The Rush

Chapter 9

My heart was hammering in my chest harder than I think it had for my first show. I was sitting on the couch holding Tori's hand. We were all sitting together with our hands linked as Mamma got the speakers set up. I didn't miss the fact that Hillary sat at the end with Will perched on the arm beside her. I also didn't miss Will's subtle shoulder squeeze he gave Hillary. They were definitely fucking.

Mamma came and perched next to me and held her phone out to me. "You want to press play?"

I looked down at the screen and saw it, my song. The title of a song I wrote on my mom's phone. I was going to listen to one of my songs for the first time. Tears sprung to my eyes. This was such a big moment for me and everyone was going to hear it. Oh fuck, I hope they like it.

Everyone watched as I reached out and pressed play. My breath caught as the sound of drums filled the room. Immediately my eyes blurred with tears as soon as the sound hit my ears. It sounded so cool. I held my breath as I waited for my vocals to come through. Please let it sound like I thought it would.

(Seize the Power by YONAKA)

Woke up this morning, I feel so fucking important
I looked in the mirror, I'm different, I finally made a decision
All the rejected that lost a lack of respect in
Themselves 'cause people get hectic
They hurt you and make you feel helpless
They're not brave like you, they're too scared to do
Anything that's different, anything that's new

Holy fuck, it was even better than I thought it would. I felt Tori's hand squeeze mine. Mamma's hand was rubbing my back. I needed all the support I could get because I was a total emotional wreck. I was crying, smiling, laughing, and feeling every single emotion all at once.

Hey there, how you been?
I'm that voice in your head, and I know you been aching
When you find me, let me in
I got power in my hands, and it's yours for the taking

Wow, just wow. The way Mamma had layered the harmonies to create an echoing effect was perfect. I was in awe of her. I had an idea and she ran with it. That was why she made the big bucks. That's why I grew up listening to her songs. That's why everyone listens to her songs. Fuck. She was just amazing. I'm also pretty good, but I sounded way better once Mamma worked her magic. It was powerful and showed just how creative I could be. There were so many distinct styles all melded into one but it still showed off the core of who I was as a person. A rebel with a cause.

This power is yours for the taking
This power is yours, take it

The song ended and the room was silent. I wiped the tears from my eyes and my vision cleared up. I felt Mamma wrap her arms around me as she kissed the top of my head. "I'm so proud of you Melody." She whispered into my ear.

"You guys wrote that? All by yourselves?" Aunt Red asked as she gestured to me and my bandmates.

"It was all Melody." Tori immediately answered, "She writes just about everything."

"Well I wouldn't-" I started to jump in that they came up with stuff too, but my bandmates weren't hearing it.

"We come up with riffs, you turn them into fully polished songs," Hillary said while Ryland just nodded beside her. Ryland only really spoke when he wasn't surrounded by people. When it was just a few of our friends, he didn't shut up.