Melody 5 - Rising Stars

Chapter 12 (i) - Amy

--- AMY ---

Finally, everything was moving in the right direction – Maurice’s operation had been a success and he was responding well to chemo; the band’s YouTube figures were growing by the minute; and just that morning Capital FM had tweeted Melody 5 were the hottest unsigned band on the scene!  And best of all, Amy felt like she was back to her old self again – sassy, confident and ready to take on the world.  Especially as tonight she was totally rocking a slinky green midi dress and killer heels at a party for one of the UK’s coolest indie rock bands – The Fierce Charlottes.

“Oh my God,” gushed Rhian.  “Jake Miskew is soooo hot!”

Amy looked over at Rhian’s latest crush – the lead guitarist of The Fierce Charlottes.

“I wonder if he has a girlfriend?” pondered Rhian.

“He’s probably got half a dozen,” said Amy, clocking the gaggle of girls surrounding the UK’s latest rock-hunk, who clearly thought he was worth the hype.

Amy wasn’t impressed – Jake Miskew looked far too ‘shaggy’ for her taste.  The leather jacket and skinny jeans she could understand, but what was the deal with the unkempt beard, crumpled t-shirt and rabbit fedora?  She turned away and scoured the heaving mass of London’s uber-cool trendy types for someone useful to schmooze.

When the invitations to the launch of The Fierce Charlotte’s new video, courtesy of Derren McKenzie, had first arrived - the girls hadn’t wanted to go.

“No way!” said Jadine, looking straight at Amy and Molly.  “Derren’s already caused us enough problems.”

“But The Fierce Charlottes are with Riva Records,” explained Lena.  “This is a great opportunity to ‘make nice’ with their execs and get your faces seen at a top-notch industry event before the Soundscaper Festival next week.  You can’t not go.”

“I agree,” said Amy.  She was damned if she was going to miss an opportunity like this just because Derren would be there.  Even so, she knew she’d have to steel herself against his presence.  He’d probably flash his mischievous blue eyes at her, make her go weak at the knees and then move on to drool over Molly.  Her head knew Derren McKenzie was bad news, but she didn’t trust her heart had got the same message.. 

“Are you sure?” insisted Jadine.

“We don’t have to speak to him,” said Amy.

Jadine wasn’t convinced.  “Are you okay with it, Molly?”  

“If it’s good for the band,” said Molly.  “And if Amy’s cool with it, then…”

“I am cool with it,” asserted Amy.  “Completely cool.”

And so here they were at Café de Paris, in London’s Piccadilly Circus, sipping champagne next to an ice sculpture of a gigantic electric guitar.

“Come on, let’s mingle,” said Amy.  Lena had insisted they split into pairs and talk to as many ‘suits’ as possible.  Just as Amy and Rhian were heading towards a bevy of suited and booted types, Amy felt someone grab her arm.  She froze, half dreading and half hoping it would be Derren.

It was worse – it was Tony Ward.

“It’s been a long time, princess,” smiled Tony, still holding her arm.

Amy plastered on her brightest smile.  “Tony!  Nice to see you.”

She wanted to recoil as he came in for the obligatory showbiz air kiss, which he also used as an excuse to brush his hand against her breasts.