Originally, Ollie had been on high alert, worried that Ronan might retaliate. However, when he saw Ronan laughing so heartily, he became even more perplexed and asked, "What's happening? You're smiling so brightly."
Ronan didn't immediately respond; instead, he vigorously shook his head, sending droplets of water splattering onto Ollie, who yelped and dodged the water.
Having successfully drenched Ollie, Ronan chuckled contentedly. He left the bathroom, leaving Ollie laughing loudly, the sound echoing within the bathroom, threatening to burst through the walls.
Ronan's eyes then fell on Maxim, who remained lying on the bed, unresponsive. He winked at Cliff and proceeded to approach the head of the bed, wearing a mischievous expression.
Before Cliff could grasp Ronan's intent, he watched in the next moment as Ronan retrieved a two-liter super-sized bottle of Coke from behind and poured it directly onto Maxim's head.
"Ah!"
Maxim was jolted awake. "The hurricane! The hurricane is coming!"
New Orleans had suffered the devastation of hurricanes in 2007, and those traumatic memories remained etched in every corner of the city. No one could forget them.
Maxim's reaction was immediate. He leaped out of bed, wearing only his underwear and barefoot, and dashed outside.
However, upon rushing outdoors, he was met with a beautiful and calm scene. Finding no sign of a hurricane, he was utterly baffled.
Hahaha!
Laughter erupted behind him from his teammates. Maxim, with his head dripping wet, slowly turned around and saw Cliff and Ronan laughing so hard that they struggled to remain upright. Ollie's boisterous laughter reverberated from the bathroom.
How could Maxim not comprehend the situation by now?
"Cliff!"
Maxim roared in anger, and Cliff's smile abruptly vanished. He stared at Maxim in astonishment, left utterly speechless:
The grievances he had nursed had suddenly vanished.
Ronan and Ollie were on the brink of bursting into laughter.
At that moment, Maxim also noticed the water bottle in Ronan's hand and realized his judgment had been mistaken. However, the prime opportunity to confront Ronan had slipped through his fingers.
So, Maxim scratched his head awkwardly and asked, "What time is it? Do we still have time to practice?"
Cliff, still in a state of shock, couldn't find his voice.
In the end, it was Ollie who provided the answer to Maxim, "It's 10:30. We can practice for another 60 to 90 minutes, and then we need to head to the venue."
The official performance at the Full Moon Party was scheduled for 3 p.m. Typically, bands had to arrive at the venue early to rehearse, confirm equipment and lighting, and handle logistical details.
All preparations needed to be completed at least a week in advance, including securing the venue one month ahead of time.
However, due to the nature of the Full Moon Party, bands couldn't change large equipment like drums or pianos between performances.
They could only use portable instruments, such as acoustic guitars, on stage. Consequently, there was no need for rehearsals.
Nonetheless, they still needed to visit the Old Blacksmith Bar at noon for a final check, followed by lunch. Perhaps, they might squeeze in some rehearsal time.
Ronan yearned to experience the atmosphere of the Full Moon Party firsthand, but their current situation was unique. They needed to maximize their practice time. Attending the event as spectators would have to wait for another occasion.
After Ollie provided the information, Maxim grasped the urgency of the situation and lamented, "You should have thrown me into the swimming pool!"
With his head hanging low, he rushed into the bathroom and, without warning, flung Ollie into the shower area before starting to wash up hastily.
Ronan stared at the dry swimming pool outside the window, gritted his teeth, and commented with a hint of sorrow, "He's quite harsh on himself."
The remark carried a poignant undertone.
Cliff, rendered momentarily speechless, struggled to maintain his composure. However, Ollie couldn't suppress his laughter any longer and burst into raucous laughter, filling the bathroom with mirth.
After the band members had hurriedly freshened up, they returned to practice. They not only rehearsed "In my Blood" but also reviewed the other songs they were slated to perform that evening. They needed to run through each song at least once to ensure that their performance later in the evening would go off without a hitch.
Alice, who had missed the entire commotion involving Maxim's wake-up, arrived only 20 minutes later with her camera. She chided Ronan for not waking her immediately, but at this point, there was no time to dwell on it. She quickly turned her attention to her work.
Shortly after rehearsals resumed, the Old Blacksmith Bar contacted them. Due to unforeseen changes in their schedule, the One Day Kings band was requested to inspect the stage at the bar one day earlier than originally planned. Their initial itinerary for the stage inspection at 12:15 had been moved up by an hour.
The party's organizers apologized profusely to Cliff, who, in turn, was understanding. He realized that their band had joined the event at the last minute, and any mishap would reflect poorly on them. For now, they were still on the list of performers, so he graciously accepted their apologies.
As a result, their plans were disrupted, and their practice session was cut short. The band members quickly gathered their belongings, descended to the lobby, hopped into the car, and set off for the Old Blacksmith Bar.
There was a mixture of anticipation and apprehension in the car, creating a somewhat tense atmosphere. The sound of their racing hearts seemed to echo in their ears, though it was challenging to tell if it was due to their hurried rush or some other reason.
"Wait a minute, Cliff, our performance order hasn't changed, has it?" Maxim's slightly anxious voice broke the silence as he realized a critical detail.
Cliff, seated in the driver's seat, couldn't provide a definitive answer. "As of now, there haven't been any changes, but who knows?"