by TJ Rudolph
“Hey, girly,” she smiled widely.
“Hey,” I returned her smile.
“So,” she said, hooking her arm into mine. “I wanted to know if you’re doing anything tonight.”
“Nope,” I shook my head, “not doing anything, why?”
“Well, there is this gig at the Round House tonight and I thought we could go.”
“The what?” I asked.
“I’m friends with a nerd,” she chuckled. “The Round House is a place behind campus which is apparently run by the music students, but only the best of the best get to play there. I’ve been told that tonight one of the best bands to ever put their feet on that stage is playing.”
“What type of music do they play?” I asked.
“Who cares?” Bobby sighed. “All I know is they called the Bleeding Hearts. You in?”
“Sure, why not,” I shrugged.
“Great,” she squealed, “but we have to be there early because it apparently gets really full and they only allow a certain amount of people in.”
“Where are you guys off to and why didn’t I get an invite?” I heard that familiar husky voice behind me.
“Hey, Chase,” Bobby went instantly red. “We’re going to see a band at The Round House.”
I spun around and looked straight into his eyes. “Hi,” he smiled sweetly causing my stomach to flip flop, this was a smile I hadn’t seen before.
“Hi,” I whispered.
“If you lovely ladies really do want to go,” he said, “I know a few of the guys in the band, I could get a pass or two.”
Bobby’s green eyes gleamed with excitement, “we would love that, wouldn’t we, Grace?” She nudged me.
“Umm, yeah, sure,” I said.
“I’ll drop it at your place later,” Chase told me and he gave me another one of his beautiful sweet smiles before he left.
“Grace, I take it all back, you are not a nerd, you know all the right people,” she squealed.
I sighed, so much for my plan to stay away from Chase. What was he even doing in this building, I am pretty sure that he didn’t have an English class here, at least I never saw him here before.
Bobby was rambling on about the gig all the way through to lunch. I was glad that she decided to befriend me; she was smart and bubbly and I actually liked listening to all her funny and silly commentary about everyone and everything.
After our last class, I had changed my mind about ten times about going to The Round House, but I eventually told myself that I couldn’t disappoint Bobby.
“I’ll come over to your place at eight,” she exclaimed excitedly after our last class.
I shook my head as I walked away. “See you later.”
I went over to the studio; I wanted to continue my painting project but I when I walked in, I wasn’t feeling inspired. I couldn’t get that stupid smile from Chase off my mind. I would have to do something about that, I was not going to be another spider he caught in his web and devoured.
I walked back to my room and when I approached the door there were two red and black cards hanging on a silver chain. I took it off and stared at it. It said, VIP guest of The Round House. How in the world was I going to get this man off my mind if he popped up everywhere?
I made myself something to eat and went through my notes of the day. I was not as smart as Aaron and I always had to work much harder than he did. It was my artistic side that got me into WRC, more than my analytical thinking.
My phone buzzing in my bag made me look up at the time. It was already six o’ clock. Bobby’s name was on the screen with a message, hey I hope you getting ready :) it said.
I chuckled, for someone who only knew me for a few days she sure knew me well. It was a bit creepy how observant she was.
I texted her a thumbs up and went into my room. I didn’t have much clothes in my cupboard, I would need to go shopping now that it was getting colder. An expedition I was not looking forward to, maybe I would ask Bobby to go with me. She was always so stylishly dressed, although I would never be able to pull off one of her ethnic looks. I eventually settled on black jeans, a low cut red t-shirt which hugged me snuggly and I threw on a black biker jacket. I put on a pair of tan cowboy boots and after contemplating whether or not I should wear any makeup, which I wasn’t really a fan of, I pulled a natural shade of lipstick over my lips.
Bobby called from behind the door at exactly eight ’o clock.
“Don’t they knock where you come from,” I chuckled as I opened the door. She pulled me out into the carpeted hallway.
“Come on,” she said excitedly, “I don’t want to miss anything.”
I laughed as I ran in to get my purse and locked the door.
We walked around my side of the building, through a small swinging gate and down a natural pathway toward The Round House. It was quite a distance away from campus and as we walked deeper into the woods I imagined how creepy it would become later in the evening. When we arrived there, I realized why it was called the round house and was surprised that I hadn’t seen it before. It was literally round with a pointed thatched roof and it was certainly the biggest ‘house’ I had ever seen. There was a long line of people already waiting to go in at the heavy wooden door. A muscular bouncer, with long blond curls was standing at the door, sending in groups of people and telling others to wait.
