Page 55 of Wylder and the Almost Rockstar
Logan just nodded, his knee jackhammering under the desk.
She laid her hand over his to stop the tapping. His hand was cool under hers. She could hear his teeth grinding.
The last thing he wanted to hear were empty words assuring him it would be okay. He knew that. Wylder knew people with stage fright weren’t actually afraid of the people in the crowd. The fear came from what happened to someone like Logan when they were on stage. The rush of white noise. The inability to think of a single thing to say. It had to be nerve wracking.
“Logan and Wylder are up next.” Mrs. Shepherd announced after the first pair went and really blew it—which was likely the point of the exercise.
Wylder walked to the front of the room with Logan, who hadn’t said a word since Mrs. Shepherd announced the activity. “Just follow my lead,” Wylder whispered as she took her seat on the stool.
“I’m the journalist,” Wylder announced. “Logan’s my prey.” She gave a wicked smile.
“All right, Logan.” Mrs. Shepherd smiled. “You’re a solo artist fresh off the stage after a hugely successful performance, and Wylder is about to interview you. You’re exhausted and probably not in the mood, but it’s part of your job to be upbeat for the fans, and that includes the bloggers and journalists begging for a moment of your time.”
Logan nodded, his knee bouncing against the stool.
“Take it away, Miss Anderson.” Mrs. Shepherd returned to her desk.
Wylder turned to Logan, nudging him to look at her and not the class. “Aw right, then,” she blurted in a terrible British accent and spoke into a pretend microphone. “I’m Ziggy Malone o’ UK’s Rolling Stone Magazine, here with Billy-The-Ax-McGee.” She flashed a cheeky grin, and Logan burst out laughing, the tension loosening in his shoulders.
“Billy’s fresh off the stage after a smashing concert here in cheery ‘ol London, and we know he’s absolutely knackered, so we won’t keep ‘im long. Billy, can you tell us what it’s like being the king o’ Monster Pop?” She leaned toward him. “Being the creator of a brand-new genre has to be a lot of hard work—writing songs likeYer Mum’s a WerewolfandI’m a Bloody Vampire—my personal favorite.” She pointed her pretend mic at him.
“Well, Zig—can I call you Zig?” Logan smiled at her, trying not to laugh.
“O’ course, we’re mates, you an’ me.”
“Well, Zig, it’s been a real thrill ride, I can tell you that. It feels like just yesterday I was back at school writing songs about tractors and velociraptors for fun, and it… well it just clicked one day. I knew it in my soul that Monster Pop was what was missing from the music industry, and I just went with it. I can hardly believe all the great talent showing up across the genre.”
“That’s ripping good to hear, mate.” Wylder pulled her mic back. “Can you tell us what inspired you to write your latest hit,My Uber Driver was a Zombie and Now I am Too?”
Logan choked back his laughter, but the rest of the class couldn’t keep straight faces, including Mrs. Shepherd.
Logan leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “I owe all my success to a really great girl.”
“Awe, mate, don’t tell us you’re taken, all the Billyites will be crushed. What’s her name?”
“Layla. She’s the best.” Logan flashed his rock star smile.
“Your girl must be the bee’s knees if she inspires such great songs.”
“Layla’s my guitar.” Logan winked. “Couldn’t do it without her, though.”
“Blimey, what other instruments do you play?” Wylder was trying to keep the attention on herself, but Logan seemed to be at ease now.
“Drums, a little keyboard, and saxophone.” He nodded as if it were no big deal.
“Really, you play drums?” Wylder lost the accent for a moment “I’m totally gobsmacked. That’s bloody brilliant.”
“Well, I’m not anywhere near as good as my bandmate, Wylder Anderson. She’s the best there is. We’re lucky to have her on tour with us.”
“That’s unquestionable.” Wylder nodded. “She’s aces. Can you tell us where you’re going next on your tour of the universe?”
“Mars.” Logan nodded. “Me and a couple other Monster Pop musicians are heading across the Milky Way for the first-ever concert in space. We’re pretty jazzed about it.”
“That’s far out.” Wylder turned toward her pretend camera. “You heard it here first, ladies and gents, that was Billy-The-Ax-McGee, the rock star of the century heading for the red planet next. Back to you in the studio, Suzie Lou.” Wylder pretend dropped her pretend mic, and the class erupted in cheers.
“Well, that was certainly entertaining.” Mrs. Shepherd wiped the corners of her eyes as she laughed along with the class. “Nice job you two, you’ll have no trouble at all in your future interviews. Wylder, if you decide a career in music isn’t for you, you’ve got a future in entertainment television, that’s for sure.”
Wylder grinned as she and Logan made their way back to their seats and the next group was up.
