This Love's Contagious, So Catch It (Josh Franceschi)

Chapter 4

"Let me just point out that I don't play very well and it's been a while since I last picked up a guitar" I announced and all of the boys nodded at me.

"Laura stop making excuses and just play already" Toni rolled her eyes at me and I poked my tongue out, but she grinned. Toni is probably the only person, other than my family, that has probably ever heard me play willingly. Oh no sorry, my music teacher has heard me play as well, since I picked Music as an A level.

Max started to play some notes on his guitar and because I learnt how to play by ear, I knew which chords he was playing. I nodded my head along to the rhythm before playing a few chords with my fingers, but they came out slightly blunt. I bit my lip and looked up at Elissa trying to catch her gaze, which wasn't hard since she was looking right at me. I made a strumming motion with my hands and she nodded, rushing over to the guitar wall before popping up behind me brandishing a white pick. I nodded at her and took the pick off her before playing the chords again. This time they rang out much better as the pick struck the strings. I saw Max smile as he carried on playing.

I picked out the name of the chords he was playing before playing my own, that I knew would go well because of how they would sound together. I glanced up quickly to see that Elissa looked impressed. I grinned before looking back at the neck of the guitar watching as my fingers placed themselves on the strings needed to play the chords.

"Rip it Laura!" Toni called from the window seat, causing me to smile and the boys to laugh. Max suddenly stopped playing and I knew he was letting me play on my own so I shrugged before playing the tune that I'd made for my A levels. Except the tune I made for my A level was played on an acoustic, so I had to step up some of the chords, so that they would sound better on an electric guitar.

About fifteen seconds into my one minute long song I stood up, and found that it was much easier to play an electric guitar while standing up. Josh and Max moved their legs, allowing me room to stand, but I walked forwards slightly into the middle part of the circle. Here I planted my legs apart to give myself some stability whilst playing, just as I came to the end of the song. I ended what I'd written with a final strum before 'ripping' it by playing chord after chord really quick in short blasts. This needed a lot of concentration from me, so instead of looking at my right hand which was strumming, I looked at my left hand so that I knew what strings I was holding down. I ended with a final strum and looked up to see Toni grinning at me, while Elissa and the four boys in the room looked at me with open mouths. Okay feeling slightly uncomfortable now, I thought to myself.

What if they thought it was shit?  I thought again before taking a step forwards so that I could put the guitar away and sit down next to Elissa and Toni on the window seat, so that the band could get back to doing their thing.

"Laura" Max said from behind me and I turned around to see him grinning.

"That was awesome, where have you heard that tune before?" he asked and I breathed out in relief before shrugging.

"I created it for my music A level but the part at the end I made up on the spot" I shrugged at him and he cocked his head to the side before nodding and Josh stood up, before walking over and coming to a halt in front of me. He smiled, and my stomach erupted in butterflies.

"That was really good" he stated and I nodded at him.

"Thanks, though it's nothing compared to what you guys do" I shrugged and he grinned at me before his face showed that he was thinking.

"If I told you we were to play a song right now, then would you like to fill in on lead guitar?" he asked and I acted like I was thinking, even though I knew what the answer will be.