Straight from the Heart

by Breigh Forstner

  “So you wanting me in your band isn’t just for the sex?” I enquired, catching myself off guard because normally the word “sex” would never come out of my mouth, let alone anything remotely close to that. Cale shifted in his seat and lowered his head for a minute, then met my gaze.

  “You’re 18 and talking about sex already? Don’t get me wrong, that is completely hot but believe me B, tours aren’t for the faint of heart. You’ll see the stereotypical sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. Shit will go down unexpectedly and it will change you, for good or ill.” Then he took one last bite of his lasagna. “And, I’m a guy.”

  I threw my head back and laughed sarcastically. “Obviously.”

  Cale brought his face closer to me and whispered “Keep up your humor and everyone’s going to find out how I screwed my new lead guitarist so fast and so hard she couldn’t walk straight.” My mouth formed an O shape, and I sat back as straight as a stick. “I have needs, you’ll find out. If I want to fuck, I’ll gladly take a groupie backstage, with pleasure. This is eye opening shit B. You’ll shed that 18 year old shy vulnerable skin the first night on tour.”

  After he went over some basic ground rules about the bus, and told me a little more about the guys, I had a feeling I was going to be in for a life changing experience whether I liked it or not.

  Cale ended up paying our bill, after a five minute debate, and walked me outside. He had a good 5 inches on me, topping 6 feet. Being this close didn’t help me any, since he smelled like a mix of Italian food and expensive cologne.

  “Thank you for the lunch.” I said, putting my hands in my pockets and watching pedestrians run down the street.

  “It’s all good. I’m glad you’re a part of the band now. You’ll fit right in with us, don’t worry. No one will hit on you or try anything. If they do, I’ll hurt them,” Cale promised, causing me to smile.

  “Well, it’s nice to know you have my back,” I replied.

  “But we leave for the tour with The Nemesis and Ignite the Flames next Thursday so we’ll get together in a couple of days just to practice with you, so you can learn the stuff we play. It’s basic stuff, nothing too difficult.” He explained, then held his arms out to the side. “I’ll see you around, B.” I guessed that was his new nickname for me, but I kind of liked it. I stepped another inch toward him and gave him a hug. His arms circled around my waist. His arms were firm and muscular.

  “Okay bye, Cale.” I waved, and went upstairs to take a quick nap.

  Over the next couple of days, I worked open until close at Lozano’s, saving up extra cash before tour. Cale texted me here and there during that time with random questions like what my favorite TV show was, my favorite bands, favorite color, favorite movie. I answered back without getting too suspicious: True Blood, Breaking Benjamin, Purple and Magic Mike. He gave me shit over my favorite movie, but I threatened to play it for all of the guys when we went on the road.

  He called me on Monday, just three days before we left, and wanted to meet up at an old warehouse where they usually practiced at, so I grabbed my guitar rushed out of my loft and caught a taxi. The warehouse he gave me the address to was just outside of town, about 15 miles away from downtown. It was in the middle of nowhere! It was surrounded by a field and woods across the street. I saw a couple of cars parked in front and I opened the wide metal door.

  “Yes she made it!” Shouted Victor, who was sitting on an amplifier tuning up his bass. The rest of the guys waved and said called out greetings as I walked towards them holding my acoustic.

  “Welcome to the band, chica.” Raptor patted me on the back hard and smiled, showing off a gold tooth in the front of his mouth. His hair was gelled into a blue Mohawk in spikes on his head, and an enormous amount of eye liner coated his eyes. “It’s good to see you.”

  “Thanks. You guys like practicing in the middle of nowhere?”

  I heard a lough laugh coming from the back door and Cale came walking in with a backpack slung over his shoulder. His hair was wet and he wore a white muscle shirt and black jeans that fit snug on his waist. He nodded at me as he set his backpack down and hand slapped the guys.

  “To answer your question, it’s the only place nearby where no one can hear us from the outside unless they’re standing right in front of the building.” Cale said clapping his hands for our attention. “And now we should get to practice. This is B’s first practice with us, we go on tour in just a few short days, and we want her to feel comfortable with us, right?”

