Sheet Music - A Rock 'n' Roll Love Story

“Better,” Michael answered.

Brian’s head spun around to face his friend.  “What the hell did you just say?” he blurted with anger.

Michael’s mouth spread into a dazzling smile and shrugged.  “I’m sorry.  Did I say that out loud?”

“Yeah, I’m afraid you did, asshole.”

“Sorry.  Forget I said it.”

“No, I don’t think that’s possible,” Brian sneered.

“Okay, then deal with it,” Michael answered.

Brian grabbed Michael by the arm and jerked him back away from the crowd.  “If I'm standing here wasting my time because you couldn't keep your hands out of her pants, there's gonna be hell to pay!” he seethed.  “And you'll be dealing with the damn media and management too because, as of now, I'm washing my hands of this situation.  If this contest falls apart, my name won't be attached to it – yours will.”

“It won’t come to that, Bri.”

“You better hope it doesn’t.”

Brian stormed back to the line of people waiting to see them, muttering curses as he went.  Then he took a deep breath and plastered an enormous stage smile across his face and prepared to do his job.

“And, who do we have here?” Brian asked the next band in line, as he continued greeting the finalists.

Sammy met up with Annie in the press room.  “Did you get something to eat?” he asked.

“Eat?  I’m too nervous to eat,” she answered.

“Eating might make you less nervous,” he suggested.

“That’s okay.  I’ll be fine.”

“It won’t be long now,” he said.  “Wait till you see where they’re seating us.”

A few minutes later a security guard stood in the doorway.

“Can I have your attention, please?” the room fell to silence.  “We’re going to begin seating you soon.  So, if you could collect all of your belongings and band-mates, we can proceed.  You’ll be seated together by band.  Could I have the members of, Flesh, step forward please.  Behind them I’d like to see, The Zone, and then, White Rush.”

“Here we go,” Annie sighed.

Another security guard led them into the arena.  Still more ropes were set up to keep them separated from the human masses filtering into their assigned seats.  The guard stopped halfway down the front aisle and pointed out five seats with the word ‘reserved’ imprinted on them.

“Holy shit,” Ivory cheered.  “We’re front row, center!”  He reached over and slapped Buzz’s raised hand.

Their seats were less than twenty feet from the stage.  Nothing would stand between them and Thrust except for a few very burly guards.  Annie couldn’t believe it.  Never, in all the concerts she’d attended in her life, had she been this close to the stage.  If nothing else, the hassle they’d been put through was worth this!  Even Gary had an endless smile across his face.  Annie took her seat between Buzz and Sammy.

Her eyes panned the arena.  The stage was awesome, lit with fiery hot lights that hung suspended in a circular pattern from the steel rafters.  Smoke seeped in from behind the curtains, blanketing everything in an eerie glow.  Speakers and amplifiers were piled nearly to the roof.  Suddenly, the arena went black.  The only light came from a stage door to the left.  Annie bit her bottom lip.  In the darkness, she could see moving figures take their places on stage.  Behind her the roar began.  It was as Michael had described.  Coming from the back it crashed over her and hit the stage just as the lights came up and illuminated the band.  In seconds, the entire population of the arena were on their feet, cheering a heated welcome to their rock ‘n’ roll heroes.  Annie was swept away with them and jumped to her feet.  There was no introduction needed.  They were Thrust and their music spoke for them.

Michael stood proudly at stage right, a row of guitars easily accessible near by.  His hair hung to his shoulders, tangled and loose.  Dressed in his trademark black leather pants and a red dress shirt, he waved to the gathered crowd.  The shirt was untucked and unbuttoned from his neck down to his navel, exposing his smooth, bare chest.  Several necklaces dangled precariously against his breast bone.

The drummer beat a cadence that Annie could feel echo beneath her ribs.  Then Michael ran his fingers down the neck of his guitar and brought it to life with a thunderous scream.  Suddenly, Brian jumped from the drum platform and landed center stage, microphone in hand, his voice at full wail.  He wore red spandex pants that fit him like a second skin, a long tailed black tuxedo coat with top hat, and a frilly white shirt open from his neck to his belly button.

The freight train that was Thrust now steamed down the tracks heading straight for them.  They were an unstoppable force, burning through three hit songs before Brian took a break to say “hello” to the audience.

“How are you all doing tonight?” he asked, in his raspy voice.  His question was followed by a deafening roar from the audience.  Brian laughed heartily.  “Well, if you liked that shit, then you’re gonna love this!”  That led into the next string of hit songs.