clarinet. I always saw her chatting up this bloke that played the tenor sax. So I decided to learn how to play. I had this massive plan that I was going to impress her, she was going to fall madly in love with me and we were going to make all kinds of beautiful music together.”
“And was Penelope impressed?”
“Not even a tiny bit. She not so subtly suggested I stick to the drums,” I shake my head and laugh. “I saved for months to learn how to play that bloody instrument and just like that all my hard work, my hopes and dreams...dashed in an instant.”
Cath scoots closer to me again, moving in so close this time that our legs brush together.
“Just so you know I wouldn’t turn you down if you did that for me.” She says seductively.
“I have a girlfriend.” I reply.
“I know that.” she says, making no attempt to move back.
“I’m in love with her.”
“I know that too.” The irritation in her voice rings out loud and clear.
I open my mouth to say something else, but as I do, the door swings open and we both jump like we were caught doing something we shouldn’t be doing. Collin walks in with Ann and Noah following behind him. I glance back at the window to the control room and see Jack, Dean and Marie standing with Domino and Bash. Jack is staring straight at me trying, I’m sure, to telepathically remind me of the warning he gave me about Cath earlier. Maybe he is right and she is interested but my heart and affections are with Abby and no one can change that.
“You ready Tyler?” Collin asks. “I want to get the piano laid out and then get Noah and Ann in to the sound booths.”
“Ready.” I say. I turn to Cath. “Hey, there’s actually something I wanted to talk about when I’m done. Mind if I come looking for you?”
“Sure, I’ll talk to you when you’re done.” Cath says as she rises and walks out of the main room, grabbing Ann by the arm as she walks by her and pulling her out the door with her.
Noah sits down on the stool inside of Sound Booth A and Collin walks back into the control room.
“Alright Sticks,” Bash’s voice booms through the speakers. “Go ahead whenever you’re ready.”
I turn back around towards the piano and start playing. I’m a few bars in when Bash interrupts me.
“Could you do that again but a little slower this time?”
I nod and start over going through the entire song this time. Bash has me play through a couple more times before he tells me they are satisfied with what they have so far.
“Nice job Sticks.” Ann says as she passes me on her way to Sound Booth B.
“Thanks Pipes, now go in there and make my work sound totally ace.”
Ann laughs. “Of course, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I walk into the control room and glance around but I don’t see Cath. Jack and Dean are sitting at the control panel with Domino, Bash and Collin listening to Ann and Noah sing. I don’t want to ask them if they know where she went because I don’t feel like catching flak from Jack about it.
I manage to slip outside without anyone noticing or, at least, if they did notice they chose not to say anything. I spot Cath and Marie sitting up against the oak tree where Cath and I wrote Drowning the other day. Cath and Marie give me matching Cheshire cat grins as I walk up which makes me wonder what they were talking about.
“Hello ladies.” I say.
“So...there was something you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Uh yeah,” I shift back and forth from foot to foot trying to figure out the best way to broach the subject. “Did you ...uhm...did you tell Abby she was fat and that you have a problem with her?”
For a moment Cath’s face turns to stone and she looks angry. Then, all of the sudden, her face softens and she starts to laugh. “Seriously? Wow! Tyler, I was just joking around with her. I’m so sorry, I had no idea she would take what I was saying seriously!”
“Yeah, she was a little upset.”
“I don’t even
“And was Penelope impressed?”
“Not even a tiny bit. She not so subtly suggested I stick to the drums,” I shake my head and laugh. “I saved for months to learn how to play that bloody instrument and just like that all my hard work, my hopes and dreams...dashed in an instant.”
Cath scoots closer to me again, moving in so close this time that our legs brush together.
“Just so you know I wouldn’t turn you down if you did that for me.” She says seductively.
“I have a girlfriend.” I reply.
“I know that.” she says, making no attempt to move back.
“I’m in love with her.”
“I know that too.” The irritation in her voice rings out loud and clear.
I open my mouth to say something else, but as I do, the door swings open and we both jump like we were caught doing something we shouldn’t be doing. Collin walks in with Ann and Noah following behind him. I glance back at the window to the control room and see Jack, Dean and Marie standing with Domino and Bash. Jack is staring straight at me trying, I’m sure, to telepathically remind me of the warning he gave me about Cath earlier. Maybe he is right and she is interested but my heart and affections are with Abby and no one can change that.
“You ready Tyler?” Collin asks. “I want to get the piano laid out and then get Noah and Ann in to the sound booths.”
“Ready.” I say. I turn to Cath. “Hey, there’s actually something I wanted to talk about when I’m done. Mind if I come looking for you?”
“Sure, I’ll talk to you when you’re done.” Cath says as she rises and walks out of the main room, grabbing Ann by the arm as she walks by her and pulling her out the door with her.
Noah sits down on the stool inside of Sound Booth A and Collin walks back into the control room.
“Alright Sticks,” Bash’s voice booms through the speakers. “Go ahead whenever you’re ready.”
I turn back around towards the piano and start playing. I’m a few bars in when Bash interrupts me.
“Could you do that again but a little slower this time?”
I nod and start over going through the entire song this time. Bash has me play through a couple more times before he tells me they are satisfied with what they have so far.
“Nice job Sticks.” Ann says as she passes me on her way to Sound Booth B.
“Thanks Pipes, now go in there and make my work sound totally ace.”
Ann laughs. “Of course, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I walk into the control room and glance around but I don’t see Cath. Jack and Dean are sitting at the control panel with Domino, Bash and Collin listening to Ann and Noah sing. I don’t want to ask them if they know where she went because I don’t feel like catching flak from Jack about it.
I manage to slip outside without anyone noticing or, at least, if they did notice they chose not to say anything. I spot Cath and Marie sitting up against the oak tree where Cath and I wrote Drowning the other day. Cath and Marie give me matching Cheshire cat grins as I walk up which makes me wonder what they were talking about.
“Hello ladies.” I say.
“So...there was something you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Uh yeah,” I shift back and forth from foot to foot trying to figure out the best way to broach the subject. “Did you ...uhm...did you tell Abby she was fat and that you have a problem with her?”
For a moment Cath’s face turns to stone and she looks angry. Then, all of the sudden, her face softens and she starts to laugh. “Seriously? Wow! Tyler, I was just joking around with her. I’m so sorry, I had no idea she would take what I was saying seriously!”
“Yeah, she was a little upset.”
“I don’t even
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