Mad Seasons [Abandoned Story]

12.We Are Here Now[Part 1]

Although I wasn't used to drinking a glass of alcohol, I indulged in half a shot of sake, drinking it in one gulp after informing them that it was my first time.

"Then make a wish," Dave joked, having swallowed it more easily than me, as did the others.

My eyes watered from the strength of the rice alcohol, as did Stone's, Eddie's and a little bit of Mike's. As for Jeff and Dave, they had been the most resistant to the effect of the sake.

We then got to talking about the music, what we liked, what we listened to. Everyone responded, listening carefully and telling me that some of them had very interesting and eclectic tastes. The way they spoke in turn about their interest in music had literally fascinated me. I discovered a part of their personality that I liked. Not only were they a talented band, but  weren't  a pea-brain 

What made us laugh was playing that game that many people know; The music you listen to for guilty pleasure. Jeff was the first to take the plunge.

"Kylie Minogue; I should be lucky."

The guys laughed, finding there were worse guilty pleasures to listen to.

"Anyway, as soon as you hear her name, you get a hard-on. " Dave joked crudely, which caused a general laughter, including myself, due to his directness.

For my part, I adored Kylie Minogue whom I listened to a lot when I was a young teenager and her musical evolution in the early 90s was very promising. We got the proof years later.

"Yeah, I admit it, I have a little crush on her. And Marianne listens to her a lot. It sticks in my head afterwards."

I guessed she was his girlfriend which he confirmed, adding that she was due to arrive tonight on a red-eye and would be introduced to me, assuring me she was a girl worth knowing. I admit, I feared the worst because of the way Jeff had said it, widening his eyes.

"How can I put this... She has a very sparkling mind."

"She's wacky, yeah!" corrected Dave with a nervous chuckle.

The boys nodded with wide-eyed smiles.

Stone's guilty pleasure was Bananarama; Venus and got poked fun at by his buddies while acknowledging that there were worse pleasures as well. Calmly, with a smile on my face and my elbow resting on the counter, I replied that I liked the track.

"You're a girl, that's normal."

Decidedly, Dave was always ready to jump in and speak his mind in a rather casual manner.

"That's sexist what you say." I replied casually and humorously without taking it the wrong way.

"Shit, it's true. How silly of me!" he said, his tone joking as he slapped his forehead with his hand. Bob! And you. What's your guilty pleasure?" he added as if he had challenged me.

I took a short moment to think and then stared at him.

"Let's see ..... Ice Ice Baby and Can't Touch It." then I winced because I knew that for them this song could be among the worst guilty pleasures. "Never Gonna Give You Up."

Dave leaned his head back and shouted; No!!! with a smile.

"Okay. For now, you win." he joked.

"How about you? What's your guilty pleasure?" I asked him in the same tone as he had earlier.

"Without hesitation; Push It, Salt-N-Pepa."

"You're right, so far I'm winning," I joked back.

He had guessed that I also liked this track and he laughed at my answer. Mike's guilty pleasure was Madonna's Express Yourself and Eddie's was Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing. The guys in the band laughed, very surprised but that was the game. And just like that, he was the winner. Dave got up from the stool to go buy some cigarettes and as he passed by, he patted me on the shoulder and said; Well done anyway, Miss!