"I don't think this is a good idea, Tay. You know-"
"Yea, yea. Whatever Suck it up and take care of yourself later."
Isa rolled her eyes and did just that, sucked it up and pushed forward. Besides, they were supposed to be a good band anyhow. B.A.D, Back at Distaster. . . which was pretty much where her life was heading anyway.
She watched as her friend handed the tickets over to the bouncer and with a short giggle, she practically ran inside.
Good. . . gods... Isa found herself surrounded by the stench of alcohol and lust in the air. It's al right, you are in control. Yes. . . she would watch this band with her friend and would enjoy it.
Within the hour the club was packed full of rock fans, each one already wearing some home made shirt with the bands logo on it.
"I am going to marry the guitarist one day. . ."Tay sighed as her gaze landed in the general direction of two males tuning their electric guitars... both had white hair.
"Which. . . one?"
"That one!" Her friend jumped up and down and pointed excitingly. . . to the general direction of the two males again.
Isa sighed and merely waved the notion away. It didn't matter WHICH one her friend was "in love with". They looked the same to her anyway, and her friend went through guys like. . . well. . . she didn't want to think about it.
"It's starting!" Tay squealed.
The music they played was amazing! The lyrics true to heart while the melody carried through the crowd, exciting their fans further.
Her friend screamed the lyrics along with the lead singer, "Only to fight for love once lost!"
The lead singer with vibrant pink hair moved over to a guitarist, their eyes locking for a longing moment before she moved past him and over to the right side of the stage. That was when she saw him. His eyes were duly focused on his board, his head phones over his head as he set the beat for the rest to follow. He seemed lost in the music, a small simple smile lined his face as he set the tempo, sped up the melody, even added a bit of flare into the song. The others sang out with the lead singer, girls screamed for the drummer as he played a smashing solo, even the boys went a bit crazed when the bass and guitarist went at it. But to Isa, the lone boy in the back was the center of the stage it seemed.
"Do you like them?!" Her friends voice was barely heard over the roar of the crowd when the band finished the song.
"Yea! Who's that?" She pointed to him, her friend smiled and winked at her.
"Why? You LIIKKEE him?"
Isa huffed in frustration and narrowed her eyes threateningly. The message seemed to be read because her friend laughed and slapped her playfully on the shoulder.
"That's Cyrus! And that's my future husband!" Isa rolled her eyes to finally see that the guy her friend claimed to be "in love" with was a vampire. . . of course, her friend was a sucker for the vamps. She claimed they were "insatiable" lovers and that she knew one day she would marry one.
"Ok! . . . Well, good luck with that!" The crowd began to become restless, shouting for more, "Encore! Encore!" Silly humans. . . they had no idea who, or what this band was. But it was no concern of hers, the only thing she seemed to care about was the amazing boy at the DJ board, Cyrus.
The crowd was on fire and Cyrus, along with the rest of the band members, continued adding fuel to that endearing flame. Really, Cyrus was in his own world behind the dashboard in his own corner of the stage. He was lost in the beat, in the flow of the music, and enthusiastically supported each member in their solos or verses. To him, the few handful of songs they performed could not quell the thirst and passion he felt. He could have gone on all night but the hours passed in a quick frenzy and it was not long before the crowd began to dissipate as the evening came to a close.
ReplyDelete"Nice job, guys!" Tyem called, helping everyone take their equipment back stage. After ushering the others off stage first, she turned to Cyrus with a warm smile. He cast her a small smile in return as she assisted in handling his especially delicate appliances. He respected her above all; Tyem always stood up for him when the other guys would make fun of him. Whether it was his age (after all, he was the youngest) or his sensitivity due to his trauma, she at least was understanding. This wasn't to say the guys were complete jerks all the time; they often diverted crazy fans or talked things over a good drink now and then.
