Unexpected (MxM)

Chapter Two- Eclipse

Chapter Two-

Moth

“You guys sounded much better today which is good because I have a surprise for you,” Gwen announces as we finish up playing the last song from the packet she gave us. “Drumroll please.”

Caspian twirls his drumsticks dramatically before tapping on the drums, giving some suspense to Gwen’s announcement.

“I got us a gig!”

My eyes widen as a smile spreads across my face. It’s such a good feeling knowing that people want to hear our music. “Really? That’s amazing! Where at?”

“This little bar downtown. It’s called Venice and Verona. They do live music on Saturday nights, and this Saturday is all us.”

Caspian snorts as he jams his drumsticks into his pocket. “What’s the catch?”

Gwen sighs and flops down on the couch between Frankie and me. “Well, they want a band that has a keyboard player which means we have to go through the submission tapes and pick someone today. If not, there’s no way we’ll have enough time to teach them the songs.”

I make Gwen switch spots with me as Jonis groans. “We have to pick someone today?”

“That sucks. We only got six submissions so far. We just put out the flier yesterday. What if none of them are good?” I try to keep my frown as Frankie leans on me, but I feel my lips pulling upward. I look away from him and back at Gwen. She should’ve known better than to sign us up for something we can’t handle. She’s always doing this. “If we’re going to play somewhere, we have to be at our best. Not with some new person who barely knows our songs.”

“Well, that’s the other thing. They’re only going to let us play two original songs and the rest has to be covers, which is great because the keyboardist might know the songs already.”

That gets snorts, scoffs, and other noises of disapproval from everyone. I glare at her and turn toward her. “Eclipse isn’t a cover band.”

“Eclipse is what it needs to be to get noticed. This could get us more recognition. Look, nobody takes high school bands seriously, and they never will if we don’t make them.”

“So your solution is to play for a bunch of people who don’t even want to hear our music?”

I hate playing covers. I’m sure the other members feel the same as me, but my music is my art. It comes from my heart and I pour myself into everything I play. Playing covers is like trying to take someone else’s art and act like it’s your own.

People who want to hear us play should want to hear us play our songs. Unless, of course, they don’t want Eclipse. They just need some people with instruments to entertain a crowd.

She stands up and looks at all of us to argue more. “They will like our music, but not until they can make the connection between us and some of their favorite bands. Who cares if we have to play covers this time?”

I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest. “I do because this time will turn into the next time and the time after that. We put too much of ourselves into the songs we write and the music we play to throw it away just to play songs that mean nothing to us. Our music isn’t as good if it isn’t coming from a personal place, and I’d feel like a fraud performing someone else’s songs.”

“If you can’t accept that playing someone else’s songs on stage for real people is better than playing our songs in this basement for nobody then you don’t have our best interest in mind. You aren’t the whole band, Moth. We should at least take a vote.”

“Fine but Frankie and Cory get to vote too because Jonis is always going to side with you.”

“No, I don’t!” He argues, but when Gwen glares at him, he shrugs. “Okay, maybe I do.”

I laugh softly before speaking again. “All in favor of playing the gig and having to do covers and get a fifth member today?”

Gwen and Jonis predictably raise their hands, but my eyes widen when Frankie raises his hand too.

“Frankie?”

He shyly looks at me and shrugs before wrapping his arms around my waist. His eyes meet mine as he explains himself. “This is your dream, right? Sometimes it’s worth doing things you don’t like to get the results you want. She’s right. People will hear you sing and they’ll fall in love with it. Maybe you guys could bring some of your CDs or have a QR code takes them to your original songs so that if they want to hear more of you they can. It’s just marketing. All the great artists sing other people’s songs first.”

I pout as I wrap my arms around him too, kissing his forehead as my fingers thread through his long hair. “Fine. Let’s look at the videos then.”

Gwen pulls out her laptop, letting us gather around to look at them. She clicks on the attachments sent to the band’s email and we listen to a couple of people. I started to lose my optimism after we vetoed the first five people, leaving just one person left.

“Cross your fingers.”

The video starts. “Hi! I am Laila she/her, and I’m going to audition to play keyboard. I don’t go to your school yet but I’m transferring in a few weeks and I wanted to get into some extracurriculars.”

The recording shows her backing up to sit at a bench and gently laying her fingers on the notes. They start flying instantly, creating an upbeat and energetic song that shocks me and everyone else.

I glance at their reactions, most of the guys look surprised that she’s good, but Gwen keeps a pout on her face, glaring like she’s about to veto this one too.

Laila lets her fingers tap across the keys as her eyes shut, playing it all from muscle memory as if the instrument is an extension of herself. I know what that’s like. I can play my guitar without looking. It was the only friend I had until I met these guys and Frankie. I know my instrument in and out, and I can feel even through a screen that she’s the same way.

“She’s great.”

“I don’t like her,” Gwen argues, making me roll my eyes. Again? When will she stop picking fights with me?

