✭ 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓭 𝓗𝓸𝓻𝓼𝓮𝓼 ✭ steel ball run

✭ Saddle Tramp ✭

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    Practice with Creamstarter has been going well so far. At least twice a week, the band would meet at the studio and work through the songs that covered the set list for the tour. Any arguments were minor and usually over something that could be fixed; it was surprising. Diego didn't seem to get as upset over mistakes; granted, there weren't many to begin with. The band was sounding great and getting along decently enough.

    As Creamstarter finished playing the ending of their last song, they looked amongst each other, and for the first time in a while, a small but genuine smile crossed over HotPants' face. She wasn't one to smile often, and if she did, it wasn't this. This was genuine, her eyes squinting and the bridge of her nose wrinkling.

    "I can't believe it." Gyro scoffed.

    "What?" HotPants inquired, her smile disappearing as if she had just noticed it was there.

    "You can smile. I mean, I thought your face must have been paralyzed or something." He continued.

    "Dude.."

    "Sorry Johnny."

    After a brief silence, Johnny dropped the act and smiled slightly. "Don't apologize, man; I'm just fucking with you." His smile seemed equally natural and unnatural. It was almost like he truly felt like smiling but hadn't for so long that he had forgotten how to. It looked forced but genuine.

    "I'm surprised; we actually sound pretty good." Diego commented, it was rare to hear him say anything nice without it holding a trace of snark. However, his comment was genuine; they did sound good. Possibly even better than they had with Tim or any of the other guitarists. "Let's take a break and go get food somewhere."

    "Sounds good, you payin'?"

    After a long discussion about where to eat, with everyone having different opinions, the band eventually decided to stop by a small cafe. Each of them ordered their individual drinks and snacks, and slowly started talking about things other than music. Getting to know one another as people instead of bandmates. Soon after the conversation started, however, it was interrupted by a young barista announcing their order. She had shoulder-length blonde hair and a familiar face, but Johnny couldn't quite place it.

    "I'll go get our order." Gyro said while standing up.

    "I'm going with you," HotPants added. "She looks familiar somehow."

    Once the table was left with just Johnny and Diego, he finally had a chance to ask a question that had been on his mind since they started practicing together again.

    "What's your deal, Diego?"

    "What?"

    "Your deal. Why are you helping this band? You were doing fine on your own, so why join a band?"

    Diego smiled—another one of his fake smiles. "What? Is it so hard to believe I just wanted to help some smaller talents?"

    "That's exactly it."

    "You think so low of me. I'm honestly hurt." His voice held a fake sadness.

    "It's just out of character for you to do something and get nothing out of it. Especially work with a band. You used to want to do everything on your own."

    Before Diego had any chance to respond, the other two had returned with their orders. Relaying to the others that the barista they had recognized was Lucy, Stephen Steel's daughter. He had adopted her after her family was no longer able to look after her. She used to come around with him to shows and practices, but she was a bit older now. Working her own job instead of piggybacking off of what her father had. Lucy had a good head on her shoulders; she was far more respectable than Johnny was at her age.

    After chatting about nothing and eating lunch together, the band discussed the final decisions to be made for the tour and then went their separate ways.

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