Hello everyone! I am literally in love with this chapter! I mean, what is better than music? This chapter further introduces Nash’s character and we get to see what he’s really like and what he does! Also, you get to meet a number of new characters! We hope you enjoy this chapter, and thank you all again for all the love and support!
xoxo, Gabby from The Aurora Honor
P.S. You all learn the reason for our username!
Chapter Seven
From outside the place, I can already hear the music.
Melanie and I walk up to the entrance, which is surprisingly guarded by a security guard. We go to stand in a line filled with people who look like rock stars. The majority don dark clothing, tattoos inked onto their bodies, and edgy hairstyles that I could never pull off.
I definitely do not fit into this crowd.
Melanie chose my outfit for me. I can honestly care less about what I am wearing. She insisted that I wore a dress - even though I think that dresses were atrocious. However, Melanie claimed that the dress looked amazing on me.
It is a lacy, dark navy blue number that accents my sea-green eyes. It rests above mid-thigh and is sleeveless. Melanie topped the outfit off with a black leather jacket. I am wearing my black combat boots, which I insisted because they are more comfortable than the heels Melanie wanted me to wear.
My blonde hair is loosely curled, and Melanie added light makeup to my face. She insists that I look “drop dead gorgeous.” I don’t see how I could ever look that way, but I just brushed it off.
Melanie, on the other hand, looks flawless. She is wearing a deep purple skirt that flows to her mid-thigh. She paired it with a black sweater that settles off her shoulder. She is wearing black heeled ankle boots. Her brown hair is straightened and pinned up on one side. She put on just enough makeup to accent her bright brown eyes.
When it comes time for us to go inside, the security guard asks for our IDs. We hand him our licenses and then are quickly ushered inside.
Walking in, the first thing I notice is the lack of space. The place is packed wall-to-wall with people. There are some by the stage - singing and dancing. Others are sitting at the bar and at tables, eating or drinking. I feel a sudden sense of claustrophobia overwhelm me.
Different colored lights stream all around the room. I literally have to steady myself because the bass is so heavy, it vibrates the place.
Melanie has hold of my arm as she pushes her way through the crowd of sweaty and, most likely, drunk people. We make it to an open spot at the bar. She pushes me to a stool and I sit down, taking in my surroundings more clearly. We aren’t that far from the stage; I can clearly see the band members.
What catches my eye first is the large group of girls surrounding the stage. Their focuses mesmerized by the singer on stage.
I finally focus on the band that is entrancing the crowd.
The music is rock or, even, alternative, with influences of punk and metal. Even though their music isn’t exactly my style, the band is amazing. You can tell how much they love playing for the crowd. Each member of the band is fully immersed into his own little world.
The members of the band are so skilled at what they execute to the crowd. I look at each member, watching as they barely even acknowledge the people. They are so focused on the task at hand.
Even if his band isn’t paying attention, the lead singer bends down and reaches out to the group of girls that are extending their hands and yelling at him. The girls scream even louder when he touches their hands, and I’m pretty sure that I saw one faint.
Those are definitely the fan girls. The girls who don’t exactly like the music, but they like the lead singer… maybe, a little too much. With that thought, I roll my eyes.
At that precise moment, the singer looks up and locks eyes with me. Mine widen as I realize who the person is.
“Nash?” the name slips from my tongue as a question. I’m shocked and utterly speechless. Nash is the lead singer in his band? Why didn’t he tell me this?
“What?” Melanie asks. She looks away from the bar to where my gaze is focused. “Oh, isn’t that Nash? You didn’t tell me he sang.”
I break the eye contact with him, and turn to face her, “I didn’t know that part.”
The music finishes, and I hear a loud scream coming from the stage area. Within a few seconds, I feel a new, warm presence near me. Melanie has a huge grin on her face as she looks at the person behind me.
“Did you enjoy the show?” a smooth, familiar voice echoes behind me, giving me goose bumps.
I swivel around in the bar stool, to stare at him, “It’s not my style, but yeah… it was good. Also, I didn’t know you sing, Nash.”
“Did I forget to mention that?” he asks, more to himself.
“Uh, yeah… you did actually.”
A cough comes from behind me, and I turn around to see Melanie giving me a look that practically screams ‘Are you going to introduce me?’
“Oh, uh. Nash, Melanie. Melanie, Nash,” I gesture between the two.
She reaches out her hand and he shakes it. He stares at her for a few seconds, a look of contemplation on his face. His eyes light up with recognition.
