No Use For Words

Andrea Sullivan sat listening to another drummer. The band had narrowed it down to a few, but none she liked so far. At least, no one good enough to replace her brother.
Mike Portnoy had stepped in and now the guys were actually considering him as a potentially permanent replacement. But Andi didn’t like him. There was something about him that just did not fit with the band.
When he was finally done, Andi was not impressed and was hoping that the auditions were done for the day.
“Are we done?” she asked.
“Nope,” said one of the producers. “One more. Young guy, Arin Ilejay.” Andi rolled her eyes, slumping back in her chair. The band wanted her involved in the process of finding a new drummer, but they didn’t seem to understand the toll it took on her.
A young man walked into the studio. He had dark, longer curly hair, tanned olive skin, a tall and lean build. And he was young. Very young.
“How old is this kid?” Andi asked.
“26,” said the producer. She thought that over. She, herself, was only 25. The guys were all older than her by at least a few years. But this kid, Arin, he looked younger that she felt. He sat down at the drum set and she looked down at her phone, tired and ready to be down with this awful business for the day. But then, he began to play with the back track. She ignored it at first, but then, something he did caught her attention. She didn’t know much about music, but even she knew this kid was good. She looked up, watching and listening now with her full attention. When he finished, her heart was pounding. “Well?” the producer asked.
“W-wha, um, what do the guys think?” she said.
“They like him, hell, Johnny referred him. You like him?”
“Yes, he’s, it, he’s it.” She managed. She stood up, gathering her things.
“Do you want to meet him?” he asked. She hesitated, then nodded.
“Why not?”

Arin stood around with the guys, hardly able to believe this was real. Even if they don’t choose me, what an honor to be considered, he thought. A door opened and he watched as the producers came out. With them was a young woman, someone he thought looked mildly familiar, but he couldn’t place from where.
“So?” Matt asked. Arin couldn’t understand why he was asking the girl. He figured the producers and the band would be the ones to weigh in on him. This girl looked to be about his age.
She looked up at him, her eyes a bright, warm, somehow familiar blue.
“Honestly, I like Arin the best for the job. He fits better,” she said. Matt smiled, then turned to the kid, holding out his hand.
“Looks like you got the job, Arin,” he said. Everyone started cheering and shaking hands and in the midst of it, the young woman slipped away before he could even be introduced.

Notes