Page 24 of Dirty Chorus

We’ll burn together until the day that we die

I’ll take her hand, and she’ll forever be mine

She’s the forbidden fruit, a beautiful sin, and she’s tempting too

I knew from the start that I could never win

She gave me the fruit that I bit into

Together we’ll fall in this deadly paradise

With her, I can’t stop

I can’t stop my temptation for her

The forbidden fruit, a beautiful sin,

I knew from the start that I’d never win.

She gave me the apple and I can’t stop! I can’t stop!

Together we’ll fall, stuck in this deadly paradise we made.

It’s a wave of people jumping up and down, singing along. I back up against the bar, where liquor is illuminated in a crimson red light. I find a lonely stool and prop myself up. The bartender comes up and I manage to order a drink.

That’s when a girl with a pixie haircut comes over and slurps her drink through a black straw.

“I love you, Noah!” she screams, cupping her hand around her mouth, like she wants the whole damn bar to know. It’s not like he can hear as he moves into another song. “Let me come backstage!” She puts her drink down and the tank top she's wearing comes up as she flashes the band.

I glance back up at the stage, and Noah’s eyes sweep across the crowd, just once, and they land on me. He winks in my direction, it was barely a second, but it was enough. I know I’m doomed, but this man’s voice has stolen my heart. His vocals are raw and angelic. I’m convinced I’ve been put under a spell. I don’t know what this is.

I drink my screwdriver like it’s a Capri Sun. I jab a straw into it, suck up every last drop, then get refills like nothing. I dig around in my purse to find my cell phone and start stalking with only the little information I know. It takes me a few tries, playing with search filters until I find the blue check mark button next to the band’s Instagram profile.

My mouth drops to the floor as I stare at the number of followers they have accumulated. Over fifty thousand. When I click on the most recent picture, there are comments about loving the band’s music, begging for a new single, and the girls being thirsty for Noah.

I finish my third screwdriver and place the empty glass on the bar. My tongue is saturated with the aftertaste of orange juice as I listen to the crowd singing along. A sickening feeling embeds itself in my chest. I suddenly don’t want anyone to leave with him but me.

Chapter 15

Noah

Ipick up the guitar case, pushing it into the back of the van as I finish packing up. Tony and Vince should be assisting us, but Tony grabbed a beer and started to entertain a few brunettes working behind the bar. One of them he’s been crushing on for a while, and he can’t seem to get her to crack. Vince leans against the side of the bar next to the gurgling gutters and dumpsters. He’s with a blonde shoving her tongue down his throat, and her leg perched up against his thigh. When she drops to her knees and unzips his pants, I look away.

Omen lectures me about distractions preventing us from getting this demo done, but they can’t seem to control themselves either. At this rate, Omen is the only one keeping us in place. But it is my band – my lyrics, my vocals, and all the decisions are put on me.

“Round them up.” I close the van door, letting Omen know I want to get out of here. My eyes get heavier by the second, knowing it will be an hour drive before I get home.

“Wish me luck.” Omen runs a hand through his hair. “Fuckin’ knock that shit off, and let’s go!” His feet splash through the puddles as Vince continues fucking that girl’s face.

“Give me a minute!” he hollers.

“Hey!” Charlie emerges, going downtown on a piece of gum. She runs her finger against the van and leans her head against the metal. She’s too pretty. The button nose, the dimples caving in the second she smiles at me... and I can’t get over her natural tan skin.

“Hey, Trouble. I thought you’d left,” I say, as my throat dries up.

After we finished our final song, the crowd was too amped up. They were begging for one more song – shouting it over and over again. I just wanted to see Charlie, but she disappeared. My heart doubled over when I lost sight of her, and I figured it was too much for her. The music gets loud, people will mosh, shoving each other around. People can get knocked over and kicked around.

I spent a good hour talking to fans and taking pictures before the crowd dispersed. Even some random chick begged me to sign the inside of their sweaty moist shoe.