Strings (11 page)

             
‘See, you have a fan already. I thought she was going to pass out!’ Beth laughed.

             
If that reaction was anything to go by, Melissa thought, her faith in them would be vindicated and she would be proved right about getting through to the final.

             
The drinks flowed and the lads were getting quite rowdy. They were getting bored with waiting and were becoming impossible to control. A lot like little children, Melissa thought. They sang Happy Birthday for the fifth time to Melissa, this time getting others around the bar to join in.

             
‘Come with me,’ Luke said, pulling Melissa away from their group and through the crowd.

             
‘Where are we going?’ Several glasses of wine and a couple of tequila shots were now taking effect, along with the little something extra from the hotel room, so she was up for a little fun. 

             
Luke led her out of the tent, and towards the stage gate. Eventually, after being stopped by a couple more people wanting to speak to Luke, they were back at the van. Luke opened the back doors and lifted her in.

             
‘What are you doing?’ she giggled.

             
‘We’ve a little while to wait, so I’ve thought of a way to pass the time!’ His naughty smile spread across his face as he laid an old fleece blanket down to cover the dirty van floor.

             
‘What, in here? Are you mental?’ she half-heartedly protested, but he was already kissing her neck and laying her down onto the blanket. She didn’t argue as he quickly pulled off her top. She was becoming addicted to him, and right now she would do just about anything for him.

             
Likewise, Luke couldn’t get enough of her – she drove him wild. It was a potent combination. ‘You’re a bad influence on me. I used to be a good girl!’ she teased as she removed his shirt.

             
‘You were never a good girl. You just hid it well!’ He kissed her as the last bit of clothing was lost somewhere on the van floor.

*****

‘Where the hell are those two?’ Tom sounded irritated. All the bands had been called back on stage for the announcement of those through to the final, and they were nowhere to be found.

             
‘Well, it’s pretty obvious what they’re up to … and you say me and Dale are bad!’ Beth laughed as she called Melissa, who again didn't answer. She left a message: ‘Melissa Webb, put him down and get back here! He is needed, you know, here with his band. Get your knickers back on and hurry the hell up. Oh no, wait, you weren’t wearing any to start with!’

             
Everyone looked at her, open-mouthed.

             
‘You may think Melissa is a sweet and innocent choir girl, but believe me she has a wild streak. She just hides it well. She can be a badass chick, you know. Don’t be fooled by the ‘butter wouldn’t melt’ exterior.’ She knew her best friend better than anyone, and she knew she wasn't quite as innocent as she liked people to think. They were definitely somewhere together, and they were not playing chess.

             
‘Keep your hair on,’ Melissa said, appearing at Beth's side, phone to her ear, looking pleased with herself and sounding slightly out of breath.

             
Luke had a very satisfied look on his face too. His friends mocked him and respected him at the same time. They headed to the stage to stand with the other bands, all looking nervous as they realised that the moment of truth was upon them.

             
‘Slut!’ Beth joked. Melissa wrapped her arms round her friend’s neck and gave her a kiss, smiling and not feeling the slightest bit embarrassed that they had enjoyed themselves. She was definitely feeling a bit tipsy now. 

             
‘Eeeekkkkk, this is it!’ Melissa squeaked, and gripped Beth tightly.

             
It was a nerve-racking moment for everyone, and Astler Brooks played on the tension, taking an age to reveal the name of each band. Melissa didn’t pay much attention, although she did notice the name of the third band, Death Wishes. She had her eyes closed, praying to hear three specific words.

             
‘The fourth band through to tomorrow’s final is … Echo!’ There were cheers around the venue, and the female band hugged each other.

             
There was now only one space left, and sixteen bands still stood on the stage. The tension was unbearable – could they be out? It was starting to look like it.

             
From the side where they stood, Beth and Melissa could see Luke and the others on the stage. They patted each other on the back for reassurance as they waited for the final name to be revealed. The waiting was excruciating, and as usual with this sort of competition, Astler Brooks was drawing it out far longer than was needed, supposedly in the name of drama and entertainment. 

