The Kings: A Band's Tale

Concert [3]

The stage lights flashed in rhythmic patterns, casting beams of electric blue and green over the packed auditorium. Uno Winter stood front and center, dressed in his signature navy blue suit with a matching necktie. His guitar hung low around his waist as he gave a small nod to his bandmates—Lance on bass, Angelo at the drums, Matt behind the keyboard, and Lorenzo and Maury on rhythm guitars.

Behind them, a banner for the Academy’s Music Showcase hung high, proclaiming, “Hypower Music Fest 2024!”

The crowd, made up of their classmates, filled the venue with cheers. Denise stood just off to the side of the stage, watching as Uno approached the mic, looking calm and composed, as always. Her heart pounded in her chest as the first notes of Basket Case by Green Day rang out.

Uno’s voice cut through the air:

"Do you have the time to listen to me whine?"

The energy in the room instantly shifted as the crowd roared, clapping in rhythm with the upbeat tempo. Denise moved backstage, heading toward the side where the girls were hanging out—Jada, Olivia, Dara, Kate, Zoey, and Avva.

“Can you believe how amazing this is?” Jada said, nudging Denise as they stood near a tall speaker. “It’s like they were born for this.”

Denise laughed nervously, still glancing at Uno as he performed. “Yeah, they really know how to work the crowd.”

Kate grinned. "I know, right? Look at them go! Angelo's killing it on the drums."

“Lance too,” Dara added. “They’ve been practicing non-stop.”

Denise nodded, though her attention kept flicking back to Uno. His blue eyes gleamed under the spotlight as he belted out the lyrics:

"Sometimes I give myself the creeps..."

She sighed to herself, the familiar feeling of warmth spreading through her whenever she watched him on stage.

Olivia leaned over, raising an eyebrow. "Hey, Denise, you’ve been staring at Uno for like... five straight minutes."

Denise quickly turned away, her cheeks burning. "W-what? No, I was just, um, listening to the music."

“Sure,” Zoey teased with a knowing smirk. “Just ‘listening to the music,’ right.”

Before Denise could respond, the song ended with a bang, the crowd erupting into applause. The band regrouped for the next song, and the opening chords of Wonderwall by Oasis filled the space.

The mood shifted from the upbeat punk energy of Basket Case to a slower, more mellow vibe. Uno’s voice, soft and rich, began:

"Today is gonna be the day that they’re gonna throw it back to you..."

Denise closed her eyes for a moment, letting the familiar chords wash over her. When she opened them again, Jada was smirking at her.

“So... you’re going to tell us what’s up, or are we going to have to guess?” Jada said, crossing her arms.

Denise blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been blushing more and more lately, especially around Uno,” Jada continued, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "Something going on that you’re not telling us?"

The other girls giggled, leaning in for Denise’s reaction. Her face went bright red as she tried to play it cool. "No! I mean, I’ve just been helping him with the band, that’s all."

Olivia snorted. "Please. Every time we’re all hanging out, you’re sneaking looks at him like you’re in some kind of movie."

"I don’t believe that anybody feels the way I do..."