  “I’m comfortable with her; she’s like the little sister I’ve never had!” Luke winked at me and I smiled. He was cute in his own way if you liked the short skinny type. He was about an inch shorter than me, with dark red hair, green eyes and thick black glasses. Outside of here he would’ve been one of the guys I would hang out with at school.

  “Good to know.” Cale rolled his eyes, starting to set up the mic stands. “Just to get you up to speed, B, we play a lot of covers, but since we’re trying to get signed to a bigger record label with doing this tour, we’ve been writing a lot more originals. The guys and I will play through a couple that will be on the set list and I’ll help you out if you need it.” His amber eyes never left mine as he explained. I loved his nickname for me. Even if it was one letter. It was the way the syllable rolled off of his tongue, and…dang I couldn’t keep thinking about him like this!

  So I sat on the cool cement floor and watched the guys play through a couple of originals Cale wanted to perform on tour. I immediately fell in love with each one of the songs. Most of them had a heavy melody and drum rhythm, while one was a slower ballad about losing someone you loved. I didn’t tell him, but that was my favorite song so far. It somewhat reminded me of losing my parents in a way. I knew some day things may be okay between us, but I still felt like I lost them.

  “You ready to try them Bryn?” Cale asked, and I nodded, as he helped me up and handed me an electric guitar, which I assumed was his.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied playfully, throwing the strap over my shoulder and grabbing a pick from Cale. I strummed a couple of chords to warm up and tune the strings. I was ready to play.

  We practiced the ballad a couple of times through, which were self-explanatory. I think I surprised Cale that I caught on so quickly. After playing one of the covers we were planning on doing, “Afterlife,” by Avenged Sevenfold, Raptor’s phone started to ring.

  “I’m sorry dudes, I have to take it.” He said to us, mainly Cale, as he snatched it up and ran outside. Cale told us to take a quick break and he sat down, drinking some water.

  “Since I’m a part of the group, can I just make a suggestion?” I asked him, sitting down mere inches from him.

  “Of course, B, what is it?” He asked me, and handed me the bottle of water.

  “I think for ‘Time,’ since it’s a love ballad and everything, maybe I should sing along with you, to make it feel more real you know?”

  He looked at me as if I made the best suggestion ever. “That’s actually pretty fucking brilliant. I haven’t told you since the audition, but you had an amazing singing voice. Let’s run through it when the rest of the guys leave and tweak it.” Wow, he thought I sang well? I always thought I sang at okay, I mean for the few people that heard me sing when I played the guitar. But hearing it from him gave those opinions credibility. “We could be like that one group…isn’t it Skillet? Lead singer and the drummer?”

  “But instead lead singer and lead guitarist,” I corrected him, and he winked at me.

  “Why don’t you just sing back up on all of our stuff Bryn? People dig the two, three part harmonies when it comes to hard rock,” Cale suggested, and my eyes lit up like the Fourth of July. We looked over and Raptor was coming back in, looking completely pissed off. “Don’t mind him. He’s just in a really messed up relationship with this girl who’s a slutty groupie.” My eyes opened wide, and I wasn’t going to ask any more about it..

  “Sorry, that girl is messed
up in the head. Trying to convince me she wants to follow our tour the whole way through and stay with us.” Raptor ran a hand over his Mohawk and the guys started cracking up.

  “You say that now, man, but come first show and she’s up in the front row showing off her tits you’ll be all over that shit!” Vince teased him and Raptor gave him the finger. “If you don’t do her, I will.”

  “Shut up Vince, let’s get back to practice.” Raptor pushed Vince and Vince went back to tuning up his guitar for the next song.

  Cale readjusted my mic-stand for me as he told everyone what song we needed to work on. We transitioned into “Away from You,” which was one of the heavier songs I heard them practice. Cale told me about the small solo I had in the middle of the song, and I was a little nervous, especially handling an electric guitar when I was used to playing my acoustic. But my fingers hit the notes like expected, and when he landed his high note leading into the guitar solo I was more than ready to prove I belonged in this band. I loosened up, my body swaying from side to side, running over in my mind what chords and notes to hit. I didn’t know if I did it right, but I made it my own. When I went back into the simple chorus chords again, I was at ease.

