The Only Thing I Ask

His black eyeliner is too thick, it bugs the hell out of her. His hair is too spiky that he looked dangerous. She doesn’t mind his tats though. In fact she thinks of them as sexy. She certainly doesn’t mind his height, which she could imagine how easily she would lost in his embrace. What the hell was she thinking! She’s not into rock stars like her sister!

But Michelle Skylar cannot take her mind off that electricity that ran through their hands before. It sure wasn’t because of the amp. She knew that, she worked at a musical instrument store. Yeah, what kind of musical chick doesn’t listen to rock right? Well, she loved rock bands. But just not this screamo-headbanging type. Valerie cranked up her stereo every night with the sound of M Shadows screaming and she hated it. Her type of rock is more like MUSE, British rock and so forth.

“Oh, they’re recording right now!” Valerie jumped in excitement and made Michelle came back to earth. Her thoughts about Brian disappeared.

There was an unfamiliar guy came out of nowhere and suddenly sat in front of the many buttons machine, without introducing himself.

“Hey, Val, Michelle. That’s Justin, our audio engineer guy.” Matthew suddenly spoke through the microphone on the other side of the room.

Justin spun around in his chair and waved.

“Okay, M. We’re gonna record this song in demo first. Then we’ll see how it goes.” Justin announced through the small microphone in front of him.

“Sounds cool.”

After a minute or so, they started playing and Matthew’s voice cleared the air. The song was surprisingly, to Michelle, a ballad song. It got caught up in her head so quickly than she’d want to admit it.

Seize the day, or die regretting the time you lost
It’s empty and cold without you here, too many people to ache over.

Matthew’s voice and guitar strums from both Brian and Zacky sounded so soothing. There were no screaming, no headbanging, no heartbeat drums. Michelle liked it, a lot.

They were really raw, without any backup vocals or any other instruments. Brian on the other hand, being his cocky-self, showed off his guitar skills when his solo part came along,

It made Michelle rolled her eyes, but deep down, she’s impressed.

*******************************************************************

“So, what do you think?”

Brian sat on a wooden stool right after Valerie and Michelle went out of the room. He dared not sit on the amplifier again.

“About what?”
“Val’s twin sister.”
Brian stared at Matthew, emotion unreadable. Jimmy the Rev, Johnny and Zacky did the same.
“You sly dog! You brought her here to set it up with him?” Jimmy threw a drumstick at Matthew which he effortlessly dodged.
“I did not! I just thought maybe you’d be...you know…interested.”
Brian chuckled and started playing with his pedal gadget.
“So that I could lay off your fucking girl?”
Matthew looked taken aback. Like his secret had been found out.

“I’m not even interested in your girlfriend, let alone her fucking twin.”
Brian replied coldly. He fiddled with his fingers on the guitar and made some accidental riff.
“If Syn doesn’t want her, I do! Let me date her, M!” Jimmy stood up from his drum stool, hand in the air, like children asking questions at school.
“Why would you?” Johnny innocently asked. Jimmy stared at him.
“Did you not see how hot they are? One of them has been grabbed so I’m up for the other.”
Jimmy danced around crazily, Zacky and Johnny laughed, without realizing that Matthew has been staring at Brian all along.
“All I’m asking is one date. Is that so much to ask, Syn?”
Jimmy still danced around, but Brian started to feel that he should not lose to The Rev.
“Why the fuck, M? Why not Zacky, or Johnny, or Rev?” Brian pointed to Jimmy who was now doing the worm dance move on the floor. Making everyone laughed.

“Because of all that ice in your heart, you bastard!”

The room went silent. Not even Jimmy did anything. They’ve all been trying to break the ice in Brian’s heart. Left by some groupie girl that he used to fall in love with. But it failed everytime. Last month, it was actually the first time since their show in Florida that Brian showed interest to a girl. To Valerie.

“Yea man, I actually thought you were gay for me.” Jimmy once said this, and Brian lazily replied;
“I am gay for you.”
“That’s creepy. We’ve been together since middle school. How much of me have you seen!” Jimmy squealed, covering up his chest like some sort of girl about to be raped. They all laughed. They knew Brian was kidding. But they kept trying.

They welcomed groupies to their tour bus, went out with all-girl bands, and sometimes they went as far as trying to contact Victoria Secret’s models. Of course they couldn’t reach them. Things they did for their cold best friend.

“I play best when I’m a cold hearted bastard.” Brian broke the silence in the recording room finally.
“I don’t fucking doubt it, Syn. We’re just wanna see you happy.”
“I’m happy.” Brian smiled, gritted his teeth and obviously faking it.
“Okay. If you say so. Now let’s jam.”

****************************************************************

Valerie let herself in, because she knew the boys were too busy making music in the recording room. She was alone this time. Michelle had something to do, and she doesn’t want to come anymore. Valerie had no idea why, but the last time she was here with her twin sister, Michelle said this place had too much ‘electricity’.

Only Michelle, Brian and Matthew knew what happened, three weeks ago;

After the band done recording some demos for their upcoming album, Matthew was the first to go out and meet the girls. He saw Valerie was fast asleep and Michelle was reading a book, curling up in the sofa.

“Wow, are we that boring?” he greeted. Michelle looked up and saw Matthew walked towards her and Valerie, with Brian and the rest behind him.
“Oh, no. You guys are good. It’s just that Val hadn’t slept last night. Probably too excited.”
“What about you?” surprisingly, this question came from Brian. He watched her with his hands in his pocket.
Matthew glanced over his shoulder. Only Brian was behind him, the others were probably out for smoke. This gave him a small smile.

Brian looked at Matthew with that ‘I-don’t-wanna-give-you-the-satisfaction’ glare.

“I slept well last night, thank you.” Michelle answered, putting her book away.
Matthew chuckled. “I think he meant, do you find us boring?”
“Oh, no no. You guys are what you guys are. But definitely not boring.”

Brian took a step to sit in front of Michelle, on top of a coffee table. His moves were so smooth, but his stare was piercing. Michelle felt goose bumps all of a sudden.

“So, you are now a fan of us?” he asked, seriously.

Michelle raised her eyebrows. Matthew too, sat on the coffee table and watched them converse. A little satisfied with the attraction between them. But he was worried if Michelle did become their instant fan right now, all plans will go in vain.

“Urm…no offense, but I’m more of a Britrock than heavy metal girl.”
Matthew couldn’t help but grin broadly. Brian slowly sneered at Matthew. That entire amazing guitar solos and she wasn’t impressed enough?

Brian gave up talking. He stood up abruptly and walked out.

“What’s up with him?” Michelle asked, but when she saw Matthew smiled, she got confused. “And…what’s up with you?”
“Nothing really. You go on, I’ll wake Valerie up.”

Michelle put away her Stephen King book in her tote bag and went out.