She's With the Band

You Won't Feel a Thing

There was a loud commotion in the kitchen. Valerie awoke with a start to a loud bang and a fit of curse words that erupted from a seemingly angry Dana.

Valerie shuffled slowly to the source of the noise, fixing her haystack of hair into a presentable ponytail.

"Oh, shit!" Dana was anxiously gathering her car keys when her coffee spilled on the blouse she was wearing. She looked at the universe in exasperation, suspecting that the cards were dealt against her on this morning. She had missed the alarm clock, spilled coffee on her shirt, and was already running late for work.

Valerie bolted to her room to grab the first scarf she could find, "Here, this should cover it."

She handed her sister a printed Hermes scarf, only to realise that it was a gift from Xavier. She hadn't even registered when she had packed it; it was just another meaningless display of materialistic affection. It spoke of their incompatibility as a couple, Valerie thought as she eyed her sister wrapping the scarf. Xavier, she realised, was a man of materialistic pursuits; whose presents were often detached from emotion. She was never one for a Hermes scarf or a Burberry coat; but Xavier never noticed how she never wore them more than once.

"Are you sure you don't mind the stains?" Dana fretted worriedly trying to smooth her skirt.

"It looks great on you," Valerie smiled, happy that she found a usefulness to the scarf, "trust me."

"See you tonight, then" Dana blew Valerie a quick kiss as she made her way to the door.

Having the flat to herself, Valerie did what every sensible woman would do after a heinous breakup: she turned the radio up, and danced away as she made scrambled eggs while the tea boiled.

For a moment, Valerie forgot her troubles and instead regained memories from her college years. She had studied Business Management and Administration and minored in Music. Ever since she could remember, she had wanted to become a hotel manager. The minor in music was actually a surprise along the way; Valerie had never been the singing type. She was, however, intent on equipping her hotel with constant live performances, which explained her decision to minor in Music during her second year. She wanted to create a memorable experience for her guests which entailed a true understanding of music that can only be achieved through higher education, in her eyes.

The tea kettle whistled with hot air, bringing Valerie back to her reality. With Five years away from her third decade, she still hasn't figured life out. To her, it seemed as if the inner teenager was jolted awake by the shock of her crumbling professional (and love) life, unsure and restless. Valerie poured the hot tea while she scarfed down a delicious bite of the eggs. She will figure it out; she decided, hopefully.

She turned the TV on, only to catch the final report in the morning news. Valerie ate her eggs slowly as she turned the volume up. A manager, Jacob Daniels, was being tried for embezzlement and fraud by his former representees: a rock band. The report slowly transitioned into a familiar tune. Suddenly, Valerie recognized the tune from her favourite song by Irish band The Draft. She stopped munching on the eggs as she listened intently to the interview with the lead singer, Dylan O'Donnell.

"When we realized what he was doing, we couldn't believe ourselves! Daniels has been with us since the very start. To think he manipulated us like this is just unbelievable." His face scrunched in disgust as he delivered his verdict.

"The band was quick to take on social media to condemn Daniels' actions while effectively distancing themselves from his criminal charges," the report continued. "However, it's not proving to be a successful year for The Draft; their projected sales revenues are expected to fall short from previous albums—no doubt affected by the scandal."

Valerie thought back to the first time she saw them perform live at the Aviva Stadium. It was their homecoming concert at Dublin promoting the release of their new album. She was 20 at the time, and Dana had just started working at a Publishing company in Dublin. They stood far away from the band, but Valerie can still remember the Goosebumps on her arms as the guitar riff started playing. To this day, Valerie couldn't have asked for a better birthday present.

She scraped the remaining bits of omelette off her plate when the interviewer shifted to Gale Powell, the drummer. "What are you planning to do in the upcoming festival season?"

"We're really passionate about this band and the music we make, so we're going to take some time off before we do anything. We want to get back on our feet the right way, so that we won't disappoint the fans." Their expressions were grave, as if they couldn't bear to part with their music.

Valerie felt a pang of sadness; however, it quickly dissipated when the report shifted to another scandal. This time, her jaw dropped.

"In other news, employees in downtown Cork strike against management, citing charges of sexual harassment."

Her eyes raced over the familiar details of the Fairfax Hotel, with the managers all exiting the entrance amidst an angry mob of workers. Their banners and posters almost resembled pitchforks, and their chants were raging and loud.

A bubble of laughter was slowly building in her chest as the camera zoomed on a scorned Xavier. "The main London Fairfax has responded to this scandal by suspending these managers until further proof of the allegations." Xavier rushed past the camera with a stern expression, the one he wore when they would get in a fight.

"Mr. Xavier Kelly, what do you have to say about this?"

Xavier's eyes flickered angrily towards the reporter, "They want to sack us based on lies and no concrete evidence." Typical of him, Valerie thought, to deny all accusations until he was forced into a corner.

The prospectus of Xavier losing his job in a scandal filled Valerie with content. She bounced on her feet, dancing her way towards the kitchen sink. After dropping off the dirty plate, she made up her mind to get fresh air.

"Hmm," she mused as she looked at the meagre clothes she brought with her from Cork, "I'm going to need to get my stuff back from him." She spat his name like venom in her mouth, bitter and unwelcome. Finally, she opted for plaid and denim, already regretting her hasty departure from Cork. Then, grabbing the coat perched on the hanger and her purse, she made her way out.

Valerie walked meditatively, taking in the beauty of the quiet cobblestone streets. Few people walked her by, drowsy with sleep and dragging their foot after the other. Shopkeepers were preparing for opening as chairs were placed on the sidewalks and banners were put across the windows. One advert in particular caught Valerie's eyes.

It was written in bright chalk colours on a blackboard perched at the entrance of a quaint cafeteria. "We're Hiring! Be a part of a colourful team!"