⌁ Thunder ⌁ Lana Del Rey Fanfiction

chapter ten: trio

Lana and I talked casually in the group setting of the party as the night grew darker. She sat on top of the armrest of the couch I sat at, her hand going down to rub at my back while she spoke. This motion wasn't visible to anyone else and made me feel warm inside, even if it was probably just an unimportant reflex coming from Lana.

"So you're working with a label?" She said with intrigue to Natalie, who sat at the sofa opposite of us.

"Yeah. I just got signed recently." Natalie took long drags and let out clouds of smoke casually between words. Her eyes had turned heavy as she slowly got high. "Things weren't working out with my old label. Holding back some of my music, just things like that."

Zella, who was lingering on the side, suddenly spoke up.

"You never thought to pursue things professionally?" She looked straight at Lana, which caused Lana to gulp and look down. For a split second I thought Zella had made things too awkward, so I glared at her angrily. Her eyes widened and we both quickly looked back to Lana, who began to prepare her response. I was relieved.

"I did. I just got caught up in other things and never looked back. Then, teaching came into my life and I found it a better fit." She smiled insincerely after her words. She probably fooled Zella and everyone else, but not me.

"Ah." Zella said.

Natalie leaned forward. "You still sing?"

"Casually. Just for fun, really." Lana seemed nervous.

"Well, why don't we hear something?" Zella quickly replied.

Lana looked around at all of us, not thinking Zella was serious. Natalie and Zella seemed to be waiting hopefully.

"I don't know-" She crossed her arms.

A man stood up, likely the host of the party, and returned with a guitar. Zella took it from him and looked intently at Lana.

"Any song in mind?"

Lana, noticing things were serious now, straightened up. She looked down at me and I smiled encouragingly. Her soft eyes were timid in the moment, but seeing her talent before, I knew it would radiate confidence the moment she started singing.

"Do you know how to play Diamonds and Rust?"

Zella played a few loose chords before strumming a melody I had never heard of before.

Lana extended a hand out to Natalie, taking a slow drag from the blunt and quickly exhaling, then handing it back over. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate. This would be a new performance under my eyes of a song I was unfamiliar with.

Well, I'll be damned,
Here comes your ghost again,
But that's not unusual,
It's just that the moon is full...
And you happened to call.

She sung five more verses, all in her classic yet distinct sweet voice. Everyone had stopped to listen in the room to the point where the only thing audible was her. We were all entranced by the end, even Zella as she played the final strings to end the song. We had seen something magical. Pure and utter potential. There was something special there, and we all knew it. A few drunk people cheered out, and Lana's face was slowly turning a light shade of red.

"That was amazing," Natalie raised her brows and smiled. "Thank you for sharing that."

Lana smiled harder and ruffled her hair.

"I have an idea, why don't we try something with the three of us? Acapella style?" Zella said as she put the guitar away.

"Like what?" Lana replied, this time much more confidently. She had gotten more comfortable in the atmosphere.