Totally Unrelated by Tom; Ryan Read Free Book Online Page B

I’ve actually started to like playing it, more than I ever have before. It’s a lot easier to be good at something that you enjoy.
    It’s also true that I’ve been practicing like crazy. Whenever I have a free second, I’m off in a corner somewhere with my guitar, working through my family pieces so they sound tight, messing around with the songs I’m playing with Sandy and Bert and even coming up with some new stuff of my own.
    All the playing and practicing is starting to pay off. I really feel like I’m playing the best guitar of my life.
    â€œWow, Neil,” says Bert one afternoon after I’ve pounded my way through our set. “You’re going to show us up!”
    â€œNo way,” I say. “We all sound awesome.”
    â€œWell, you sound extra awesome,” he says. “Don’t even try to deny it.”
    Sandy pushes some magazines and food wrappers out of the way and flops onto the couch. After the first couple of practice sessions, Bert gave up trying to keep the basement clean. Sandy doesn’t seem to mind, and Beast is in his element.
    â€œThere’s something missing,” she says.
    Bert and I turn to look at her.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” I ask.
    â€œI mean with ‘Pass the Test,’” she says. “It’s good, but it just sounds a bit…I don’t know, not quite enough or something.”
    â€œI think I know what you mean,” says Bert. “It needs some more oomph .”
    â€œ Oomph ?” I say. “What kind of oomph ? The show is in six days. It’s a little bit late to look for another musician.”
    â€œNot another musician,” says Sandy. She jumps up from the couch and grabs her guitar. “Okay, listen, Neil. Remember when you asked me to try practicing with you guys? Well, I have an idea, and I want you to repay the favor and give it a shot, even if you really don’t want to.”
    â€œOkay,” I say, getting suspicious.
    â€œI’ve been singing the lyrics to myself over and over,” she says. “I think it would sound better if there were two singers on the chorus. I’ll keep singing lead the way I have been, but you come in on the chorus and do harmonies.”
    â€œBut I can’t sing,” I protest.
    â€œDon’t give us that,” says Bert. “We’ve both heard you.”
    Sandy starts strumming the chords on her guitar. “So when I sing this,” she says, and she sings the first two lines of the chorus, “you sing it this way.” She repeats the same two lines as harmony lines.
    â€œI don’t know,” I say.
    â€œPlease, just try it,” she says. “I helped you out, remember?”
    â€œFine,” I say. “But if it sucks, I’m not doing it again.”
    â€œFair enough,” she says. “But you have to try for real.”
    I nod and reach for my guitar, but she holds out her hand to stop me. “Let’s start simple,” she says. “I’ll run it through for us, nice and slow.”
    She starts playing, and once she gets past the intro, we both start singing. I’d expected it to be horrible, that I’d screw up the tune right away. Instead, I find that I’m able to sing a harmony line naturally, all the way through. The melody guides me, and I just do my best to sing along in a way that complements Sandy’s voice.
    We come to the end and Bert immediately starts clapping. “Awesome!” he says.
    â€œReally?” I ask them.
    â€œSounded great,” says Sandy.
    â€œWhat did you think, Beast?” I ask, turning toward the couch, but he’s in the process of killing a ninja and doesn’t pay any attention to me.
    â€œThe real question is, what did you think?” says Sandy.
    â€œIt was okay,” I say. She raises an eyebrow at me. “Okay, I admit it. It sounds better. We should do it with harmonies.”
    â€œWell, we better