Heading West

Chapter 3

Andre: new song?

He comes through the crowd and stands behind Tito's chair.

Tito: yeah, just getting the track sorted. i have the lyrics, once the track is done i just need to find a vocalist.

Trina: me or Tori cou-

Tito: Trina, i'm not trying to be horrible by saying this. you aren't exactly a good singer, and i'm not putting Tori on this song.

Tori: why not?!

Tito: you know why Tori, anyway. Andre take a listen

He hands him the headphones. Andre starts bobbing his head to it. He does a little dance causing everyone to laugh. He takes the headphones off.

Andre: it's a lot more cheerful than the one from earlier

Tito: good, that's what i was going for. feel free to stick around, i've got drinks in the mini fridges over there.

He points to 3 mini fridges. He puts the head phones back on but leaves one ear off. He works for another hour.

Tito: done. i think this would be better with 2 people, don't you think?

He hands a copy of the lyrics to everyone. He gets the mics set up and connects them to the system.

Andre: i can agree with that, who you got in mind for it?

Tito: Jade and Cat? i've heard you both sing, and you are both amazing. i think your voices would be good on a track together.

Cat: i'm in

She giggles after.

Jade: whatever

Tito: ok, one of you on the left side, the other on the right side

Jade sits to his left while cat sits to his right. He hands them both a set of headphones.

Tito: ready ladies?

Both: yeah

He nods to them then plays the track. They start to sing their part. Tito smiles. Once they are done singing they look at Tito.

Tito: right, it'll take a couple of minutes to put the audio in place with the track. once it's done i'll play it for you

Both: alright.

The girls sit back where they were. Tito puts a set of headphones on so he can hear the song as he puts the audio. He smile again once it's done.

He removes his headphones then unplugs them. He turns in his spinny chair. He looks at them all.

Tito: you ready?

All: yeah!

Tito: ight

He turns around and presses play. The song starts playing.

Tito: what do you think you 2?

Jade: wow, that actually sound ok

Cat: it's amazing

Cat jumps up and hugs him, he is a bit surprised but hugs back. Cat sits back down. Tito saves the audio to a folder.

He goes to his locked mini fridge and pulls out a can of Stella Artois. He cracks it open and starts sipping it.

Tori: do mum and dad know you have that?

Tito: no, it's not like they'll care.

He puts the can on the table and picks up his guitar. He sits on his chair and starts to play a random tune.

Tori and Trina's friends all watch as the Vega girls leave. Tito starts humming as he plays. The others all look in amazment, Jade is looking at Tito and gets a strange feeling.

David: TITO DAVID JUAN VEGA!

They all look to the door. Tori is standing there next to her and Tito's parents. They look pissed. His dad grabs the can off the table

David: WHY ARE YOU DRINKING THESE?! ARE YOU SOME SORT OF IDIOT?!

Tito just shakes his head not looking at his dad.

David: ANSWER ME TITO!!

Tito: BECAUSE I WANT TO ALRIGHT!

They are all taken aback at Tito raising his voice.

Tito: you always shout at me for something so small. i didn't want to be a cop, you shouted. i didn't want to be a soldier, you shouted. i wanted to act, you shouted. i wanted to do music, you shouted.

He tears up.

Tito: everything i did you shouted at me for. even when i came out to you. nothing i ever did satisfied what YOU wanted me to do. i open 1 can for Stella and you act like it's the end of the world.

David: because i don't want y-

Tito: there it is again dad, what YOU want. the only time you ever let me do something i wanted was when i went to Ireland.

He looks into his dads eyes.

Tito: i shouldn't have come back

He grabs his guitar and leaves the house. He climbs to the roof. He sits far enough on that he can't be seen from the ground.

He sits there and thinks about everything that's happened.