Crescendo

Chapter 9

DANTE

Right before soundcheck, Alex lost his favorite guitar pick. He uses this particular one at major shows, like the one they're having tonight in Phoenix. He panicked when he had to go through soundcheck without it. And now afterward, he, Turner, and Sky tear the dressing room apart looking for it. Christian, of course, isn't helping. He's nowhere to be found. Alex is positive he's somewhere up in Natasha's face or another part of her anatomy.

"Shit, shit, shit," he rants as he searches the floor under the dressing room vanity.

"We'll find it. Relax," Turner says, but his reassurances mean nothing if Alex can't find it.

Because it isn't just any guitar pick. Melissa gave it to him, making the small object precious. It's a symbol of how they first met. The letters, LOD, written on it, is a playful abbreviation on the line "Lifeguard on Duty."

Alex saw Melissa for the first time in the summer before their freshman year of high school. Alex worked as a lifeguard at the local pool, but the job turned out to be incredibly dull. It was shaping up to be the most boring shit ass summer...but then Melissa walked in.

She started to come there regularly and got him every time. She would wave when she caught him drooling at her, but that was pretty much all Alex could work up to. Talking was out of the question. He was sure his cracking pubescent voice would have made an embarrassing appearance if he tried to introduce himself or pull a stupid pick-up line.

Then one day, she came to the pool with those kids she used to babysit. At one point, one of the boys swam out too far and started to go under. Alex rushed into the water as fast as he could and saved the kid from becoming a dead fish. After the rescue, he and Melissa started talking and became inseparable.

The guys in the band don't know the full story of the guitar pick's history, because it's personal to him. Special. So while they're trying to help and everything, they don't fully understand why he's freaking out this badly. Groaning in frustration, Alex sits down on the floor for a minute to catch his breath. He's anxious, close to defeat.

"Maybe it's on the bus," Sky suggests.

"It was," comes a voice from the room's doorway. Turning, Alex notices Christian standing there holding up the infamous pick in his hand. He rushes over and takes it from him, staring in wonder at the guitar pick and then at Christian.

"Holy hell. Where did you find it?"

"It was in the back pocket of the jeans you wore yesterday. I remembered you putting it in there. I thought it might be there, so I went and looked," Christian says, unable to hide a hint of triumphant pride in his voice. Alex's delight wanes slightly.

"You went through my things?" Alex asks with narrowed eyes.

"Are you fucking serious?" Christian yells.

"Alex, come on," Sky groans.

"I knew you wouldn't listen to me, which is why I went back to get it myself," Christian says.

"You're right," Alex says, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry. Thanks."

"No big deal." Christian coughs and shrugs it off, looking away from him. "I knew you wouldn't feel great playing without it."

Alex shocks everyone in the room—including himself—by reaching out and giving Christian a strong hug. After a moment, they break away awkwardly, but it's clear a lot of the tension between them has been alleviated with this act of kindness.

"Why are you so crazy about that thing anyway?" Christian asks curiously.

"I'll tell you later." Alex does mean his promise. Maybe telling him will be the last step they need to make peace.

"Aw. Isn't this beautiful? Everyone all—" Sky starts.

"Shut up, Sky. Don't ruin it." Turner shuts him down before going on enthusiastically. "Let's go have a kick-ass show."

* * *

"I'm starved," whines the little boy Turner's currently stuck with. And by little boy, he means the band's full-grown front man. A sulking Sky, who is pouting as he childishly bounces on his hotel bed. After their performance is over, Sky's next interest is food.

"When aren't you hungry," Turner says. At another despairing wail, he grabs the room service menu from the nearby table and tosses it at Sky.

"Here. Pick a dish, any dish, as long as you shut up."

Placated, Sky eagerly peruses the menu, mumbling to himself (and therefore disobeying Turner's command). "Mmmm. They have hot wings. But do I want hot wings? Maybe I should do something refined like filet mignon..." This goes on for a bit and as it does, Turner studies his friend inconspicuously.

He seems fine, but then again, Sky is wonderful at pretending to be okay. He'll act perfectly hunky-dory when inside he's an utter mess. Which is what Turner's worried about. The messiness that can occur when Sky gets out of hand. People say Turner worries too much but in this case, his concerns might be valid.

Sky's been using a lot lately, more than he used to, more than he should. So much more it's making Turner jittery. It's slowly been getting worse. For instance, it's clear the black eye incident from the other day shook him up. Turner's sure it brought back memories of Sky's dirtbag father. And he knows, can feel it instinctually, Sky was snorting away in the bathroom afterward.

Turner's sure Sky is doing drugs as a coping mechanism, as an escape; but he's (again) fretting over how to bring it up. When Sky feels attacked, he either gets defensive or blows it off.

A knock on the door interrupts Turner's thoughts. Answering it, he beholds both Christian and Alex at the door, together and not hitting each other or yelling.

"Hey, you two," he says, hiding his slight confusion at their appearance.

"Alex! Christian!" Sky greets them exuberantly, waving them into the room. The two step right in, continuing to be all chummy. Turner clears his throat and tries to accept this new reality as he briefs them on the current situation.

"Sky, as usual, is hungry. What do you guys want to eat?"

Christian plops down on the bed next to Sky and snatches the menu out of his hand. "The hot wings sound good," Christian says.

"I was thinking the same thing." Alex agrees so easily it makes Turner do a double take. He trades looks with Sky who looks equally surprised.

"I was on the fence about them earlier, but if everyone else is cool with it, then I'm down," Sky says, happy as long as his stomach gets serviced.

Turner makes the call, wondering what has possessed his band members. The guitar pick incident has radically brought about a new sense of camaraderie. Alex and Christian are peacefully deciding what to watch on TV. A rerun of America's Next Top Model wins out, mostly due to Christian's urging.

Baffled, Turner pulls up a chair next to Sky's side of the bed, leaning in to whisper to him. "What's going on between those two?" he asks Sky as they watch the former adversaries laugh like the old friends they used to be.

"I don't know, but it looks like things are turning around," Sky says.

"God, I hope so." Turner crosses his fingers.

"It's a strange, brand new world, Turn. A brand new world."

*** Here's to Sky's optimism. Whether it's misguided or not is TBD.

Thanks for reading! ***