Rhythm of Love

Alex's Point of View

Eli was out in the crowd by now, somehow managing to claw his way to the front. Welcome to Paradise had been announced second, and we had decided on a song that got everyone involved.

Beech hummed, her body quivering as she stood next to me, staring out at the crowd. I smiled, remembering my first time playing for a crowd. I kneeled down in front of her and looked her in the eyes.

"Remember that no matter what they do," I said to her, knowing the words from the first time my mom ever saw me play. They had passed by with my spiritual mind cleansing. I went on, "No matter how they react, that it's not about them. It's about you, and me, and Ivan and Xavier and Conner. We're the ones singing. We're the ones playing. We'll be fine." She nodded and her white knuckles relaxed on her tambourine. Her eyes lost focus and I knew she was doing exactly what I was.

Letting the thoughts flow.

I smiled and hugged her. She was my comfort. Beech was what grounded me. And now she was sharing my dream. Creating her own.

Behind the Unknown finished their song, and they came off stage, smiling. I nodded at them and they nodded back as my own band began setting up onstage. Beech and I stepped out to the still cheering crowd, taking our positions on stage as Xavier began on the piano and the rest of us waited calmly as the cheering died. I readjusted my guitar strap so that the guitar rested on my back and gripped the mike in my hands.

"You were standing in the wake of devastation," I sang. "You were waiting on the edge of the unknown. With the cataclysm raining down, insides crying save me now, you were there, impossibly alone."

Beech began on her tambourine as Conner, Ivan and I picked up with our own instruements. Beech began to sing, filling the crowd with her voice. "Do you feel cold and lost in desperation? You build up hope, but failure's all you've known. Remember all the sadness and frustration, and let it go. Let it go." Ivan and I kept up with my guitar and his base as the drums kind of faded into the background and Xavier continued on the keys.

I sang into the mike once more, Beech singing softly behind me. "And in a burst of light that blinded every angel, as if the sky had blown the heavens into stars, you felt the gravity of tempered grace, falling into empty space, no one there to catch you in their arms." I joined her in the chorus and then there was a bit of instruementals, after which I slung my guitar behind my back, pulled the mike out of the stand, and held it out for the crowd to know to sing.

"Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?" Everyone sang. "You build up hope, but failure's all you've known. Remember all the sadness and frustration, and let it go. Let it go."

I pulled the mike away and began to sing again, going through the same chorus of, "Let it go", Beech taking her own way and singing out of verse with us.

We finally sang the last chorus and the song ended slowly, Xavier playing out the keys and me on the guitar until the final note played and there was no more. The crowd cheered and we hurried offstage, Beech cheering and bouncing and the guys high fiving.

First round was done, yes. I was positive we made it through. As we laughed in our joyous post-concert happiness, Behind the Unknown comes up and we're all high fiving and before I know it, I'm hugging her.

I don't think she realized until the last moment, until we were already wrapped in an embrace, who it was that she was hugging. She stiffened and then melted in my arms, and I buried my face in her blonde hair, enjoying the feel.

"Come on," Xavier said, pulling my arm and dislodging her from my arms. "We're blocking the way." Our things were moved back to our room as we waited for final verdict. The bands were eventually led onstage and Behind the Unknown was immediately counted as safe. Beech grasped my hand as Nora began hugging her own band, and they all shot us looks of encouragement as we waited for our name to be called.

Bands were cut, led offstage. Three bands left. Finally, almost all of the remaining bands were safe. It was just Welcome to Paradise and another band, from another town that I didn't know. We were all gripping hands now. Behind the Unknown stared at us uncertaintly.

The judges adressed the other band and turned to us. "We really like how you got everyone involved, how you had everyone on stage working and everyone out in the crowd singing along. Even we were. You've got talent, great voices, and you know how to work the stage and your instruements. You all made this so tough, but we've come to a decision. Welcome to Paradise, welcome to the second round of Battle of the Bands!" The band cheered, Beech sqeualed, the crowd cheered, Nora and Behind the Unknown cheered. We were all moving forward.

One step closer to facing each other, whenever we did. We knew we would.

It was inevitable.

The light swept over us, and for a moment everything was iridescent, lit brightly and in so many hues of colors that my mind went blank. I froze and felt a body crash into mine. I steadied myself to find Nora hugging me fiercly, her frame still surrounded by that iridescent glow.

"I was so afraid you wouldn't make it," she whispered, and I hugged her slowly, my blood rushing through my veins at an intense speed.

I closed my eyes on the many colors, the bright hues, the iridescence. I closed my eyes on Nora, letting myself feel her.

Knowing I want her.