Strings (4 page)

             
As they made their way out, Amber glared at Melissa, and the whole room saw it. She gave her a look of pure hatred, and it sent a chill down Melissa’s spine. The girl was clearly obsessed with Luke. But they were not together, that much was clear.

             
Luke turned to Melissa once Amber had gone. She looked more than a little shaken up. ‘Brilliant,’ he thought to himself. ‘First I knock her over, and then she’s attacked by that nutter.’ But she had selflessly stepped in to save his prized possession, and he had never been so grateful to anyone in his life. That guitar had taken over a year to save up for, and he’d dreamed of owning it for five years before that. If Amber had succeeded in smashing it, he wouldn’t have been able to play until he had enough money to buy a new one, and that would have been a disaster.

             
‘Thank you so much. I can’t believe you did that. Are you OK?’ Luke noticed that she was rubbing her hand, and there was a small cut on her palm caused by one of the strings.

             
She assured him it was nothing and smiled at him, looking rather dazed. ‘I’ll live.’

             
‘Wow that was completely fucked up!’ Dale said as he passed Luke a beer. Tom stared at the door Amber had just left through, looking disgusted. ‘I need a smoke after that. You want to join us?’ He asked Beth.

             
Beth was still bewildered by what had just happened but was very proud of Melissa. That had to win him over, she thought, and winked at her friend as she followed three of their new companions outside. The boys all agreed that Luke had shot himself in the foot with that one.

             
‘Big mistake. Judging by how crazy she seems to be, he’s gonna regret winding her up like that,’ Toby sniggered. ‘Wouldn’t be surprised if he wakes up with a horse’s head on his pillow!’

             
Melissa and Luke stood together awkwardly for a few seconds. Melissa was still holding his guitar by the neck, her hair hanging down to her waist rather messily after her scuffle. Her fringe was feathered and cut so it fell to the side but it was her deep blue eyes that drew you in. Her purple jeans hugged her figure tightly, showing off slender legs, and her tight black vest top displayed the message, ‘Don’t whistle, I’m not a dog’ in gold letters across the front. She was a petite girl, and her black heels made her look much taller.

             
Luke thought she was stunning. She handed his guitar back, picked up her beer and took a sip. ‘Thanks,’ he said.

             
She shrugged. ‘No worries, I couldn't let her damage this beauty.’ He put it back on the stand after inspecting it, satisfied that there was no damage. ‘How long have you been a band?’ she asked. Melissa thought it must have been a while – they seemed too good to be newly formed, not that she knew anything about being in a band. But there was something about them, a chemistry and a presence which suggested they had been working together for some time.

             
‘Just over two years, but I’ve known Dale since I was ten.’ He flicked his hair out of his eye as he spoke.

             
‘You’re so good. Who writes your stuff? I noticed you didn't do any covers,’ she asked and moved to sit sideways on the chair, hanging her legs over the arm.

             
‘Thanks. The writing is
my
job.’

             
He talked at length about their music, explaining that it had been his ambition from a young age to play in a band. She listened intently, fascinated by his story and hearing the insights of someone in a real band who played in front of real paying audiences. He was clearly very passionate about his music, and was so animated as he spoke about it.

             
He told her how it was just himself and Dale at first, and later they’d seen Tom and Toby playing in another band. They had been impressed by them as individuals, but the band as a whole was not so great. Tom and Toby were good friends but they were on one side of a divide in the band. The other two members had been difficult to get on with, and neither Tom nor Toby felt they were going to be able to resolve things, so they decided to quit. It was perfect timing, because at that time, Luke and Dale were becoming serious about forming their own group. They got talking to Tom and Toby and they agreed to have a few practice sessions together. It was a great success and a lot of fun because they all got on like a house on fire. Everyone agreed they should play their own material rather than regurgitating the music of others, and so The Black Eagles were born.

             
Luke realised how comfortable he felt with this girl. He’d been talking to her for ages about things he would not usually tell someone he’d just met, but somehow this felt different. At the same time, he was very embarrassed by Amber's performance, and concerned that she was proving to be difficult to shake off. He had made a mistake, a drunken one, but a mistake nonetheless. Luckily for him, Melissa didn't seem to be put off. She carried on asking him questions about himself and the band, and he asked about her. They chatted while Beth interviewed the rest of the group, who she thought all seemed like genuine, fun guys. Tom was probably the most stand-offish but he was friendly enough. Toby was treating her as though he had known her for years - he seemed to just want a good time with no drama. Beth noticed how big he was, like a brick wall. He had no hair, although you couldn’t really tell because the hood was up on his black sweater, which displayed the word ‘Fucked’
across the front in white letters.

             
‘Is Amber his ex?’ Beth asked Dale, who was standing beside her sipping a beer.

             
They all laughed, except Tom, who looked disgusted to hear the name again. ‘That Bunny boiler needs to see a shrink,’ he grumbled.

             
‘No, she was just a one-off mistake. But now she’s obsessed with him and won't take the hint.’ Dale explained, shaking his head.

             
‘Does he make mistakes like that often?’ Beth asked. If he was a guy who slept around, then she didn't want Melissa anywhere near him. Beth hated people like that, and Melissa had already been through that kind of heartache with Leon, so she didn't want her hurt again.

             
‘No, not at all. The episode with Amber was a few weeks ago and it was a wild night. Things happen sometimes, but not very often and never with a performance like that afterwards. He never promised the girl anything. It was she who said there were no strings attached.’

