Love is a Crime

Cosmic

"Zoe! Come here!" I abruptly turn around and see Ryan waving at me. He is standing next to two other guys, both that I recognize from our grade.

"Yeah?" I say, after I walk up to them and eye the boys carefully.

"Zoe, this is Jack," Ryan points to the boy with black hair and olive skin.

"And this is Adam," he points to the blond haired boy with tan skin.

"I'm on drums," Jack says, sounding bored.

"I'm the bass player," Adam says in a smooth voice.

"Okay," I look at Ryan expectantly.

"Well, these are the other two for our band," he explains, gesturing at the boys.

"Oh, that's great!" I clap my hands together and look around at the others.

"When can we get started?"

"Well, we're all heading over to my house to start, if you want to come," Ryan offered. "I have all the instruments there,"

"Sure, I don't have anywhere to be,"

"Cool, then let's go!" Ryan leads the way to his car and gestures for everyone to get in. I find myself in the front seat with Adam and Jack in the back.

"We need a band name, if we're going to perform," Jack pipes up from the back.

 At first, he seemed like the kind of guy that kept to himself but was dangerous and dark if you crossed him. Actually, though, once I've been around him for more than five minutes, he's really outgoing and funny.

"I guess we do," Ryan says, scratching his chin.

"Eternal Flame?" Adam suggests, Ryan makes a face and shakes his head.

"Bad Boyz? With a z?" I glare at Ryan.

"Trying to say something?" I snap. He glances over at me and chuckles.

"Guess not,"

"Misty Appearance?" No.

"Dark Ones?" Nope.

"Racial Faces?" Never.

"Cosmic?" my suggestion halts the conversation in the car as everyone thinks it over.

"I like it," Ryan says, and Adam and Jack nod in agreement.

"Then Cosmic it is!" receiving rounds of laughter from the boys as we pull up to Ryan's house.

His house isn't as big as mine but it is still fairly large. The garden out front is well kept and the porch is long, wrapping around the whole house.

The guys and I get out of the car and enter the house, being greeted by a baby German Shepard.

"Oh my god! This is the most adorable puppy I've ever seen!" I exclaim, dropping down on my knees to pick up the dog.

"Thanks, her name is Tasha," Ryan says, scratching the puppy behind her ears.

Ryan pulls us towards the basement where we enter a large room with white walls and speakers. The keyboard is on the couch, while the rest of the instruments are on stands and are already set up.

Instinctively, I walk over to the mini sound booth and sit down on the stool.

"I'll adjust the sound," I say with finality. Ryan picks up his guitar and turns it on. He adjusts some knobs and things on his speaker and then strums a couple chords. I play with dials on the board and we finally have it adjusted.

I do the same for Jack's drums and Adam's bass, leaving the keyboard and microphone untouched.

I get up from my seat and go to the keyboard, setting it up on it's stand and sitting on the bench. Ryan gives me a thumbs up from where he now sits behind the sound booth and I go through the opening chords to All of Me, by John Legend.