Let It Raine

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 - Raine

I hugged my arms to my chest and my head was hanging as I took deep breaths to calm my anxious nerves. It was my first performance with my new band, Cremation. They didn't bother looking at me as they tuned their instruments, as occasionally one of them would spout off some joke that would set the others into a fit of laughter. I sat behind the drums, listening to the crazy scales they played on guitars and basses, the electric keyboard and the pure enjoyment as the four guys in this band didn't even seemto worry that the bar we were at didn't even seem nervous.

When I finally looked up from where my gaze was on my Converse, I saw Griffin's eyes on me. My breath caught in my throat at the intensity his light blue eyes held. Before I knew it, he was sauntering towards me, guitar in hand. "You doing okay?" He asked, gently tapping on the drum directly in between us.

I paused, finding my words. "Absolutely fantastic. When are we playing?"

Griffin glanced behind him quickly before looking back to me. "Now."

I watched as Griffin took his place in front of the microphone, guitar strap hanging over his chest. I watched as Dallin rolled his shoulders back, an easy smirk on his handsome face as he gripped onto the neck of his guitar. Dante, the bassist, finished tuning and placed his fingers on the strings. Wes stood behind the keyboard, looking too confident for our band.

I heaved a breath, and at Griff's nod, I began the song with a steady beat on my bass drum. I gradually added in more pounding to the intro, and Dante entered then.

And then I was lost in the world of music. Griff's voice washed over me, causing my eyes to close and I could feel the music instead of having to watch where my drumsticks hit.

As soon as our set was over, we hopped off the stage and moved to a booth in the corner of the crowded club. I couldn't remove the elated grin from my face as I slid in, my bare legs rubbing uncomfortably on the pleather benches.

Dante and Wes slid in on opposite sides of me, followed by Dallin and Griff on either side of them. Being the guitarists in the band - and perhaps the best looking - required them to be on the edges where the few groupies we had would talk to them. I looked forward to the day where there was a cute fan of the male variety of our hometown band there to see me. Dante and Wes rolled their eyes at them, before starting up their own chatter.

"Did you see that girl looking at me?" Dante said.

"You wish, man. She was way out of your league," Wes replied. I grinned cheekily, knowing for a fact that the girl they were talking about, a petite brunette with a pixie cut was, in fact, checking me out.

"Um, guys. She was definitely checking me out," I said matter-of-factly.

Dante snorted in response, running his fingers through his dark brown hair. Wes furrowed his brows, dropping his head in thought.

Dallin and Griff laughed at the conversation, shaking their heads in almost perfect synchronization. "Anyone want a drink?" Griff asked as he stood. He was perhaps the only one who could pull off looking like a twenty-one year old. Me, on my best days, could maybe pass for a twenty year old. I lifted my hands, grinning wildly.

"Yes please!" Griff nodded, and cast a look around to the rest of the group. They were all nodding, and Griff turned to saunter off towards the bar. I watched him go, feeling a strange flutter in my chest. Beneath the table, I wrung my hands anxiously.

Griffin returned minutes later and took his place at the end of the booth once more. He slid my drink down towards me, and I caught it in my hands. I flashed him a grin before taking a sip of the apple martini.