             
‘The last band into tomorrow’s Grand Final is….’ she then went silent for at least a minute - a minute of sheer torture for everyone - ‘The Black Eagles!’

             
As they heard their name, the boys jumped all over the stage and each other, hugging each other like a football team who had just scored the winning goal. The crowd went wild too – it was the popular choice and they’d been left till last for that very reason.

             
‘Woooohooooo, they did it! I knew they would … I just knew it! ‘Melissa screamed, as she wiped away another tear.

             
Beth jumped all over her. ‘They did it! Oh my god!’ she yelled.

             
Melissa caught Luke's eyes and mouthed to him, ‘I love you.’

             
He knew what she was saying, and responded by running over to her, grabbing her face and kissing her in front of six thousand people. ‘I love you too,’ he said before quickly returning to his band to celebrate with the crowd and be interviewed.

             
‘Is he your boyfriend?’ a girl next to Melissa asked.

             
Melissa nodded proudly. ‘Yes, he is.’

             
‘You lucky bitch!’ the girl replied.

Deep Breaths

October 2013

‘You, my dear, are a legend,’ Toby’s thick speech was evidence of the number of beers he’d put away during the evening. Melissa had her arm draped around his huge shoulders, but it wasn’t clear
which of them was holding the other up. They were back at their hotel, celebrating in a big way, but it seemed like the sort of hotel where this sort of behaviour was common. It was nearly four in the morning and the night was finally winding down. They realised they should get a bit of sleep since tomorrow, or rather today, they had a very important job to do.

             
‘I didn’t do anything – you did all the hard work,’ she slurred back, but Toby was shaking his head and waving his arms around.

             
‘No way. No. Bollocks. That’s bollocks. We wouldn't have even known about it without you. You’re the man! Best day ever!’

             
He wasn’t making a lot of sense now.

             
‘I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. You were great out there, well done.’

             
Toby smiled. When he did, you could see the goodness in him. He wasn’t bad looking either, Melissa thought, but not her type. If she had another friend looking for a good guy, she’d definitely recommend him. They’d had a good old fashioned drunken heart-to-heart tonight and they had definitely bonded.

*****

Dale and Tom were playing cards and Beth had been having a ‘best friend talk’ with Luke since they got back.

             
‘Luke, I like you but I have to say this,’ she said as she patted his shoulder. He was swaying on the chair and nodding at her, trying to look serious and as if he was concentrating. But he wasn’t doing either very well. Neither was Beth for that matter.

             
‘Say what?’ He tried looking through one eye in order to focus on her better.

             
‘If you ever hurt her,’ she hiccupped, ‘I will kick your ass. Seriously.’ Her tone was firm, and it was clear she wasn't joking, even if it did sound a bit ridiculous. But he knew she was looking out for her mate, and he gave her a ‘scout’s honour’ promise that he’d take good care of her. He worked hard not to snigger as she hiccupped again and nearly toppled off her chair.

             
‘I mean it. OK? Alongside Dale, she’s the most important person in my life and she always will be.’

             
‘I know. You have my word, I will take care of her.’ Luke hugged her as he whispered something in her ear. ‘I know about your parents – I’m so sorry.’

             
She tightened her hold on him. They were clearly having a ‘moment’ and everyone else left them alone. ‘Yeah, my family sucked, but what can you do?’ There was sadness in her voice, but she had clearly decided not to dwell on the past. Luke liked her. She was good for Dale and despite her confident, sometimes brash exterior, she was a sweet girl when you got to know her. She came across as bossy, loud and confident, but deep down all she wanted was to be loved and to have good friends. Just the same as most people, thought Luke.

             
‘Hey, you turned out just fine without them,’ Luke reassured her.

