MELODY

MELODY 45

By the time Bryan had handed over the clear box to Amelia, he was already exhausted. Raj gestured at the people already lining around the boxed off area, not nearing the booth nor into the hall. It didn't take a genius to know why. The bands have started arriving, MELODY being the first band. His heart skipped a beat when Jackson walked up the stage, his guitar slinging on his bag. Adam was leaning against the stage as he talked to the drummer, Tay at the other side of the stage, grabbing cables. He never knew what Adam had decided in terms of Tay. But judging with how Tay kept tossing glances at Adam, a smile on his lips, he could guess it probably was fine. 

Jackson moved across the stage to grab the microphone stand from Tay, busy placing it in the middle of the stage before he moved to help the drummer set his instrument up. All the while, a few other bands arrived, being gestured to the backstage by Adam and Sasha. Kim, however, detoured and climbed up to the stage, grabbing Jackson by his arm.

Bryan almost went there before he stopped himself. They didn't seem like they were arguing. Jackson was simply staring at Kim as he talked before he looked away and nodded. Another thing to ask Jackson later, then.

"Bryan," Adam said, catching his attention. "Come here."

He moved to him, allowing his friend to toss an arm across his shoulders and bring him closer. He shook at the clipboard in his free hand, a line in the paper underlined in red ink: 'Make sure everything starts exactly at 8 PM'.

"Yeah, that's not happening," Bryan said, amusement in his voice. "We're nowhere close to being properly ready to open to the public."

"We have to," Adam said, voice booking no room for argument. He gestured to the crowd again, this time almost packed as they waited to enter. "Or else we're going to be in their way as they trample their way to their favourite boys."

Bryan's heart squeezed in his chest when Leah was among the crowd, talking to a few other girls. She was here to watch the festival then. Biting his inner cheek, he turned his attention to Jackson and his team. The guitarist wasn't paying attention to him, busy with his setting up. Taking in how he looked, the seriousness on his face and the slight furrow of his eyebrows; pride washed over him. That was the guy he liked. No, loved.

Snapping out of his thoughts at the nudge from Adam, he nodded. "Got it," he said. "I'll go check on the security and help around."

"Thanks," Adam said, smiling as he patted his back, pushing him away.

Bryan's attention was occupied then with preparing for the festival. An hour passed, the clock ticking closer to the time for the festival to begin. Food vendors had taken their place and opened their shops and people had begun properly lining up at the booth. Sweaty and heart racing against his chest, Bryan made a quick note to check backstage. The stage was empty, light beams of green, red, pink and blue began crossing with each other, soft music not related to the bands playing.

It was about time to start.

Sasha was busy at the reception, helping Amelia and Raj out meanwhile Adam was talking to one of the security people. Alright, Bryan would check with the bands before he could take a five minutes break. Moving to backstage, he pushed the door to make his way inside; the band members were busy talking with each other. A few were getting their makeups done.

Without meaning to, he searched for Jackson. And couldn't find him.

Frowning, he didn't have the chance to query when Tay walked up to him.