The Distance Between Us

I jumped around excitedly as I waited for everybody to get ready for the show. It was the first night of tour, and we’d just been signed to Hopeless Records about a month ago. “Are you guys ready?” I whined. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins and I couldn’t hold still for the life of me.

“Yes, Melody! Calm down, we’re all ready,” Kylie told me as she pushed her hair out of her eyes.

“I can’t calm down!”

“Five minutes,” somebody called.

My eyes widened. “I can’t do it.”

“What?!” Savana yelled. “You annoy us for three hours straight, and then you say you can’t do it?! So help me, if you’re wimping out on our first big gig, I’ll slap you!”

I drew in a deep breath and tried to reassure myself. “She goes through this before every show, though,” Cadence reminded Savana. “It’s not our fault if Kylie’s sister is a spazz.”

“I’m not a spazz!” I yelled.

“Spazzypants,” Brooklyn snorted.

I rolled my eyes. “Alright guys! Go get them excited!”

Savana and Brooklyn grabbed their guitars, and Cadence grabbed her bass. Kylie twirled her drumsticks as she walked behind her drumset. The lights were all out and I grabbed the microphone. “Who’s ready to party?” I yelled. “We’re Rumored Remorse and this is a cover song called ‘The Great Escape’. If you know it, sing along!” The lights flashed on and blinded me momentarily as the song started, but I didn’t miss a beat.

I grabbed a bottle of water and Cadence spoke while I rehydrated myself. I put down the bottle of water quickly as I heard Cadence introduce our song “No One Cares”. I looked off to the side of the stage during the middle of the song and almost froze when I realized that most of the bands we were touring with were watching. Sometimes, it really sucked to be a band that most people didn’t recognize.

I quickly gained my composure and went back to focusing on the crowd. The song ended. “Alright, so if you didn’t know this, I’m Cadence, Kylie is on drums, Savana is the lead guitarist, Brooklyn is the rhythm guitarist, and our very own Melody is the singer,” Cadence said as I had turned to take a sip of water. I glanced at Kylie and nodded toward the side of the stage where everybody else was watching.

She wiggled her eyebrows at me before I tossed the bottle of water into the crowd. “This song we’re about to play,” I started. “Is called ‘Striving for Better’.”

After our last song, Cadence quickly introduced the next band, There for Tomorrow, and we left the stage. Everybody that had been at the side of the stage had disappeared somewhere between our last few songs. Our small crew went on stage and started getting everything off stage. I went back up after I had changed into a clean shirt and a hoodie.

I grabbed a handle on the last amp that needed to be carried off and realized everybody else was busy with something else. “Need a hand?” I looked up into the eyes of There for Tomorrow’s singer, Maika, and smiled sheepishly.

“Yes, please.” He smiled back and helped me get it off stage.

“Hey, find me after we’re done,” he said before he went to help set up. I stared off after him until I was brought back to reality.

“That was INCREDIBLE!” Savana exclaimed. “This is going to be an amazing tour!”

“Yeah,” I mumbled, looking off towards the stage. “I think I’m gonna go watch these guys…” I grabbed Kylie and pulled her along with me. “Did you see him?”