“I know who you are now,” he says. “You also work at the Black Star.”
“Yeah I do; I think I’ve seen you around before too,” I turn to glare at her; what a total liar.
He laughs, “I mean, you probably have. I’m there almost every weekend.”
Melanie is about to respond when loud shrieks interrupt her.
“Oh my God, Nash! You were amazing up there.”
“You, like, are so hot.”
“Can I have your number?”
A group of, very fake, blonde girls are surrounding Nash and bombarding him with compliments and questions. Instead of looking surprised or flustered, he looks quite calm.
“Hello ladies,” he says, his voice sounding seductive.
All three girls are in a sort of swoon state as they notice he is talking to them.
“Can we like, take a picture with you?!” Blondie number one says, raising up her phone.
“Oh my gosh! Like, that would totally be awesome!” cries Blondie number two.
“After the picture, will you give me your number?” is all Blondie number three asks.
I roll my eyes at her insistence. Is she really that desperate? I take that moment to see what they are wearing. I nearly laugh out loud. If I thought that I stuck out like a sore thumb, then these girls were ten times worse.
They have the audacity to wear bright pink - to a rock place. Talk about an ultimate fail.
Nash laughs a deep laugh, “Sure. Whatever.”
“Oh my God. Here, take the picture for us,” one of the blonde bimbos cries before shoving her phone into my hands.
As the phone is shoved into my hands, I nearly drop it. In a daze of complete shock, I stay completely still in my seat. By that point, all three girls have literally pushed themselves onto Nash.
“Uh, all you have to do is push the button in the center…” Blondie number two says.
Melanie nudges me on the arm, shaking me out of my little trance.
“I know how to take a picture; thanks,” I say, a hint of crudeness in my tone.
Nash laughs a little to himself as I snap the photo. I don’t bother with any countdowns or nothing. Glancing down at the photo I just took, I almost laugh.
The three bimbos aren’t even looking at the camera. One is fixing her lipstick, another is fixing her hair, and the other is staring off into space. Nash is the only one who looks nice in the picture. His pearly whites look whiter than ever, and his eyes shine with laughter.
My heart thumps against my chest for a second.
Throwing the phone back to one of the girls, I quickly say, “Melanie, will you come with me to the restroom?”
Without waiting for a response, I grab her hand and walk towards the back of the place. We get - I’d say, five seconds - away, and then I’m being pulled back. My grip on Melanie loosens and my back hits a chest.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
I quickly shove myself away from the person, “Obviously, the restroom.”
Nash stands there with arms folded over his chest. The jacket that he had been wearing before is now off, and the only thing that is adorning his torso is a flimsy wife beater.
I try to avert my eyes from his arms, but it’s hard. Luckily, the room is dim enough so he can’t really see me…
“You know, staring at someone is rude.”
… Or not.
“What are you doing Nash?” I ask him. “What do you want?”
He smirks, “I only wanted you to come near the stage. My band is about to perform again.”
I already saw him perform. Why would I want to again?
“So, what do you say?”
I’m about to turn his offer down, but Melanie beats me to it.
“She’d love to watch your band play, Nash.”
With that note, he grabs one of my hands and maneuvers me through the crowds of people. As he walks through, the crowd parts like the Red Sea. I almost laugh again from astonishment. Did people really love him that much?
I silently hope that Melanie decided to follow behind me.
When we reach the edge of the stage, Nash lets go of my hand and jumps onto the stage. People - or should I say, girls - start to scream their heads off as he grabs the mic.
“Hello? Testing,” he says, speaking into the mic. “Alright, hello everyone!”
The crowd cheers him and his band.
I quickly turn around to see if I can spot Melanie. With an internal sigh of relief, I discover that she’s behind me.
“We’re now into our second session. In case you missed our first one, hey - I’m Nash Hale and we are The Aurora Honor!”
“And since we have played all of our original songs already,” he says into the mike, suddenly stopping to build the anticipation, “time for the covers!”
The screaming of fangirls escalates, and I suddenly realize that I probably won’t be able to hear by the end of the night.
“Our first cover is going to be one that I’m sure most of you know, and if you don’t - you need to get out of the f*cking house more,” Nash says, laughing to himself. “This is She Will Be Loved.”
I smile slightly at his song choice, while every other person screams. His band starts with the intro, and he softly hums along. Once he finally starts to sing, I’m blown away.
