Music Meets Prose is our weekly bite-size prose feature on fictional stories inspired by real life behind-the-scenes events in the music industry. Our first prose is The Audition - a three-part short story. Look out for our prose features every Friday.
The Audition
Written by Bemi
Abstract artwork by Zaahira
Part 2
You know how women make a mental list of everything
they want in an ideal partner, then as the years role by, they age, reality sinks
in, and the inevitable happens - some attributes they deem unrealistic gets
crossed off the list. Well, Mike was atypical, he had every character
a woman would find endearing – good looks, charm, well-educated, career driven,
compassionate, kind…and the list goes on. He didn’t try to be the good guy - he
simply didn’t know how to be any different. Mike’s father passed away when he
was six years old, his young mother raised Mike and his two younger sisters as
a single parent. She moulded him into a responsible man; coupled with
having first-hand experience of his sisters’ emotional rollercoasters and
relationship issues – he simply understood the female gender – he
understood me and could read my thoughts just from my
non-verbal cues. Hence, I had to think hard and come up with a good excuse for
going out alone tonight!
I was wary from auditions - I needed a breakthrough
in my music career. I had to prove to myself and everyone around me I made the
right decision to focus on music. Sacrifices had to be made - this would have
to be my sacrifice!
I headed for my shift as a part-time waitress at a
diner. All through the shift, I tried to convince myself I was making the right
decision to meet with David Luvas.
After getting off work, I headed home. Mike was
waiting by my apartment door, perplexed he queried, “I have been trying to reach
you all day. How did the audition go?” I responded with a blank stare and
he proceeded to console me, “Not good then, okay its movie night, we’ll have a
night out, and forget all the cares of the world.” That was typical of him,
always trying to put a positive spin on any situation. He leaned over and
kissed me on the forehead.
I had to think fast, this was harder than I had
anticipated “Err…I’ve been asked to come to another audition tonight,” I looked
away from him because I was an awful liar and did not want my expressions to
give away the lies within.
Mike knew me too well - we had been together since
high school; we were studying pre-law at the same college before I dropped out.
I opened my apartment door, and let him in. I made
a quick dash for my bedroom, locked the door behind me and carried on the
conversation from inside my bedroom whilst changing my clothes – less eye
contact made it easier to lie. “Sorry I just came home to change and
I’m going to head out again,” He didn't utter a word. As I rambled on, all my words were met
with silence from behind the door. I walked out of my bedroom
clad in a short revealing black dress and quickly made my way to the door,
“You can lockup after you leave. Wish me luck.” I mumbled as I made my way out
of the apartment and walked out to the street.
The cool evening breeze felt liberating, I felt
free and suddenly the emotions of guilt had given way to confidence.
“You forgot something.” – it was Mike’s voice. I
turned around, by now Mike was standing a couple of feet from me and he held out a
piece of paper – it was the note from David Luvas! (I must have dropped it back
at my apartment). There was a moment of awkward silence.
Many thanks to our
volunteer illustrator Zaahira. Look out for Part 3 (the final part) next Friday (September 19)
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