Chapter 5
Sunday morning was usually spent in Derrick’s cozy garage and today was no exception. It was usually early in the morning when we were all meant to go to mass. Vanessa was an atheist; she worshipped Facebook on Derrick’s laptop while I worshipped his mum’s weekly fashion magazines. I usually felt guilty about missing mass like this but I usually tried to make up for it by sneaking off at six in the evening. Today, however, I just felt like sitting in Derrick’s patio set while Derrick and his band tried to rehearse a song, it was a rock cover of Britney Spear’s song, “Toxic” and in spite of the fact that the lead singer, Mike, looked kind of gay and hilarious singing half the lyrics I actually genuinely liked it.
Derrick looked immersed in the music playing the electric guitar and providing the backup singing. The other two, the drum player Gary with his red hair in neat spikes and a checked shirt and a bass player Sam, with light brown hair and sleek cheekbones, his eyes were an adorable shade of baby blue. He was adorable but apparently he was the biggest user of the band. It surprised me.
The garage was specially converted into a play room by Derrick’s dad who didn’t want people in the house. There was a large television and a bunch of beanbags to sit on and one large sofa. There was an old patio set at the slide up huge door and a laptop.
Vanessa was lying on the sofa and looking surfing the net, wearing an oversized hoody and dark boots. I looked the same with my hair up in a high ponytail and an oversized shirt and jeans.
I didn’t know how many Sundays we had sat in this exact garage and watched Derrick’s band perform. We used to come here as early as nine and played board games and many make believe games in which I always played the princess in distress and Derrick played the daring prince.
I could still remember those times like they were yesterday.
“And I would play the daring, handsome prince that rescues her,” Derrick said brandishing an old umbrella with such ferocity that both Vanessa and I backed up a few steps.
“Who would we play?” asked Vanessa gazing at the umbrella fearfully.
“You’ll play the troll,” said Derrick pointing it at Vanessa and I started laughing.
“Vanessa is the troll,” I teased.
Vanessa pouted folding both her arms and stamping her legs on the floor, “Why do I always have to play the troll? You always make me play the troll! That’s not fair.”
Both Derrick and I were already on the floor laughing.
“Well what do you think?” asked Derrick suddenly breaking me out of my reverie.
I gazed at the present day, sixteen year old Derrick and smiled as his bright blue eyes twinkled with his passion for music.
“What do I think of what?” I asked.
Derrick’s look of excitement fell and he sighed, “Didn’t you hear what we were playing.”
“It was gay,” drawled Vanessa without looking up from the computer.
Derrick scowled and looked at me hopefully, “Did you like it?”
“Well,” I said thoughtfully, “I did like it actually. It’s really original and what you did to the song, twisted it to be yours while at the same time keeping it recognizable…that was amazing.”
Derrick grinned widely then put his guitar down walked to a cooler and threw out cans of coke to everyone.
“Excellent then,” said Mike looking handsome in the streams of sunlight spilling in through the cracks in the garage door, his blond highlights sparkled teasingly and his hair looked ruffled and messed up. His dark eyes looked happy and mischievous as they always had. He had been the new boy from the country a few years ago before Derrick discovered his singing voice and forced him into his band, Mike agreed willingly, ever since he laid eyes on Vanessa. They had all been inseparable since, “So I guess what we need to do is book us a gig and then we are going to blow everyone’s minds off.”
“Right,” said Gary running a hand through his hair and taking a long sip of coke, “Now the problem is where we are going to find the gig? And how are we going to blow everyone’s mind off.”
“I have a suggestion actually,” said Vanessa.
The whole band pointedly ignored Vanessa, Derrick grabbed another can of coke and sat down beside me giving it to me he knew how sensitive I was to thrown objects.
“So how are you feeling?” he asked grinning leaning his back against the table.
I frowned, “I’m ok,” I said and shook my head, “It was a complete misunderstanding.”
“Actually you were gutted,” came Vanessa’s voice.
I glared at her, “Thanks for that.”
Derrick looked sympathetic, “I’m sorry,” he said and put a hand over mine, his touch was comforting and I couldn’t help smiling, “Hopefully you feel better now.”
“Oohh…” came a loud chorus of high pitched male voices and we turned around to Gary, Sam and Mike batting their eyelashes and laughing, “Whoa Derrick, your pick up lines are to die for.”
Derrick glared at them and quickly released my hand leaning back and grabbing his can of coke, “You can’t talk Sam you haven’t reached puberty yet to understand.”
“Well I have a plan for you guys,” said Vanessa again.
