Somewhere only we know

Chapter 15 :)

High heels clicked on the blacktop floor.

It echoed through the backstage hallway.

Sarah flipped her hair and motioned the rest to follow. She glanced at Michaelle, who wore blackberry crushed kohl eyeshadow and fishnets. Sarah thought it was cool in an impractical sort of way.

They had to look like they were going night clubbing.

“This way,” James beckoned to them.

They came upon a door that read KEANE and knocked. A chubby man with brown hair answered.

“Hello? Can I help you?”

Michaelle looked at Sarah sternly. Then mouthed 'I GOT THIS;)'.

“Hi,” she said. “We work for the BBC! My friend here,” she points at Valentino, “is a rep for the Italian Press?”

Michaelle looked at the man hopefully.

“And where are your identification cards?”

Michaelle's fake smile fell.

“Uh um.. We are going night-clubbing after this so... we wouldn't wanna bring our ID's, you know?”

Sarah butt in, crossing her fingers behind her back.

The man looked at her blankly.

“You know how crazy those after-parties get,” Sarah added a wink, “Mr. Tom Chaplin.”

Tom smiled and let them in.

“Of course, of course.”

It was quite crammed and cozy inside, with amps and instruments propped against the wall and chords, cables, records, and sharpies scattered on the beige carpet.

“Feel free to sit,” Tom gestured to some beanbag chairs on the side.

They awkwardly shuffled their feet across the room.

“So,” he said, lighting a cigar. He blew out a puff of smoke. “How d'you like the show?”

“It was great,” Sarah said smiling. “I loved the set, the props, the stunts... may I ask you something?”

Tom stared at her and looked her in the eyes, at first trying to receive some sort of hint that wasn't there.

“Yes?”

Sarah cleared her throat and pretended to get a tape recorder and notebook from her glossy Gucci.

“Well,” she started, adjusting her fake glasses. “Your song, 'Somewhere only we know', is very... it carries a strong message. Know what I mean?”

Tom nodded. “Oh yes.”

“I was wondering,” Sarah continued. “what the message of the song is.”

Tom played with his lighter, saying nothing.

“I look at it like a father-daughter relationship,” Sarah continued. She looked at Tom for any hint, any clue, anything at all that would give it away.

“Yes.. um exactly! When I was in Rome a few years back, I..... met a woman. A woman named Maria. Yeah. Well she loved her father very much but she couldn't be with him for very long. He was......... dying. Yes. Yes he was at war with the Germans back at World War I.”

Michaelle almost laughed at the audacity of the story.

Tom looked at her sharply in a swift motion.

“No, no please don't mind me, sorry. It's just that... it reminds me of a story my old AP World History teacher told me. A story about a girl... named Maria Celeste. She loved her father. Galileo. A lot.”