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HOLLYWOOD, 1995
"One, two, three, four!"
On the outside of the Orpheum, the well-known theater, it looked like a normal night. A dark sky illuminated neon signs and excited individuals lined up with their tickets clenched in hand. Rumors spread through the small crowd, talking about how this showcase would be the big break for the band playing.
"Their lyrics hit you in the heart," one girl said to her friend. "My brother heard them in the park."
"Well, just the beats make me wanna dance," said another. "How much longer you think it'll be before they let us in?"
The clock ticked down, only two hours till showtime, and inside, Sunset Curve used every second to make sure they sounded perfect.
On an elevated part of the stage, Alex pounded away on his drums and jerked his head so his hair would stop falling over his eyes. Bobby, the rhythm guitarist, stepped up and over a bigger amp with a grin as he looked to Reggie, who played bass and bounced around. A few feet away Luke led the song with his voice and electric guitar, putting out all he had as sweat dripped from his forehead.
Finally, there was Charlotte. She stood between Bobby and Luke, her fingers dancing over a keyboard while she harmonized with her best friend. As many times as they played Now or Never, Charlotte never got sick of it. It sparked something, in her and her band mates, that electrified the air.
Luke jumped over to Charlotte as they went acapella, clapping to the beat. A laugh escaped her lips, her shoulder nudging his chest so he would go back to his microphone.
Luke only grinned and strummed his guitar right as smoke effects went off. Within a chorus and echoes later, the music cut off and the band caught their breaths.
Whoops and hollers from the bar tenders took over when they all took a bow, cuing Reggie to speak into his microphone, "Thank you, we're Sunset Curve!"
"Tell your friends!" Charlotte added, and slammed her palm against Luke's hand when he held it up.
"Too bad we wasted that on the sound check," Bobby said as he grabbed a rag to wipe his face. "That was the tightest we've ever played!"
Charlotte agreed with a nod, taking a sip from her water bottle while Alex climbed down from his drum set. Luke still bounced even after putting his guitar on his stand, awestruck when he pictured the audience that would be in front of room.
