Spread Your Wings

Chapter 7

It had been three weeks now since my first guitar lesson and I was having such a whale of a time with teacher Brian. Our lessons now had a reputation for lasting five hours with hardly any breaks. Every day after school, Elizabeth would pick me up along with Violet as her school was literally 5 miles away from mine and we would go to their house where Brian would be waiting for me to arrive with my guitar.

I'm now waiting for him to come back from a toilet break. I was getting bored so I just played a few simple chords, D, G and A and began to sing a melody along with it. I lost myself completely and pictured Freddie in my head urging me on, telling me to keep on singing. I didn't even know what I was doing but in my head, it sounded like all of my troubles were just transposed into musical notes. I suddenly stopped as a string snapped which took me by surprise. I jumped again when I saw Brian just standing there by the door.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there." I blushed, feeling pretty embarrassed.

"What the heck was that?!" He said, staring at me.

"I don't even know, it was just nonsense really, stupid nonsense. I knew it didn't sound too good anyway..."

"Didn't sound good?!" Brian interrupted me. "Katherine, that was beautiful. I had no idea you could sing."

"Me? A singer?!" I was so confused.

"Well, it's not every day someone's voice actually gives me goosebumps." His complement left me spellbound. "Right."

He started to look around the studio for something. When he found it, he pulled out a notebook and a pen and handed them to me.

"Wait, what's going on? What are you doing?" I asked, still not taking anything in as I was stunned.

"You are going to write a song." Brian smiled at me.

I shook my head as I suddenly felt very nervous. "Uh huh! No way! I can't write a song, I wouldn't even know what to write a song about!"

"That's why, we're going to write one together." Brian sat down with his notebook. "Ok, what's been on your mind recently? Something that made you sing the way you just did right there."

I was quiet for a minute before I spoke. "You're going to think I'm crazy or something but I pictured Freddie in my head. He was there, persuading me to keep on singing. I guess, he's always been like that. He did say once that I had a lovely voice but of course I didn't believe him."

Brian smiled with a little tear in his eye. "I told you that Freddie believed in you. It's great to see you still believe in him."

"I always will." I sighed, almost crying myself.

Brian pulled me in for a quick hug before we started to work our first song.

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"So, songwriting huh?" Felix and I were taking a walk around town.

Brian had to go to an interview with Roger about the upcoming album that was dedicated to Freddie. John didn't want to go with them but they did meet up a couple of times to work on the album.  He was slowly coming out his shell he had been hiding in for nearly four years.

"Yeah, funny isn't it?" I laughed to myself as I tried to carry my guitar on my back without hitting someone with it.

"Not really. I think it's really great. As long as I get a beautiful masterpiece dedicated to me, then it will be worth your while!" He flailed his arms around, almost prancing before I nudged him in the stomach.

"I'm pretty sure none of these songs are going to be masterpieces anyway."

"Will you stop being so hard on yourself?" Felix exclaimed. "Brian wouldn't do this with just anybody. I should know, he drives Dad bonkers."

We walked to the town square that had a beautiful looking bandstand standing tall but as many people walked past, you could hardly see it.

"I often thought what it would be like if a band actually played here. Like an old brass band or something." Felix thought aloud. "Hey! Go up and play your song for everyone then!"

I stared at him. "Are you crazy or something?! I can't do that!"

"Yes you can! Freddie would be telling you to do exactly the same thing if he was here. Just one song, then we can leave. All performers start somewhere." Felix pushed me closer to the bandstand.

After an annoyed stare directed straight at him, I took little baby steps over to the bandstand. My hands were shaking, my teeth were chattering, I really, really didn't want to do this. But Felix, as much as I hated to admit it, was right. If I was going to get all of these musical lessons, I should be getting myself out there to other people.

I stood right in the middle of the bandstand, got my guitar out and began to sing the song that Brian and I wrote. I just went into a world of my own. I daydreamed that Freddie was singing the harmonies along with me. I also thought of my dad, of where he could be, thinking of all the possible reasons why he left me and mum alone. I put as much emotion as I possibly could to the performance. As I finished the song, I looked up for a minute and gasped. There was a crowd of people around me applauding and cheering. I was in shock, I just couldn't believe it. They enjoyed it so much, they were giving Felix money. I didn't expect any of this.

"How did such a young thing like you write something so inspiring? What a belter of a voice you have kid, you'll be spotted someday! That really did give me goosebumps, bravo! Thanks for making my day loads better!" were just some of the compliments I received from them.

I looked at Felix with my jaw opened wide. "How the heck did that just happen?"

Felix was as stunned as I was. "I don't know, I mean how you did you do that?"

"I don't know! I think Freddie told me, it was time to perform which helped me to relax a bit. That was amazing!" I screamed with delight.

"I told you that you could do it! I think we may have to make this a weekly visit." Felix stated.

"Not weekly. Daily." I smiled back at him.