All of them sighed and turned to look at her, “Well what is it then?”
“That song is for girls,” said Vanessa looking at us.
“What do you mean it’s for girls,” said Gary raising his eyebrows and looking at her as if she was stupid.
“I mean a guy can’t exactly sing it without sounding gay,” said Vanessa smartly insulting Mike while at the same time giving out kick-ass advice.
“And so you want to sing it?” asked Derrick and they all started laughing.
“Actually…Michelle is going to,” said Vanessa with a smile at me.
The laughing ceased and they looked at me with wide eyes and gaping mouths; I didn’t know whether I should be flattered or insulted that they didn’t laugh.
“Vanessa,” I said through gritted teeth, “I’m not going to.”
“Yes you are,” said Vanessa and put the laptop down and got up, “Guys, we need a favor.”
“Why would we help you?” asked Gary raising an eyebrow, “You just insulted us.”
“You’re not going to,” said Vanessa, “But Derrick is, isn’t that right?”
Derrick glanced at me then at Vanessa, “Emm... I don’t think that’s possible…”
“Are you trying to imply that I’m not a good singer,” I said glaring at him.
“Well honey, we haven’t exactly heard you sing,” said Sam.
“Oh we have,” said Derrick and then frowned and gazed at Vanessa suspiciously, “Why?”
“As it happens, Michelle is going to audition for a play.”
The room suddenly rang out with laughter and I felt myself flushing furiously.
“Are you serious?”
“Like come on?”
“Michelle? Performing…?”
“Didn’t you see what happened…?”
“Do. Not. Refer. To. That. Speech!” I hissed.
“Why would you want to audition for a play?” asked Derrick after forcing himself not to laugh, his eyes was tearing up.
“Because she feels like it,” said Vanessa acting as my fucking lawyer again, “Now what we need for it, is a song and perform a scene from the play.”
“Are you serious?” I asked looking at her with wide eyes, “You’re expecting me to fucking sing and perform a scene? I don’t even know the scene of the damn play!”
“I’m working on the details Michelle,” said Vanessa reassuringly, “But your job is to prepare for the audition.”
“And why would we help you?” asked Sam folding his hands and looking interested.
Vanessa grinned, “Because, the audition room is going to be filled with an audience, as in the people auditioning and the people that are already in the play, you will play for all of them, show them the talent you have and you never know, they might get interested enough to be your fans.”
“So publicity,” said Gary thoughtfully.
Derrick looked at me with a small frown on his face; his stare was starting to make me paranoid. I glanced at him and he turned away.
“How about this,” said Mike, “We will let Michelle perform and you will kiss me.”
Vanessa and I looked at him in surprise and disgust.
“Do I look like a prostitute Mike?” asked Vanessa with disgust.
Gary and Sam laughed, Derrick didn’t even move, he just watched the scene behind emotionless eyes.
“One kiss,” said Mike holding up a finger and puckering his lips, “You’ll get what you want and I’ll get what I want.”
“It’s not worth it,” I said quietly trying not to laugh; everyone knew that Mike had been trying to impress Vanessa since he first came to live here and Vanessa never made it a secret that she despised him, and the rest of the band except for Derrick. She never told me why.
“Why would I want to kiss you?” asked Vanessa raising an eyebrow.
Sam “ooohed” and Gary burst out laughing.
“Who wouldn’t want to kiss me?” asked Mike a slow grin spreading across his face.
“Good point,” said Vanessa and beckoned him towards her with one finger.
Mike waggled his eyebrows at Derrick and got off his perch at the cooler. Vanessa walked towards him and grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him towards her. The move looked sexy and we all watched holding our breaths, wondering if she was actually going to do it.
“So just one kiss,” murmured Vanessa, “And then Michelle can join the band?”
“Just one,” promised Mike leaning forward.
Vanessa tilted her face towards his with exaggerated slowness, prolonging the moment; teasing him then as he leaned forward…she brought her knee up and hit him in between the legs.
Mike let go with a groan of pain and the band roared with laughter.
“Screw you,” said Vanessa angrily and stalked towards me, “Come on Michelle, we’re leaving!”
I got up quickly and the two of us walked towards the door. Our awesome exit was of course ruined by the annoying buzz of the door sliding open, slowly. Vanessa looked impatient to leave and the boys just kept on laughing.
“Well that was impressive,” I murmured watching the door.
“I know,” sighed Vanessa.
It took us a while before the door finally opened and grabbing my arm Vanessa made to step out of the garage when a loud voice said.
“Michelle, you're in the band!”
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