Sing a Song

01

[Wake Up]

Hollywood - July 22, 1995

Sunset Curve played their song Now or Never.

"Whoo!" a girl cheered. "Excellent!"

"Sounds great, guys!" a guy complimented.

"Whoo!" another girl cheered.

"Yeah!"

The band members laughed before Reggie said, "Thank you! We're Sunset Curve!" He caught Rellie's eye and winked.

"Too bad we wasted that on the soundcheck," Bobby stated. "That was the tightest we've ever played!" He and Luke bumped elbows.

Rellie laughed softly as she walked up. "It was pretty spectacular, Bobby."

Luke turned to face the front. "Wait until tonight, man, when this place gets packed with record execs."

Reggie said, "Alex, you were smoking."

"Oh no," Alex replied. "I was just warming up. You guys were the ones on fire."

"Quit being so humble," Rellie said. "You killed it."

"Shut up. Rellie's right. Could you just own your awesomeness for once?" Reggie said as he held up a finger.

"Huh? All right, I was killing it, " Alex saidv smiling at his grinning sister.

Luke chuckled and shook Alex's shoulders. "Okay, well, I'm thinking we fuel up before the show. I'm thinking street dogs."

Rellie shook her head. "Nah, I'm good. I hate hot dogs, and Max wanted to get sandwiches before the show."

Reggie turned to the blonde. "Ooh! You'd take sandwiches over hot dogs any day."

"Well yeah. I made they pretty clear when I said I didn't like hot dogs. You boys enjoy 'em, though. I'll see you later."

"Yes," Alex agreed.

The four jumped off the stage and Bobby started walking off.

"Hey, Bobby, where you going?" Luke asked.

"I'm good," Bobby told him, walking up to a girl cleaning a table. "I could never hurt an animal."

Rellie let out a sigh as she stared at Bobby, knowing he was about to start flirting.

"You guys are really good," the girl complimented.

"Thank you," Luke replied.

"I see a lot of bands. Been in a couple myself. I was really feeling it."

Rellie nodded. "They really have something special."

"That's what we do this for." He clapped Bobby's shoulder. "I'm Luke, by the way."

"Hi, I'm Reggie," Reggie said.

"Alex," the blond introduced.

"Bobby," Bobby stated.

Rellie waved shyly. "I'm Alex's sister Rellie. Not part of the band."

Luke stuck his finger in his mouth before sticking it in Bobby's ear. "Nice meeting you guys. I'm Rose."

Reggie pulled out a CD. "Oh, uh... here's our demo. And a T-shirt. Size beautiful."

Rellie pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes at Reggie's flirtation.

Alex let out a groan.

Rose held the T-shirt up to herself. "Thanks." She shouldered the T-shirt. "I'll make sure not to wipe the tables down with this one."

"Oh, good call," Alex said. "Whenever they get wet, they just kinda fall apart in your hands."

Bobby turned to his bandmates. "Don't you guys have to go get hot dogs?"

Luke stepped closer to Rose before saying, "Yeah, he had a hamburger for lunch."

"Bobby doing what he does best," Rellie mumbled.

Reggie smiled and swatted Bobby's shoulder in a friendly manner. Bobby frowned at Rellie. Reggie followed Luke out. Alex and Rellie followed shortly after.

As the four exited the building, Luke said, "That's what I'm talking about!"

Reggie chuckled and Alex asked, "The smell of Sunset Boulevard?"

"No." He chuckled. "It's what that girl said in there tonight. About our music, all right? It's like an energy. It connects us with people. They can hear us when we play." He puIled Reggie and Alex closer to him. "I want that connection with everybody."

Rellie smiled. "You do have that, Luke."

"Then we're gonna need more T-shirts," Reggie told him.

Rellie noticed her friend and said, "Here's where I leave you, boys. See you later."

She walked towards her friend and the two hugged before walking away.

Luke snickered before saying, "Let's go, boys."

Reggie walked up to a group of girls and handed two of them a T-shirt. "Ladies." He rejoined his bandmates, watching Rellie's retreating figure.

"Reggie, wait!" a girl cried before letting out a squeal.

"Oh my God," girl two said. "Reggie!"

"Oh my God! Hi, it's me!"

Reggie waved to the girls with a smile.

The boys made their way to a hot dog vendor.

"Man... I can't wait until we eat someplace where the condiments aren't served out of the back of an Oldsmobile," Alex said, walking up to the man cooking the hot dogs. "Hey... Sorry, I got some pickle juice on your battery cables."

"No problem," the man replied. "It'll help with the rust." He clapped Alex's shoulder and chuckled.

"That can't..." The man chuckled again. "Okay." Alex walked back to his bandmates. "What?" He couldn't help but think that Rellie had been onto something with her dislike of hot dogs. He brushed the thought away.

The three made their way inside a building and sat on a couch.

Reggie sighed happily.

Behind Luke was a Missing Persons poster.

"This is awesome, you guys," Luke said. "We're playing The Orpheum! I can't even count how many bands have played there and then ended up being huge." He leaned back as Reggie chuckled lightly. "We're gonna be legends!" He held out his hot dog. "Eat up, boys. 'Cause after tonight, everything changes."

The three toasted their hot dogs and bit into them. Reggie licked his fingers.

Alex glanced at his bandmates before saying, "That's a new flavor."

"Chill, man," Reggie told him. "Street dogs haven't killed us yet."

Luke bit into his hot dog for another bite.

A siren wailed outside. A horn honked repeatedly.