I breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth, Noel said it was good for pre-concert nerves. But then again, he also said a beer would. My red polka dot dress fell just below my knee and of course, I wore my red tartan Dr Martens with it. Ben had loved the dress when he saw it, smiling with a wicked look in his eye, one that was mirrored by Noel when he saw me. Lizzie was wearing a floral dress that she wore with a black leather jacket and studded black boots. We looked ready to kick ass.
The small stage could barely cram everyone on and Lizzie had to dodge around the massive drum kit. I didn’t know the drummer very well as he was only temporary. I was on guitar and vocals and Lizzie on bass were going rock. It was a standing only concert, so it would be really obvious if there was no one. There had been posters all over the area and up at school.
I was on in 3 minutes. Someone walked passed me and patted me on the back, handing me my guitar, which they had just tuned for me. Lizzie appeared at my shoulder.
2 minutes.She eyed me up, resting her heavy white bass against her foot. She looked really pretty tonight, Arthur was very lucky. I could see a few backstage workers checking her out. She noticed them too and smiled flirtily. Arthur walked up wearing a pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved green t-shirt, and put an arm around her waist. She raised her middle finger to the guys she had just led on; who were gaping at the two Watson’s who were now locked lips.
1 minute to go. Noel had come round the corner, his guitar slung over his shoulder, checking it was tuned. He looked up and his eyes fixed on me. A smirked flicked over his lips and he raised his eyebrows. A man step forward and ushered us on stage. We walked on in the dark. There was an outburst of noise from in front of the stage and we took our places. The lights boiled up until the whole stage was lit up and we stared out onto the crowd, which filled up the room!
I recognised loads of boys from school. The crowd screamed again when Noel played a little solo. Lizzie thudded her bass a few time and I played a chord as the drummer bashed away. I leaned into the microphone.
“Hi, we’re Evelyn And The Nights and you lots are beautiful!” They cheered a little bit louder and I noticed Ben in the crowd, his face bursting with pride. I blew him a kiss and then began playing my first song.
“Stuck on the wrong side of a mirror
Trying to find my way out
In my mind you’re the sinner
Always filling me with doubt
So come on darling
Kick me whilst I’m down
So come on darling
You need to stop messing me around!” I growled the last words, the lyrics filled me up. The chords were dark and menacing, making the crowd dance wildly. I slammed down on the guitar strings. Noel plucked at the higher strings of his guitar, adding under tones to the notes I was singing. The chorus was so simple that by the second time I played it, the crowd was singing along.
“I’m protected by warrior angels
My heart beat screams your name
I’m protected by warrior angels
I’m free from your childish games.”
They danced again, and I spotted Ben at the front bopping his head along to the music. He mouthed ‘You’re amazing’. And then he winked. I laughed and turned around, blushing. I spotted Noel behind me, who had seen Ben too, mouth back to him ‘thank you’ and pantomime wink back.
I giggled. Lizzie walked to the mic after the song finished.
“Gosh Eve, you’re such a crowd hogger. My turn! Hey guys, are you happy?” The crowd cheered.
“You want another song?” They cheered again.
“Okay!” And she began playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on her bass. The audience laughed and Noel put on a falsely sweet voice and sang along. I coughed.
“Excuse me guys, but this is my show. It’s EVELYN and the Nights, not Lizzie and the rejects. Next song!” Noel strummed the first chord of the song we played this morning, which I named Street Show.
“You see him late at night
Walking with the guitar on his back
He’s a wanderer walking his right
Singing his heart out to save his soul” I sang both hands on the mic as Noel was playing. It was a one guitar song, even Lizzie wasn’t playing. People swayed along to the song that reminded me of pirates. The crowd seemed to like the music. I played the next few songs and they got more and more into it. I finally reached She Loves you at 10 o’clock. I blinked into the spotlight, absorbing the atmosphere.
“Playing the final song for tonight, got to love these Liverpool lads, so enjoy! This is She Loves You by The Beatles!” I played the introduction and Noel walked over to me, playing the other part of guitar.
“She loves you, yeah yeah yeah
She loves you, yeah yeah yeah
She loves you, yeah yeah yeah yeah
You think you've lost your love
Well, I saw her yesterday
It's you she's thinking of
And she told me what to say
She says she loves you
And you know that can't be bad
Yes, she loves you
And you know you should be glad” Noel sang into the same microphone as me, smiling at me. He winked with the eye away from the crowd at me. I loved the song I was singing so much and the people I was with. I was in my heaven where I was then and I didn’t want to leave it, ever. I was meant to be here.
The song ended perfectly. The crowd cheered and when I looked down, Ben wasn’t there. I looked around at Lizzie to ask if she knew where he was when I saw him backstage, beaming at me. I looked back at the crowd for the last time, feeling butterflies that had haunted me through the whole show fly away. They were there, to see me, some to see Noel, but most to see me. I waved to them as the lights dimmed to end the show, and then walked off stage to my boyfriend, my best friends at my heel and my guitar in my hand, feeling like I was high.
YOU ARE READING
In Another Life (1993-1996)
Fiksi PenggemarEvelyn Night is a sixteen year old girl with a simple life until one day she notices a black speck on the horizon. After suffering in hospital, battling medication and the attempted revival by a mystery love, she finds herself in the past, and the f...