"I'm just going to be blunt. Both of my parents died in an accident.". Ax finished.
Hamz's and Nasri's eyes widened, Ace just listened close; even though he heard this story before.
"So it was an accident. I didn't know that, I'm so sorry.", Hamz said, trying to comfort Ax.
"I'm sorry.", Nasri said, while looking at the floor.
"It's fine," said Ax, acknowledging their compassion.
"My mom and dad were in a band which were pretty damn popular, their own band was called, 'Royal Flush.'. One of their first albums was-", Ax's words got cut off by a small chuckle.
"Their first album was 'Ace Of Spades'.", Ax said trying to hold back a small laugh.
Everyone immediately looked at Ace.
"Yeah... I'm unoriginal sue me.", Ace said while looking to the side.
"Good thing you're unoriginal.", said Ax as a response.
"Back when we were kids, like around thirteen, he found out who my parents were and we just became best friends from there.", Ax continued his explanation.
Both of the others had a soft smile spread across their faces.
"Back on topic, when I was around fifteen, so three years ago, my mom and dad had to leave for a trip over seas, but they just never came back.", Ax continued.
Hamz and Nasri kind of just, stared at Ax, trying to process what he just revealed.
"But... you said...", Nasri was trying to ask but she trailed off.
"They died in an accident, but I never saw they bodies. It wasn't even on the news. I looked into the day that they died. Hell I looked into all the major accidents in that time frame and just... nothing. All I knew was that my parent's bodies were, 'Almost Unidentifiable'.", said Ax.
"I still remember them, Ax. They were so... warm. They treated me as their own son. It broke my heart when you texted me the news. I wanted to run to you as fast as I could.", said Ace, remembering the day.
"In hindsight... I probably would've done and said the same thing.", said Nasri, with an apologetic look across her face.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't hav-"
"It's fine, you didn't know.", Ax interrupted Nasri.
"Right. Sorry.", said Nasri, dropping the topic.
"Thank you finally telling us, but... is it okay if I ask what actually happened to them?", asked Hamz, careful not to sound intruding.
"I... don't know.". said Ax, his face showing a grim expression.
"All I know is that they're gone, how I'm not sure. But everyone says it's an accident, that's all.", Ax finished.
"Thank you for sharing this with us, I'll also be better and do my part.", said Nasri, still feeling guilty.
Ax noticed her expressions and body language, it's clear that this has been eating her alive.
"Thank god I ran into you that day, Nasrin.", said Ax, showing gratitude.
"Hm? What's with the government name?", asked Nasri, trying to deflect the statement.
"I'll tell you guys more as time goes on, even I'm not strong enough to reveal literally everything, right now.", Ax said, his voice stern but still showing vulnerability.
"Thank you for sharing it with us, Axton.", said Nasri, reassuring Ax.
"It takes a lot of guts to actually... well, spill your guts out like this.", Hamz said, trying to lighten up the mood while thanking Ax.
"That's got to feel at least a little better, right? Proud of you.", Ace said with his hand on Ax's shoulder.
"Now that that's over with. Wasn't the gig supposed to be in like an hour?", Asked Ax, trying to change the topic.
"Well... we may have... lied. About a few things.", Said Ace... while looking away.
"Ace? What do you mean by 'a few things'?". Ax said while directly looking at ace.
Ace refused to maintain eye contact.
"Ace? Aseef? What did you do?". Ax said after standing up, trying to look at him dead in the eyes.
Ax looked back at Hamz and Nasri. They looked like deer captured under headlights.
"So... the gigs not actually at the morning, it's at night.", said Hamz.
"Oh, that's not that bad. I'm okay with that actually, what's the big dea- wait what date is it again?", asked Ax, interrupting himself.
It dawned on him. "Oh. Oh no," Ax said, with realization smeared all across his face.
"It's not at cafe Zio... is it?", Ax asked quietly, looking at Nasri.
"Nope...", Nasri replied, looking straight into Ax's eyes.
"We're doing an opening act... for 'Space Trash'... at their concert.", she finished.
"When does it start... may I ask?", asked Ax.
"7pm.". replied Nasri
"Oh.", Ax reacted.
"Oh my god. Yeah I'm gonna need to rehearse the tracks a few more times. This time with the band.", Ax continued as he grabbed his gig bag and ran towards Hamz's guest room.
"Well?! Come on!", Ax yelled at his friends on the way there.
"He's going to be annoying isn't he?", asked Ace.
"Well, he's our best friend so...", replied Hamz.
"What does that even mean?", asked Ace.
"Well? Don't keep him waiting, unless you wanna get yelled at by the both of us?", Nasri said as she was halfway to the room already.
Ace and Hamz then sprinted towards the door.
Nasri entered the room to see Ax shuffling to get his bag open. She then walked towards her bass and grabbed one of wires and plugged it in.