“Wow that is a long line, B. I think we might miss the first few songs.”
“What, did you forget the passes?” she almost shouted.
“No, they’re here,” I told her as I took it out.
“Then let’s go,” she said as she grabbed my arm, “we are VIP honey. No waiting in line for us tonight.”
“Bobby, are you sure?” I whispered as she pulled me right in front of the doorman and flipped him the passes.
“I’m sure,” she said through gritted teeth.
He called for someone and a girl with the highest stilettos I had ever seen and a short black dress escorted us to a booth close to the stage. The booth was built in a semi-circle and had a high back rest with very soft, red leather seats. I looked around at the place; there was a wooden bar right next to us and tables on the other side of the room with a dance floor in the middle. Some of the seats were made from hay, causing it to look like a well-furnished barn.
“I’m going to get some drinks,” Bobby said, leaving before I could tell her I wasn’t much of a drinker. She came back with two very tall glass of something red and icy.
“Thanks but I’m not much of the drinking type,” I said as she slid in next to me.
“There isn’t much alcohol in it,” she said as she took a cherry out her glass and popped it into her mouth. “And besides you need to relax, you have been fidgeting since we came here.”
I took a mouthful and found the taste quite appealing to my pallet. It tasted like strawberries and vodka. I only knew it was vodka because Aaron and I once stole some of my dad’s and went to drink it at the back of our house by the lake. Although we were pretty drunk, I had the distinct memory of almost telling him how I felt before he passed out.
About a half an hour and two drinks later, the room went completely dark and the same woman from earlier walked on the stage, a light shining on her. In a silky voice, she announced over the screaming crowd, “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we have a special treat for you. These gorgeous beasts have been teasing us for months and now, finally, I give you The Bleeding Hearts!”
The lights went off again followed by even louder cheering.
There was a slow strumming of an electric guitar on the dark stage and everyone went quiet. I could hear that the guitarist was a professional and he teased the crowd for a long time before the lights burst onto the stage again. It almost blinded me and when I looked up, I saw who it was that was playing the guitar. Time stood still when I saw him. It was Chase. He was the one drawing his long fingers down the strings, playing like he had been doing it for a hundred years. He looked up and stared straight into m
y eyes. I tried to hide how shocked I felt but I was pretty sure that I was failing.
“Wow, Grace,” Bobby was whispering in my ear, “did you know?”
I shook my head slowly as I watched him, not taking my eyes off him for a moment. Not only did he look amazing in his off-cut black t-shirt and tight leather pants, he sounded amazing too; his playing was effortless and flawless. When I recovered from the shock, I looked at the rest of the band. Sebastian, his roommate, was sitting close to him, he was playing the drums. There was a pianist who I vaguely remembered from Chase’s party. And just when I thought I couldn’t be more swept away, Chase opened his mouth and a low growling voice came from deep within his stomach. It was beautiful and thrilling.
I sat enthralled, convincing myself that I needed to avoid eye contact with him but failing hopelessly, since he seemed to have his eyes glued to me. After a few songs, they stopped and the rhythm of my heart started beating normally again. The girl with the little black dress came striding onto the stage for the second time, her heels clicking on the wooden stage.
“As you all know it is that time of the night when we draw a name out of the hat to see who will come up on stage with these guys,” she spoke into the microphone.
“I heard about this,” Bobby said leaning closer to me, “people put their names on a list up in front and if your name is chosen you get to do a song with them.”
“That’s sounds terrifying,” I said as they read out a name and a girl came screaming onto the stage.
“Yeah,” Bobby said, “and if they suck, everyone boos them off stage.”
I watched as Chase confidently strolled toward the excited brown haired girl and put the microphone to his lips. “So what we singing tonight sweetheart?” he asked.
She giggled as she whispered something in his ear.
I suddenly felt like I was about to throw up. “I’m going to the bathroom,” I told Bobby.
“What? Now? You going to miss the last song.”
“I’ll be right back,” I said and dashed to the bathroom.
I walked into the tiny white bathroom and leaned on the basin. “What is going on with you, Grace? You need to get a grip,” I told myself in the mirror.
I splashed water on my face and after I pulled myself together, I squeezed past the people standing in the doorway and walked back to the booth. As I approached I saw Chase sitting on my seat, he was laughing at something Sebastian said. I stopped for a moment and watched him; he was even more mysterious to me than he was yesterday. He looked up and caught me staring. I blushed, causing him to smile. I walked toward him with my head lowered and he moved up when I stood next to the booth.
