"Call him again!" Commanded a familiar voice from the other side of the door.
July gave Drake a confused and questioning look as the voice sounded familiar to her. There was an evident tint of hesitation on her face, and as though Drake could read her mind, he repaid her doubtful look with a reassuring smile.
"Is it?" July paused as she pointed at the door, her eyes wide as she gasped.
Drake nodded and smiled faintly.
"No way, that's Enzo... Are you sure?" Her voice toned with surprise. "Wait, is this a bad time? They seem – "
"Don't worry. They're great people, they're probably just under pressure right now – but they're kind," said Drake as he wrapped his hand around the doorknob and twisted it open.
"I've been calling him thirty times now, Enzo and none of them were answered," said another guy.
Ashton, the guy in the blue button-down shirt slumped himself on one of the swivel chairs, massaging his temple.
"Hey, can we all calm the fuck down? This won't help, all right?" Lawrence, the guy in the white shirt suggested as he stood, trying to settle everyone down.
"Well, what is it you have in mind, Ashton?" Asked Enzo, the drummer's sarcasm and frustration did not go along too well in the tone of his voice.
"Drake called us here for a damn reason, and if you could extend your fucking patience – "
"Patience? The assembly will end in a few hours, and we have no one to fill in for Hugh – and you expect me to feel calm and all right about this?" Enzo stood from his seat and closed the gap between him and Lawrence.
"Will you two stop?" Added Ashton and went between Lawrence and Enzo, parting the two apart. "C'mon dude, don't take this out on us. It was Hugh who left. He's the one who left out of fucking nowhere. You're not the only one mad about it here – we're upset about it too, but we've done everything we could, and it is clear he doesn't want to be fucking found."
Enzo took a deep breath, his jaw twitching as he departed his sight — probably seeking something to calm his raging frustration.
"The band name finally made fucking sense now, huh?" Enzo muttered under his breath. "Broken Glamour bullshit," he added and threw his black baseball cap on the polished oak wood table.
"Damn right, you are," said Benn, the bassist. He was occupied polishing his bass guitar with the hem of his sweater as he sat in one corner. Among the others, he was the second closer to calmness.
July froze as she witnessed the heated conversation between the band members. Her throat felt dry. There was a sudden heavy tug that seemed to pull her out of the room. She had high hopes that Drake could manage to settle the Broken Glamour down.
Drake cleared his throat and crossed his arms. Suddenly, all eyes were on him, then on her.
"Is this a bad time?" Drake asked as he shut the door behind him.
Enzo rolled his eyes. "What do you think?"
Her eyes scanned the room, and as much as she wanted to study each of them, her sight was anchored on a particular person.
"Enzo?" Said July, which caught all eyes in her direction.
Enzo turned sharply. "What?" He said cluelessly, then faced Drake.
"Enzo, what are you doing here?" July repeated, surprise still lingering in her tone.
"What the fuck – July?" Said Enzo as though her presence was the last thing he'd want near him.
The whole room fell into a deafening silence until July decided to break it.
"What the fuck too, Enzo?" She replied. Sarcasm dripped from her lips as she let the words out.
"What are you doing here?" Enzo asked again, now striding steps towards her.
"I'm a student here from now on. What about you?" July replied sounding half amazed, half confused.
"Wait, you enrolled here? But how – I mean why?" Asked Enzo.
"It's a long story," said July, and glanced at Drake.
"What are you doing here with him?"
Enzo's eyebrows furrowed as he pointed at Drake who was standing next to July.
Benn stood from his seat and stood right next to Ashton, nudging him by the elbow. "Check this out," whispered Benn under thrill, as though waiting for a live-action drama to occur in front of them.
"Drake helped me with my lost I.D. and since I have nowhere else to go – he offered to bring me along to meet the university-based band everyone's been talking about. I was thrilled actually, then I saw your face."
Benn cackled and pressed his lips together when he realized he was the only one who appreciated the humour behind July's remarks.
Enzo glared at her as his jaw clicked. He looked like he still had some things to reply, but swallowed it and backed away, directing his attention to Drake.
"Hey," he called to Drake as he moved back and leaned against the table, crossing his arms as he looked at Drake. "What's your plan? Hugh's not here – "
"Can't you play without him? Don't you have anyone else to fill in for his part?" Drake asked as he pulled out a seat for July.
"Thank you," she said in a soft voice, then occupied the seat facing them.
"We don't. That's why we're here because we thought you already found someone ready to fill in for Hugh's part," replied Enzo as his bandmates nodded in agreement.
"I don't have anyone, yet —"
"Yet?" Enzo said in utter disbelief.
"Well, it's not my fault your vocalist had the amazing idea to run away today – out of all days – "
"Yeah? Let me fucking ask you this. Out of all fucking days, why did you have to call us this urgent? I think it's only proper that you give us a heads up so we could have prepared," Enzo snarled.
July knew Enzo had always lacked a bit of patience, but having to witness him snap in person just felt different. It was true that Drake had poorly planned the event, and having the band participate was enough favour to him. July knew Drake wasn't in the right place to question the conflict within the band, as his poor planning only ignited another conflict among the band members.
"It's your responsibility to perform at school events – this school is the foundation of your band. Without the university's effort – "
"What? Without the university's effort, what?" Said Enzo, as he stood at the edge of his limit.
"Woah... woah – guys, not in front of the lady," Lawrence interfered as he glanced at the guest inside the room and July could do was curl her lips into a smile – trying her best to appear unbothered by the two grown men bickering in front of her as a hint of conflict history was gradually resurfacing from its shallow grave.