  We went through some of the other songs we were going to do perform during our set, but had to narrow it down since most nights we’d only have an hour, maybe hour fifteen minutes at the most, according to Cale.

  A couple of hours later, everyone was dripping sweat and Cale called it a night. Victor, Luke and Raptor packed up their equipment and said goodbye to Cale and I. There we were, alone. My shirt was clinging to my body from the heat, and I had the strange urge to go jump into the river to cool off. Or maybe it was the fact I was in this big empty warehouse with a gorgeous guy I’d only known for a little over a week, and had a feeling that he was going to kiss me, or vice versa.

  “So do you always end up this sweaty after a show?” I asked him curiously.

  “Most of the time. That’s why sometimes we park the bus and stay at a hotel. Nicer showers than the small one on the bus. Plus you have 5 people fighting over one bathroom, gets kind of fucked up and bloody…I’m kidding about the bloody part,” he joked, and stayed silent for a minute. “But let’s work on the harmonies, shall we?”

  He borrowed my acoustic and sat it on his lap as he played the opener to ‘Time.’ “Just sing a single octave higher than me that should sound okay.” He instructed and I nodded as he started singing soft and light. I took a deep breath and opened my mouth. ”All we need is time, and I can show you how amazing we’d be together. Just tell me you will give us another try, and it’ll be different this time.” My voice fit perfectly with his, in tune and in perfect harmony. He had an incredible singing voice; it was no wonder Everlasting was so popular.

  It sounds completely silly, but when we sang together, it was like electricity. We fit like a glove. Peanut butter and jelly, so to speak.

  “That was…wow,” he said, out of breath. I smoothed my shorts down so they would show less leg, and Cale must’ve caught me doing that, because then he was staring at me, all the way from my toes to my dark green eyes.

  “You’ve never sang with another girl before?” I questioned him, and he helped me up, so we were standing just centimeters from each other now. He smelled good. Way too good for me to even be thinking things like that.

  His fingers brushed my leg slightly as he set the guitar against his amp he had to pack up. “Nope. Well I guess if you count my mom when we sang Christmas music every year.” His hand reached for a piece of my loose hair and tucked it behind my ear. “I can’t even begin to describe you. That voice, I mean I think I’m losing my mind. Your smoking hot, young, talented, the whole package. I shouldn’t say it, but I’ve never been one to hold back.”

  This was it. I knew he was going to make a move. Did I want him to? Was it going to make things awkward for us on tour? I was about to find out. I studied his every move as he lowered his face and met mine, lips not together, but close enough to where he could kiss me. Then he did. It was soft and slow at first, but in a matter of seconds, it was like we were hungry for each other. His hands were at the curve of my butt and my arms linked around his neck, longing for more. This was perfect. But so wrong. Cale’s tongue slipped into my mouth and I took it, lightly sucking. A light bulb went off in my head though, and my gut was telling me I shouldn’t be doing that.

  I pulled away. The “what the hell” look on his face said enough, as I thought of a way to explain my abruptness.

  “That was a mistake.” I lied. “We shouldn’t have done that.”

  Cale cocked his head to the side and his eyes bore through me, almost knowing I was lying. “What? Band mates can’t kiss each other?” He asked, as if what just happened wasn’t a big deal.

  I took a couple of steps backward and put my hands on my hips. “You know what I mean Cale. This…” I gestured between him and I, “Can’t happen. If it does, the whole tour will be awkward.”

  He smirked and shook his head in disbelief. “You’re right. Let’s shake on it.” Cale suggested. “No more kissing between the hot young lead guitarist and the dapper lead singer.” Now he was just being sarcastic. And he was sure good at it.

  “Oh, shut up.” I slapped him hard on the shoulder. “Are you always this sure of yourself?”

  “All the time. You don’t know me enough yet, hun. I get what I want, when I want it.” The way he took slow pauses in between each word, he was insinuating that he was like a sex god. I giggled in my head. But if that was how he was going to be, then two could play that game. I quickly changed the subject, because I was tired and wanted to take a cold shower at home.

  “I could so take that to another level. But instead I’ll just ask you for a ride back to my loft?” I gave him the puppy dog eyes and pouted my lip and he gently touched my arm.

