to stop for a traffic light, I try to apply my eye liner and lip gloss.

When I run into work, I
only have minutes to spare.

“Cutting
it fine aren’t we Naomi?” my boss says from the office as I drop my bag in the staff room.

“I still made it though,” I point out
breathlessly, grabbing my apron and heading for the bar where my co-worker, Kylie, is already setting up.

Kylie is a
uni student. She’s only twenty, but she’s a hard worker. I like being on shift with her. She’s small like I am, but she has deep auburn hair and green eyes. Between us, we manage to attract enough admirers to amass a good collection of tips. On top of that, I don’t catch her wasting time, flirting with the patrons like a couple of the other girls and guys I work with are prone to do.

“Good evening,” she says, pulling some glasses out of the cabinet and setting them on the bar.

I move right over and pick up the bucket of ice she’s already collected from the back room and tip it into the basin, shoving the scoop in it, ready for later. “Hey. Sorry I wasn’t earlier.”

“It’s no worry. You seem like you’re all buzzed though. A good day?”

“The best,” I sigh.

She grins and pauses to watch me as I pour off the
stale beer that gets trapped in the line. “Did you spend it with a guy?”

My lips curve uncont
rollably upward. “I spent it with four actually.”

“You hussy,
” she laughs.

“It’s not like that, I was auditioning for a band. I
t was amazing. I haven’t played with anyone for ages,” I sigh again.

“Play? Naomi, I had no idea you could play anything.”

“Well, I can. I can play a lot of things actually,” I inform her quietly. I guess I’ve kept it all a bit close to my chest until now.

“The things you never learn about people. I’ve known you nearly two year
s Naomi. What do you play?”

“For the band, I’m playing the violin.”

“A violin in a band? It’s not an orchestra or something?”

“No,” I laugh. “They’re an indie rock band. They have this folky sort of sound. It’s really nice and the violin fits in beautifully. I just…” I sigh
, I can’t seem to stop myself. I really am that happy right now. I lean down, placing the glass I used to pour off the beer into the dishwasher before standing back up to face Kylie. “You know, I didn’t realise how much I was missing it. I used to play all the time. It was all I cared about, but then I took some time off, went travelling, and then when I came back I only played for myself. I had given up on music as a career option – or even as a dream. I just played when I felt like it. But now – getting the chance to play in a band… I feel alive again, you know?”

“Well, it definitely suits you
, you look like you’re floating on clouds. When do I get to see you play?”

“Actually,
that’s what I needed to talk to you about. Can you please cover my shift on Friday night? We have a gig and I can’t miss it. One of the guys is already a bit funny about having a girl in the band, so I don’t want to appear flaky. Can you do it? Please, please pretty please,” I beg, holding my hands clasped together in front of me.

Kylie, laughs
at me as she shakes her head from side to side. “Enough, stop begging. I’ll do it for you on one condition… actually two.”

“Ok, what are they?”

“Firstly, you thank me for this in your Aria speech.”

“Done,” I laugh, not sure I’m ever going to be in the position of winning one of those awards.
“What’s the other condition?”

“You have to lend me your
Kindle Paperwhite for a month.”

My mouth drops open. “A month!” I cry. I love my
Kindle. My parents gave it to me last Christmas and I carry it with me everywhere. Thousands of books are at my fingertips and I don’t know if I want to give that up… but the gig… it’s important.

I chew my lip as I war between my love of romance novels and my love of music. Music wins. “Fine
. It’s yours. One month only. And don’t delete or one click any books, alright?”

“Deal,” she grins, holding out her hand to shake mine triumphantly.

“You drive a hard bargain Kylie Sanderson.”

She giggles as she takes the bucket off the
bench top and returns it to the ice machine.

Our boss
comes out of the office and unlocks the front doors, talking quietly to our bouncer and door man about how busy they expect to be tonight. I overhear them say that the line outside is quiet large.

Before I know it, t
he lights get turned down and the music turns on. A few people enter through the main doors after paying their entry fee. They’re all talking excitedly to each other and heading straight for the bar.

Kylie returns from the ice machine and we position ourselves ready to take orders – it’s show time.