No Strings Attached

Chapter 23: Solo

The week flew by with band practice back to back with private practice for Becca. She felt like she was swimming and the waves kept crashing over her. Every one of the bandmates spent some time bouncing ideas around with Becca, but still she felt nowhere near ready.

She simply did not have three originals to play. Choosing the two covers were easy enough, but punching out three original songs in a week's time was definitely overreaching a bit.

"I can't do it." Becca idly swinged back and forth on the wooden seat, before Freen came to stand before her, blocking Becca's movement as she snared the ropes to pull them to a stop. This allowed Becca to intertwine her legs with Freen and hold her close.

"Of course you can! You were made for this..." Freen tried to reassure Becca, tipping her chin upward and placing a chaste kiss on her lips

"If THIS is being a backup singer in an ambient jazz band, then no, that's not me. I wouldn't give up my passion for any amount of cash or fame. I want my band." Becca spoke with her hands as much as she spoke with her voice. She stated her case resolutely.

"Becca, are you sure? This could be your last chance." Freen stared hard at Becca where she still sat on the swing.

"I don't care Freen. I want what I have. My band and I, then we can talk. and I know we can win that Bandslam." Becca stood up rapidly and grabbed Freen along the waist, lifting her playfully up off the ground. Freen giggled and whined in Becca's ear. Becca could feel this goosebumps spread from the spot around her ear.

Once Freen let her go, she set Becca down carefully and stared down into Becca's eyes with a soft smile. There was something in the way Becca looked at her with uncertainty. "I wrote you a song while I was working on my set. Do you want to hear it?"

Freen found her heart beating in her throat. Becca had written her a song as part of her set. Freen felt her insides go gooey at the warthm radiating from the top of her head down to her toes.

"Please. I'd love to hear it." Her eyes and her face grew even softer and filled with admiration. She didn't remove her eyes from Becca once the front man came to sit down on the couch opposite Freen.

"Here goes nothing..." Becca mumbled before starting by tugging the strings. She settled on a calm and catchy tune, strumming whenever the pace picked up slightly.

"She breaks the cliches
Throws my poetry into disarray
Rips apart the social norm
So that she may soundly form

Her own crazy ideas
Even though she fears
So many things for a fragile heart
Sometimes she doesn't know where to start
With her mind running rampant
I can barely fathom it
How fast those wheels can spin

Outside and in
Such an amazing mind
With treasures for me to find
Around every corner
Because she's a reformer
And a rebel and a saint
What a confusing picture to paint

When she's both sweet and oh so sour
And every goddamn fucking hour
I can feel the thoughts rip me apart
Do I want her body or her heart?

I'm so afraid

So intrigued
So confused that
I can't find my feet..."

Becca gave the song a soft strum to end on and looked up to find Freen staring at her, mouth half agape. She moved closer to Becca and gently placed her handa on the tense shoulders.

"If your other two originals sound like that one, then I'd say you've got the cat in the bag." Freen half purred and half whispered in Becca's ear, causing the younger one to shiver lightly.

"Stop that. You know what it does to me!" Becca tried to protest, but Freen just nuzzled further into Becca's neck, loving the natural scent of her...

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