After Effects

Chapter 23. - The Warning

I held a hand up to the blinding light, shielding my eyes. The boys were still getting into position so i had time to do the same. I ran over to where i was supposed to be and got ready. The room was incredibly hot. Too hot. Maybe it was just my anxiety toying with me but a heat wave ran through my entire body. I shook my head, trying to snap out of whatever total mental state i was in. It didn't work though.

I heard Bojan saying something in Spanish. I understood a couple words. He very simply just greeted the venue full of a party-ready audience and then said something else.

The first note played and Bojan began singing.

B: Mi bomo celo noč plesali
Ljubili se in se igrali

Everything was so bright, my eyes were hurting. The audience was wearing all sorts of colors. The fantasy of violently tearing my own eyes out hadn't left my mind for even a second. I brought my hand up to feel my round eyeball.

B: Kot da nas jutri več ne bo

Bojan sang and as the beat dropped cheers erupted from the crowd. The music, the cheers, the yelling, the clapping all melted together in a haze of white noise. I decided that maybe there'd be calmer by the side of Nace, who stood in the back by Jure. I walked toward him and Nace saw so he left Jure and met me halfway. I tried my best to appear as normal as possible. I was swaying my shoulders and stomping onto the ground in an attempt. I could feel the vibrations of the music through the stage floor. It was tickling my feet and legs and not in any relaxing way.

Despite what i hoped it was just as horrible over there. I felt my ears pounding from all the noise, head throbbing. I think even the audience could see my shaking hands, which made my bass player abilities look rather questionable. From the vibrations, my uncontrollable shaking and soul crushing sound level, i knelt down in front of Nace. By doing so i wouldn't have to use non-existing energy on standing. The two of us were just jamming as we played our parts. Nace had a lot more energy than i did and would occasionally jump a little bit or headbang. Like really headbang, almost like he was Metallica.

The guitar solo began and i got up from the floor. A briefe moment of darkness and dizziness swallowed my head after i got up. I however resisted the stumbling and gained my vision back again in no time.

Bojan and Nace rushed over to each other and screamed in each others faces. To be honest it was my favorite part of our performance. There was something so rock n' roll about that little interaction. As i got up i dropped my pick. It slipped out of my disgustingly sweaty hands. I looked down for it but for some weird reason it took me a really long time to pick it up. It was as if all the energy had been beaten out of me and i had to gather the strength to pick it back up. It was one of those pink guitar picks i had been gifted by that girl in the park. It was princess pink with our 'Carpe Diem' sun logo in a dark purple. It was really pretty. It must've been a pain in the ass to make.

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with air and not letting it back out until i had picked up my pick. Then i realized the guitar solo had almost come to an end so i hurried to take off my bass.

How had time passed so fast? I didn't use that long to stare at my guitar pick, did i?

As i took my bass off my eyes caught Bojan spinning around on stage. He was letting the music completely take over him.

I wished i had the same love for being on stage as Bojan did. Bojan had always been told he belonged on stage. He was a performer in his heart. His soul craved a stage as his dancefloor, which he gladly transformed it into. He needed peoples attention and their eyes on him with his talented voice.

Bojan and i met in the middle of the stage just by the front. He gave me a microphone. Before the guitar solo ended Bojan leaned close to me. His lips centimeters from my ear. I could feel his breath on my ear.