The Kings: A Band's Tale

Rehearsals [2]

A few days later, the band was back in the manor’s practice room, the faint hum of amps and the clatter of instruments filling the air. The honorary members—Olivia, Jada, Avva, Dara, Zoey, and Kate—sat on the plush couches, excitedly chatting amongst themselves as they watched the band set up.

Denise sat off to the side, her notebook in hand, absently twirling a pen as she scribbled down a new scene for her ongoing story—a fictional romance between her and Uno. In this chapter, they were at a lakeside cabin, snow softly falling outside as they shared a quiet, intimate moment by the fire. She shook her head, trying to suppress the blush creeping up her cheeks. *Get it together, Denise,* she thought. *It’s just fiction. No need to overthink it.*

Meanwhile, on stage, the band was getting ready to rehearse their latest setlist for the upcoming school concert. Uno stood center stage, tapping the microphone as Lance adjusted his bass strap.

"Alright, let’s start with Basket Case, yeah?" Uno called out, looking over his shoulder at the others. His suit, as always, was perfectly tailored, his blue and green hair falling slightly over his eyes.

"Works for me," Angelo chimed in, spinning his drumsticks in his hands. "Let’s give ’em something to rock out to."

Lance smirked, plucking a few notes on his bass before turning to Uno. "And don’t forget the crowd interaction this time. We’re supposed to make it a show, not just play through the songs."

Uno grinned. "Don’t worry, I’ve got a few ideas up my sleeve."

As the band launched into Basket Case, Denise’s attention drifted from her notebook to the music. Uno’s voice rang out, clear and confident, while the band played tight and focused. Despite her feelings, she couldn’t help but admire how effortlessly Uno commanded the stage. Even in rehearsal, he was magnetic.

Uno’s voice echoed through the room: 
"Do you have the time, to listen to me whine?"
Lance played along, nodding in time with the beat. 
"About nothing and everything all at once..."

After the second chorus, Uno and Lance exchanged a glance, and with a mischievous grin, Uno leaned into the mic. "Alright, I know you all know this one. Let’s hear you sing it with us!" He pointed toward the honorary members, who immediately perked up, giggling and whispering among themselves.

Lance joined in, stepping up to his mic. "Come on, Olivia, Jada, Zoey—you’re not just here to watch, are you? Let’s hear those vocals!"

The girls blushed but quickly joined in, their laughter mixing with their attempts to sing along. The room filled with a sense of camaraderie, the band and their friends all blending into one spontaneous, lively moment.

As they finished the song, Uno glanced over at Denise, who was trying (and failing) to keep her eyes on her notebook. "Denise, I know you’ve got some lyrics in that journal of yours. You gonna share them with the group?"

Denise’s head snapped up, eyes wide. "What? No! It’s not—" She stumbled over her words, cheeks flushing. "It’s not that kind of writing."

Uno chuckled, raising a brow. "Come on, you’ve been scribbling away like mad. Must be something good."

"Yeah, let us in on your secret project," Lance added, teasing. "Bet it’s a hit in the making."

Denise quickly closed her notebook and tucked it under her arm. "It’s... nothing. Just some personal stuff."

"Bet it’s a love story," Angelo teased, earning a light smack on the back of his head from Jada.

"Leave her alone, guys," Jada scolded with a grin, though she couldn’t hide her curiosity.