Time; Don't Let It Slip Away

What It Takes To Make It

"Just calm down, you'll be fine." I smiled, placing my hands on Carla's shoulders. 

"I know!" She squeeled. "I'm just so excited! Thank you so much for this, Mia!" 

"No problem, darlin'." I laughed, pushing her forward, from backstage. "Now go kick some ass."
I laughed as Connor, Alec, Gavin and Carla all made their way onto the dark stage, as Gypsy Blue's opening act. 

As they took their positions, Carla grabbed the microphone and addressed the crowd. 
"Hello, Honolulu! We are Stealing Saturday!" The confidence in her voice astonished me. "Hit it!" 

Alec began to pluck out a bit of a pop-ish tune on his black bass, as Carla's voice matched the sound perfectly. 
"I love you…
But I gotta stay true
My morals got me on my knees
I'm beggin' please
Stop playing games

I don't know what this is,
but you got me good
Just like you knew you would.

I don't know what you do
But you do it well…
I'm under your spell!"

I didn't realize it, but my mouth was completely hanging open. 
I had absolutely no idea that Carla was this good. I was genuinely shocked. 
I guess my audience was too, becauze they began to scream and shout and cheer. 

There was nothing short of contentment and pride, plastered across Carla's face. 
Connor was in complete shock, as was Alec.
But Gavin? Gavin had this smug grin plastered on his snout, as though he knew he was right all along.
As they reached the chorus, Connor jumped in, supplying a nearly flawless beat, while Gavin began to shred out some cool chords. 

"You got me beggin' you for mercy!
Why won't you release me?
You got me beggin' you for mercy!
Why won't you release me?
I said you betta relleeaaaasseee me."

I noticed the entire audience was jumping around and dancing along to all of her lyrics, and I couldn't help but wonder who wrote this song… It definitely couldn't have been Gavin… Maybe it was a group effort? The song was phenominal, and that's all I could think about!

"Now you think that I
Will be something on the side…
But you gotta undrstand that I need a man
Who can take my hand…Yes I do."

Ironically, Steven came up next to me, and intertwined my fingers with his, complying with Carla's lyrcis. 

"I don't know what this is
But you got me good
Just like you knew you would
I don't know what you do
But you do it well
I'm under your spell.

I'm beggin' you for mercy!
You got me beggin', you got me beggin'
You got me beggin!" 

As she finished off the song, the entire audience cheered them on, screaming louder as they walked off the stage. Carla, with tears in her eyes, ran directly into my arms.
"You were phenominal! I had no idea you were that good!" I gasped, as my arms tightened around her.

"Thank you so much, you really have no idea how much this all means to us!" She began to cry onto my shoulder, smudging her eyeliner slightly. "This is really a dream come true, thank you so much!"

I continued to squeeze her, allowing her to release all of her emotions. 
"No problem at all darling." I chuckled as she released me. 

"Guys, you've got 5 minutes till you go on…" Eddie called from behind me, warning us of our time limits. 

"Thanks Eddie!" I called out to him, then turned towards the rest of my band. As per our pre-show ritual, we formed a small huddle; just Ryan, Jordan, RJ, and I, as we wrapped our arms around each other. "Okay, guys. We're going to fucking blow this place up. This'll be the best show we've performed so far…Ry, don't forget the E chord at the end of your solo on Nightingale, and RJ, don't forget the hi-hat to go along with that E…"

I paused, looking around the circle at my band. These boys have become like brothers to me. This wasn't just a band… They're my family, and I'm more than proud to be performing with them every night. 

"You ready?" I asked, pulling them in just a little tighter. "Let's fucking do this!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hello Hawaii!!!!!!" I screamed into the microphone after we finished our first song, which was Arizona, as the audience ripped apart their vocal chords. "How you doin' tonight?!" 

They screamed louder and louder as the room swelled with the unbearable volume they were creating.  I loved it more than anything. 

They settled down for a few moments, allowing me to address them, in the only way that seemed fit; through my music. 
"Honolulu, I write this song last night for someone very close to my heart…" Again, the noise level rose so such a level that it caused feedback in my amps. This crowd was unbelievable. "I don't know if you know of Aerosmith, but my fucking perfect husband is the lead singer. He wrote me a lullaby a few years back, and now it's time to repay him…"

I turned to see my angel floating out onto the stage, sitting down on the bench of the Steinway baby grand. 
"So, Honolulu, this is his lullaby…" I laughed as Steven began to play the beautiful melody of my newest song; Nightingale. 

I pulled up a stool and my mic stand, right next to the piano, and then grabbed my Martin Acousic. I softly strummed out the chords I created yesterday, to match Steven's playing, and when my part came, I began singing the melody. 

"I can't sleep tonight;
I'm wide awake and so confused.
Evertything's in line,
But I'm bruised.
I need a voice to echo
I need a light to take me home
I kinda need a hero
Is it you?