  “Yeah no problem. Let’s get the rest of our stuff packed up.” He replied, and we stuffed all the leftover equipment into his SUV.

  The drive back to the loft was us battling over which song to play on his iPod, which was hooked up to his car stereo. “How could you not like old school Metallica?” I demanded, as Cale skipped over the first song to “Ride the Lightning”. “That’s classic shit Pelton!”

  He turned it to Pierce the Veil’s “King for a Day”, and began to tap his fingers against the steering wheel to the beat of the drums pounding. “This okay?”

  “I love it, actually,” and sang along to the words when Kellin Quinn’s voice soared out of the speakers. “Didn’t pin me down for that type?”

  “I don’t know. That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” He said truthfully, pulling up outside of the loft. He turned off the ignition and leaned back into his seat. “I’ll admit it Bryn. I really like you. The guys love you; they can’t stop talking about you. As much as I would love to kiss you, and then some, I won’t. It was like you said…we’re bandmates, soon to be best friends, and I want to keep it that way.”

  “You don’t need to explain yourself Cale, it was a kiss. You don’t need to read into it,” I told him as he opened my door for me.

  “I’ll see you Thursday bright and early,” He spoke softly as he gave me a friendly hug. “Need any help with your stuff?”

  I shook my head no. “It’s alright. Thanks, Cale.” I smiled and walked away, ready to come home to the smell of fresh lilies still blooming on the table.

  Chapter 4: Nothing but a Good Time

  “I want to buy one of those someday.” I whispered into Ethan’s ear as we danced along to the band in front of us. We were at the high school talent show, and I couldn’t peel my eyes off of the lead singer with the beautiful guitar. That was the only word that could describe it. I had always loved music, and wanted to have a career in music, whether I was in a band, or teaching music, and being here tonight only fueled my desire.

  “Your parents would really let you?” He kissed me just below my ear. “Babe that’s kind of crazy…”

/>   I loosened myself from his arms and started to leave the auditorium. “What? Am I supposed to follow in their footsteps and live in a big lonely house the rest of my life? That’s not me, Ethan, and you know that…”

  He wrapped his arms around me again as his fingers played with the hem of my top. “I’m sorry, Bryn. If that’s what your dream is, then you go after it, and I’ll always be right there no matter what.” I loved this man. It was hard to believe my parents were the ones that had set us up, because Ethan’s parents are one of the richest families in town. He was the complete opposite of rich and stuck up like everyone believed. He had his own dreams like me, and had taught me to be myself and let loose.

  “So when I’m in a band, playing lead guitar, you’ll come see me?” I blinked my eyelashes at him and puckered up my lips. His lips met mine for a long kiss, not really caring if our classmates saw us, or if we got in trouble.

  “Of course. I will be front row cheering you on. I’ll always be your biggest fan, B. Always.”

  “Make sure you don’t forget about us Miss Bryn.” Louisa snapped me out of my daydream, as I was packing up clothes for the tour. Cale and the guys were picking me up in a short while and my body had been filled with all sorts of nerves. Good and bad.

  “Of course, Miss Lou, I wouldn’t forget you guys. You’re the ones that gave me a chance when I left my mom and dad. If it wasn’t for you and Alberto, I’d be out in the street.” I admitted, giving her a long hug. “Thank you for letting me stay in the loft and letting me work for you guys.”

  “The job and place will always be open for you sweetie when you get back in a few months.” Louisa promised. “I may not be your mom, but I’ll look after you like you’re my own daughter, and love you just as much.” Those words nearly brought me to tears. She kissed both cheeks and I said goodbye to Alberto Sr. and Jr., who promised me a true Italian dinner the night I came back. I laughed and agreed.

  I studied myself in the reflection of the window outside. I tied my long hair into a high 80’s style ponytail and put on a light coat of eyeliner to make my eyes pop. I had gone to the mall the day before and bought a few pairs of skinny jeans and some t-shirts that would help me blend in. If I was in a band and going to be up on stage every night I might as well fit in with the guys. Within a couple of minutes I heard the sound of pounding bass coming down the main street and knew it was the guys with the bus.