"Thank you, Tyem." She nodded, setting down the control panel next to his system briefcase before heading off to collect her articles. Cyrus knelt down, easing the rest of his equipment onto the floor. He set the two speakers in, one by one, before catching movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked up, wondering which of the guys would approach and tease him, but nearly froze to death in his shock when he realized this newcomer was not a band member. A furious blush colored this woman's cheeks, with long blond hair framing her face and highlighting her emerald green eyes. He should have pondered who let her through security... yet strangely he couldn't help but be mesmerized by the girl's unearthly beauty, which left him dumbstruck and utterly left at a lost of words.
"Umm... I-I hope you don't mind... I just let myself in... no one was at the door." Oh wow. Her voice was so pure and sweet. She was almost too good to be real. Cyrus blinked when she spoke, trying to awaken from his trance. He rose to his feet, fidgeting with auxiliary wires as he attempted to maintain eye contact with her.
"Uh..."
The girl's eyes flickered as she began to fluster. "Oh! I'm sorry! My name's Isa."
She giggled nervously, a tender hand tangling a lock of her hair between her fingers. Cyrus's mouth twitched into a half smile, her anxiety almost tangible. "H... Hey- Ow!" The sweat from his clammy palms conducted a small spark of electricity from the wires he had been fiddling with. He dropped them, flashing Isa a timid laugh, who smiled sincerely in return. Oh man... she was so gorgeous and kind... This had to be something out of a dream. "I... I'm Cyrus."
She nodded. "... I know."
Oh, right. Of course. Smooth.
He was even more fascinating up close! At this proximity she noted his eyes were a dashing shade of blue with a hint of violet. They were breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteInstinctively she reached down to help pick up the wires he had dropped only to find that just as she reached for them, he did as well. Their hands touched briefly before he pulled his away almost instantly.
"I'm sorry." She picked them up and handed him the wires, careful to not frighten him further.
"Th- thanks." He laughed again revealing the slightest hint of fangs.
"Oh, you're a vampire?" His brilliant eyes flashed to hers as he nodded slowly.
His hands began to play with the cords once more as he shifted almost uncomfortably. To break the silence, she motioned to the packed equipment.
"I love the way you play."
"What?" He seemed confused at the question and glanced at where she pointed. "Oh!" He turned back at her and lifted a hand to nervously scratch the back of his head. "Um, r-really? I didn't think. . . um. . thanks."
They smiled at each other, neither one of them knowing exactly what to do next. Both of them seemed somewhat shy, Cyrus more than Isa, but it was a band member with the wonderfully pink hair who seemed to push them further.
"Hey, Cy. . . and. . fan?" Tyem set herself between the two of them. Her actions were not threatening, nor possessive, merely concerned for her friend.
ReplyDeleteIsa nodded and smiled shyly at the girl.
Tyem returned the smile before turning to Cyrus. "You,uh, need help here, Cy-"
"No! I'm. . .I'm good." He rushed in, offering her a sincere smile and she took the hint.
With a airy smile she nodded, "All right, you know where to find me should you need anything. Um. . . you two play nice."
Isa laughed nervously again before turning back to Cyrus who seemed to sport a slightly horrified look at Tyem's comment.
"You ok? I can. .I can go if you don't feel comfortable. I didn't mean to push. I.. just. . . enjoyed watching you up on stage. You seemed more lost in the music than the others." Stupid. . you're stupid. He probably gets this all the time. . . But even as she chanced a look, she knew he wasn't used to compliments. His mouth opened slightly as if to say something before closing and looking around as if an answer would appear.
"Ow! Shhh!" The sound came from backstage. Both Isa and Cyrus turned to the sound, though it was Cyrus who walked over to pulled back the curtain.
There, sitting "casually" were his band mates. Tyem sat nonchalantly in between Zephyr and Ryder while Lothair played aimlessly with his drumsticks. It was Ryder who spoke up.
"Oh, hey, Cyrus. . who's uh. . your friend over there." A sly almost sheepish grin played across the wolves face. His brother laughed as Lothair added, "Yea, she's a. . nice looking fan."
