Nowhere But You

Chapter 25

Andrea kept fidgeting in the driver's seat of her parked car and tapping the driving wheel repeatedly with her fingers, as she listened attentively to the sounds coming out of the speakers. The buzzing neon sign of the radio station reflected on her windshield, serving as the main source of light in the dark parking lot.

Robin was sitting next to her in the passenger's seat.

"He's gonna do great," the strawberry blonde girl affirmed.

Inside the building, in the studio, Johnny was fidgeting in his own seat, while he and his bandmates waited for their cue.

"Alright," a female voice called, "this is WNTN, Newtown's finest—"

"There they are!" Andrea gasped. "Turn it up!"

Robin smiled and did as her friend told her. She could relate. She still remembered her first time hearing River on the radio.

"We just listened to 'Regardless' by DICK Morgan and we're joined in the studio by none other than all of the members of DI—"

"Estrella, we hate to interrupt you," Nathan's uttered in what he liked to call his 'radio voice,' "but we're not called that anymore."

Robin grinned wide, pleased. Finally the world would get to know the definite name.

At the same time, she hoped for Liz's sake that Nathan didn't act flirty with Estrella Sanz, a young radio DJ who had earned the late night slot three times a week at WNTN, the most popular young adult radio station in Newtown. Her animated personality, warm smile, perky dark eyes and dreadlocks wrapped around bright colored bandanas had become a common sight in live shows lately. She only played and interviewed local bands in her show.

As much as Nathan had tried it with her, however, she had never given him the time of day.

"Oh!" Estrella was surprised, "is this an exclusive for our show?"

"We wouldn't do it any other way." Nathan grinned. Back in the car, Robin rolled her eyes. She could see her oldest friend's cheeky smile in her head.

"What's the new name, then?"

"The new name is..." Nathan and Eli mimicked a drum roll over the desk with their fingers, "One Life Remaining."

"One Life Remaining!" Estrella repeated. "So, I guess I'm gonna have to change my question for the previous name. Where does this name come from?"

"It was Johnny's idea." River leaned in and spoke for the first time into his mic.

"Okay, so, Johnny, lead singer," Estrella glanced over at of the new faces in the studio, already eager to introduce the new members of the band, "I'm going to let us tell this story."

Andrea opened her eyes wide upon listening. She could not imagine how Johnny must've been feeling. That shy, cocooned man already had the floor this early into the interview. Robin squeezed her friend's knee, full of support. She was letting Andrea fully experience this (as she had herself) so she resolved to quietly be there with her friend.

"Well..." Johnny's grave, sultry voice sounded almost as a whisper at first, "I'd love to tell you a romantic, sort of ethereal story of how we only live once, and sometimes we only get that one chance that could change the course of our lives—"

"Some people believe we live several lives." Estrella liked challenging her guests, especially the new ones.

"Sure, but we only have one present life." Johnny stated confidently and scratched the back of his neck. In the car Andrea held her breath. "Um, I sure would like to tell you a story like that," the long-haired singer carried on, in his usual slow, thought-through speech, "when in reality we were taking a break from rehearsal one night and myself and Eli here were indulging in a video game and you know how, unlike in real life, in a video game each player has three lives, right? Three chances—"