“Have a seat here, Grace,” he said. I sat down next to him, trying hard to keep a bit of space between us.
“Grace, I was just telling the guys how amazing they sounded,” Bobby said in a weird high-pitched voice, which I assumed was her way of hiding her excitement to seem cool.
I turned to my right and looked straight into Chase’s expectant brown eyes. “Yeah, you guys were mind blowing,” I said.
Chase closed the space between us and put his lips to my ear; his breath was warm against my skin. “I’m glad you liked it,” he whispered.
My breath hitched and I cleared my throat. “I did, you were amazing,” I said candidly.
He smiled before he looked to his bandmates. “Guys, you have already met my dear friend, Grace.” I was suspicious about the way he said dear friend, “And that is Bobby,” he finished.
“Hi,” Bobby smiled.
“Bobby, this is Dean and Sebastian, who Grace already met.”
“Nice to meet you,” Bobby said.
“You must be very special, because we have never seen Chase have an actual friend who is a girl, Sebastian snickered.
“Cut it out will you,” Chase warned him.
He threw his hands in the air, “just kidding, bro!”
A few minutes later, Miss short skirt was at our table again. “Chase,” she said, “there are a few fans who want to talk to you.”
“I’ll be right back, don’t go anywhere,” he told me. I moved out so that he could join a group of girls who could easily be Victoria's Secret models with their long legs and exposed stomachs that were so flat they look like they were steam rolled. They circled him like prey, touching his arm and his chest, each one trying to get his attention, which was truly sickening to watch. How women in this day and age could be so desperate was beyond me. When a leggy blonde pulled him by the arm and onto the dance floor I was ready to leave.
“Hey, Bobby,” I said, hating to pull her away from the obvious intimate conversation she was having with Dean. “I’m ready to go.”
“You sure?” she asked through clenched teeth.
“Yes, but you should stay, it’s still really early, I am just feeling so tired.”
“It’s cool, we can go,” she said.
“You stay,” Sebastian told Bobby, “I will walk Grace home, besides she lives right next door to me.”
“You okay with that, Grace?” She gave me an intense stare indicating that she would go with me if I needed her to. But I didn’t want to spoil her evening because of my own stupid issues.
“Yes, of course it’s fine, and Sebastian thanks for offering, but I am fine walking back on my own.”
“It’s a dark path, Grace, you can’t go alone and I don’t mind.”
“Either he goes with you or I do,” Bobby scolded.
“Okay fine, thank you, Sebastian I would appreciate that.”
“See you tomorrow,” I told Bobby.
I chanced a quick glance over at Chase who was too involved with all the girls he was with to notice me leaving. I angrily snatched my jacket and dashed out by the door. I heard someone jog up behind me.
“Whoa, Grace,” Sebastian said. “Wait up.”
“Oh, umm, I’m sorry. It’s just a bit chilly,” I lied.
“Here you go,” he said, throwing a heavy black leather jacket over my own jacket. “That should help.”
“Thanks,” I said nervously, not sure what to make of our little stroll.
We walked in awkward silence for a while until Sebastian broke it.
“So where are you from, Grace?”
“I’m from a small town called Rosewood,” I answered.
“Oh, really?” he raised an eyebrow. “So you already knew Chase before you came here then?”
“Funnily enough, no. I knew of him but I never actually met him. I kept a low profile and we didn’t have any classes together. In our final year, he dropped out of school.”
“Oh, yeah, the juvi gig he did,” Sebastian said as he ran his hands through his hair.
Sebastian asked me some more questions and it was mostly a one-sided conversation. I had to think really hard before I answered each one of them. My life was a deep, dark pit of secrets and I intended on keeping it that way while I was at college. In fact, I wanted to leave it behind me forever.
“You are really mysterious,” Sebastian said when he realized I was being vague.
“I’m just not that interesting,” I retorted. I was relieved when we arrived at our building. “Thanks for walking me, Sebastian.”
“I would never pass up the opportunity to walk a beautiful lady home,” he smiled. “See you around, Grace.”
I didn’t know what to say to that so I just turned around and went to my room, forgetting to give his jacket back to him. “What the heck was that all about,” I said loudly as I put the keys on the counter. I put his jacket on the sofa; it smelled like fresh linen. I slipped on sleeping shorts and a t-shirt and climbed into bed. I wished Aaron was there tonight so I could talk to him about all that happened. But I knew that willing him to come would not make him appear, so I looked at the dark ceiling until my eyelids grew heavy and I fell asleep.