"Guys-...."Cyrus pleaded but they went on. Ryder strolled casually towards the two, waving a hand in the air as if trying to wave away a smell.
"I. . . I think I smell it. . don't you Lothair?"
Lothair stood and grinned wickedly, tilting his head up slightly as if sniffing too. "Oh, definitely. You think?"
"Nah, our Cyrus? Never. He doesn't have game."
Tyem sighed and stood, ready to intervene but it was Isa who spoke next.
"Oh,are you sure that is not your own scent? Maybe because you two seem so. . friendly." She walked over to the boys who's mouths hung open in shock when she went over to them and "sniffed" them.
"Oh yep. . . Definitely Can't be Cyrus, the stuff is heaving off of you two. Not love though no. . no its more. . spicy, delicate. . . perhaps. . . lust?" She smiled innocently before leaving them both to walk back to a very, very, shocked Cyrus.
"Do you want me to help you with your equipment? I would very much want to." She offered him an apologetic smile as if helping him would hopefully make up for the fact that he had been made a joke because of her.
Great way to introduce yourself, Isa. Great way. . .
"Hey, umm... I'm sorry about the guys," Cyrus said as he laughed anxiously. He glanced over at his band members, feeling somewhat satisfied seeing Tyem punishing the guys as silently as she could. Isa followed suit and giggled at the sight of the boys almost cowering guiltily. Damn, she was something else. He was completely amazed how she told off the guys for him... She was a lot stronger than him, that Cyrus could be sure about. It made him wonder, with the smallest pang of doubt, why she was interested in him. Compared to her, even compared to the other band members, he felt the closest to a normal and bland person than anything. Avoiding eccentric fame and crowds was kind of the point for Cyrus, but this girl... whoever she was, she came to see him... and for some reason, it made him happy.
ReplyDelete"Do they always treat you like that?" Cyrus blinked and realized he had been off in a trance with his thoughts. Isa had turned back to him now, her gaze analytical and concerned. He smiled a little in reassurance.
"No, no, not always. Just, uh..." Cyrus shrugged and shook his head, finding that the words to form his thoughts were harder to arrange than before. "... I dunno, I just... I mean, I'm the youngest in the group so... hard to avoid getting shit for that and... you know, stuff like that." Their eyes locked once more and Isa laughed airily, to which Cyrus chimed in with nervously. Gods, he must look like a real idiot and it was difficult to determine whether the anxiety or the small dose of euphoria toiling inside him would win over.
Isa's smile turned more forlorn and thoughtful. "Guess it wasn't a great idea to tell them off, huh?"
"Oh, no, you... you were brilliant, like... really fantastic." He turned his head away, cursing himself internally for being so awkward, all the while subconsciously fidgeting with a power cord in his hands. It was strange; he'd never been this high strung in a girl's presence before... then again, the only girls he'd been around were Tyem, his sisters, and his mother. His skittish fussing didn't go unnoticed.
"Hey, do you want me to leave?"
He turned his attention sharply back to Isa. "What? No!"
"Well, I just ask 'cause you seem on edge-"
"Oh, sorry, it's..." He dropped the power cord, his hands hanging lamely now without something to stimulate them. He fought the temptation to move about restlessly and instead crossed his arms as though appearing to try and keep warm. "... not... it's not anything personal. Well, it is personal for me, but not against you, no. No, it's not you, just..."
Cyrus paused, averting his eyes from Isa's for fear his gaze alone would give everything away. It took extreme will power now to remain absolutely calm and still as they were dancing across the surface of a subject he'd rather didn't exist. It was near a decade ago the demon had come for both him and his sister yet it was hard to let it all go to the past. Only his family and the band knew about the details; Cyrus himself had decided to withheld it from the public once he joined the band to avoid unwanted attention. All he wanted was to create music, escape to that world where nothing else but beats and rhythms existed... the last thing he needed was to be reminded daily by fans, interviewers, or the like about the day his life changed forever.
