BANGED: Rock Stars, Bad Boys & Dirty Deeds

by Lexxie Couper

  “No, you tell him that doesn’t work for me. All or nothing!” Angel yelled at someone on her phone, pacing across the room like an angry jungle cat. She waved her free hand as she spoke and backed right into me, knocking into my arm. Coffee splattered all over both of us, and time seemed to slow as Angel looked down at herself and then up at me.

  “You stupid bitch!” She wiped coffee off her leather jacket. “Look what you’ve done!”

  “I’m so sorry!” I looked around for some napkins or something, my face burning. All of this was being filmed by the camera guys, who were probably thrilled to have captured some drama. I could only pray some kindhearted producer cut this moment so the entire country wouldn’t laugh at me. Kyle ran over and handed me some napkins, but Angel waved him off when he offered her some.

  “I don’t have time for this shit,” she snapped and turned to the door.

  “No, you don’t seem to have time to be a mentor at all,” Jared said.

  She spun to face him. “What did you say to me?”

  “You heard me.” He moved to stand in front of me, like he was going to protect me from her wrath. “And you need to apologize to Maddie.”

  Angel pointed a finger at Jared. “You ungrateful little shit, you’re lucky to even be on this show!”

  Seeing her shout at Jared upset me even more than her calling me a bitch. “We should have picked one of the other mentors.”

  “No kidding,” Hector said. At some point, he’d moved to stand beside us, fists clenched at his sides.

  Angel looked like she might strangle one or all of us. I was surprised the show didn’t intervene, but they probably loved this stuff. “You’re done,” she yelled. “Tomorrow you’re all gone!”

  She stormed out, followed by her entourage, who either gave us looks of sympathy or ignored us completely. The door closed, and we were alone again.

  “This is all my fault,” I said, my shoulders slumping. “She’s going to send us home because of me.”

  Jared ran a shaky hand through his hair. “No, if anything that was my fault. Shit, what have I done?”

  “I can’t believe you said that to Angel,” Kyle said. “Even if it was true.”

  He sighed. “I know, it was stupid. I just can’t stand bullies, and when she yelled at Maddie, I lost it.”

  There he went, being my big brother again, but this time I didn’t mind as much. I placed my hand on his arm. “Thanks.”

  “What do we do now?” Hector asked. “We’re screwed.”

  There was only one thing we could do. We had to nail this song and hope for a miracle.

  TEN

  We arrived at the Nokia Theater early on Sunday for a quick soundcheck, followed by an hour of hair and makeup. We got to pick our own outfits for this show, and of course we all wore black. I had on a low-cut top with leather pants, of all things, and after about ten minutes, my crotch was sweating and I was cursing Julie in my head. But I had to admit, I did look pretty hot—and we needed every advantage we could get tonight.

  We filmed a clip about what it was like being mentored by Angel, and we’d forced smiles and lied through gritted teeth about how great it was. We’d decided being honest wouldn’t help us if the show was trying to cover up what she was really like. Now that our battle with The Static Klingons approached, I found it hard not to bite my dark red nails and tear out my extra-volumized hair. We already knew Angel was going to pick The Static Klingons no matter what happened today, and our impending doom hung over us through every step of our prep work.

  Our gear had been transported to the theater and carted away, and it made me realize how much we left it in the hands of others. I hated giving up my guitar to strangers and trusting they wouldn’t mess it up or misplace it, but bands on tour did it all the time and The Sound had this down to an exact science after so many years.

  We were shuffled into a waiting area for Team Angel’s bands, where we could watch what happened through giant TV screens. The battle rounds weren’t live and didn’t use the rotating stage; instead, the two competing bands were both set up on opposite sides of the main stage. As the first competitors went on, I found myself munching non-stop on the chips and cookies they’d put out for us while trying not to watch Jared flirt with the mohawk girl from the punk band. The only way to distract myself was to eat my anxiety away, until Sean appeared next to me at the food table.