While at the bar, I hadn’t really paid attention to his voice. My main focus had been the instruments. But hearing him sing, I am beyond shocked. He is actually good… no, really good.
“I don't mind spending everyday, out on your corner in the pouring rain. Look for the girl with the broken smile ask her if she wants to stay awhile. And she will… be loved. And she will… be loved.
“Tap on my window, knock on my door… I want to make you feel beautiful…”
As he continues to sing the song, you can tell how much he loves music; the amount of passion he puts into every verse is mesmerizing.
I lose track of every song his band plays. All I can focus on is Nash’s voice. They must’ve play at least ten more songs, before I actually pay attention again. By this point, Nash is covered in a sheen of sweat and so are his band members.
“Okay,” he says. “This is our last song for the night…”
The crowd boos at him, but he only grins.
“This is Iris, and I know you all know this song.”
The crowd goes wild at the song choice, and his band begins to play softly. My heart beats loudly against my chest as he starts to sing the lyrics.
His voice fits the song so well - it’s as if the song was made solely for him to sing.
“And all I can taste is this moment. And all I can breath is your life. ‘Cause sooner or later it’s over… I just don’t want to miss you tonight.
“And I don’t want the world to see me. ‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand. When everything’s made to be broken… I just want you to know who I am.”
I’m pretty sure every female in the room is dying.
“Oh my gosh… his voice,” I hear Melanie say behind me.
All I can do is nod my head like an idiot.
“... I just want you to know who I am. I just want you to know who I am…”
When Nash is done singing and only the piano can be heard, I finally let out the breath that I didn’t even know I was holding.
“Hope you guys liked it. You all were a f*cking amazing crowd. Hopefully, we’ll be back soon,” he says to the crowd and the stage lights go off.
Slowly and a bit reluctantly, the crowd starts to wander away. I see many walk to the doors and leave the place.
I look down at my phone and notice that it’s a little after eleven o’clock. I know that I have work early tomorrow; if I want to be functional tomorrow, I’ll need all the sleep I can get.
About to turn around and tell Melanie that we have to go, I feel a hand clasp my wrist and pull me in the opposite direction. Nash holds my hand, guiding me toward the stage area. I look around for Melanie, and notice she is trailing behind, giving me an intriguing look.
“Nash,” I say, but he doesn’t seem to hear me over the ruckus of people talking. I repeat myself, a little louder this time, and he finally turns around.
“Yeah?” he asks, stopping in place.
“I have to go,” I tell him, pointing to the exit doors. “I have work in the morning.”
I remove his grasp on my hand, and turn towards Melanie.
“We can’t leave yet,” she says. “We just got here.”
“We’ve been here for two hours, nearly three…” I trail off. “We also have that nine o’clock shift tomorrow.”
She pouts her lips, but nods in agreement with me, “I mean, I guess we have to leave.”
“Come meet my band first,” Nash says.
“We really have to go…” I say.
Why is he so intent on being around me? I don’t even know him. I just met him yesterday…
“I swear it will make your night ten times better. They are an awesome group of guys.”
Sighing once, I say, “Fine, but it needs to be quick.”
The most dazzling smile appears on his face. I hook my arm into Melanie’s and indicate for him to lead the way. He looks at my hand, before shrugging and turning toward the stage.
“I’ve never met a real band before,” Melanie whispers. “Aren’t they supposed to be really attractive?”
I softly laugh, “I guess you’ll find out in a second…”
Nash stops by a door that says PRIVATE in big, bold letters. He opens the door and gestures for Melanie and I to go in first.
The first thing I notice is the stench of sweat and beer; it smells like a guy’s locker room. The second thing I notice is a flying object that is seconds away from hitting my face.
“Duck!” I hear someone say, but it’s a little late for that.
The object hits my face with a BAM! and the only thing I can do is stand there. My face feels as if it’s pulsating and red. Thank the Lord that I closed my eyes in time.
“Holy sh*t!”
“Way to go, Kane.”
“Yeah, real smooth man.”
“I warned her to duck.”
Slowly, I open my eyes and pick up the small, plush basketball that is now at my feet.
Nash walks into the room and whacks one of the guys, who I’m assuming is the one who threw the ball, on the back of the head.
“Way to make a first impression, Kane,” he says, a scowl on his face.
I can hear Melanie giggling beside me. I give her a glare and her smile disappears.
“I’m sorry,” Kane says. “I didn’t mean to hit…”
At that moment, all four guys turn towards me and I subconsciously take a step back.
