& if it's fate, our paths will cross again x3

Chapter 9: Ba(nandrew)ckstabber Fletcher

We spend the afternoon listening to David Bowie and looking through Vince's records, his collection is much bigger than mine. Of course it is, he spent more of his money on vinyls after leaving school way earlier than I did while I recently bought a synthesizer with my wage. He also owns a violin. It makes me laugh when he tries to play it though, he laughs as well since he hasn't played it in years. "Vince, what are your parents doing?" I've never really asked him and Andy didn't tell me much. "Working, a lot. That's why this house is empty most of the time. When my mum was home, she complained about the noise my former band made when we were practising so now I make sure she isn't when we meet." I don't ask more questions, he obviously doesn't want to talk about it. "What are yours doing?" "Working, just like I do." He giggles and sits down next to me on the floor. "In a bank?" "No, in a factory." "And your siblings?" I wonder if he knows that I have siblings or if it's just an assumption. "They're young, going to school. What about yours?" I know nothing about Vince's family, I just assume he has siblings too. "My sister moved out and my brothers did too. I'm looking forward to go as well. Your family is stable, ain't it?" "I love them, I'm not planning to move out any time soon." Vince smiles at me and I consider to tell him about my stepdad, he seems to live with both of his biological parents. "I don't know my dad, I grew up with a stepfather." I finally say. He told me to trust him once and I do. "Really? Wasn't it weird?" I tell him the same story I told Dave and add that my mum doesn't know who my real father is, at least that's what she told me back then and I never asked again.

The doorbell and a knock on the door interrupt our conversation, it's evening already. Andy comes in, Dave arrives shortly after. "Hi, I'm sorry for my behaviour last time, won't happen twice." Vince says when shaking his hand to greet him. "It's okay, I don't take it personal." Dave gives him a hug like he always does. I think it's funny and Andy giggles too. Our rehearsal goes well, Vince also seems to be satisfied. Before he lets us go home, he shows us some cassettes. He plays one of them for us. It's "Ice Machine", he must've recorded it last time. "I'll send them to some studios in our area, hope they'll like it." I tell him I like it a lot (even though I'm not sure what it's about) and the others approve.
Dave is the first one to leave. Andy and I leave together after I said goodbye to Vince.

"I don't think they like each other a lot." I laugh since it is obvious now. "Of course they don't. They're completely different people." "How would you know?" I haven't told Andy about my meeting with Dave yet. "Dave and I had a longer conversation recently. He doesn't really adore Vince. His songs and everything, they're not his cup of tea." We're walking fast, it's cold and dark already. "They don't have to be, he just has to sing them." Andy's right of course, yet I can't agree with him. "I don't know, I don't like them that much either, to be honest. Do you?" "I don't care. When I stop working, he's responsible for this whole thing to be successful. He dragged me to do it." Another thing Andy and I have in common. "Yeah but... I feel like it won't work out with the music we play now." "So? Do you want to seduce him so he'll let you write more songs? It's not going to happen. Vince is stubborn and has been keen on doing this since forever." I hit his shoulder and he giggles about what he just said. "Maybe that's what I'll have to do." He stops grinning and sits down on a bench, I sit next to him. "No Mart, you're his keyboard player, not the songwriter. I love your songs and Vince does too but you won't get the chance to publish a whole album with them if we'll ever reach this point." "It doesn't have to be the whole album, maybe just half of it. You're having doubts as well and why? Because you know that we can't make it with average, poppy love songs." I am right, I can see it in his face. "He just needs to take a step back, it will be better for us all." "Does Dave think that too?" I nod. "Yes, maybe we should tell Vince." "You know what? Just let it be... For now, at least. Just let him send in his demos and let's play our gigs. It will only lead to conflict and you don't want that, neither for the band nor the relationship with Vince." Andy gets up and I do too so we continue our walk home. He's right, maybe it's better to really get started before we'll have such a discussion. We walk next to each other silently until we reach my street.
"I'm afraid one of them has to go.", he says before he gives me a hug, walks away and disappears in the darkness.