“You just don’t like her because you like being the only girl.”

“That’s so not true.” Gwen gestures to the screen. “She’s going to be a snobby b***h. She auditioned for a rock band with classical music.”

Caspian takes the laptop and starts to email her back. “Talent is talent in any genre.”

Jonis leans back on the couch, wrapping his arm around Gwen. “Don’t worry, babe. She’s not even hot.”

“Well…” Caspian trails off with a little smirk that makes Cory laugh at him.

“I always forget that you aren’t gay.”

Caspian shrugs. “Not completely at least. I’ve dated a lot of people. Girls, boys, enbies. Caspian is everyone’s type.”

“Caspian needs to stop talking about himself in third-person,” I comment.

Jonis leans against Gwen with a little sigh. “Whatever, that girl is in, which brings us to our next topic. What songs are we covering?”

Gwen kisses his cheek. “Something by Guns n Roses. I hate having to write a part for rhythm guitar.”

Jonis perks up and looks at me. “Please can we do Arctic Monkeys or Pink Floyd? Their baselines are always badass.”

“Everyone send your ideas for specific songs to the band email, and Gwen and I will pick by tomorrow’s practice. Caspian, make sure Laila is here for that and tell her all of us are excited to meet her.”

“Tell her some of us are excited to meet her.” Gwen corrects.

Once I finish the announcements, I get my bag and help Frankie gather his things. “Franks and I are heading out, but you guys can stay as late as you want. Just please don’t smoke with my mom.”

“We would never.” Jonis laughs as I lead Frankie up the steps. I know he was just joking about never doing that before, but I’m hoping he was serious about not doing it this time.

“Are you excited to get a new member?” Frankie asks as we walk outside to my bike.

“I think we can write better songs with a keyboard, but I don’t know the first thing about this girl. She might not even work out.”

“I hope she does.” He puts his helmet on as I put on my own, moving my bag to the front of my body before swinging my leg over.

Frankie gets on with me, pressing himself close to me and wrapping his arms around my waist. He used to be terrified of getting on my motorcycle. Now he’s got his own helmet and seems so comfortable hanging onto me.

Once he’s settled, I start driving. I’m taking him back home where his brother will probably be mad about him being out so long.

Honestly, I can see how he’s changing. It’s not like I’m doing it on purpose, but Frankie likes to have fun now. He used to be a sweet little bookworm with no backbone. Now he speaks his mind and wants to experience the world outside of his books. He’s a beautiful person, and that will never change, but I’m falling more in love with the person he’s becoming. This confident genius who doesn’t bite his tongue and cower away from attention anymore.

We pull up outside of his house, and he climbs off. He takes his helmet off and gestures for me to do the same. When I do, he leans in to kiss me. I kiss him back, smiling into it for a moment before hearing a voice that makes us pull away.

“Do you have to get on that thing every time? I told you I can come pick you up.” Sawyer nags as Frankie gives me his helmet.

They look almost exactly alike. They have the same facial features, eye color, hair color, and the length is even the same. I think Frankie will look like a copy of him when he’s older. Preferably without the scowl I always seem to get from Sawyer.

“Bye, Moth. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Sure thing, Barbie.”

After Frankie walks inside, Sawyer comes closer with a soft sigh. “You’re safe with him on here right? I can’t believe your mother lets you ride this thing. You do know how dangerous it is, don’t you? Never mind, I’m not trying to nag you. I just want to make sure Frankie doesn’t get hurt.”

“I’d never do anything to hurt him. Not on my bike or in any other aspect.” I assure him.

I hate that Sawyer looks down at me. Frankie said he’s been more stuck up since he and his boyfriend got more serious. They have a lot of money now, so I’m not surprised that Sawyer forgot where he came from. He talks like his family isn’t just as broken as mine.

“Look, Frankie refuses to talk to me like he used to, so can I ask something?”

“Sure.”

“If he tells you something important, will you tell me? It’s not exactly a secret that I don’t like him dating you. You ride a motorcycle and tattoo yourself and have piercings everywhere. I’ve met my fair share of guys like you and I can confirm that ‘bad boys’ are just bad people. I want to believe that you aren’t a bad person, but the closer he gets to you, the more he pulls away from his family. You can see where my concern comes from, right?”

I sigh, shifting slightly. It’s not my place to tell him Frankie’s secrets. He doesn’t need to know that Frankie was contacted by their mother, that we’re sleeping together, or that he isn’t sure if he wants to go to college right after school. That’s stuff he needs to hear from Frankie.

“I know you’re trying to be a parental figure, but maybe Frankie is pulling away because you aren’t acting like you used to. Sometimes he just wants his big brother, not his dad.” I tell him, putting my helmet on before he can say anything more.

Sawyer nods curtly as I start to drive away. I hate being one of the reasons Frankie is pulling away, but maybe it’s good for him. Maybe I’m good for him.