  “You’re getting crumbs all over your shirt,” he said, trying hard not to stare at my cleavage and failing.

  “Ugh, thanks.” I brushed off my chest with a sigh. “I thought eating would help, but now I just feel sick.”

  “Me too. This whole week has been overwhelming. Very different from life on a farm, trust me.”

  “I bet.”

  For a few minutes we watched the screen, where two country bands from Team Lissa took turns performing “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum. The first band was good, but they were missing a certain spark, while the second one, Fairy Lights, was led by a pretty blonde teenager with an amazing voice. When both bands finished and Lissa chose Fairy Lights, it wasn’t a surprise at all.

  Sean cleared his throat, reminding me he was still there. “So I saw your audition. Your band is really good.”

  “Thanks, but you don’t need to be worried. The song is a much better pick for you.” I left out the part about how Angel wanted to kill us, too.

  “Maybe, but I’m curious to see what you’ll do with it.”

  Was he trying to get info out of me or just being nice? Hard to tell. Maybe I’d try the same tactic on him. “What do you think of Angel?”

  “You mean when she actually shows up?” He laughed but then looked around like he was worried someone had heard him. I didn’t think they were filming us now, but you never knew. “She’s…okay.”

  It sounded like The Static Klingons hadn’t gotten much more mentoring than we had. Of course, they probably hadn’t dropped coffee all over Angel and turned her into a screaming banshee either, but what could you do?

  Jared laughed at something Mohawk Girl said, and jealousy sliced through me like a sword to my gut. I shifted my gaze back to the screen as two other bands went on stage, but that only reminded me that we were going up there soon. The walls in the stuffy room began to close in around me, and the urge to bolt grew strong. I desperately needed some air right away.

  “I have to go,” I said to Sean. “Good luck today.”

  “Thanks. You too.”

  I stepped through a door to an outside area, where a few people were smoking, and found an empty spot by the chain-link fence separating the space from the parking lot. I kicked some trash away, sank to the ground, and closed my eyes. My leather pants would probably get all scuffed up, but at this point, I didn’t care.

  I’d thought I could handle all of this, but the paralyzing fear had crept back in and this time it was mixed with dread. Did it even matter if we performed today? We already knew Angel would never let us stay on her team, even if we blew The Static Klingons away. And odds are I was going to mess up and embarrass the band during our show. I couldn’t even remember how the guitar went in “Somebody Told Me.” What had been simple in practice now seemed impossible. I’d given up my internship for this show, and now we’d be going home in the second week. It didn’t seem fair.

  “Hey.” Jared’s voice made me snap my eyes open. “Are you not okay again?”

  His reference to the song he’d sung for me before our audition made me smile—barely—but I wished it had been Kyle or even Hector who had found me. Jared looked especially handsome today, with his hair spiked up and the barest hint of eyeliner making his blue eyes pop even more. Being alone with him was a delicious agony.

  “I just needed some air,” I said.

  “Sorry. Should I go?”

  “No,” I said, a little too quickly, and then cursed myself for it. It would be better if he left, but I also wanted him to stay. I was a hot mess.

  He sat next to me on the groun
d, his long legs stretching in front of us. “I always get stressed before shows, too.”

  “You do?” I found that hard to believe. Jared was always so confident on stage, so sure of himself. “You make it look easy.”

  “That’s all an act, but it does get easier every time. You’ll be a pro soon, too.”

  “Assuming we don’t get kicked off this week, you mean.”

  He leaned his head back against the fence and stared up at the clear sky. “Trust me, I’m still beating myself up for that.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.”

  Jared was silent for a minute, picking at a rough spot on his black jeans. “So you and that Sean guy, huh?”

  “What? No. I mean, he seems nice and all, but that’s it.” I nudged Jared with my shoulder. “You jealous?”

  He flashed me a smile that made my toes curl. “Maybe.”

  “Don’t be.” The words slipped out, and I wanted to cover my mouth the instant I said them. I’d meant it as a joke, but it had come out a lot more serious. But he didn’t respond or brush it off with another joke. His eyes searched mine, like he was looking for answers in them.

