Ecstasy

Chapter 18

Tyson:  

I walked into the house at six thirty with my guitar slung over my shoulder. The sun was just hovering over the horizon reluctant to disappear, casting a golden glow over the old wooden slated house that I knew well. Nate was in the large living room. Most of the band had already arrived.

"Nate, hey man." I greeted him with a swift hand shake, waving hello to the others.

I turned and surveyed the room. Jarrah's drum kit sat in front of the window, packed up and ready to move. Lilly and Sean were fiddling with microphone cords.

"Well if isn't Sonny Shelley. How are you mate?" A young man came in through the kitchen, offering me a hand to shake.

"Hey John, yeah good thanks," I shook Nate's older brother's hand awkwardly. Growing up together left Nate and I pretty good friends but I was never really close to his brother. He seemed to be the one kid in the family that was actually doing something good for himself. Getting into uni and achieving an scholarship at the police academy had his pockets lined, one fact that I knew Nate was jealous of even though he'd never admit it. A tall guy, John was in almost every way different to Nate; being more laid back was one trait Nate didn't inherit. However, aside from the obvious height difference you could tell they were brothers. The same slight bone structure, same grey eyes, same dull brown hair that Nate was so determined to change with cheap supermarket dye. It was Nate's brother that had gotten us the gig at the PCYC carnival tonight.

"Thanks guys for playing tonight, you'll be awesome." He nodded at Sean.

"No problem, publicity is good." Sean replied. "So is the paycheck." He happily snaked his hand around Lilly's waist, I noticed the relaxed way he was leaning into her and how his eyes were a bit glassy. John laughed. Suddenly a phone started ringing.

"Excuse me." John pulled his mobile out of his pocket. He walked out of the room to take it.

I turned back to Sean. "So I got here after the party?"

Lilly struggled to hold him up. She grunted distastefully. "You could say that."

Suddenly Jarrah walked through the door. "Hey man," he mumbled with a mouthful of food, a chocolate bar in his hand. "What's up?"

"Sean's stoned and we're meant to be performing in an hour, that's what's up." Lilly snapped.

"I am perfectly fine! Stop worrying babe," Sean slurred.

Jarrah laughed. "Yeah, babe, he's perfectly fine."

Lilly shot him a disdainful look.

"Don't worry Lil, if Sean can't sing Sonny can just stand in," Nate's voice was muffled from the other room as he fiddled with amps.

She looked at me for confirmation, I just shrugged. "We'll see how we go hey? But just so you know I'm all clean tonight." I said.

"Clean!" Nate exclaimed, standing up quickly from underneath a table, bumping his head. He mumbled a few swear words as he stood up, rubbing the back of his skull. "Tyson Shelley – clean? For a party? You do realize this concert is a party right?" He asked incredulously. "With people and music, and alcohol?"

I nodded.

"I didn't think I'd ever see the day," he said. He looked back at the electrical cords, but then suddenly turned back to me. "Seriously? You're completely straight tonight? Cold turkey?"

"Well, I'd guess I'll have a few drinks, but no. Nothing."

The only reason I had decided to do this was because of Calla. I had a plan to prove her wrong. I wasn't a druggie, even though my fingers twitched and my brain craved a fix. I hated her judging me.

Nate just smiled and shook his head, apparently astonished. I knew what he was thinking. He didn't think I could do it.

"What! I'm not that weak!" I exclaimed.

He just laughed in response.

"Brilliant," Lilly muttered, struggling with Sean's weight as she moved him to the couch. He sat down and suddenly seemed completely entranced with the fabric, examining it up close and stroking it. "We have a lead singer who can't sing when he's absolutely stoned, and a backup singer who can't sing unless he's stoned."

"Hey!" I protested. It wasn't that I couldn't perform in front of people sober, I just didn't get the chance very often. Sean always took the spotlight.

Lilly backed off her hands rising in defeat, a knowing smirk on her face. It was moments like those I was sure Sean would notice us. He never did though. Our seemingly innocent teasing was our only way to flirt in front of him. I remembered before Sean was part of the picture Lilly and I were inseparable. We still found each other a convenient hook up when there was no one else available, the band was nowhere to be seen and Sean was completely smashed, but I'll never think of her that way again. I promised myself I'll never think about anyone that way again.

"Guys relax! We've got ages before we start playing and Sean will sober up before then," Jarrah's voice intervened my thinking. "Well maybe."

"I hope so." Lilly's smile deflated again. "I have rent to pay."

I looked over at Sean lying face down on the couch. "Hey Seanie!" I called. "You can sing a few songs can't ya?"