She pats my shoulder. “Anything you wanna talk about?”
“Um… yeah. When’s filming starting for the music video?”
She smiles. “This time next week. But Zaria will come in a couple of days beforehand to talk through the theme of the clip and wardrobe, etcetera.”
“Okay, great. And thanks for making this happen, Tillie.”
She shrugs. “It was your idea. So I should be thanking you.”
With a grin, I grab my coffee and pat her shoulder as I head off toward the studio, where the rest of the band is currently waiting for a practice session.
Walking in, Ryan, Matt, and Danger are set up, ready to rehearse. I take a moment to sip my coffee.
“Looking rather disheveled this morning, Nate. You have a messy night?” Ryan asks.
“Nah, just need caffeine and to bash it out on the kit, then I’ll be right.”
Matt looks at me, and I dip my chin in his direction, letting him know I’m okay before I sit behind my kit.
Oliver walks in, garnering our attention. “Morning, all. You guys ready to rehearse “I’ll Take Your Breath Away?”” We all nod, and then I place the mug of coffee down next to my foot pedal. “Okay, let’s get right to it then.”
Oliver counts us in. With the 4/4 timing, I begin. The song is slow, but the rhythm is anything but mellow, with flams and paradiddles placed sporadically throughout. I slam my sticks hard on the toms, the wood banging against the skin with a heavy beat. The vibration fills my veins with the love I have for percussion, and the bass drum reverberates through my soul as I do the double beats quickly, without pause.
I’m skilled at what I do, and I know not just anyone can play the drums well, let alone at my caliber. With pride, I own my craft. Mixing it with the sounds of Ryan’s guitar flowing through me, Matt’s bass vibrating against my skin, and Danger’s voice echoing around the room, it makes for a stirring experience.
We may not always see eye to eye, and there are days I question how I truly fit in, but overall, I love this band. Being a part of something this damn special fills me with a deep sense of fulfillment. My arms glide effortlessly over the kit, striking each piece right on time, every time. The tension in each movement has my muscles flexing and stretching.
Glancing up, I see Tillie and Lunar watching from the sound booth, and I can’t help but wonder what Ria would think if she were here—seeing my muscles flex, hearing us live, feeling the raw power behind the music.
Would she melt like all the other girls do?
But more than that, would she find me attractive while I play?
ZARIA
In my living room, thinking about Nate, I wonder what he’s doing right now as I skim through a possible script. It’s terrible. I mean, a woman and her dog on Mars?Her dog?Really? Some stories are just too far-fetched to be anything but dribble. With a huff, I toss the script onto the coffee table just as the doorbell rings. I purse my lips, wondering who the hell it could be—though a part of me silently hopes it’s Nate.
As I walk to the door, the cold marble under my bare feet is familiar, a sensation I’m used to. At home, I prefer to go barefoot since I spend so much time in heels when I’m out.
Opening the door, I sigh when I see my mother standing there. Her jet-black hair frames her face perfectly, while her oversized sunglasses crowd it. Her bright red lipstick looks too young for her, but she smiles warmly, which helps me smile in return.
“Ria… darling,” she gushes, rushing forward and taking me into an embrace.
I kiss both cheeks while hugging as we’ve become accustomed to—like fucking posh people. “Mom, what are you doing here?”
She pulls back with a scoff. “Well, it’s nice to see you too.”
Rolling my eyes, I stand back to let her pass. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant I wasn’t expecting you. I’m surprised, is all.”
“I know, darling. I’m only teasing. I wanted to check in on you to make sure you’re making the correct decisions for your future.”
Furrowing my brows at her strange words, I shake my head. “I’m not following?” After closing the door, I lead us down and into the living room.
“Well, darling, I heard you were doing a music video with some band. Why would you want to do that? They’re notthatfamous this band. I mean, you could go forStakedor12GAUGE-Slayed, a band with more popular appeal?”
I roll my eyes. “Colter Slade is too old, and Staked is English, Mom. I don’t want to leave the States. Plus, Recoil approached me, and they’re lovely, and they are famous in their own right.”
“Well, doesn’t matter howlovelythey are, now does it? The question is, aretheygoing to boostyourcareer?”
