Something Rather Than Nothing

Chapter 2 (Sparrow)

Tomorrow is the first time I will be performing in front of an audience since I was 16. That's five years of inexperience that is boiling to the surface as I rehearse with my band mates in Luther's garage. Luther is our cajon player and Matthew is our guitar player. They are both remarkable artists, and I'm only nervous about how my part in the performance will go. My voice isn't always consistent, and I needed it to be top notch if we were going to keep making money to perform. We landed a gig at the wine vault at the boardwalk, a location where hordes of tourists and locals walk by and will be able to hear. The manager seemed to enjoy our audition and said if the customer's enjoyed it too we could play every Saturday night. That put a lot of pressure on me because I can't let Graceful Corona down. The band formed several months ago and this is our first live show. I was ecstatic, but also wanted to throw up. Suddenly, I hear a screeching note made by Matthew. I cover my ears and turn around with a stunned look on my face.

"Where are you at right now Sparrow? We have a lot to rehearse still." Matthew looks slightly impatient.

"Sorry... I was just overthinking about tomorrow night. What song are we on now?"

"Next up is Desires to Stay", Luther chimes in.

"Alright Luth, give us a beat!"

Luther starts his four count on the cajon to start off the song and Matthew starts picking gracefully at his guitar. I start singing the lyrics, knowing all my worries were going to fade away. Singing had that effect on me; I could be inflicted with any pain or sorrow as long as I had my music to escape to. Although it's difficult to make it as a musical artist in this world, I couldn't imagine doing anything else with my life. I write all of the songs for our band, while Luther and Matthew write the music. We make an awfully great team, creating music that hopefully the rest of the world can enjoy too.

The song comes to a harmonious end, and I turn around to see their reactions. Both of their faces are lit up with pride, bringing my confidence back up.

"Wow guys, that was incredible. You really have a way with words Sparrow, and you sound fantastic singing them. We are going to rock this show!" Luther was the optimistic one of the group, always hyping everyone up.

"Thank you Luth, I'm excited to finally showcase our talents to the rest of the city! Graceful Corona shall be the next Rolling Stones!" They both chuckle as we continue rehearsing the rest of our set. I feel renewed and electrified for the show tomorrow. Nothing was going to stop us from performing to our best ability. Not even if Donovan showed up.

*****

We arrive at the wine vault thirty minutes before we were supposed to start our performance. They had a small stage set up for live performances, just large enough to fit the three of us. I check in with the manager, whose face lights up as she sees me walk through the door.

"Sparrow! You're here! We are all very excited to have you here tonight. We should have a large crowd, according to our Facebook page. Comments about your band have been buzzing all week! Locals really love local bands, eh?" She laughs at her own joke as butterflies start to fill my stomach. The largest crowd I've ever performed in front of was maybe 50 people. The wine vault wasn't large, but the boardwalk where everyone could hear was. I wasn't sure if I wanted people to crowd around us or not. I wish I could just believe in myself, just this once.

"Thank you Mrs. Newberry, I hope you sell lots of wine tonight!"

She winks at me with a grin on her face. "I have no doubt about that."

I return outside to help the boys finish setting up. It's five minutes until the show begins, and we start testing the audio equipment. I look at Luther and Matthew, who both nod in agreement that they are ready to start. There are about 20 people gathered around, patiently waiting for us to begin. I swallow the knot in my throat before welcoming them here.

"Hi everyone, I'm so glad to see all of these new faces. I'm Sparrow, and this is Luther and Matthew". I turn around to point at them while they wave to the crowd. "We call ourselves Graceful Corona, and we are going to play some original songs for you all tonight. We hope you enjoy, and if you like what you hear you should follow us on Facebook and Instagram. This first song is called Changing Weather."

I look back at Luther to signal for him to start the countdown. Here goes nothing.

*****

About 45 minutes and 10 songs later, our set is over. The crowd grew about five times its size, creating a traffic jam on the sidewalks. Adrenaline was still pumping through my veins as the crowd cheered and clapped for us. Their enthusiastic support made a heartfelt smile spread across my face.

"Thank you all so much for coming out tonight. We hope to see you all here again next Saturday!"

I catch sight of Mrs. Newberry in the doorway of the wine vault, nodding her head in agreement. This means we can keep our gig! More applause comes from the crowd as I turn around to the boys to give them a high five. I hear a "Definitely!" come from behind me, making me smile even harder. I could tell that Luther and Matthew were just as elated as I was. Our performance was flawless, and I finally felt that something that I've been craving. I couldn't tell what the feeling was, but I know it made me finally feel alive.

Luther and Matthew start carrying our equipment to the van when I feel someone's finger tap on my shoulder. I turn around, preparing myself for the worst. I lock eyes with a beautiful young woman with curly, dirty blonde hair, chocolate brown eyes, a freckled nose, and dimpled chin. My expression switches from worry to wonder as I wait for her to respond. She proceeds to compliment my performance, making heat rise to my face. It's been so long since someone has went out of their way to compliment my singing. I thank her and introduce myself as I hold out my hand for her to shake. She grabs my hand, making a tingling sensation fill my arm and the rest of my body. Somewhat surprised by my body's reaction, I listen to her introduce herself as well. She tells me she'll definitely be at our next performance, which gives me a giddy feeling in my chest. We say our goodbyes as I walk back to the van thinking, "Paxton... what a lovely name. It reminds me of one of my favorite singers, Paxton Ingram. He has such a smooth voice, comparable to her silky smooth hair." I look up to find Luther smirking at me.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

"Yeah, an overwhelming expression of radiance."

I punch him lightly on the arm as I blush and enter the van. I look out the window to see her walking away, wondering why this random stranger made my face hurt.