ALANA'S MISTAKE ✔

Chapter 6

The rest of the band members wandered off to get coffee at the college canteen but Elias stayed right where he was, in Alana's studio space. He parked himself on a stool and sat there, feet together and knees wide apart, playing with his sunglasses. He wore jeans that fit snugly and a red and blue plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His arms were tanned and lithe. His hair met at a point in the middle which ran over his forehead and onto his eyes, young Elvis style; thick, dark and luscious. He ran his hands through it sometimes, back from his face, but it always flopped back down.

He chatted to Alana, mostly about her work, as she cut her tape into long, thin shapes, ready to be applied to the ceiling. There was no way she was going back up those ladders with him still here. She tried to act cool, like she had guys like Elias in her space all the time but of course she didn't. She barely had anyone in her space apart from tutors and occasionally Riley who she had to throw out for being so distracting.

'I've never seen work like this,' he said, glancing at her. 'I've seen similar stuff, you know. But nothing quite like this.'

He kept gazing around, his eyes following the concentric patterns.

'I like circles,' she replied.

He tapped his knee with the sunglasses.

'Yeah, so do I. I like how round they are.'

His lips formed a smile.

'Are you mocking me?' she said, raising an eyebrow.

'No, no, I really do like circles. The symbology, you know? They're just like everywhere, when you think about it. They kind of, remind me of stuff.'

He adopted a ponderous look.

'Are you expecting me to have one of those ridiculous art conversations with you right now?' she said, smiling. 'Where we talk a load of crap just to give the work some meaning, when really, it is just circles?'

He laughed a little. She stared at him. She couldn't believe how warm and generous the sound of his laughter was, and the way his face looked when he smiled like that. His whole lead singer persona kind of melted and he sounded like he was just a young guy, full of playfulness.

'I bet the tutors love that,' he said. 'Isn't it their job to get you to explain your work so everyone thinks it is all highly theoretical and important?'

'I don't care about that,' she said, shrugging. 'I create my work as though it's music. You can't explain people into liking music, can you? People either like it, or they don't.'

He raised his eyebrows, his forehead creasing, nodding slowly.

'Very true, Alana. Very true.'

'You would know about that... Of course.'

'We write songs we want to listen to, that's it.'

'Same here,' she said. 'I mean, with this stuff.'

She gestured to the walls. He looked down at his hands, nodding, then lifted his chin and caught her in his gaze once again.

'You want to meet tonight?' he said.

Her heart flipped.

'I mean, to discuss what the band needs for the stage?'

She fiddled with a long, red pencil, looking at it intently.

'Tonight? You mean, with the rest of the band...?'

He shook his head.

'Those  guys are busy tonight. Doing stuff. I just thought it would  be a good chance to go over what kind of thing we need. I'm guessing  you've never done stage dressing before.'

Her mind was racing. Meeting him, alone. With no one else there. She gulped.

'No, I've never done it before. I'm just, not sure if we should all meet, together?'

'I  kind of run things, you know; our look, the stages and stuff. It's me that makes the decisions, they go along with whatever I decide. Those guys would just sit,  drink and contribute nothing, believe me. I mean, you don't have to.  There's no pressure or anything.'

He rose from his stool.

'It's not that...' she said.

'When do you finish here?'

He ran his hand through his hair again, stretching a little then running his other hand along his belt.

'About 5.'

'I'll see you outside, just after 5. You'll be hungry. We'll get something to eat.'

He laughed again, looking at her face.

'Like I said, don't worry. I don't bite. There's this great little place, we can get the best falafel in town. I'll show you.'

She nodded, slowly.

'All right.'

With that, he put his shades back on, gave a nod then walked off out of the studio.