A Beautiful Melody Read Online Free Page B

silly, as if he even remembers,” Amy tells me, her voice as impassive as always.
    “I don’t care. It’s still embarrassing. Besides, I’m a bartender now. I feel like a loser.”
    “Yeah, and what do you think we do? Erica is a receptionist at a Real Estate office and I’m a sales girl in a jewellery store. There aren’t many of us who made it as anything related to the arts .”
    By the time we’re finished our discussion, I realise that they’ve managed to herd me towards the backstage entrance, where a large Islander man is blocking our way.
    We don’t have any sort of backstage pass, so I figure this is where this will all end and secretly cheer that I won’t have to face him.
    My relief is short lived however , as they both give the bouncer a hug and a cheek kiss and he opens the door for us.
    Back stage is a series of narrow passage ways, littered with various people who obviously have something to do with either of the bands. I hear the music start up again as Eskimo Joe takes the stage and the crowd roars – they are after all, who they all came to see.
    Erica takes me by the hand and pulls me along behind her. It’s as if she’s worried that I’m going to get lost or refuse to follow. Although the latter is the most likely scenario.
    Eventually , we make it to a room with the band’s name on a printed piece of A4 paper, taped to the door, and push our way through partially blocked entrance. There aren’t that many people in here, maybe a dozen tops. But the room is so small that we’re all squished against each other and to top it off, the delightful scent of sweaty man is filling the air, causing me to scrunch up my nose a little.
    “Naomi,” Marcus croons , as he positions himself directly in my path. He’s dressed simply in a pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt that stretches across his broad chest but loosely around his waist. He’s got that V shape that girls love looking at, down to a tee. While he was on stage, he also wore a black blazer, but he’s discarded that now and is looking casual, as he stands before me, holding a bottle of beer.
    “Marcus,” I nod. What else am I supposed to say here? – Hi Marcus, how have you been since you screwed me while I was so wasted I don’t even remember it? – no, that doesn’t seem appropriate. That, and I’m pretty sure it will make me sound pathetic, like I’ve been holding a candle for him all this time… which it’s kind of possible that I have… ok – so I guess I am a little pathetic.
    “It’s been a long time. I heard you got into ANU,” he says as he looks down at me from his six foot three height. Marcus is a giant compared to me. I’m only five foot four, so I rely heavily on heels to bring me a little closer to most people’s eye level. Although with guys like Marcus, I realise how short I really am when he tips his head back to take a pull of his beer, because I’m introduced to his Adams apple.
    “Yeah. Well. That didn’t really work out,” I say, looking around the room as I scratch a non-existent itch on the back of my head, thinking of a way to change the subject without being lame. “Um that was a great performance tonight. I didn’t realise you were doing so well.” Obviously, I’m unsuccessful, he’s probably heard ‘great show’ fifty times already.
    He places his hand on his heart and scrunches up his face in mock pain. “Oh, you injure me. You mean you haven’t been following my career?”
    I can’t help but laugh , even though I’m still fidgeting awkwardly in front of him. I want to relax, to talk to him easily like I used to, but this is hard. Sex changes things. “No. Should I have been?” I ask finally.
    “Of course not,” he smiles, softening his voice. “But, I’m glad you liked the show.”
    “I did, very much.”
    We stand there, just looking at each other for a moment . A grin pulls up at the corner of his mouth, and I wonder if he’s thinking about the last time he saw