When I’m lost it guides me to you
Girl you love me like no other
Such a sweet thing
We go through the spots he is having trouble with a few times and I find that we make a great team. Jake joins us followed by a couple of other guys I vaguely remember from when I was a freshman. Kai introduces me to them. Hunter is tall and lanky with dark spiked hair; tats cover the sides of his neck, travelling down his arms. He has on skinny jeans and a snug fitting black t-shirt. H
e smiles widely at me and sticks his tongue out flicking his tongue ring. I don’t know why but it makes me blush. Then there is Vance with his shaved but tattooed head. There is a dragon covering his scalp. He is dressed in cargo pants and a t-shirt with a marijuana leaf on the front. He instantly hugs me, which I find odd but comforting.
Raven comes strolling in a few minutes later, and apparently, she is their manager. I had no idea. She takes a seat beside me on the couch and pulls a laptop from her bag. Once she powers it on, she brings up a blog she made for the band. They actually have a small following. The guys go through their set while Raven gives them pointers and I scroll through the comments and photos on their site. They have been playing at local fairs and festivals. They even have a YouTube channel.
Kai is staring at me and grinning proud as I watch him do his thing. “Told you he has a thing for you,” Raven says nudging my shoulder with hers.
“Do you want me with Kai, so he won’t mind your being with Jake?”
“I want Kai to be happy and I want him to have a girlfriend so he won’t mind the other guys dating. Kai thinks it will hurt their image if fans see them with girlfriends.”
Well that explains a lot. Maybe Kai is afraid I will hurt his career while he is trying to get it off the ground. He doesn’t need to worry about that though. I have dreams of my own.
“Are you going on tour with them this summer?”
“I haven’t decided yet. My parents will probably kill me but I really want to go, the experience of traveling alone will be worth putting college off for a semester or two. What about you? What are your plans?”
“I don’t know I want to go to New York maybe. I just want to go anywhere but here,” I tell her honestly.
“You should come with us. Kai could have you sing backup or you guys could do duets or something.” Raven is looking at me smirking as if a light bulb is flashing over her head.
“Not sure that is the best idea. Raven that could lead to a world of trouble.” So much could go wrong in that situation.
“Trust me Katie, I have a vision and it includes you by Kai’s side.”
“What makes you so sure Kai would even want that?”
“Because I know Kai, and I know what he wants before he does.” She jumps up from the couch and struts over to the guys smiling. “Kai, I want you to try something. I want you to sing ‘Wicked Game’ with Katie.”
“Sure,” he says with a shrug as if it is nothing. It makes me nervous. We have goofed around in the car but this song is so intimate.
The rest of the band takes it as their cue to take a break and grab a drink.
“Katie get up here.” Raven demands.
Kai grabs me a stool. I take the seat next to him and he gets ready with his guitar.
“I’ll play; you sing and try not to pay attention to me cutting in. We may have to go through it a few times to get comfortable singing together. This song isn’t meant to be a duet but I think it could be great.”
I nod and smile weakly at him, this could go two ways…it could be epic or it could be a disaster.
Kai starts strumming playing the melody softly with an underground vibe. I wait for my cue and sing the first line. Raven shoots me a thumb up and the guys all stop talking to listen to us. Raven has us try another song, ‘Talking in your Sleep,’ by ‘The Civil Wars.’
Once we are finished Kai leans over and kisses my cheek.
Raven is bouncing. “Told you it would be great.”
“Damn man, you said she could sing, but she can sing,” Jakes says wrapping his arm around my shoulder, giving me a gentle squeeze. “You two sound like you’ve been singing together for years.”
Everyone starts talking at once, about how they—Cooper’s Religion, need to work me into a few of their songs as a special guest or something. I tell them I will think about it. I don’t want Kai to think I am trying to weasel my way into his group just to be close to him. I will only do it if I am a right fit and the band agrees as a whole that they want me.
Nothing is decided tonight and Jake kicks us all out a few minutes later using having to work early as an excuse. I suspect he wants to spend time with Raven.