Music Camp { A Short Luke Hemmings Novel }

S e v e n

''We've already got a big part of the music though, I think we'll get even a bigger part by repeating some of the things we already used and adding some new things,'' Ashton says, and you nod. ''Have you worked out the rhythm yet?'' You ask him, and he nods.

He grabs his cajon and sits down on it. ''I was thinking something like this in the chorus,'' he says before rolling some rolls on his cajon with a nice beat in it. ''Sounds great,'' Bethany says with a smile. ''We could most definitely use that in the chorus,'' when she flips through her notebook something catches your eye.

''Hey, is that what I think it is?'' You ask, and you snatch the notebook away from her. She looks at you with a shocked expression and widened eyes. You flip through it again and see the page filled with some lines.

''You already thought of some lyrics?'' You ask her while looking up. ''Well, I thought I could maybe start on them, but they're horrible and I understand if we don't use them. They just suck and-'' Ashton snatches the notebook out of your hands and starts reading the lines as well. ''Those are actually really good Beth,'' he says while looking at her with a encouraging smile. ''We're definitely using those,''

Her cheeks heat up and she looks at her fingers. ''Okay,'' she says.

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''I think this is pretty good for now,'' Luke says after a whole morning full of practising and other things like that. You've written a big part of the song now, which is good. This afternoon you can take lessons for the instrument you play, that is mostly for the people who play instruments that they don't really play outside this camp.

The four of you decided that you wouldn't follow them since you already know how to play your instruments, and there isn't much to learn anymore. Now you're all just hanging out at the small stage near the lake, not really knowing what else to do. Hanging out with the boys like this is nice, they're really nice and funny. You get along really well, so you're glad you got to know this side of them.

You're not so sure about Calum and Michael though, not that they're here at the moment. If they really are the inconsiderate bastards they seem to be, why do Ashton and Luke like them? It seems like such thing is impossible. And as if they saw it as a invitation...

''Hey.'' you hear and you look up. Calum and Michael are standing in front of the stage. Apparently they didn't really see the use of the music lessons as well. ''Hey,'' Luke and Ashton both reply. You're not so sure whether you should greet them or not, same goes for Bethany.

''Hey,'' she eventually decides, and that's when you also greet them with a nod of your head. ''How 's your song doing?'' Calum asks the four of you while also sitting down on the stage. You're really confused right now, why would he be nice to you?

''Pretty good, I guess,'' you say. ''We've got the biggest part already done,'' he nods understandingly. ''That's nice, our band's almost done as well,'' he says. It's actually quite special that you're already done, since it's only the fourth day here and you have three more to go. But then again, today is Thursday and Saturday is the final concert. The final concert is a contest, every band has to perform her or his song and in the end the best song and band will be chosen as winner.

It's not only about the song, or the music. It's also about how you play together as a band, which would be very awkward if you were still fighting with each other.

''That's good,'' Luke awkwardly says. You're glad you're not the only one who finds this awkward.

''Okay, what do you want,'' Ashton asks after a long pause filled with awkward silence. You're all a bit taken back by his sudden statement. You'd never expected him to actually speak up to them with this much confidence. Calum and Michael both exchange a look with each other.