             
‘Liss and her family saved my life. Without them, god knows where I’d be now.’ She gazed over at her best friend, smiling. Melissa was still deep in conversation with Toby. For no good reason, they were arguing about the very important art of making the perfect cup of tea. Melissa was horrified at Toby’s insistence that you should always add the milk before the water. It was madness, she was telling him. She looked over, smiled back at Beth and winked at her.

             
Beth had been neglected badly as a child. Her dad, Jason, was a cruel, violent man, and her mum was too scared to stand up for herself, let alone Beth. He was pure evil and Beth referred to him as the monster in her closet. For her, the bogeyman was real.

             
Jason would beat her mum regularly. And as Beth got older, he turned on her too. She was six when he first took his anger out on her, just for spilling her juice on the floor.

             
Tragically, her mum had killed herself when Beth was ten. Her dad was jailed shortly afterwards, for GBH and armed robbery, and was given a ten-year sentence, meaning that Beth was alone. But it was definitely better for her than remaining with him as his sole punch bag.

             
‘He was so cruel to her, and I didn’t help her,’ Beth had sobbed when she first told Dale about what she’d seen her mother go through. Of course, there was nothing she could have done about it, and she was just as much a victim as her mum, but it was natural for Beth to feel guilt. Her mum had put herself through hell trying to protect her. It hadn’t always worked. Beth knew her mum loved her, and had ultimately given her life trying to keep her daughter safe. In hindsight, she should have walked away years earlier, but it is often easier said than done to escape from an abusive relationship. He’d had such a strong hold over her, psychologically as well as physically, that she couldn’t think clearly or logically. She was too scared of him.

             
‘You were just a kid – don’t blame yourself,’ Dale had told her as he held her sobbing in his arms, disgusted by the things he had heard. How could a parent do that to their own child? It made him realise that it was actually Beth who needed Melissa, despite how it looked from the outside. She utterly depended on her, and if anything ever happened to Melissa or their friendship, it would destroy her.

             
She missed her mum every day, and it never seemed to get any easier – not until she met Dale. He made her life brighter, making it easier for her to leave her troubled past where it belonged, behind her. The pain never went away, but it faded into the background when she was with him. In the past she had struggled to find anything to block out the memories and numb the pain, and she had gone off the rails more than once. But Melissa had always looked out for her and got her back on the straight and narrow. Nobody understood her like Melissa, who was like a twin sister to her, and whose parents had cared for her like their own. She’d lived with them for a while after her Mum died, until Social Services put her in the care of an aunt. Her aunt was OK but being her dad's sister it was difficult because she would make excuses for him, and Beth couldn't stomach that. There were no excuses for what he did, except he was a vile excuse for a human being. Beth had vowed that no matter what happened, she would never speak to or see him as long as she lived. She didn’t care if he lived or died. Why did he deserve to live when her Mum had gone?

             
She had no real family left; her mum had lost contact with her relatives a long time ago because of him, so the only other person at her funeral was the aunt. She had decided then that if any of them ever did get in touch, she’d tell them where to stick it, and ask them where they were when she and her mum really needed them. Melissa’s family had taken care of the funeral, allowed Beth to say goodbye and comforted her when she cried at night. They were her real family – they cared about her. And as soon as she was sixteen she got a job and a place of her own.

             
She still cried in her sleep sometimes, but it was Dale who was there for her now. He felt her heartache just as much and he hated her dad too. She’d told him how he locked her in the shed one night when she was nine, just for breaking a plate. He didn’t let her out until dawn. She didn’t make a sound all night because she was so scared of him. All she had were her blanket and teddy. And her mother did nothing. This was why Beth was the way she was – when she found something good, she held on to it for dear life and cherished it. Dale was one of those good things, and the band too, as a group of friends. She felt as though she belonged somewhere now, and that was why she was so protective of them. So she always tried to do what her mum hadn’t been strong enough to do all those years ago, and look after those she loved.

