Exploding Heart Disorder (Fearless Vampire Killers Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

[Drew's P.O.V.]

Everything is a sudden panic as the impending doom approaches, and I realise one thing: it's Tuesday. Time for our very first public gig. Well, outdoors, anyway.

I pack my bass guitar away into its bag, and see that the others are all bouncing around in anticipation. I smile slightly, knowing that if I'm nervous, imagine how bad Shane must be!

Speak of the devil, the poor guy is sitting hugging his bag-clad guitar, muttering to himself as he kicks at a pair of sound pedals. Poor guy.

Laurence is singing softly to himself, obviously practicing his vocals, and Kier is dancing around, still in only his underwear despite the fact that we're planning to head out in an hour.

"Oi, Wooly! Heads up!" Luke roars, tossing what I can only assume is a drumstick at me. I gape, dodging it quickly, and then hear a small, startled "owwie" from behind me. I turn quickly, seeing that Alyx is clutching her nose, and I can see the thick red mark right up her face that tells me the drumstick hit her right where it should have hit me instead.

"You alright?" She knows I mean something else entirely, and my question is nothing to do with her face.

"I will be, though it'll hurt like a bugger later." I can tell she means something completely different.

"Want me to kiss it better, love?" Kier grins, pulling on a black shirt as he walks past us. Alyx flushes a deep shade of red, scowling.

"That's Drew's job." I hear Shane mutter, and then for some strange reason they're all roaring with laughter. Probably from nerves. Or to distract themselves from hangovers, who knows.

"I need a drink." I mutter, which is unusual for me because usually I don't get nervous enough to crave alcohol.

I feel a small hand slip up onto my shoulder as Alyx taps it a few times, and I look down at her, smiling slightly.

"Nervous, much?" She looks like she's suppressing a smirk.

"Kinda. They want me to sing."

"I've never heard you sing before. Bet you're great."

I try not to laugh. Sure, I've had vocal training in music and stuff, and I'm acceptable, but not nearly trained or experienced enough to be called "great".

"Kier, get some bloody clothes on!" I hear the familiar little bark that belongs to none other than Mitch Kemp, and Kier seems to yell somewhat of a battle cry as he grabs his jeans and flings them at his sister. I watch in the usual bemusement that I hold when in the same room as the twins, wondering why on earth she's even showed up so early.

"Uhm. Mitch. It's only twelve. We're not planning to leave for a while yet, and just set up from where ever we decide to play-"

"You mean you haven't decided where you're playing?! Oh my god, you're so unorganised!" Mitch exclaims. I suppress another snort.

"You don't say..." Laurence sighs, before standing up and clapping his hands together. "To dress up, or not to dress?"

"Dress up." Barrone mumbles, shaking his goggles to make some kind of point. I'm suddenly more nervous than before as I think about this - our first ever proper, public show. Not on a stage, and probably at the side of our van, and definitely free, but even so. It's our first gig. And in our part of town, of all places!

"I have a feeling no one's going to come." Luke sighs. We all turn towards him in question.

"Sure people will come. We spread it round school all last week, didn't we?" Kier hops across the front room as he struggles into his jeans.