Never Say Never by Kailin Gow Read Free Book Online Page B

out here, see what you guys make of
me. I'm sure you'll tell me I'm bollocks and send me home, of course. But I
thought  - what the hell, it's only an hour, I'll have a go, make a wanker of
myself...” He laughed a charming, self-deprecating laugh, sweeping his long
black hair out of his eyes. “I'd tell you all sorts of nice things about your
voice, but you'd think I was just buttering you up to get into the band.”
                “I'm
sure you're above such petty tactics,” I said, unable to resist a smile at his
easy charm.
                “I'm
sure you've heard all those nice things before. About your stage
presence. About the way you sing like an angel and smile like a devil. All
those things – sure you've heard them a million times! They won't affect you
one bit.”
                And
blush like a schoolgirl, I thought to myself bitterly. Still, if Danny Blue
was trying to butter me up, he was doing a pretty good job.
                “Aren't
you going to try to flatter all of us?” Luc said, his smile ever so slightly
twisted. “Suck up to all of us.”
                Danny
laughed. “After,” he said. “But first – I thought I might play you a little
something. How about 'Rebel Rebel' – David Bowie? My favorite!”
                “Mine
too!” I couldn't resist blurting out.
                And
then he was playing, and all words died out like embers. From the moment his
fingers first touched his guitar strings, I felt an energy buzzing through the
room – an enormous, golden, pulsing force that seemed to enter each one of us
in turn. All at once, it felt like we weren't in a smelly college apartment,
weren't on some college campus – we were alone onstage just the two of us, me
and him, feeling the rhythm of the music pulse through and overpower us. This
is it, I thought to myself. He's the one. I had never been so sure
of anything in my life.
                Danny
finished playing, the music still echoing on the amp as it faded into silence.
                “I
hope I didn't embarrass myself too badly,” he said, a twinkle in his eye.
                We
were all silent. Then, we looked at one another – silently trading
imperceptible nods.
                “Welcome
to the band,” I said.

 
     
    Chapter 6
     
     
                W e had no time to lose. It was already Tuesday
night, and we had three full days to rehearse nonstop if we wanted to make a
good impression for our Friday night gig. We were all running on adrenaline –
we barely had time to introduce ourselves to each other before we stopped
exchanging pleasantries altogether and started jamming. I had so many questions
for Danny Blue – where had he learned to play the way he did? What was a
doctoral student in ethnomusicography doing with a black leather trench coat
that rivaled that of David Bowie? And what could account for that strange, sad,
brooding look in his eyes? But I had no time to ask any of those questions. We
didn't talk about anything that wasn't about pure business – frets, chords,
tabs, and rhythm. I taught Danny the songs; Steve did a few licks on the drums.
Everything was about music – just the way I liked it.
                I
was always the first person to complain when personal talking infringed upon
band time – I'd always been the first one to say “back to work.” I didn't have
a personal life; this band was my personal life. So why was I the one
who, all of a sudden, felt a sting of disappointment when Danny said “back to
work” and we didn't share more than two seconds of greeting before we were back
to playing?
                But
the second Danny started on his guitar, I didn't want to do anything else. I
never wanted to do anything else. His cracked, soft voice – at once harsh and
sweet – the way he made the guitar strings quiver in his fingers and strain