Ace and Hamz abruptly entered the room tackling each other, Hamz grabbed the drumsticks on the ground and leaped onto his stool. Which he sat on, but the momentum caused him to tip over dramatically.
"Ow!", he screamed out.
This caused Ace to laugh at him maniacally. Hamz hearing this threw one of his sticks at his head, missing and hitting Nasri instead.
"Ow!", she screamed out.
This caused Ax to laugh maniacally, which caused him to drop his bag containing his guitar onto his foot.
"Ow!", he... also screamed.
"Alright, now. Collect yourselves.", Ace said while clapping his hands, trying to hold back laughter.
Hamz got back up, grabbed another pair of sticks. Nasri picked her bass up. Ax plugged in his and Ace grabbed his.
They all rehearsed for hours nonstop, excluding the breaks inbetween.
***
It was 5 pm. The gig starts in two hours.
The band stopped practicing and took turns taking the rooms to change.
They wore their outfits, filled with black denim and studs.
Hamz called a "Ryde" on his phone and they all just waited for the car to come.
***
They were at the backstage getting prepared for the opening act.
"Alright, Ax, did you bring the paint?", asked Hamz
"Hmm? Oh yeah, did you forget again?". Ax answered Hamz with another question.
"Guilty as charged.", Hamz replied, with a small grin.
"Did you bring the brushes and blender?", asked Ax.
"Yeah.", replied Hamz
Hamz handed Ax a blender.
"How do you feel?", he asked.
"Considering that I just found out about this today. Way better than you'd think.". Ax replied.
Nasri put two cans of energy drinks on the table in front of mirrors.
Ax and Hamz sat on the table in front of the mirrors with the tubs of paint.
"This better pay good.", Ax said, sarcastically.
"Oh they do.", Hamz replied.
***
It was time, it was 7pm on the dot.
"Just an opening act... breath Ax breath.", Ax muttered to himself.
"Do you still talk to yourself? Weirdo.", said Nasri, trying to distract herself from the atmosphere.
"Guys, I might've had too much caffeine, can you tell? I think I had too much to drink guy-", Hamz was talking before Ace cut him off.
"Okay, guys, best of luck. Let's hope we get some cool pictures.", said Ace.
All four of them entered the stage, all other than Hamz holding their instruments in hand.
It was dark out but the lights flashed before their eyes, the cameras. The crowds cheers reverberating around the stage. The ground vibrating.
"Alright, it's time.", said Ace, to his bandmates.
Everyone put in their earpieces, their faces painted white with a symbol representing the suits of cards on each of their right eyes.
Spade for Ace.
Diamond for Hamz.
Club for Nasri.
And Heart for Ax
Ace walked up to the mic, everyone else assuming positions.
As he took a deep breath. The crowd silenced themselves, but Ace... nothing could leave his voice. He had stage freight. Not a single hum.
"We are PRESCENCE!", Hamz screamed from the top of his lungs from the back.
He started drumming the intro. Ace looked back and nodded, acknowledging his help.
Nasri followed suit, she started playing a heavy distorted bassline, setting the melody for the track. Ax joined in, playing the rhythm for the lead to follow.
Ace felt the strings on his guitar harmonize, syncing in with the tune of Ax's guitar.
He followed. Ace started his intro. The crowd getting more and more riled up with each passing moment.
Ace started his vocals.
To everyone else, Ace was the heart and soul of the band, the one who held everything together. He was about the only person who couldn't be replaced in this band.
Ax felt everyone quickly snap on beat the moment Ace started singing.
The crowd slowly roaring along.
***
The band finally finished their routine.
All four of them walked up to the mic, lining up.
Ace screamed into the mic, "THANK YOU!".
After this, all of them walked backstage. Ace falling to his knees right after having time to take a deep breath.
"Dude I almost messed that up.", Ace spoke to himself. Putting himself down.
"You did great, the crowd loved you.", Hamz said as the was comforting Ace.
"So? How did this little, 'gig' feel?", Nasri asked Ax.
"I hate all four of you.", Ax replied to Nasri.
"Four?", asked Nasri, with a smug grin across her face.
"Three, you know what I mean, I'm tired.", Ax talked back.
***
After a while of chatting, they decided to go their separate ways, face still painted.
Ax walked towards the door to leave, right before he left, he thought to himself.
"I wonder... should I go to the rooms again?".
Ax didn't realize it, but the simple idea and wish to go into these rooms made a black door appear right in front of him, temporarily replacing the exit.
As he walked in... he entered a large red room with crimson ceilings and a red tree in the middle, surrounded by red grass.
"Crap.", Ax said to himself.
"I don't have any weapons on me, I'll just run back-" Clink
Ax looked down and saw that he walked into a silver revolver and a silver dagger.
"What the... wait why is there two?", he asked himself.
Slam
Ax looked behind him, towards the door where the noise came from.
His eyes widened in shock.
"Ace?!"