Unforeseen | H.S.

Chapter 4

Women.

They're fantastic creatures that make life worth living. They can provoke a great storm in your mind and be the one to appease it. Women are the tidal waves threatening to break your ship of dignity into pieces; but they're also the lighthouse that would help you survive. One minute, they're able to endure the fire in their hearts with indifferent, stoic faces; and the next, their sobs and screams burn the whole world when their insides remain cold and empty. It's exhilarating to have a woman in your life, but it's not easy to be one.

Elise still remembers the confused looks their management team exchanged when realizing that the fourth member of the Ardennas was a woman. She can still feel the sting of their judgmental eyes on her when they found out that Elise had dropped out of college to be a musician; and it boiled her blood because Dylan wasn't on the receiving end of such looks, even though he had literally done the same thing. When the management team met the Ardennas that very first day, their initial suggestion was that they looked for a male drummer and assured them that LA was full of them. However, there were few members of the team that actually liked the idea of a girl in the band, believing that it would earn them a good profit if they were smart; and by being smart they meant spreading fake news of her affairs with one of her bandmates.

"Ok. Let's do it one more time. Just in case that fussy bitch throws a fit again." Charlie said in the microphone from behind the composing tools. Elise sat behind her drums with a hurting back and sore arms, yet she didn't dare complain, not wanting to show the smallest sign of weakness even in front of her friend.

"Alright." Elise muttered and shook her hands vigorously to ease their numbness. She picked up her sticks and looked at Charlie through the glass. "Ready."

It had become a habit of Jake's to drag Elise to the studio days after the recording had finished and make her replay all her parts because her previous attempts weren't 'good enough'. Not once did Elise express her annoyance with the too fastidious act, though. She knew the men around him well enough to understand the reason behind all the pressure they put on her. She knew that her discomfort, although valid, couldn't be revealed or it would only make those misogynists foolishly think that they'd been proven right.

"We're almost done. Ready for the last one? ... three, two, one."

Every time this happened, one of the boys went to the studio with Elise and helped her do the job without having to deal with any more assholes. It was always more fun to have Miguel or Dylan around but that didn't make her appreciate Charlie any less.

At the sight of Charlie with his thumbs up, Elise stood and stretched in every direction she could think of, making Charlie laugh.

"You know, when I become real famous ... Imma tell everyone what an ass he is." Elise said, still trying to wake her muscles up.

"Oh, don't do that to him." Charlie's words dripped with a mocking sarcasm that didn't go unnoticed by Elise.

"You'll see, Charlie. I'll get him cancelled." Elise emphasized her words with raised eyebrows and a pointing forefinger.

"Whatever you say, E. Need a ride?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"Hmmm ..." humming to herself, she made her way towards the wooden table she'd put her phone on and checked to see if she'd received the text Shay was supposed to send her.

She had.

"I'll give you the directions. Let's get out of here."

Elise always believed in trying new things; moving to a new city being one of them. Some called her reckless, but she never settled for an easy life. She thought it was simply ridiculous to be praised for taking a path that had already been proved to lead to success. She wanted to be challenged. And of course, getting out of your comfort zone builds you up, but not before destroying you a little bit. When her family heard about her plans for the first time, they were not happy. Elise told them about the endless opportunities that would arise as soon as she moved to West, and how all of her childhood dreams could come true over a span of two years; but all her parents could hear was "I'm gonna ruin my life."