Page 2 of From Drummer to Gamer

I guess I inherited that from my twin. Our sweet tooth was the only thing we had in common. Where I loved the quiet and peace, my sister craved the attention and noise.

Thinking of my sister, I hit her number as I started the engine. It was probably early on the West Coast, and knowing my sister, she was probably sipping kombucha on her way to Pilates, but lately, I wondered if that was the case.

“Hey, Matty.” Her measured voice filtered through the speakers. So unlike her usual cheery tone.

“Morning, K. How are you?”

“Good,” she answered meekly. “Just getting ready for breakfast with Sandra and Gillian. What about you?”

I sighed internally. I had no clue why my sister was obsessed with entertaining those bitches, for lack of a better word to define those leeches. I would be okay if they were good people, but they only used her, and it never sat right with me that K let them.

“I’m on my way to the studio,” I replied, forcing down the need to voice my thoughts.

“Oh, Trevor’s?”

“Yeah, we’re finishing up the song today. Hopefully.”

“That’s good,” she mumbled, pausing. “Have you thought of the name yet?”

“No,” I grumbled.

“Matty.” I heard her huff out a breath. “The event is in weeks, and I have to start sending out the invites and get everything sorted.”

“I know,” I murmured. “But I’m… thinking, okay?”

“Fine, need one by the end of next week. But look, I’ve gotta go. Sandra will be here in five.”

“But K, I…”

“Bye.”

The call cut off before I could say anything. Frustration pulsed through my heart, and deep down, I knew. There was no breakfast with Sandra or Gillian, nor was anyone coming to her house.

Call it twin instinct, but I always knew when my sister lied to me. I wanted to give her and Lan the benefit of the doubt to fix their shit and move here with us, but I was losing hope on that thought by the minute.

I loved Lan like my brother, and I knew he would never do anything to break my sister’s heart, but he wasn’t picking up my calls, and my sister was acting weird.

There was more to the story than they were letting on.

My thoughts halted when I reached the studio. I parked my car on the curb and gathered my drink as I got out. The bright sun slapped down the back of my neck as I made my way across the sidewalk, grateful that spring was upon us. Winter won’t be missed.

“Hey, man.” Trevor waved a hand. “You good?”

“Yeah.” I nodded, setting my drink on the ornate table in the corner, already acquainted with the place. “Can’t wait to get started.”

“Hey, Matty.” Dillan, the lead singer of KORA, nodded in my direction, followed by his bandmates Rika, Fifi, and Lex.

“Hey, everyone,” I replied curtly. “Let’s do this.”

They flashed me eager smiles and headed to the live room. Soon, the light turned red as we started recording.

The crisp sound of the drums cut through the room as Rika started the beat, shadowed by Fifi on the rhythm guitar and Lex on the bass. The music melted into the familiar smooth crescendo that Trevor and I composed, and Dillan’s deep voice kicked off the first verse.

“They’re killing it,” Trevor mumbled with a smile as he tapped his feet along, adjusting the EQ on the console.

“Better than the last one.”

Trevor side-eyed me. “Nothing can satisfy you, can it?”

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