Chapter 31 #2
“They definitely deserve it. Sutton knew that from the moment she heard August sing,” Quinn offers with pride.
The lights in the café flicker on and off a few times to get everyone’s attention.
Sutton and August appear behind us out of nowhere. They both have black hoodies on, remaining discreet from the crowd.
“We’re behind you, Sloan. Don’t want to startle you,” Sutton says before getting too close.
“What are you guys doing over here?” I ask.
“We could ask you the same question,” August chuckles.
“We needed air. It’s already a sauna in here,” Quinn replies.
“We just wanted to take it all in for a minute from this angle, without anyone recognizing us.” Sutton smiles, leaning her head on my shoulder.
“It’s pretty fucking amazing!” August’s eyes light up, as his eyes scour the room.
“You guys really did it!” Quinn squeals. “I’m so fucking proud of you!”
“You’re both such an inspiration, truly. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your world.” I lean my head down on Sutton’s.
“We wouldn’t want it any other way, Sloan.” Sutton smiles, kissing me on the cheek.
My heart relaxes in the presence of these girls and their open affection.
The lights overhead flicker one last time.
I watch as Beck and Asher have to turn away a line of people as they shut the doors and lock them.
A whole slew of people just stand outside staring through the windows. Not making a single move, in hopes to see the show from the sidewalk.
“Want to watch the show from here or try to get to the stage?” Quinn asks.
“Wait, where did Sut and August go?” I ask, looking everywhere.
“They’re ninjas! They wanted to sneak up toward the stage when the lights flickered and people were distracted,” Quinn quips.
I catch Beck’s eyes from across the room as he casually leans against the doors facing the stage.
He winks at me. Making me giggle.
And then…the lights go out.
Concerned that something went wrong, I reach out for Quinn’s hand.
“Quinn…” I start, worry laced in my voice.
Quinn gives my hand a reassuring squeeze before, “You’ll be my demise,” is screamed in a harsh raspy vocal by… Holy shit, Sutton.
Quinn and my head immediately swivel toward each other, in complete confusion and awe.
Our eyes going instantly back to the stage when blue stage lights start flickering above Sutton’s head immediately after that sound just left her body. The lights illuminate the band standing behind her and August. While August stands right next to her, beaming with so much pride on his face.
My jaw drops. I knew Sutton could sing, but scream? Like August?
Beau’s drums start out playing softly, so Sutton can own the stage before Knox and Ty start strumming their guitars in a heavy hitting melody, mixed with some electronic sounds.
In a few seconds, August starts screaming in his deep growly vocals. “So, break my ribs. Drive in your knife. Rip my heart open. With every word left unspoken.” As Beau beats the bass of the drum even heavier.
“Every time I die. Everything inside me just screams. With you I feel alive. In your hands, I just bleed,” Sutton screams in this hauntingly ethereal voice, staring longingly in August’s eyes.
Knox and Ty intricately play riffs on their guitar while incorporating some pick scrape techniques to give them a newer sound.
I’m almost hypnotized by the sounds of their voices. By the atmosphere they’ve created of this heavy yet ethereal scene for us. I can feel every bit of longing in their words. The pain they must have each felt in their time apart.
My heart breaks at the thought that they must have written this about that time but over the moon they found their way back to each other to create something as beautiful as this.
“Another hour passes. Another day gone. Cardiac arrest she crashes. Her love for him lives on,” Sutton wails with such an ache in her haunting melodic tone. A lone tear streaming down Sutton’s face.
My heart is aching for her.
August screams in such a painful, rasped voice about wanting to just crawl into her, breathe her back to life.
Sutton and August sing their chorus together before an earth shattering break down about them either going up in flames or coming out on the other side. In such a heavy hitting moment.
Which has the crowd going completely nuts after their recent engagement news.
“So, keep me tethered to you,” August growls, getting in Sutton’s face.
“Ruin me, unravel me, I only bleed for you,” Sutton shrieks, shoving August’s chest. Almost like she’s demanding him with her words.
“Just keep me tethered to you,” they sing together in such a soul crushing sound. As if they’re begging each other to hold on for dear life. As August reaches for Sutton’s hand. Their fingertips touching from a distance.
“Ruin me, unravel me, I only bleed for you,” August rasps. Slowly walking closer to Sutton, their fingers never leaving the other’s.
“You’ll be my demise,” Sutton sings barely above a whisper, as her and August meet in the middle of the stage again.
