The Lonely Hearts Club
Page 21

Well, I might've had one thing in common with them.
Morgan grabbed my arm. "I think we should go to the front, not too close, but close enough."
We maneuvered our way toward the front of the auto mechanic shop that was doubling as the concert venue. I didn't think we'd have a problem with Tyson seeing Morgan; there were only thirty other people there. Morgan reached in her purse and applied another coat of red lipstick.
there was movement toward the front as the band took the stage: Pete Vaughn sat behind the drum set and started twirling his sticks; Brian Silverman and Trent Riley stepped on stage with their respective instruments, guitar and bass; and Tyson came storming out with his guitar. Immediately, the band launched into the Clash's "London Calling." I was surprised at how Tyson, so shy in class, dominated the stage. He moved with the music, worked the crowd, and held himself like a seasoned pro. And the music wasn't half bad. the song ended and everybody started to cheer.
"All right.'" Tyson grabbed the microphone. "Enough with the covers. We got a new song we re gonna play for you tonight. So give it up.'"
those were the most words I had ever heard him speak.
"Oh, I can't watt to hear their new stuff-- Tyson writes all of the songs." Morgan looked on like a lovesick puppy.
Tyson started playing a few power chords. His long hair was in his eyes as he bobbed his head back and forth. the rest of the band came in and I found myself now moving to the music. there was something intense about the beat. I looked around and saw everybody moving their heads to the bass.
As he sang his lyrics into the microphone, I was surprised at his voice -- so clear, powerful, and, in a way, beautiful. the lyrics were a lot deeper than I would've guessed.
Tyson closed his eyes and reached out his hand to the crowd. "You are the shadow that haunts me, the vision of who I want to be"
Despite the fact that Tyson was a guy, I started to wonder if I'd had him wrong. Not the part about him being the scum of the earth because he was male. But besides his being a boy, I'd always been so quick to dismiss Tyson all these years. Had I allowed the way he looked and his timid behavior to overshadow what was becoming increasingly obvious?
Tyson Bellamy wasn't a punk wannabe -- he was a musical prodigy.
After the band finished its last song, Morgan turned to me and said, "A promise is a promise -- we can leave."
We started to exit, but there was a cluster of people in front of us. I decided to maneuver over to the side of the stage to get to the exit, then tripped over an amp cord.
"Are you okay?" A hand grabbed me to steady my balance,
I looked up. "Yeah. thanks, Tyson. Great show."
"thanks, Penny," he said with a bit of a smile. "I was a little nervous when I saw you were here."
Really?
"Really?"
"Yeah." I could see him blushing behind his hair. "I mean, you're named after a song from the greatest rock band of all time."
"Oh." I laughed. "Um, you know Morgan, right?" I motioned to Morgan, who was trying to hide behind me. So much for me not being the wing girl.
"Yeah, hi," Tyson said and looked down at the floor.
"Hi," Morgan replied, also looking down.
"Um, so do you guys practice here?" I asked, trying to make things less awkward.
Tyson nodded his head, "Yeah, at night." He didn't look up.
"Uh-huh, well that's . . . interesting."
Morgan nudged me.
"Um, well, good talking to you . . ."
Tyson nodded his head and peeked up for just an instant to smile.
"I'm going to die" Morgan screamed as we left the garage. "That was so embarrassing. Could he have shown any less interest in me?"
"He's just shy!' I said, only half sure that was it.
Morgan opened the doors to her car and we got in, "Penny, do you know how long I've had a crush on Tyson?"
I shook my head.
"Since freshman year. two years. And finally I decided that this year I would do something about it. He's a senior, so time is running out. But it's so obvious he doesn't care." Morgan put her head on the steering wheel. "I'm so embarrassed."
"You've nothing to be embarrassed about. You don't need Tyson to --"
I cut myself off I didn't want to have a reenactment of our lunch from earlier in the week,
"I don't need to what?" Morgan looked at me expectedly.
"You don't need him."
Morgan nodded slowly. "You're right -- I don't. I've already wasted so much time on him." She sighed. "Hey, got room for one more in your club?"
I smiled. "Of course. You free tomorrow night?"
Chapter Fifteen
"YOU GIRLS TRY TO BEHAVE yourselves tonight," Dad said as he put on his coat Saturday night. "Now, Penny Lane, were only going to be gone for a couple hours. No boys."
I tried not to laugh. if only they knew.
My parents were on their way to dinner, while Tracy and I were in the middle of getting all of the important provisions ready for our first official Lonely Hearts Club meeting -- potato chips, dip, soda, pizza, and a selection of cheesy comedy movies.
"Don't worry, Dr. Bloom -- if Paul or Ringo stop by, we will be the perfect hostesses," Tracy loved the fact that my parents were so ... not normal.
"thank you, Tracy," Mom replied. "We know you will" She kissed me on the cheek before she headed out.