Boy In The Band

Your friend made you come to an underground punk show inside an old club that was downtown. You didn’t know anyone playing but as soon as the openers came out to do their set the lead singer caught your eye. He was tall, handsome and had a voice like smooth butter as he sang. His big rough fingers worked his guitar masterfully as his band and him wowed the crowd. All the other women seemed to also find him sexy and talented. After the show ended you and your friend walk back to her car but notice the band from before, the ‘Dreamcrasher’, loading up equipment into their red graffitied van. She grabbed their attention and pulled you along with her to introduce yourselves and get her shirt signed. The band seemed uninterested besides the lady crazy douche bag looking drummer. However the lead singer you thought was hot seemed to be eyeing you while he put his amps away.

You enter the loud squished in crowd of people gathered around the stage for this underground music show your friend made you go to. You’ve never heard of any of the bands playing but your friend insisted. She dragged you two towards the second row to the stage, elbowing people left and right. The lights were practically blinding as the colors began to swirl and the room erupted once the first cord of the guitar started. As each member started to play a stage light shone on them. The last light revealed the leader as his singing suddenly began. He captivated you, he was tall and so…hot. They played a loud rock song that made everyone jump up and down in a frenzy, his stage present was seductive yet cool and nonchalant. For a brief moment as his eyes looked through the crowd that landed on you. He had a small smirk that played on his lips as he picked up singing the rest of their set.As the song finished and you and your friend were leaving towards her car you saw him and his band packing up their instruments in a red graffitied van. Your friend got excited and dragged you two to go meet them. “Hey! We loved your set you guys are awesome! Could I get you to sign my shirt?” She yelled to them confidently as she pulled you with her. “Uhh—Sure anything for a couple of babes.” The slick looking drummer piped up and fumbled for a sharpie in the front seat. The band seemed to ignored you both, but the lead singer from before was taking a long glance at you as he put the amps away “Thanks—this is my friend here…” She nudged you to speak up and introduce yourself. You best not embarrass her. In the cramped garage that doubled as their rehearsal space, the 'Dreamcrashers' band members bantered as they fine-tuned their music for an upcoming gig.

The band, ‘Dreamcrashers’ met in Jeans garage for their band practice. Marcus spoke up between playing his chords “Gabbie, let's amp up the bass in the bridge.” Gabbie, their bassist, rolled her eyes and said with sarcasm. “Oh yeah—I’ll make it purr like a Ferrari.” The band smirked, familiar with Gabbie's trademark sass. Jean, their drummer, drummed away in a nearby surface waiting for his band to get back on track. “Keep it down, Gabbie. Neighbors won't appreciate a concert.”

Chris, their stoner backup guitarist spoke up between taking a quick hit from a nearby bong “Jean, dude, your drumming is a public service announcement.” Jean flicked Chris a quick middle finger and positioned himself to get ready to start the set off Marcus sighed and strummed a few Chords before speaking up. “Starting from the top. Chris, no detours this time.” Chris put down the bong and straightened up his guitar, nodding with his head at the ready. My detours are scenic, Man. You should enjoy the view. Gabbie scoffed and plucked at her bass. “Save the scenic routes for later. Let's get through the song, I have a date with my girlfriend tonight.” In the midst of the music, Marcus caught a stray chord and halted the song making everyone else groan. “Who's adding that mystery chord in the chorus?” He glared around the room to his band mates. Chris finally spoke up with a guilty look on his face. “Surprises are cool?” He shrugged and grimaced knowing Marcus would be annoyed with him, which he was. Jean laughed at him and Chris shot him a sneer. “Get your shit together man, we have a big show coming up, I wanna get this new song right. K’ man?” *Marcus spoke up and pointed his guitar pick menacingly at Chris who sighed and nodded in defeat with closed eyes. “You got it boss man.” Marcus sighed and looked to his band mates, “Alright—from the top.” The band continued, their banter creating an informal yet effective groove in the garage.