ReplyDeleteIsa leaned slowly back into Cyrus's line of sight with the most endearing expression he'd seen yet. "What?"
An absurd idea rose, but only for a moment. The absurd notion to tell her why he couldn't bear to be touched by anyone, why he fidgeted constantly, and why he yearned to always lose himself in another world less cruel than this one. She was kind and appeared understanding, not hostile whatsoever... Yet Cyrus had to remind himself she was still a stranger, a fan... and no matter how kind-hearted she was, the smallest leak would ensue the vicious rumors that would follow...
He bit his lip for a second until finally shaking his head again. "I can't tell you."
Dammit, why was it so hard to talk to someone so amazing?
She sensed it then, saw it in his eyes. An unmistakable mask of pain that was usually born from a dark past.
ReplyDeleteIt was that very fact that Isa reached over to take hold of his hands. He flinched at the contact and attempted to pull away at first but she held fast to him.
"Its alright, Cyrus. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. Besides, we all have demons in our past, but that's just it, its in the past. The future it always bright and full of endless possibilities!" She cast him a reassuring smile before giving his hands one final squeeze and letting go.
"So, lets get the rest of the stuff loaded up. Afterwards. . . maybe. . . if you're not busy of course, we can. . . well. . . maybe go out for some. . .coffee? Or not. . .you know. . .depends on you. I know being a star and everything you probably have a busy schedule. . " Good gods, Isa, pull it together. Its not like you've never seen a guy before.
But that was just it wasnt it? She, of course, had been with many guys before. She knew every type, every move, every single thing about the male counterpart but. . . with Cyrus she just got a whole different vibe. There was something timid and shy about him, yet beneath that lay that confidence you usually see in the average vampire. He lured her in with that mysterious past of his. What could have happened?
He couldn't hear his thoughts over the pounding of his own heart. It stuck Cyrus as odd for it was not fear that his heart was pounding through his veins... no, it was lighter, and its drive seemed to leave him feeling like he was on top of the world. The intensity would make him burst out of his skin, he was sure. Isa's soft touch had at first frightened him... but her kind words drew about a certain warmth and security Cyrus hadn't felt in a long time. A very small part of him wanted to reach out to her and feel that warmth once more... Damn his hesitation, it nearly had him ripping him apart from the inside.
ReplyDelete"Cyrus?"
"Huh? Oh! Umm..." He had to stop getting lost in his thoughts, it was really starting to make him look like an idiot. "Well, we uh... we don't have another performance for another two weeks, so... I'm sure I can talk the guys into letting me have a day off." Isa raised her eyebrow, slightly, and she must have been just as skeptical as he considering how his band members had treated him earlier. Cyrus laughed airily. "I've got someone on my side to convince them... so, ah... I'll... call you?"
"Sure." Cyrus handed her a pad of paper he used to jot down musical notes late at night when he couldn't sleep and scrounged through his case for a pencil. With each in hand, Isa wrote on the paper with great restraint as though she was attempting to slow her pace to avoid scaring him. Something about the way she bit her lip in an almost giddy fashion really amped up Cy's heart rate. Her eyes scanned the numbers repeatedly after she finished, hellbent on making sure she hadn't made a mistake, and finally handed the materials over to him. Gods... even though they were numbers, he could tell Isa's handwriting was beautiful. Focus, Cyrus...
He rose to his feet, clutching the paper in his hands, and gave her a small smile. "Thanks."
He wanted to believe. He wanted to believe her words, that the future held brighter intentions for him... and that things in the past should be left in the past... but, like his hands grasping the paper, it was hard to let go of it all for the life of him. They held like cold chains upon him, keeping him at bay from the warmth Isa had showed him. He had been fighting against those chains all his life... and he realized only now that, perhaps, he'd need the help of another to finally break them.