Hard Fucking Death Core

THREE (Iselen POV)

"Where the hell did you find that?"

I turn around startled and realize Ruby Rose is standing behind me, zipping up her leather jacket while holding a cigarette between her lips, I can't see her eyes that are hidden behind sunglasses but I get the impression she's woken up in bad mood. It doesn't surprise me, they were partying hard yesterday till wee hours and they've had to rush to get ready this morning, having breakfast and packing stuff, and dragging their feet out of the hotel moaning and complaining about their headaches while we wait for the bus to arrive. The girls are leaning their elbows on lampposts cursing, Zu pulls up her hood covering her red hair and Taylor yawns while I feel Ruby's eyes fixed on my face before she points at my own luggage.

"That's mine..." I answer shrugging and she surprises me kneeling down on the ground, moving as fast as a snake despite her hangover and opening the case with nimble fingers. My guts get tensed due to my anxiety but Ruby seems to stare at my guitar mesmerized and cradles the instrument in her hands with great care before getting up holding it tight. She takes her glasses off with an abrupt movement and hangs them on her T-shirt neckline to be able to take a closer look at every angle and curve of the instrument.

"You can play?" I nod gritting my teeth, offended by the hint of disbelief in her tone of voice, and she smiles amused when noticing it. "Is it a Spanish guitar?"

"No," I answer harshly and she fixes her eyes on mine, upset, raising an eyebrow as a warning and waiting for my explanation. I sigh frustrated and elaborate reluctantly. "It's a flamenco guitar."

"What's the fucking difference?" her fingers graze the strings carefully and the instrument makes a soft sound.

"There're several... bracing and tone bars behind the body are different, they're lighter, the sound hole is smaller, the strings are lower, they're made of cypress and fir wood while Spanish classic guitars are made of rosewood and cedar..."

"Cypress... that's fancy. Play..." Ruby hands me the instrument and I stare at her in disbelief.

"Here?" I look around, we're in the middle of a square in Paris, surrounded by passers-by and cars on the road, some fans are waiting in the distance screaming from time to time but a handful of security guards don't let them come closer. Ruby shrugs and smiles throwing down a challenge I can't refuse: I take my biker jacket off to be comfortable despite it's a cold morning and flop down on a bench, putting my right ankle on my left knee so I can lean the guitar on my leg. I touch the strings delicately to check if they're tuned despite I always try to have the instrument ready and the Hardcores move closer with curiosity while Ruby kneels down in front of me and takes her phone to film my hands. "What do you prefer?"

"Whatever you want, we don't know shit about flamenco." They all nod confirming Taylor's words and I sigh, choosing a Malagueña, it's a lovely and short song they'll all like, I hope, and even if nothing is easy concerning flamenco technique, at least this one isn't too complicated and the song will allow me to show off a little. Notes are high and clear despite the traffic noise and I try to focus on my performance ignoring the eyes fixed on me. My fingers move fast and nimble and I take care of pauses because silence is also part of a song, the tune is easy and catchy, increasing the pace slowly... Ruby's phone doesn't miss a single detail and follows the movement of my hand on the fret while listening mesmerized. The last chord echoes across the square and the girls sigh and clap shyly.

"Such a passion... notes are high, strong and bright..." the singer whispers while shoving the phone back to her pocket and slides her fingers all over the guitar again not caring if I'm still holding it in my hands. "I like that thing you did, the sound of your fingernails hitting the wood surface..."