             
Beth always checked guys out first, to make sure they were suitable. Melissa was like a sister to her and she had always been there when Beth needed her, so she hated seeing her friend hurt and would do what she could to make sure it didn’t happen. She felt a bit like her guardian angel, although she tried not to make it too obvious because she didn’t want it to look like she was interfering.

             
‘You’re very protective of her.’ Dale had noticed how she seemed to watch people around her friend – these girls were obviously very close. She was doing it now, continually glancing through the door at Melissa and Luke, who were staring intently at each other, deep in conversation.

             
‘Yes, I am. Are you interested in her? You might want to get in line,’ she said, feeling a little deflated by the thought that he might like Melissa too.

             
‘No.’ He looked her in the eyes as he replied. ‘It’s just that you act like her bodyguard.’

             
Someone handed him a joint and he took a few puffs before passing it to Beth. She did the same and handed it back. She much preferred a cigarette to a joint. Too much weed made her sleepy and sometimes light headed, but a bit now and again didn’t hurt. ‘We’ve been friends since we were four years old. We met at nursery – I pulled her hair and she pushed me over, then we both laughed and played together for the rest of the day. We’ve been inseparable ever since.’ Her black curls whipped around her face in the breeze. Dale wasn’t interested in Melissa, he wanted this beautiful girl in front of him. The play fighting earlier had been planned, although they hadn't intended on it getting so out of hand. And so far it was working out just fine, Dale thought.

             
Dale noticed that Beth was much curvier than Melissa, and her black cords hugged her figure showing it off nicely. But mainly he liked her bossy, upfront, yet friendly, attitude. ‘Melissa is not my type - I prefer midnight curls,’ he said and winked. He then decided that having said that, he might as well just ask her before someone else beat him to it. ‘Beth, would you—’

             
‘Yes I would, that would be nice’ Beth answered, like lightning.

             
‘You don't know what I was going to say!’ he laughed.

             
‘Yes I do. You were going to ask me out,’ she replied confidently, but secretly hoping she hadn't just made a complete fool of herself.

             
‘You don't mess about, do you?’

             
‘Nope. Life’s too short,’ she said, smiling sweetly at him.

             
He stood up straight and took another puff of the joint, feeling very pleased with himself. He liked this girl.

             
‘It's a date then.’

             
Beth nodded. She had set her sights on him and had won him over in minutes, demonstrating once again that she always got what she wanted.

             
Tom and Toby were chatting to a few girls who seemed to be hanging on their every word, leaving Dale to it with Beth. There was a rule in the band that they never trod on each other’s toes when it came to women. It was the age-old rule that you never mess with a mate’s girl. Dale had laid claim to Beth, and Luke had done the same with Melissa. It didn’t need spelling out to Tom and Toby that both girls were now out of bounds. In Melissa’s case in particular, they both knew very well that they wouldn’t have any chance even if they
were
to compete with Luke. Being the front man of the band had numerous advantages, and popularity with the ladies was definitely one of them.

*****

‘Aren't you cold?’ Melissa asked, pointing at Luke’s bare chest. He was still shirtless from the gig –- he rarely wore a top when performing, claiming that he always got too hot, what with the lights and the energy of their show. Nothing to do with impressing girls though, definitely not.

             
Luke’s hair was jet black, and although it was short he had one slightly longer piece of fringe which fell over his left eye, almost reaching his top lip. It was cut into a jagged shape, almost like lightning. Melissa wasn’t sure if this was deliberate, but she noticed that he flicked it a lot, and part of her wondered why he chose to have it like that, if it got in the way so much. His eyes were sapphire blue and he had the most beautiful tattoos on the left side of his body. Covering his rib cage was a magnificent eagle, wings stretched back, and talons ready to strike at prey. The eyes and beak were savage and intense, and Melissa loved it.

             
Then she noticed his arms, which seemed to show fragmented parts of a picture. When she asked him about it, he simply smiled before bringing his arms together with his hands facing upwards. She could now see that on each arm was half of a picture, which was now complete. It was the same eagle, but the wings and talons were curled around a black guitar. It was much more vicious looking, but both tattoos were magnificent, and in a certain light Melissa thought she almost saw them move. She liked the way Luke dressed. At the moment, he was only wearing dark blue jeans with black and white Nike casual shoes but they suited him well. Over the back of the chair was his black hoody.

             
‘They’re awesome!’ she said, giving her approval of the tattoos. 

             
Luke told her they were something called “New Skool”, a specific type of tattoo art. He laughed and said that Toby, the drummer, was like a human canvas, so if she was impressed by his, then she would love Toby’s.

             
‘It’s freezing in here.’

             
Luke noticed her shiver and leaned over her to reach for his black hoody. His chest was inches from her face, and she had to resist the urge to do something inappropriate. He handed her the hoody and she wrapped it around her shoulders. She was disappointed when he put on a long-sleeved white T-shirt because she’d been enjoying the view of his toned body. He was the smallest of the band in stature, but seemed to be their biggest member in personality and charisma – he was unquestionably the leader. When he spoke, they listened.

             
He picked up a black classic guitar and placed it with the other one ready to pack away. She hadn’t noticed it before, but this one was also his. He called it Chloe.

             
Luke was Melissa’s idea of a perfect man, certainly on first impressions anyway. She already felt as though she could just sit with him all night and listen to him talk. His voice was soft and friendly, in contrast to the strong, masculine singing voice she had heard during the gig. He seemed to look deep into her eyes, and it made her heart pound because his diamond-shaped face and disarming gaze were like nothing she had encountered before.