Battle of the Bands: Full Disclosure {Wattys 2016}

Sk8er Boi and Aching Hearts

Chapter 16

<Beckham O'Halloran>

"For the first show you want to play something upbeat; you want the audience to connect with you and then the next show, you can slow it down if you want." Riley says, smiling at me from across the table.

It's our first meeting about our set for Saturday and there's so much more to it than just picking songs. You have to think about what you want the audience to think of you and the precedent you want to set for the rest of the competition. You have to be sure you can make a performance out of it and that your entire band is comfortable performing it.

"We're not here to limit your creativity," Delilah begins, tapping the end of her pencil on the table. "You're allowed to perform whatever you want, but based on past years, it's safer to get through the first few rounds with a couple of upbeat party songs before you try to experiment. The audience is going to vote first and foremost off of how much fun they had, so you want to make sure you give that to them."

"The people who go far in this competition are those who know how to work the audience." Riley agrees as I turn to look at my friends, who seem to be deep in thought.

"Maybe we should do something by Avril Lavigne..." Antebellum says, coming out of her reverie.

"Which songs did you have in mind?" Delilah asks, her pencil poised over a yellow legal pad.

"Here's to Never Growing Up, Skater Boy and Complicated." Antebellum replies, looking at the rest of us for confirmation.

"I'm good with those." I say and the rest of the band agrees with me.

"I like the theme, girls." Delilah says as she writes down our set. "Good choices; you're dismissed to practice."

She hands us a sticky note with the three songs in our set on it before letting us leave. Antebellum checks her watch as we head towards the elevator that'll take us up to our room. The doors close and we all look at each other, grins spreading across our faces'.

"We don't have stage time until tomorrow, but I'm sure we can find somewhere quiet to practice." Antebellum says as she unlocks the room.

"I heard Riley mention something about an empty room down the hall from the ballroom." I say, ignoring Antebellum's smirk.

"Well, if Riley said it, I guess we should listen." She winks and helps us gather all of the instruments we need to practice. "You wanna go ask him if it's available for us?"

"Oh, c'mon, it's Beckham; of course he'll say yes." Morley chuckles, high-fiving Antebellum.

"He'd kick the president out if Beckham needed the room." Rose joins in, a guitar case slung over her shoulder.

"You guys are making something out of nothing." I roll my eyes and grab my notebook from my bedside table.

"You're oblivious, sweetie, he can't keep his eyes off of you." Antebellum pats the top of my head as the four of us walk out of the room. "Speaking of boys who can't keep their eyes off of you..."

She tilts her head towards Hendrix, who's swaggering down the hallway with the rest of his band. I walk quickly towards the elevator and press the down button, trying to shield my face from his view; sadly, it doesn't work and we're all forced onto the same elevator together. I remain silent, my eyes trained at the silver doors of the elevator, praying they'll open quickly, so I'll be able to breathe again. Why do things have to be like this? I'm about to say something when the doors open and I'm whisked towards the ballroom by my friends. I find Riley sitting in there, drinking something from a paper cup, his thumb sliding across the surface of his phone. He looks up, his eyes catching mine, a smile playing on his lips.