Collete.

The First Chord

Act 1: Nothing much.

Joseph jolted awake to the harsh sound of his phone buzzing on the nightstand. Groaning, he reached over, squinting at the screen as the bright light burned through his half-closed eyes. It was Ray, calling way too early for a Saturday. He swiped to answer, his voice still groggy. 

"What's up, Ray?"

"Yo, man! You gotta come over, like, right now," Ray's voice buzzed with excitement on the other end. 

"Ouais is already here, and I've got this crazy new song idea. I'm calling it 'Freaky Song for Freaks.' You don't wanna miss this!" 

Joseph rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, already feeling a mix of curiosity and dread. Knowing Ray, it was going to be something wild. "Alright, give me a few minutes."

Joseph sat at the kitchen table, spooning cereal into his mouth while his mom leaned against the counter, eyeing him with a familiar mix of concern and frustration.

"Joseph, we need to talk about your grades," she began, her tone gentle but firm. "They've been slipping, and I'm worried. I know you love your music, but you need to start focusing more on your studies."

Joseph shrugged, keeping his eyes on his bowl. "Yeah, I know, Mom. I'll get it together."

She sighed, crossing her arms. "I just don't want you to lose sight of what's important. Music is great, but your education is your future."

"Yeah... yeah i know." Joseph mumbled, more to himself than to her. He shoveled the last spoonful of cereal into his mouth, then stood up, grabbing his skateboard by the door. 

"I'm heading out."

Before his mom could say more, he was out the door, the wheels of his skateboard clattering against the pavement as he sped off toward Ray's house, the wind in his hair and the weight of his mom's words quickly fading from his mind.

Act 2: Ray's not so humble abode

Joseph reached Ray's house and could already feel the drums reverberating through the walls. The music was loud, even from outside, and it sent a thrill of excitement through him. Without bothering to knock, he ran up to the front door, threw it open, and sprinted into the house, heading straight for the band room.

Inside, Ray was standing by his guitar, plucking out a few dissonant chords with a smirk on his face. His playing might've been sloppy, but Ray's infectious energy made being in the band more fun than anything else. Ouais, the drummer, was tapping out a rhythm on his knees, his usual wide grin plastered on his face.

"Yo, Joseph!" Ray called out as Joseph burst into the room. 

"Took you long enough!"

Joseph laughed, kicking off his shoes and flopping onto the couch. "You guys are loud as fuck man! What's up with this new song you've been talking about?"

Ray grinned, his eyes lighting up. "This one's different, man. It's complex shit, like, it's gonna mess with people's heads. Captivate their minds, you know?"

Joseph chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, let's see what you've got."

Ray handed him a piece of paper with the bass tabs scribbled on it. Joseph scanned the notes, nodding along. It was a bit more intricate than their usual stuff, but nothing he couldn't handle. He picked up his bass and got into position, while Ray slung his guitar over his shoulder, and Ouais twirled his drumsticks in the air.