Chapter 8

The band was on their 9th song – the last song for the night, but the crowd seemed to disagree and decided otherwise. The audience chanted altogether, requesting one last song. July laughed as she listened to the crowd's requests. It made the experience finally sink into her senses.

"One more! One more! One more!" The crowd of freshmen and transfer students chanted.

"What do you guys think?" July asked the band while the loud chant echoed.

She saw Enzo look over to Gwen as though asking if they still have time to do one more song.

Gwen glanced at her watch and at her iPad where the schedule and flow of the event were listed. After a moment of scanning her notes, she looked up and gave the band a thumbs-up, and smiled, clearly, enjoying herself too.

"All right! One more!" Enzo shouted as he rolled a beat on his drum set.

The best part of having her cousin in the band was that, Enzo knew some of the songs she could play already if not, she'd be standing there looking dumb.

The crowd immediately recognizes the song only from the beat of its intro.

"This song is called, Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High, by Arctic Monkeys," said July as she began to play the chords and swayed along with the beat. "Sing along if you know the words!" She announced and took a few steps away from the mic as she danced a little.

"The mirror's image, it tells me it's home time – But I'm not finished, 'cause you're not by my side – And as I arrived I thought I saw you leavin' carryin' your shoes – Decided that once again I was just dreamin' of bumpin' into you..."

The sense of being watched returned to visit her system as she opened her eyes, and scanned the spot where Hugh stood and watched them earlier. A quick smile painted on her lips when she saw Drake standing there. He gave an approving nod and smiled.

"I'm proud of you," Drake mouthed the words as he clapped, trying to contain the wide grin forming on his face.

"Now it's three in the mornin' and I'm tryin' to change your mind – Left you multiple missed calls and to my message, you reply – "Why'd you only call me when you're high?" "Hi, why'd you only call me when you're high?""

"Thank you very much, everybody!" July said as the concert ended, still catching her breath. Her foot ached from all the dancing and standing she had done that night, though to her it was all worth it.

"I told you, you could pull this off!" Enzo said cheerfully as he ruffled July's messy hair.

"One of the best gigs ever!" Yelled Benn as he opened a bottle of drinking water and poured it over himself, rinsing off the sweat on his face and back.

"That was fire! July!" Said Ashton as he threw his arm over July's shoulders, causing them to almost stumble on the ground.

"Arms, Ashton," said Enzo. His words sounded like a warning, and the way he eyed Ashton conveyed the message.

"Ooop – " said Ashton as he removed his arm around July as though the contact burned him.

"Hands off my cousin, Ashton if you wish to keep that arm of yours," Enzo added.

"I know – I was just being friendly," said Ashton, and laughed.

"It's fine," said July.

Enzo looked over at July, contemplating, then he looked away and grabbed a bottle of water and handed it over to her. "Sure. Just tell me if one of these jerks messes with you, and I'll cut what I have to cut off of them," Enzo remarked as he pointed to each of his bandmates.

"Don't worry, this is how we bond," said Lawrence, reassuring July that there wasn't any tension or negative air at all like he was able to read the expression on her face as she watched them bickering.

"Oh, right," said July and twisted open her bottle of water.

"Yo, Zammy just texted," said Benn.

"Is that what I think it is?" Ashton asked as he went over to Benn so he could read the message as well.

"Party at the frat house. After the concert. See ya," Ashton read the message aloud so that everyone in the room can hear. "Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" He cheered and went to the dressing room to change.

"Wanna come?" Benn asked July.

"Uhm," July mumbled as she darted her sight toward the wall clock, quarter to eleven.

"Shut it, Benn, July can't come – it's late, and Uncle would kill me if he finds out – "

"I'll go with you," said July, cutting off her cousin.

One thing she doesn't want those new people to know, was that at age twenty, her father still has her on the neck, as though a dog that needs a leash. All her life she'd been an excellent daughter, following orders from her father. All those long lists of responsibilities and guidelines for proper behaviour moulded her into a two-sided young lady. She had learned how to adjust her personality according to whom she meets, which events she finds herself involved in, and where she stands. Having a butler teaching her elegant and proper stuff inside her well-mannered home, taught her how to be a sneaky bitch, and she'd swear it with her life so that her father wouldn't know.

She recently figured out that having Drake in her life was a gift that even her father did not realize at all. Because of Drake's reappearance in her life, her father blindly granted her the freedom she always wanted. It's just her and her freedom... and Drake.

Trying to settle the loud thoughts in her head, she agreed to Benn's invitation.

"July – "

"I'll go. Besides, you'll be there, right?" She told her cousin, trying to convince him, though she perfectly knew Enzo would be there.

"Yeah – "

"Then there's nothing to worry about," said July.

"Your father won't like this – "

"Since when did you care about what Dad says?" July replied, shifting her tone a bit.

"It's late, besides. You don't know anybody there," Enzo reasoned.

"Hence why I'm going, Enzo. To meet people and expand my horizon," said July, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I'll be two steps behind then," said Enzo as he crossed his arms.

"You don't have to. I'll bring Drake with me," she replied and snatched her purse.

"About that..." Benn began.

"Why?"

"I don't think he's invited," Lawrence continued.

"Why not? He's the supreme student council president, he should be there," July remarked, as though closing the conversation with a conclusion.

"That's exactly the reason why he can't be there, July. He's the student council president – he's damn well connected to the admins and faculty. He'll probably call the guidance counsellor on us for as quick as seconds when he gets there," Benn explained.

"Oh," July muttered.

"The word 'fun' and the name 'Drake Mctyler' aren't the perfect mix, July," Ashton added.

"Guess you have no choice but to go home to your apartment and rest – "

"I'll go, Enzo. With or without Drake," said July and went to the lady's dressing room.

She could still hear the group discuss things, mostly the band members casually scolding Enzo. She let out a sigh and began to change her clothes. Thoughts about Drake began to fill her head. She promised herself that she'd study and observe Drake from her own perspective and not allow herself to consider or at least listen to rumours about him, but they kept coming her way unannounced and unsolicited.

She wondered if it were a sign, but she couldn't judge him too quickly. The past few days, Drake had been there to help her settle at the new place. He'd brought her food. Even though his schedule was packed, he still managed to make time for her and even managed to remember the food she usually orders at the coffee shop inside the university town. Cheesecake and strawberry latte weren't her favourites, she just ordered them because she wanted to try new things, and it was by far the best treats at that shop. It was nice to finally feel that someone remembers the little things she likes and does. She couldn't believe it herself as well, because never in her life had someone managed to consider her decisions.

She was trying her best to redeem Drake in her head. She hated to admit it, but there was little a voice in the back of her mind trying its best to reach out to her as though the voice wanted to tell her something. She consoled her mind into thinking that it was only her inner child, frightened of Drake's old playground tactics and consistent tormenting.

She was better now. July had that posted at the very front of her consciousness – a reminder of a happy life. She won't let herself slip back into the bottomless darkness where she fought hard – she almost paid with her life to resurface back to her well-balanced state of mind. The fixed marriage with Drake opened doors of freedom for her, and she will cherish every moment of that. She will try and learn to love Drake in exchange for the freedom he suddenly brought into her life excessively well-guarded life.

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Song(s) mentioned in this chapter:

Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High - Arctic Monkeys

https://youtu.be/VsxlqmSDmBU