Kane, the guy who smacked me in the face with the plush ball, has a full head of dark hair. He looks relatively tall as well and has piercing gray eyes. Something that stands out about him is the large tribal tattoo that adorns his left arm. He flashes me a flirtatious smirk.
“Well, who is this beauty?” Kane says, looking me up and down. His eyes stray to my legs, making me self-conscience. I pull at the bottom of my dress, trying to make it longer, but knowing that it won’t change the length.
Nash wacks the back of his head again, “Dude…”
“What? She’s hot. Where’d you pick her up from?”
My mouth hangs wide open. The first word that comes to my mind is pig.
“Excuse him. He’s never been near a girl before.”
I turn to look at the one of the other band members. This one has dirty-blonde hair and soft brown eyes. He also has tattoos; down his right arm, is a sleeve of multi-colored tattoos. He seems a lot nicer than Kane.
“Oh, please, Jake; I’ve been near more girls than you. You’ve only ever stayed attached to Rebekah.”
“Maybe because I chose to settle down,” Jake retorts back.
“This is what marriage does to you; it makes you all sappy and girly.”
“Kane, you’re just jealous because no girl has ever liked you,” the band member with jet black hair says. His baby blues aren’t as intense as Nash’s, but they are a captivating feature.
Kane flips them off and leaves the room. I sigh with relief because, I swear, he kept looking at me like I was a piece of meat.
“Excuse my a** of a brother - he really doesn’t know his limits,” says a guy with light brown hair. “I’m Tom, by the way.”
“And I’m Dan,” the one with the jet black hair says.
I gesture a small wave to the group of guys, along with a smile.
“Guys, this is Addy. Addy, this is the band,” Nash says to me.
I stand there in silence until, Melanie nudges me in the back with her elbow.
“Hey… Uh, this is Melanie.”
She smiles and waves at the guys as well.
“So, what brings you here, Addy?” Jake asks.
“Nash invited me,” I tell him.
“If you don’t mind me asking, where did Nash meet you?” Dan asks, curious.
I go on to tell them the story of what occurred the previous night. I describe the girls and their rude tactics. I also tell them about Veronica and how Nash wanted my number, but I don’t go into much detail about what happens after I leave the bar.
“Oh yeah, that’s Nash - the ladies man,” Tom says with a sigh.
“Seriously,” Jake says, “everywhere we go, girls just flock towards him.”
Nash stands there, a glare painted onto his face.
Looking at him, I don’t argue with Jake. I can see why girls like him so much. Even with that glare, he’s still impossibly good looking. His eyes lock with mine before I get the chance to avert them. He grins and raises an eyebrow. I quickly look toward Melanie who is talking to Dan.
She seems to be hitting it off with him; they’re laughing with each other, so that must be a good sign. I walk over to her to tell her that we really should go home.
“Melanie, we need to go.”
She turns to look at me, a slight frown on her face, “Are you sure? I’m not really ready to leave.”
Her eyes quickly glance to Dan and then back to me. In that moment, I realize why she doesn’t want to leave; she likes Dan.
“I guess you can stay…” I tell her, which makes a bright smile appear in the place of her frown.
Dan and her go back to their conversation. Jake and Tom are sitting on the couch, both harmonizing a tune on the guitars.
“If you really have to go, Addy, I can take you home.”
I turn around at the voice. Hearing my name fall from his lips is the most mesmerizing sound ever - even if it wasn’t really mine.
“It’s no big deal,” I say dismissively. “I can just walk.”
“It’s dark and who knows what’s out there. Plus, I’m about ready to pass out.”
I shrug, “Yeah. Okay.”
I give a quick wave to Melanie and the guys before turning to follow Nash out. He leads me through the small pack of people. I see Kane sitting with a group of girls, who are hanging onto his arms.
What is it with girls and trying to gain a guy’s attentions?
Nash turns to me, a small smile on his face. I feel the slight breeze of the night as he holds the door open for me to go first. Stepping out into the night, I look to the stars.
My mother and I used to stargaze before she left us. It was one of the things she would do to try to calm me down when I was being the reckless child that I was.
To me, the stars were the most beautiful thing in the world. Mother would say that I shined like a star when I was smiling. She insisted that I was beautiful, but I never believed her. I never really felt beautiful as a kid, nor do I feel close to that now.
In all honesty, I don’t think I’ll ever be as beautiful as the stars.