That Thing You Do! (Multiband Fan Fic)

Chapter 14 - Youth Gone Wild

Katie's P.O.V

"Go sit at a table." Dylan told me. "Take Stevie."
I nodded, grabbing my drink. "C'mon." I took Stevie's wrist.
He followed, as we sat at a table, near the stage.

Dylan had a plan.

A familiar bass line started up and Stevie and I were stunned.
We watched the mans hands move and soaked up his presence. This was the man we wanted.
His band members joined in, playing 'Piece Of Me' by Skid Row.
He didn't sing, didn't even have a mic, but he was singing along, the crowd getting hyped.
"This is our guy." I told Stevie, who couldn't agree with me more.
Stevie drummed on his lap, nodding along.

I smiled, as the bassist looked at us, nodding along with Stevie, before looking else where.
I looked back at Dylan, who nodded at me, and spoke to a waitress.
She nodded, coming over with more drinks.
"Your friend wants you to have this." She gave me a note.
"Thanks!" I called over the music.

'Talk to him after the show, send him my way.' - Dylan

I smiled and folded the note, putting it in Stevie's jacket pocket.

. . .

They were a cover band. No originals, but damn that bass was good!
They all came off stage, after a twenty minute set, and grabbed a table, the crowd cheering them on. The bassist was coming this way, so I decided to take my chance.

"Oi! You were really good!" I called out to him, as he was passing, Stevie watching and learning.
"Thanks. Glad you liked it." He smiled. A proper Yankee, nice.
He was about to walk away.
"Shame about the rest of your band!" I glanced at him, grabbing my drink.
"Excuse me?" He turned back to me.
"I said 'It's a shame about the rest of your band'." I told him.
He grabbed a chair and sat on my right.

"What's wrong with the rest of my band?" He asked me, pissed off.
"They're shit." Stevie smiled, slouching in his chair.
"You're drummer was off beat, your singer is no Baz, and your guitarist missed a couple of notes, during '18 and Life', which! by the way, is a personal favourite of mine. You, however, are a God. Your playing blew my mind. I'm serious." I told him, speaking honestly about him.
"Well, thanks, but it's people like you we play our opening song for." This guy glared at me.
"They call me Monroe." I smiled at him. "This is Stevie. Our drummer."
"Hey." Stevie smiled.

"Drummer?" The guy asked.
"We're in a band. How long do you see you guys lasting for?" I asked, nodding over to his band.
He looked over and gave us his answer. He frowned, as two of his guys were arguing, and one pushed themselves away to talk to some girl.
"Not long then... In our band, all pay is shared equally. All songs are written by the band, not an individual. We need a bassist, if you're interested. One who knows how to play. It's rock we want. The good shit - Hair metal band. You can sing, and run about the stage, all you like..." I leaned closer to him, having him hooked. "Playing only the good notes."
He looked at me, then over to his table. "I can't. Thanks, but no thanks..."

He got up and left us.
"Damn, dude... I thought you had 'im..." Stevie frowned.
"We do." I smiled at my cousin.
He looked confused, but I just took a sip of my drink.

. . .

Dylan's P.O.V

"Alright, mate?" I smiled, as the guy came to the bar. "What you having? That was some good playing."
"Thanks." He looks down. 'What did you say to him, Monroe?'
"You alright?" I asked him, as the bartender came over.
"Yeah, just don't see us lot lasting. I just had an offer, but I don't know..." The guy stood taller than me, but I had to be older than him. The bartender gave him five colas, without him asking.
"I'm Dylan Chaser. Happen to be in a band myself." I held my hand out for him.
"I'm Eddie Riot, and yes, that is my real name." The guy shook my hand.
"I like it. Eddie Riot." I smiled, taking my hand back.

"What you play?" He asked me.
"Guitar. Rhythm. My drummer and lead guitarist are in another venue, looking for a bassist and vocalist. We're looking to go all the way. We don't do covers... Well, we do one, but we'd probably never do it live." I shrugged.
"What's your band called, do I know it?" Eddie asked me.
"We're called Kings. Classic rock band, all the good shit." I lied to him, wondering what Monroe may of said.
"Nice... I like it." Eddie nodded, impressed.
"Better than 'Red Runaway'." I tried not to laugh at their name.
"True..." Eddie smiled, picking up a drink and taking a sip. "Where're you based?"
"Boston. We're just looking for band members, right now." I told him.
"You have a number?" He asked me.
"Sure." I grabbed a napkin and the pen from my pocket. Always kept one handy. You never know when inspiration may hit.
"Here's our hotel, room number, and my mobile." I pointed it all out, handing it to him.
"Thanks... I'll think about it." Eddie then left me.

He took the drinks over to his table, grabbed his, and headed back over to Monroe.
"Oh, you are good." I smiled at Monroe.

. . .

Katie's P.O.V

"Rock, you said?" The guy sat back down on my right, putting his cola on the table.
"Yeah. Only the good shit." I nodded, smiling at him, as Stevie sat up.
"So, what do you need for your band?" The guy asked. "I'm Eddie, by the way."
"Hello, Eddie." I smiled. "We need a bassist, and a singer, if you know anyone..." I shrugged.
"What are you guys called?" Eddie asked.
"Steven!" Stevie spoke up. "We're call'd 'Steven', buh i's temporary..."
"Yeah, we were looking at names like... Well, whatever!" I had nothing.... Fucking Stevie...
Eddie laughed. "You two look alike. You related?"
"Cousins. My dads side." I replied.
He nodded. "You're not a family band right? This isn't the Carpenters, is it?" Eddie asked.
"No, no, no." I shook my head. "We're not the Osmond's either, or the Nolan's." I smiled.
"Good... Listen, I've got another offer... I just want to cover everything, so do you have a number, I can call?" Eddie asked.
"Yeah!" I pulled my mobile out.
He got his and I told him my number, seeing I had a text from Kirk.

"You're not home, yet..."

"Thanks... I'll think about it." Eddie smiled.
"You better. This offer won't hold forever..." Stevie told him.
Eddie nodded and went back over to his band.
"Drink up, Stevie. Time to go." I finished my drink, texting Kirk back.

"Something's come up, but we may have us a bassist. Give me three more days."