The Music of the Night

01

[Wake Up]

Hollywood - July 22, 1995

Sunset Curve played their song Now or Never.

"Whoo!" a girl cheered. "Excellent!"

Christine smiled sadly as she watched. "That was amazing. I wish I could be there to congratulate the four of you."

"Sounds great, guys!" a guy complimented.

"Whoo!" another girl cheered.

"Yeah!"

The band members laughed before Reggie said, "Thank you! We're Sunset Curve!"

"Too bad we wasted that on the soundcheck," Bobby stated. "That was the tightest we've ever played!" He and Luke bumped elbows.

Christine laughed softly. "It was spectacular, Bobby."

Luke turned to face the front. "Wait until tonight, man, when this place gets packed with record execs." His face fell. "Christine should be here to see this."

"But I am here!"

Reggie said, "Alex, you were smoking." He turned to Luke. "I'm sure she's looking down on us from above."

"Or right in front of you," Christine said softly.

"Oh no," Alex replied. "I was just warming up. You guys were the ones on fire."

"Shut up. Could you just own your awesomeness for once?" Reggie said as he held up a finger.

"Huh? All right, I was killing it."

Luke chuckled and shook Alex's shoulders. "Okay, well, I'm thinking we fuel up before the show. I'm thinking street dogs."

Christine frowned. "Luke, that doesn't sound smart. You never know with street vendors."

"Ooh!" Reggie said.

"Yes," Alex agreed.

The four jumped off the stage and Bobby started walking off.

"Hey, Bobby, where you going?" Luke asked.

"I'm good," Bobby told him, walking up to a girl cleaning a table. "I could never hurt an animal."

Christine sighed as she stared at Bobby, knowing he was about to start flirting.

"You guys are really good," the girl complimented.

"Thank you," Luke replied.

"I see a lot of bands. Been in a couple myself. I was really feeling it."

Christine nodded. "That was their intent. They really have something special."

"That's what we do this for." He clapped Bobby's shoulder. "I'm Luke, by the way."

"Hi, I'm Reggie," Reggie said.

"Alex," the blond introduced.

"Bobby," Bobby stated.

Christine laughed softly as Luke stuck his finger in his mouth before sticking it in Bobby's ear. "Nice meeting you guys. I'm Rose."

Christine smiled. "Pretty name. Not that it has much relevance, maybe it doesn't but roses are my favorite flowers. I especially love pink ones."

Reggie pulled out a CD. "Oh, uh... here's our demo. And a T-shirt. Size beautiful."

Alex let out a groan. Christine laughed. Her friend was certainly smooth in his delivery.

Rose held the T-shirt up to herself. "Thanks." She shouldered the T-shirt. "I'll make sure not to wipe the tables down with this one."

Christine nodded. "Smart. It's always fun to hold onto band merch."

"Oh, good call," Alex said. "Whenever they get wet, they just kinda fall apart in your hands."

Bobby turned to his bandmates. "Don't you guys have to go get hot dogs?"

Luke stepped closer to Rose before saying, "Yeah, he had a hamburger for lunch."

"Bobby doing what he does best," Christine teased.

Reggie smiled and swatted Bobby's shoulder in a friendly manner. He followed Luke out. Alex followed shortly after.

As the three boys exited the building, unknowningly followed by Christine, Luke said, "That's what I'm talking about!"

Reggie chuckled and Alex asked, "The smell of Sunset Boulevard?"

"No." He chuckled. "It's what that girl said in there tonight. About our music, all right? It's like an energy. It connects us with people. They can hear us when we play." He puIled Reggie and Alex closer to him. "I want that connection with everybody."

Christine smiled. "You do have that, Luke. I know that best of all."

"Then we're gonna need more T-shirts," Reggie told him.

Luke snickered before saying, "Let's go, boys."

Reggie walked up to a group of girls and handed two of them a T-shirt. "Ladies." He rejoined his bandmates.

"Reggie, wait!" a girl cried before letting out a squeal.

"Oh my God," girl two said. "Reggie!"

"Oh my God! Hi, it's me!"

Reggie waved to the girls with a smile.

The boys made their way to a hot dog vendor.

Christine's lip curled as she stared at the contents. "You guys should eat at a diner or something. This really doesn't look safe."

"Man... I can't wait until we eat someplace where the condiments aren't served out of the back of an Oldsmobile," Alex said, walking up to the man cooking the hot dogs. "Hey... Sorry, I got some pickle juice on your battery cables."

"No problem," the man replied. "It'll help with the rust." He clapped Alex's shoulder and chuckled.

Christine stared at the man. "Running a vendor like this isn't good for anyone's health. You can run one, but it shouldn't be out of an old car."

"That can't..." The man chuckled again. "Okay." Alex walked back to his bandmates. "What?"

Chrstine turned to the blond boy. "You're right, Alex. It's not good at all."

The three made their way inside a building and sat on a couch. Christine walked through the door, following.

Reggie sighed happily.

Christine looked behind Luke to see a Missing Persons poster and she looked at the poster, then down at Luke. She remembered the day he had run away. She'd tried persuading him to go back, but he wouldn't hear of it. He had often crashed at her house or at the studio.

"This is awesome, you guys," Luke said. "We're playing The Orpheum! I can't even count how many bands have played there and then ended up being huge." He leaned back as Reggie chuckled lightly. "We're gonna be legends!" He held out his hot dog. "Eat up, boys. 'Cause after tonight, everything changes."

Christine nodded. "It certainly will change, Reggie, and I'll be there to see it."

The three toasted their hot dogs and bit into them. Reggie licked his fingers.

Alex glanced at his bandmates before saying, "That's a new flavor."

Christine frowned. "New flavor? What other flavor are hot dogs?" A concerned expression crossed her face. "Oh, no."

"Chill, man," Reggie told him. "Street dogs haven't killed us yet."

"Those sound like famous last words," she muttered.

Luke bit into his hot dog for another bite.

A siren wailed outside. A horn honked repeatedly.