Skaters (A Calum Hood Fanfic)

Battle of the Band(members) part 1

        "I call first!" Ashton yelled, grabbing my hand, before the other boys could argue.  Me and Ashton walked up to his drum kit on the stage.   "Okay, let's get started," clapping his hands happily.  "Let me show you how it's done," he said and sat on the drum stool, grabbing his drumsticks.  He drummed out a countdown.  "1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4!" he said aloud and started playing a beat.  Ashton twirled the drumsticks in his fingers, hitting every beat perfectly.  The enthusiasm and energy was painted across his face and the sweat rolling down the side of his face.  His bottom lip was held between his teeth as his head rocked back and forth to his music.  I stood beside him smiling as he played, tapping my foot in sync to the beat.  Once he finished, he let out a proud sigh and faced me.  

        "Very impressive," I said with a smile.  He bowed his head.  

        "Thank you very much," he giggled.  "Now it's your turn," he said, getting up and pulling me over.  He sat me down on the stool and handed me his drumsticks.  He stood back to look at the product and placed a hand to his chin.  "Something's missing," he said, tapping his chin.  I held up the drumsticks in an X.  

        "Rock on dude," I said with a smirk.  He chuckled.  

        "Oh!" he said and took his purple bandana off of his head and handed it to me.  "Put this on," he said.  I put my hair in a ponytail and tied it as a headband.  He smiled brightly.  "It is complete!" he yelled happily.  

        "It's a little sweaty," I giggled.  He waved it off.  

        "I like to call it a drummer's musk," he sniffed.  "Okay," he clapped his hands.  "Let's see what you got!" he said, backing off.  I turned to look at the massive drum kit in front of me.  "Uhhh," I said, looking at the different pieces.  

        "Where do I start?" I looked back at him.  

        "Just feel for the inner drummer you are inside of you," he explained.  "Let loose and rock out to the first beat you feel."  I nodded and turned back to the drums.  I tapped my foot on the pedal slowly, creating a slow beat.  Ashton nodded.  "Good start," he said.  I then hit the symbols and the smaller drums randomly.  I hit every part of the drum kit randomly, creating a mess of sounds.  With a crash of the symbols, I looked back at Ashton.  

        "Boom," I said, raising his drumsticks in the air and smiling.  Ashton had a hand covering his face.  "How was that?" I asked.  He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair.  

        "Well you got the rocking out part right," he started.  "Now let's work on the actual beat."  I nodded and got up for him to sit down, handing him the drumsticks.  He was about to start when he turned back to me.  "Um, I think it's better if you do this with me," he said, patting his thighs.  "Sit here."  I slowly moved closer to him.  

        "Are you sure?" I asked.  He nodded happily.  

        "I promise my sweat isn't that odorly," he assured me.  I sighed.  

        "Alright," I said and came over to him.  I squeezed in between Ashton and his drums and took a seat on his lap.  

        "You know you can put all of your weight on me," he said poking his head above my shoulder.

        "I am!" I said back.  

        "Oh my God," he said.  "You're so light!" he giggled.  His laugh was so funny, I laughed along with him.  "Okay," he said, handing me the drum sticks.  "First you have to relax your arms and wrists.  Make them as loose as possible.  I stifled a giggle.  "What?" he chuckled.  

        "Nothing," I smiled.  "Continue."  He shook his head.  

        "Okay so just loosen up," he said.  I dropped my shoulders and sighed, feeling another wave of laughter rising.  Ashton poked my forearms.  "You're not relaxing!" he chuckled.  I let out a fit of laughter.  "Why are you laughing?" he asked, exasperated.  

        "You're tickling my neck!" I giggled.  

        "Ohhhhh," he laughed.  "You like that do ya?!" he joked, rubbing his hair on the side of my neck.  I squirmed and laughed with him.  

        "Ok, ok, you're supposed to be teaching me how to play," I said.  He cleared his throat.  

        "Okay, right.  So once you loosen your arms, start with a steady beat on the hat," he said tapping the smallest cymbal.  I took my left hand and stated tapping on the hat.  "No, no, cross over your right arm, so it's easier to hit the other drums," he corrected.  "Like this."  He took my hands in his and crossed my wrists.  "With your other hand, hit the snare every other beat," he instructed.  His long fingers wrapped around my hands securely.  He leaned forward to look over my shoulder so he could see the drums more clearly.  "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &.." he said aloud.  "Now add the bass," he said, placing my foot on the pedal.  "Hit that after the snare," he said.  I did as he said.  "Yeah you're doing it!" he smiled.  

        "Uh, kind of,"  I said looking at our hands.  

        "Oh," he giggled, taking his hands away.  I looked at him, his cheeks turning a light pink.

        "Overheating?" I asked.  He nodded with a smile.  

        "Uh, yeah," he said.  I chuckled.  

        "Okay, I think I got it," I said, determined.  I went  over in the starting position and started to play.  I nodded my head to the beat and tapped my foot on the bass.  

        "There you go!" he said.  I smiled.  "This is really fun!" I said over the drums.  I got into the music and hit all of the drums and cymbals in a simple pattern.  

        "Thank you Sydney!!!" I yelled, pumping my fist in the air.  

        "Where did that some from?" Ashton asked.  I shrugged.  

        "I don't know, I just felt it I guess," I said.  

        "That was killer," he smiled and hugged me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder.

        "Thanks," I laughed.  I heard someone cough in front of us and I looked up.  Calum looked at us with a blank face.  

        "Hey, I want to show you something," Calum said, bass in hand.  I looked back at Ashton who smiled back.  

        "Yeah I think you got the drumming down," he said happily.  I nodded and got off of the stool.

        "Thanks, Ash," I said walking back off the stage.  "You have to teach me that spinning thing with your drumsticks," I said.  He twirled a drumstick in his fingers.  

        "You got it," he smiled and started packing up his stuff.