Maybe Then...

Chapter 41: if we would have said something

If we would have said something sooner, 

Maybe then, we wouldn't have to hurry so much

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"No, no, no!" Dan stops our playing yet again. "Millie, once again, you don't just play the notes chord by chord! Put some soul into the transition!" 

I sigh, biting my tongue and reminding myself that arguing with him about it won't get us anywhere. 

"Actually, Dan," Dolan intervened, a hesitant look on his face. "I just don't think the transition into the chorus is working. The bass and the drums just clash with the piano. And, honestly, it sounds like you're playing a whole 'nother song on the guitar." 

Finally! Someone said it!

"Well what do you suppose we change it to?" Dan snapped, his nostrils flaring with anger. "Well? Do you have any ideas in store?!" 

"No, I didn't write it, so I don't know how it's supposed to sound," he said tightly, his jaw clenched a little. 

"Dude, I kinda agree with Dol on this one," Kyle said. 

"Kyle, could you please tell me when we're supposed to be playing at this party?" he said through a tight, belittling smile. 

"On Saturday?" 

"That's right, and what day is today?" 

"Thursday," he answered slowly. 

"So how many days is it until we perform?" 

He turned his eyes upward in thought, sucking on his teeth. 

"Two days, Kyle, two days!" 

He scratched the back of his neck. "Right, sorry." 

"So do you really think that we have enough time to change the songs and relearn them before the show?" 

"I guess not..."

"No! So I think that Amelia can suck it up and deal with it! Isn't that right Amelia?" 

I flickered my eyes over to each of the boys, looking anywhere in the room but Dan's eyes. I quickly nodded, afraid that if I opened my mouth, I'd end up say something I'd regret.

I looked over at Kyle, who rubbed his neck nervously. Dolan was visibly tense, twirling his drum sticks in his fingers in an attempt to distract himself. Cooper was bouncing his knew up and down, his forehead planted in his hands. That didn't escape Dan's notice.

"Cooper, what's wrong?" he asked rather annoyedly.

"Nothing," he mumbled.

"You okay, Coop?" Dolan chimed in.

He didn't answer for a moment, only sat there digging his nails into his hair. "Yeah, I um, I don't usually get like this from fights," he looked up, showing his shaky attempts of deep breaths. "I think that adding the stress and pressure to it just has me a little...on edge, I guess. I just need a moment, I think." He put his head back in his hands for a moment, and after a few deep breaths, sat up again. 

"You good?" Dolan checked again. 

"Yeah," he breathed. "Now, let's fix this shit show, shall we?"

It amazed me that someone could be so anxious, and have a one-way ticket to a panic attack, yet be able to calm themselves down after a few minutes. Hell, I couldn't even calm myself down and get over things after a couple weeks! Let alone five minutes.