Drake scoffed. "Yeah, this is not a good idea at all. July? Let's go?"
"Yeah. Why the fuck did you bring my cousin here?" Enzo spat, his voice clipped and annoyed. He stared deadly at Drake, then spared a glance at July.
"What are you like, friends? How are you friends so suddenly – "
"It's a long story, Enzo. I'll explain it later," said July.
As though Drake prayed for a proper exit, his phone rings inside his trousers pocket.
"Excuse me," he mumbled, then turned towards the door.
July thought that Drake's exit would at least ease the growing tension, not until when all attention crawled towards her again.
"So... you're cousins?" Started Benn as he switched his sight between July and Enzo.
"I almost thought you're one of his girls – " added Ashton.
"Shut it, Ashton," said Enzo as he took a round trip and sat next to his cousin.
"You and I will talk later – all right? Why am I not notified about this? I'm sure Uncle would've told me about this – did you run away?"
"Do you really think I'd run here if I ran away from home?"
Enzo paused. It was evident that he was calculating things to ask his cousin, and then he realized it wasn't the right place to discuss family matters.
"Let's deal with this later. Anyways, July, this is Benn, our bassist. Ashton for lead, Lawrence for keyboard, and your dear cousin for drums. Everyone, meet my cousin, July," said Enzo as he lazily pointed at July.
"Nice to meet you," said July as she extended her arm to shake each of the members' hands.
"Likewise," said Ashton.
"Nice to meet you too, July," said Benn.
"Glad to meet you," said Lawrence.
"I didn't know you're in a band, Enzo," July wondered as she leaned back against the backrest of her seat.
"Do I have to give everyone knowledge about that now?" Enzo replied in an irritable tone.
The band darted their eyes back to July once more, waiting for an offended reaction from the cousin of their impatient drummer – defying the reaction they seemed to be anticipating.
"Are you hiding this from Aunt Mina too?" July asked casually.
"Let's not talk about that here. We'll talk later," Enzo said dismissively. "Why don't you go back to your residence hall for now?"
"I'm with Drake. I can't just leave without telling him," July replied, earning a frown from her cousin.
"Why are you with him anyway? Aren't you supposed to be at the assembly right now?"
"As I've said, I lost my I.D., and this school is pretty strict with I.D. policies – that's why I'm here," July explained, shrugging her shoulders.
"I'm sure your father could easily – "
"Yeah, I'm very aware of that. Thank you – " July said dismissively quick.
"Join us," Enzo spoke, breaking the brief silence.
"For the attendance," Enzo suggested as he tapped his fingers on the wooden table.
"What?" July asked. "What do you mean?"
"You still play and sing, right?"
"Yeah – but – "
"You acknowledged Drake's help. Don't tell me you're going to refuse your cousin's help?" Enzo stated as he clasped his hands together.
"It's not that – it's just – "
"Just what?" He asked again.
"I'm new here and as much as I want an opportunity – what about your vocalist? What if he comes back? What if he gets upset when he learned you replaced him with a random student," said July as she ran through the doubts she had in her head.
"Hugh's got no license to get upset here. He made us fucking upset. How dare he react if we fucking replace him? Besides, you're not just a random student, you're the – "
"But – "
"Join the band for today and stay the hell away from that Drake."
"I can't do that," said July, her eyes dropping down onto the floor, and her voice fading into a whisper.
July wondered if the opportunity served in front of her was a work of fate as though it was siding her silent wishes. It also felt as if the universe had supported her cousin's warning about Drake. Several years grew between them and it's fair to say she still has a lot to learn about Drake, but she hated the idea of judging him too quickly through whatever the conflict is between her cousin Enzo and Drake.
It was a wild ride those past few weeks. The wedding announcement, the reunion with Drake, the new school, the reunion with her favourite cousin that she'd never met in years, and the invitation to play and play with her cousin's band while the vocalist–lead guitarist had gone out of the picture.
July's head was brimmed with thoughts, and her chest was filled with swirling emotions. The excitement was tainted with crippling doubts.
"Are you sure? I mean – " July began, studying the look on each member's face.
"What do you guys think?" Enzo asked his bandmates as he looked over his shoulder.
Lawrence, Ashton, and Benn exchanged looks as though waiting for each other's ideas.
"Well, show us what you got," said Ashton.
Enzo cocked his head to the side as he gave his cousin an encouraging look. "You down?" He asked, twirling a drumstick with his fingers.
"But what if Drake's searching for – "
"Nobody cares about what Drake says. I am sure you're a better performer than anyone he could find to fill in Hugh's part – besides, it runs in the blood," said Enzo with a crooked smile.
Her chest bubbled with confidence. It had been a long time since he'd said something encouraging to her. She grew up with her cousin until she turned 15. As her Aunt Mina moved to another country with Drake and his sister, their bond grew apart, and talking to him became an occasional occurrence. Those are mostly brief cold conversations. Something had changed with their relationship, and she needed to catch up to the part where she missed what or who shattered her caring and affectionate cousin.
July convinced herself that it was the universe's way of telling her that their unexpected meeting was for a purpose. She would not let that chance go to waste. July is the only child of her parents, and Enzo was the closest person she could have as a sibling material she ever had in her life. Losing his presence was never easy. It was Enzo who knew her happiest and most painful secrets that even her parents were still clueless about until the present day, and losing him was enough to relapse over things that broke the young and joyful version of her.