“You’ll be my salvation,” Sutton and August harmonize together, in one microphone in the middle of the stage. Kissing each other softly, as Knox and Ty strum out the last few chords of the song on their guitars.
The crowd roars! They’re clapping and whistling.
Quinn lets out a whoop next to me.
I’m beaming with excitement, screaming for them, tears streaming down my face.
Quinn faces me to wipe my tears, but tears are streaming down her face too. “I’m so fucking proud of them! Goddammit!” Quinn swipes her tears again.
“Me too.” I rest my head on her shoulder, squeezing her hand in mine.
“Give it up for my girl! Sut’s been working on those screams for weeks! I think she nailed it. What do you all think?” August gets the crowd amped up.
Whoops and whistles go off throughout the crowd again.
“Thank you all so much for coming tonight! We are From Troy! That was one of our newest songs called Bleed that we’ve been in the studio recording since we’ve been back.
Tonight, we have about fifteen songs to play for you all.
I’m not sure if there’s much room to open up a pit but I want to see you head banging and hear you singing along,” August yells in the microphone.
The crowd starts to cheer but then immediately goes silent when August squats at the front of the stage and growls, “Lets. Fucking. Go!” into the microphone before he starts growling and singing one of their most popular songs.
August really knows how to work the stage and the crowd. August becomes a puppet master the second he gets on stage and we are all just his marionettes.
Sutton also is such a light on stage. Working every angle, so in tune with August, like they’re just on the same wavelength all the time. Sometimes Sut does these cute little dancey dances right after she sounds like a feral animal screaming. It is impossible not to have a girl crush on her.
They weave through their set list from heavier songs to their most famous song Chokehold, where August and Sutton duet beautifully. I swear half the crowd had tears in their eyes along with August and Sutton.
“Hey, I’ve been trying to hold it but those coffees are finally catching up to me. I’m going to run to the bathroom, do you want to come with?” Quinn asks before hopping down from the counter.
“I’m good. I’ll just stay right here. I kind of don’t want to miss anything.” I smile at Quinn.
I’m loving every second of this show. I haven’t really been to many shows in my life. It’s still mind-blowing that I ended up friends with this incredibly talented group.
“Okay. Promise not to go anywhere? I don’t want Beck putting me in a choke hold later for not ‘obeying’ him.” Quinn rolls her eyes.
“I promise, I won’t move. And don’t worry, I’ll deal with Beck later if he finds out.” I wink at Quinn.
“Okurrrr, Sloan. I see you. I see you.” Quinn giggles, making her way to the bathroom.
Quinn isn’t even gone five minutes when I feel a presence lurking next to me.
A man of average height and average build walks over and leans against the counter, about five feet away from me.
At first, I wonder if he’s lost and looking for someone.
I watch out of my periphery, avoiding making eye contact, as his head swivels, like he’s trying to look for someone in the crowd.
Slowly, the man shuffles closer to me, as he continues to keep his eyes on the crowd.
I’m not sure if I’m praying more for Quinn to get back or for him to find whoever he’s looking for and walk away.
Alarms start blaring in my head, when the man scoots so close to me. His arm is almost brushing my leg, that’s hanging off the side of the counter.
It takes everything in me, not to immediately throw hands. Not to break his fingers that are now almost nonchalantly resting on the side of my thigh. Especially ’cause my body is screaming at me, to do so.
“Hi gorgeous, I’m Greg, what’s your name?” He scoots in close to me.
“Um… Hi. I’m Sloan.” I try to brush him off. Turning my head back toward the stage to watch the show.
He’s even closer now. If that’s even possible. He probes, “Why are you sitting up here all alone? How are you even allowed to sit up there?”
“Greg, I’m not trying to be rude, but could you take a few steps back please. I don’t really like people in my space. That’s why I’m sitting up here. I wanted to watch the show, but I’m not all that comfortable in large crowds,” I offer, trying to be polite-ish.
“Well, if you can sit up here, so can I,” he snarks, trying to hop up next to me.
“No, actually you can’t,” I almost growl. “My friend is part owner of this café and she just stepped away to use the restroom and will be back any minute. We can sit here. You cannot. Please just go watch the show elsewhere.”
“What’s the issue really, gorgeous? You think you’re too good for me or something?” He runs his fingers down my thigh. “Can’t come down off your high horse?”