Encore to an Empty Room Read Online Free PDF Page B

judge them, even harder to resist the urge to pick them apart as they rip through one catchy, dancy song after another. I even find myself hoping they’ll mess up.
    When Molly announces their last song, we head backstage to get ready. Caleb has been quiet. “Don’t let it rattle you,” I say. Maybe I’m talking to myself, too.
    â€œWhat, Minions?” he says. “I’m fine. They do theirthing and we do ours. Pluto strong.” He smiles, almost fully.
    I stop him before we get backstage and pull him close for a kiss. They’re not electric anymore, after three months, not shocks to the system, but in a way they are better, like a slow rising wave that you pleasantly sink into, washing away the sounds of the world. Plus, after three months, our kisses tend to lead to other places, and I feel squirmy and warm inside at the thought of those things. It’s all I can do to pull back from him now, and pat his chest.
    â€œJust be you.” It’s what I always tell him, because with all the forces spinning around us, sometimes that seems like the hardest thing to remember.
    Once onstage, the band plugs in, Matt adjusts the drums, and they do a quick line check, testing each microphone and instrument to make sure the sounds are working.
    Caleb has donned a floppy Santa hat, and it makes his face a little elfish, but somehow his eyes gleam more and that’s unbearably cute. Also he’s wearing a maroon T-shirt I got him that fits almost too well. It makes his slim Caleb muscles stand out and suddenly I can’t believe I let him onstage looking this hot in front of all these girls except then I remember that’s a good thing and try to take a breath.
    â€œHey, we’re Dangerheart,” says Caleb, and then Matt immediately counts off. They open with a brand-new song called “I’ve Been Waiting,” one of Val’s, and it’s great because it’s high energy and Caleb gets a little breather onstage to warm up. It always takes him a minute to balancehis nervous energy with the thrill of being onstage, to center himself in the moment. Val, on the other hand, just flips a switch and she is in full rock mode the second any show starts.
    She’s at her typical best tonight, bobbing hard while she plays, snapping up to the mic and barking her lyrics like they’re a burden she wants to be done with, like she just wants to get lost, to be the music. Scowling, clear-eyed, and with that aggression that makes you ever so slightly afraid. She’s been the subject of a lot of online chatter this fall, mostly good. A fan favorite for some, and there is discussion about whose songs are better between hers and Caleb’s. Sometimes it turns into a Lennon versus McCartney type debate. There’s also the talk of whether she’s hot, is it sexy how she stands when she plays bass and stuff, and it can get lewd like anything can online, but Val ignores it.
    The crowd has grown since we arrived, and they seem really into it. I see heads start to bob, start to move, wave in time with the beat.
    The set is great, totally solid. They save “On My Sleeve” for nearly last. There are actual cheers when Caleb starts the guitar part. As they hit the final, triumphant crescendo and slip into the quiet refrain that ends the song, I can hear people singing along. Excellent.
    They end to big applause.
    â€œThanks,” says Caleb. I can see he’s grinning. “You guys have been great. We’ve just got one more for you—”
    â€œAllegiance to North!” someone shouts from the crowd.
    Uh-oh. I see Caleb flinch at this.
    â€œWoo!” another person calls.
    â€œPlay ‘The Sound of Your Smile’!” This gets a cheer from the crowd. That’s Allegiance’s big hit from Into the Ever & After .
    I can see Caleb trying to decide what to say, and slowly clamping down into Fret Face. I was afraid of this. The other gigs that