It was halfway through junior year of highshool and the unpopular boys, Marcus and Jean skipped class to sit on the outside bleachers. “We should totally start a band dude—-chicks would dig us. You’re mad talented on the guitar and you sang a little in middle didn’t you?” Jean spoke up and nudged Marcus as they plopped down on the cold metal of the bleachers. “Yeah but don’t bring that shit up man it was so cringy being in choir.” Marcus rolled his eyes and Jean laughed and smacked his back a little too hard. “Still bro…I NEED to get laid already. I’m literally shriveling away. We both love rock music, I have my drum set and you have your guitar—why not man?” Jean asks and looks to the empty football field with a few students running track. Marcus speaks up after a few moments of thinking. “Uh—-I guess we could give it a shot…but it’s just the two of us isn’t that kinda…lame?” Marcus looked to him. Jean seemed to ponder it and sunk back into his seat, frustrated Marcus was right. “Yeah…” In that very moment another guy spoke up. “Dudes y’all forming a band? Wicked. Can I join?” They two looked for where the voice was coming from then suddenly turned around and peered through the cracks in the bleachers. It was a scrawny guy with grown out blonde hair smoking a joint. They had never even seen him around school before. “Dude how long have you been there?” Marcus asked in bewilderment “Uhh—the whole time. You dudes should be more aware of your surroundings.” The guy chuckled and took another hit of the joint. “Who the fuck are anyways?” Jean piped in. “Names Christopher—but don’t EVER call me that. It’s Chris. Like Christmas.” Chris nodded and asked his joint. He clearly wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. “Soo uh—you play?” Marcus asked. “Yup, I got a Gibson guitar at home I play a little…sing a little—I mean not GREAT at singing but I get by.” Chris shrugs and speaks nonchalantly. Jean and Markus think it over for a split second and whisper to each other. “He COULD do back up vocals and second guitar?” Jean whispered to Marcus.Marcus seemed hesitant. “I mean maybe but…is he even in our grade who is this guy?” They both look back to Chris who was clearly listening the whole time. “You like indie rock Chris?” Jean asked. Chris shrugged “I’m down for whatever, man.” Jean and Marcus shared a quick glance as if to say ‘fuck it he’s in’. They both look back to him. “Pass that joint over here and you’re in, buddy.” Jean said enthusiastically.

It was two weeks of the boy meeting in Jeans garage for band practice, the band still felt like it was missing something and all the boys knew it. They needed a cool bassist. They printed and put up fliers around town asking for a ‘cool and totally awesome bassist, must come with own bass’. After a couple of days a girl turned up knocking on the garage door. They opened it excitedly. “Oh shit—it’s a chick!” Jean said a little too loud and a little too excitedly.Marcus nudged him hard to shut up. “Uh—welcome to the Dreamcrashers—you’re here for the position right?” Marcus looked at her awkwardly. She was short but seemed to have a mean sassy aura about her. She pointed to the case on her back sarcastically. “Nah I’m here going door to door selling basses. Want one?” She blew her bubblegum and let it pop. “Oh uh—I—“ Marcus began to stutter and embarrass himself but Chris stepped in. “Sup’ little lady, you got what it take to be in our band?” He looked her up and down, matching her intimidating aura. “It’s not ‘little lady’— it’s Gabbie and you reek of weed.” She smirked up at him and set down the case, pulling out her bass and began playing an awesome riff. She definitely had skills, and attitude, and she was hot. She checked all the guys boxes. “You’re in.” Jean said without hesitation as she finished. “Also there’s a rule about dating band mates but I’ll make an exception for you.” Jean couldn’t help but flirt with EVERY slightly attractive woman he meets. She scoffed and laughed right in his face immediately crushing his confidence. “I hate to break it to you Casanova, I’m gay—and I have a girlfriend.” She says simply. All the guys share a look and Marcus and Chris can’t help but snicker at Jean who looks crushed.

*It was high school Graduation and the band all celebrated at an after party thrown by a popular cheerleader. They had been asked to play and the blew the crowd away. The popular kids that had either bullied them or didn’t even know they existed now saw them as future rock stars. Chris had ended up getting laid by a cute nerdy girl in his red graffitied van. Gabbie left early with her girlfriend seeing as they went to a different all girls prep school and didn’t know anyone there. Jean and Marcus stuck by each others side the whole night, Marcus having to watch Jean strike out with every girl he hit on. Finally towards the end of the night a pair of friends came up to them and thought they were cute. The blonde went with Jean upstairs and he finally lost his virginity. Marcus however was left on the porch alone, making out with the redhead. His fumbling virgin hands roamed her body and she found it cute he didn’t know what to do. “Let me lead.” She whispered and licked his neck, sending shivers down his back. His dick hardened in his pants. She noticed and reached to touch it. Marcus was hesitant to have sex with her at first, he was a virgin and didn’t really know her. The only reason he agreed was because she had a condom and he didn’t want to be the last of his friends to be a virgin. So that night, in a random guest room of the house party, he lost his virginity to a girl he didn’t really know or care about.

It was now 3 years later and it was Marcus’s 21st birthday, his band mates and friends took him out to the local dive bar. They drank and laughed, some doing karaoke, Jean of course flirting with any girl that looked single. While Marcus sat at the bar looking nonchalantly a hot blonde came up to him. “Hey hot stuff—wanna do some shots with me?” She cooed at him and put her hand in his arm. “Uh—no thanks I’m not interested.” *He said a little too coldly. His eyes seemed clearly uninterested as they looked to the football game on a tv. She scoffed but persisted. “Come on—at least give me a chance to get to know you. You’re very handsome.” She leaned up to him, his breasts practically popping out of her shirt as she whispered up in his ear. “Look—“ Marcus backed up slightly and finished his drink in one gulp. “You’re very pretty, but I’m not interested, sorry.” *He said coldly and left money on the bar and her alone and insulted as he went to go find Chris and Jean.