I've never seen the forest or the trees
I could really use your melodies
Baby, I'm a little blind
I think it's time for you to find me.

Can you be my nightengale?
Sing to me, I know you're there. 
You could be my sanity
Bring me peace
Sing me to sleep
Say you'll be my nightingale."

At this point, Ryan kicked up the tune by adding a sick couple of riffs, distorting the sounds through his amp; it sounded eerily similar to Joe's mini solos from Dream On, though it was entirely our own. 

"Somebody speak to me
Cause I'm feeling like Hell
Need you to answer me
I'm overwhelmed.
I need a voice to echo
I need a light to take me home
I need a star to follow
I don't know..."

As we headed into the chorus, the tempo picked up and became, in it's entirety, a rock masterpiece.
It's perfection brought tears to my eyes… or rather, it's imperfections did. 
Because I wrote this yesterday, we didn't have much time to practice and perfect this song, so even the teeniest mistake, made the song all the more real. It's like the music flowed directly from the soul of each band memeber. It's imperfections made it perfect.

I stood up from the stool, still strumming my Martin, as I reached the bridge.

"I don't know what I'd do without you
Your words are like a whisper coming through
As long as you're here with me tonight,
I'm good.

Can you be my nightingale?
Still so close
I know you're there
Oh, nightingale
You sing to me
I know you're there
Cause baby, you're my sanity
You bring me peace,
Sing me to sleep.
Say you'll be my nightingale.

Mmmmmmmm."

As the music faded out, and my voice rang through the stadium on the last acapella note, 
The sweltering noise of fans rose higher and higher than I've ever heard before, sending shivers up my spine.
I turned to Steven who had a huge grin in his face, and kissed his beautifully large lips, bringing the crowd to a deafening noise level.

We ran through a few more songs off of the latest album, including Hurricane Streets, How You Love Me Now, and 6 Months.
We ran off stage, meeting up with Aerosmith, as well as Stealing Saturday. 

I grinned at Steven, and then grabbed Ryan's arm, leading him back out to the stage, as RJ and Jordan followed. 
The crowd errupted, knowing we were putting on an encore performance. 
I grinned, grabbing the microphone stand and pulling it close to me. 

"1, 2, 3, 4!" I screamed as the band began to play a song we wrote just a few weeks ago. 

"I got alot to say to you!
Yeah, I've got alot to say.
I notice your eyes are alway glued to me
You're keeping them here,
And it makes no sense at all. 

They taped over your mouth,
Scribbled out the truth with their lies
Your little spies
They taped over your mouth,
Scribbled out the truth with their lies
Your little spies

Crush, crush, crush,
Crush, crush
(Two, Three, Four!)"

I began to jump and dance around the stage, putting on a show just like Steven does every night for his fans. 

"Nothing compares to a quiet evening alone!
Just the one, two, I was just counting on!
That never happens, I guess I'm dreaming again
Let's be more than this…"

As I started the second verse, I looked over the mass of fans, jumping and singing along to all my words. I looked to my left, behind stage, to see Steven grinning, obviously proud of me. I also saw Carla and her band, staring in amazement; I knew that this is what they wanted more than anything, and I'm so proud to be giving them the opportunity. 
I returned my attention to the crowd, and began to sing out the second verse, mustering up the silk in my voice. 

"If you wanna play it like a game
Well come on, come on, let's play!
Cause I'd rather waste my life pretending
Than have to forget you for one whole minute

They taped over your mouth,
Scribbled out the truth with their lies
Your little spies
They taped over your mouth,
Scribbled out the truth with their lies
Your little spies

Crush, crush, crush,
Crush, crush
(Two, Three, Four!)"

I danced around, belting out each lyric from the heart. 

"Nothing compares to a quiet evening alone!
Just the one, two, I was just counting on!
That never happens, I guess I'm dreaming again
Let's be more than this…

Rock and roll, baby, don't you know,
That we're all alone, now?
I need something to sing about
Rock and roll, honey, don't you know,
Baby we're all alone, now?
I need something to sing about
Rock and roll, Hey!
Don't you know, baby we're all alone, now!
Give me something to sing about!"

I turned to Ryan who instantly shred out a panty-dropping solo, making the audience errupt. 
His solo finished out the evening, forcing me to wish our fans goodnight. 

"You guys have been absolutely fucking amazing!" I screamed, addressing them. "Thank you so much, Honolulu! Goodnight!"

We made our way off stage, for good this time, and re-joined our group.

"That was phenominal." Carla breathed, astonished. 

"Why thank you." I smiled as Steven wrapped his arms around me, kissing my forehead. 

"What do you say we get out of here?" he whispered in my ear.

"I couldn't agree more." I laughing kissing him.