  I dropped my gaze. “We should head back in.”

  “Yeah, Kyle’s probably tearing the place apart looking for us.”

  He jumped to his feet and reached down to help me up. I slid my hand into his, but as I stood, I stumbled into him a little, still unsteady on my new heels. I braced myself on his chest, our hands still entwined, almost like we were dancing and just as close. My eyes caught on the patch of skin just above the buttons on his shirt, and I itched to undo them and see what was underneath. His free hand rested on the curve of my hip, and my gaze traveled up to his mouth, to lips that begged me to kiss them.

  “There you are,” Kyle called from the door to the theater. “I’ve been looking for you two everywhere.”

  I jumped back, hoping Kyle hadn’t seen how close we’d been a second ago, and Jared shoved his hands in his pockets. I was equally grateful to Kyle for saving me and annoyed with him for ruining my moment alone with Jared.

  “Sorry,” I said. “Jared was just giving me a pep talk before the show.”

  Kyle looked back and forth between us, like he didn’t believe that was all there was to it. I’d promised him I wouldn’t get involved with his brother, but I wasn’t doing a very good job of staying away from Jared. No matter how much I tried to fight it, I was attracted to him. Unfortunately, so was every other girl who laid eyes on him. Being in close proximity to him all week had definitely not helped me get over it either—if anything, it had only made it worse because now I knew Jared a little better. He’d stopped being an impossible fantasy in my head and become a real person I actually liked to talk to, and that was even more dangerous. If I wasn’t careful, I’d get my heart broken or get kicked out of the band. Or both.

  Kyle informed us were scheduled to go on in fifteen minutes. Commence panic mode. I ran to the bathroom to check my outfit and makeup, and then the band was directed to the edge of the stage to wait for our cue. The Static Klingons were taken to the other side, and Sean waved at me as he walked past. Jared raised an eyebrow at me, but I ignored him. I didn’t have time for any more guy drama, not with so much riding on this next performance.

  Ray Carter walked onto the stage, this time in a dark red suit, and it was time. “Now we have a battle between two bands on Angel’s team! First up, from Nebraska, The Static Klingons!” The band walked out from their side of the stage while the audience cheered. “Versus…Villain Complex, from right here in Los Angeles!”

  We rushed out, smiling at the crowd of 7,500 before us—yes, last night I’d looked up how many people the Nokia Theatre held. It was hard to see anything with the bright lights blinding me, so I focused on getting to my spot without tripping. As I threw on my guitar strap, I caught Angel eyeing us from her chair with a smirk, no doubt plotting our demise.

  Once both bands were in place, Ray continued. “They’re both performing ‘Somebody Told Me’ by The Killers, and now we’ll flip a coin to see who goes first.” He flicked it dramatically. “And the first one up is…The Static Klingons! Here we go!”

  He hustled off the stage while the lights over us went out, leaving our band in darkness while The Static Klingons were illuminated. Sean gave the audience a boy-next-door smile before starting the opening guitar riff. As the band rocked out, we stood on the other side of the stage and watched, knowing we would be next, performing the same song for a mentor who hated us. And the worst part was…The Static Klingons were good. They’d barely tweaked the song at all, but it worked for them. Basically, we were screwed before we’d even started playing.

  The song ended, and everyone cheered. I clapped along too because it seemed like the polite thing to do, and the other guys joined in with me. Sean gave a little bow, and from the center of the stage, Ray said, “And now, Villain Complex!”

  The lights flashed over to us, and my heart pounded as I looked out into the theater, at all the faces staring at us. They’d already heard this song once, and it couldn’t possibly be as exciting to hear it a second time. Going first definitely would have been better.

  Jared grabbed the mic, pulling it close as he surveyed the crowd, and the theater went quiet. “Somebody Told Me” had a killer opening with great build-up, and we nailed it. Our version was darker and edgier, and when Jared sang, he twisted the lyrics into something beautiful and tortured, full of longing and regret.