             
‘Luke’ she slurred. ‘I think I love your best friend,’ before she unceremoniously slipped off the chair into a heap on the floor. This signalled that the night was over, and in truth it probably should have been over some time ago. Melissa was asleep on Toby's shoulder, and he in turn was snoring whilst leaning against the wall. Neither looked comfortable, but they didn’t seem to care.

             
Dale picked Beth up, laughing at the state of her. ‘Come on, babe,’ he said as he cradled her.

             
‘She’s a good girl, she’ll be fine.’ Luke patted his friend on the arm. Dale nodded, smiling as he carried his semi-conscious girlfriend to bed.

             
Tom pulled Toby to his feet and with Luke's help, got him back to their room. Then Luke picked Melissa up and carefully placed her in their bed, tucking the cover around them both. He watched her for a while, noticing that she wrinkled her nose a lot in her sleep and occasionally muttered things he couldn't quite make out. She opened her eyes, just for a few seconds but she wasn't awake – her eyes seemed to look through him. She smiled and muttered something before closing them again.

             
‘Happy birthday, my beautiful Liss,’ he whispered, knowing one hundred per cent he was in love with her.

*****

‘Please give a huge welcome to our final act of the night … The Black Eagles!’ the host yelled at the crowd, clapping as she walked off stage. The noise reverberating around the venue was deafening as they came on, giving them a huge lift. They were ready. They waved their thanks as they took up positions, and wasted no time as they launched into their first song, “Weekend High”. It was fast and upbeat, a great number to open a set and get the crowd going. It was one of the girls’ favourites and they all loved performing it. The crowd clapped, their hands above their heads as the boys gave it everything they had, moving around the stage, using every inch of it to make sure everyone got a good view and felt part of it. They fed off the energy of the crowd, and vice versa. There was no doubt they were producing yet another scintillating performance. Beth jumped up and down, screaming every word, while Melissa stood, leaning against the stage, grinning proudly from ear to ear. Luke turned and winked at her and she beamed back at him. Beth almost jumped on her friend’s back with excitement.

             
‘Come on, stop swooning and dance with me!’ she demanded.

             
Melissa didn't argue. She turned and threw her arms in the air, singing at the top of her voice. Then she felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned round to see a guy in a black baseball cap and white shirt grinning at her. He had beer stains down one side and sweat running down his face and was breathless. Melissa had noticed him jumping around near them earlier.

             
‘You know those guys?’ he asked pointing to the stage.

             
‘Yes,’ Melissa replied.

             
‘They’re really good. How do you know them?’

             
‘Luke's my boyfriend,’ she said, again feeling full of pride. The lad raised his eyebrows and asked if Beth was also with one of the band. Melissa nodded.

             
‘Cool,’ he said, waving at Beth. ‘So, I’m talking to the girls with the band?’ He held out his beer to Melissa, but she declined. ‘Shame, I was going to ask you out. I take it the answer’s no?’ He laughed, knowing perfectly well that she was with Luke because he and six thousand other people had witnessed their kiss.

             
‘The answer is definitely no!’

             
‘Aw well, you can’t blame a guy for trying. You and your friend are the hottest girls in here.’ He looked her up and down as he said this. She was wearing black denim hot pants, a white strapless top and her comfortable shoes again. Her hair was up in a ponytail, except for a few strands that she’d curled falling forward onto her shoulders. Beth was dolled up, in her tight red playsuit which left very little to the imagination. She’d kicked off her heels and was dancing barefoot.

             
Melissa thanked him politely for the compliment.

             
‘I’ll let you go back to your friend. It was nice to meet you. I hope they win.’ He went back to his friends, excited that he’d spoken to the girl who was dating his new rock hero.

*****

‘You did it again, Black Eagles, well done!’ Sonny Lee had to shout to make himself heard above the cheers from the crowd, once the performance had finished. The judges were again impressed, and gave them positive, exciting feedback.

             
‘You’re gonna be big!’

             
‘You’re something new and exciting, just what music fans have been crying out for.’

             
‘Fantastic, amazing, you have six thousand new fans right here!’