  My focus narrowed down to the guitar in my hands, and the rest of the world faded away until it was just me and the music. We got to the bridge and Jared held the last note, turning it into an anguished cry that rang across the room. We let it hang over the crowd for a heavy pause and then dove back into the chorus, with me singing backup behind him. I loved this song and the way we’d made it our own, and once again I felt like I belonged here, on stage, with these three guys. Playing with them gave me an energy I’d never experienced anywhere else.

  We ended strong, and the sound of the audience’s cheers washed over us, like a blissfully cold wave on a hot day, but I couldn’t tell if they screamed more for us than they had for The Static Klingons. The mentors clapped, too, but it was hard to know what they really thought. None of them had used any of their rescues yet, but that didn’t mean they’d use them on us either. Even though, in my opinion, we’d totally owned this song.

  Ray Carter moved to the center of the stage again. “That was great! I love that song, and tonight we had two amazing performances of it. Dan, what did you think?”

  “I thought both bands did a really amazing job. The Static Klingons got the crowd going, but Villain Complex has such a killer sound and they did something really unique with the song. I’m glad I don’t have to pick one as the winner.”

  “Thanks, Dan,” Ray said. “Lissa, what about you?”

  “Like Dan said, both performances were strong. I do think the song was a little better for The Static Klingons and their sound, but Villain Complex held their own, too. I’d probably go with The Static Klingons myself, but definitely a tough decision.”

  Damn, guess we weren’t getting a rescue from Lissa tonight. Still, we only needed one.

  “Lance?” Ray asked.

  “I agree. They’re both talented bands. I wouldn’t want to let either of them go.”

  As usual, Lance kept it short. Ray turned the mic over to Angel. “Well, these are your bands. It’s your decision, Angel.”

  “I know,” she said with a dramatic sigh. “I shouldn’t have paired these two together. They’re both so good!” She was really playing it up tonight, like we didn’t already know who she would pick. I wished she’d just get it over with already.

  “It’s time to make your choice, Angel,” Ray said. “Which band stays on your team?”

  “I don’t know.” She tossed her bleached hair, her brow furrowed like the decision was really difficult. “This is just so hard.”

  Here it came. Our final mo
ment on the show. I took Jared’s hand for support, then realized everyone would see that on TV and quickly reached for Kyle’s hand, too. Jared grabbed Hector, and the four of us all stood linked together on stage, united against our mentor.

  Angel’s eyes narrowed at the sight of us together, and then she plastered on one of her big fakey smiles. “I choose The Static Klingons!”

  I squeezed my hands into a death grip around the guys’ as the audience cheered. It was over. Our fifteen minutes of fame were up, and now the entire country would see us get kicked off on week two of the show. If only I hadn’t spilled coffee all over Angel, if only Jared had kept his mouth shut, if only we had picked a different mentor at audition, if only we’d practiced more…. I wanted to rewind the last week and do everything all over again.

  Ray went over to The Static Klingons, who were all jumping up and down and smacking each other on the back. The mic was thrust into Sean’s face, and he grinned at the audience. “Thank you, Angel!”

  They left the stage, and Ray made his way back over to us. “Any last words for our mentors and the audience?”

  He shoved the mic in my face, but when I opened my mouth, nothing came out. I was frozen, blinking back tears, wishing this wasn’t the end. What was I going to do now? I’d given up everything to be on this show, and now we were going home.

  Jared leaned in, saving me. “We’re really happy for The Static Klingons. They’re great guys, and they deserve to be here.”

  A loud buzzing rang out, and something around us flashed red and blue. The audience erupted into frenzied cheers. What was happening?

  “A rescue from Dan!” Ray yelled into the mic.

  Dan wanted us on his team! We weren’t done yet! I started laughing and wiped at my eyes. Kyle shouted, “Yes!” while Hector grinned and thumped Jared on the shoulder. Jared just looked shocked and squeezed my hand harder. We were still holding on to each other, even though the other guys had let go.