Boogie Wonderland (Eli, Open)

Broken Hearted Bastard auditions! Eli had definitely seen some strange shit today. From rock to broadway, and from jazz to disco. Some obviously hadn't seen the Bastards in action. But Eli was trying to be optimistic. He was a singer himself. He went through the years or horrid lessons and had his experiences of laryngitis. It wasn't fun. But he could see potential even behind the crappy song choices and the off-topic genres, he could see a singer in the making. Unfortunately today, it obviously wasn't working. And no, it wasn't because he was thinking of food. But five cheese burgers would be fucking awesome at the moment. Being this weird vampire thing had its perks and downers. One, he could live everyday and people wouldn't know the truth, and but he has an undying appetite. Like, seriously! Thayer gets pissed when he has to come home and it looks like a bomb went off in the kitchen. Chomp Chomp Chomp! Freakiest vampy ever right? The only danger he posses is a possible famine in the junk food industry. But whatevs.

The next chick was coming up and he could tell the guys weren't in it anymore. He couldn't blame them, but since the back up singer went to prison for trying to chew her boyfriends head off last week, they needed someone else. They should be grateful LA Fever was letting them hold auditions here. Eli sat back on the seat, arms crossed as his feet sat on the desk along with heaps of audition sheets. She came out, just another girl and decided to sing. She was singing a disco song! And something from way out of this decade. Eli had nothing against classical, but this was getting rediculous. ''Dude, LA is going to shit''. Vince whispered to him and the other guys ranted on, but Eli's feet fell down to the ground. ''Shut it, bro''. He sat forwards, listening to this girl. The melody, the pitch. It was a fucking horrid song to Eli, but her voice was - beautiful. He was completely captivated in her voice, and the others mocked her. Were they deaf? She rocked! Eli didn't want her to be let go without a chance. So he stood up, didn't care what the others said and provided perfect harmony's to her lone voice.

''All the love in the world can't be gone
all the need to be loved can't be wrong
All the records are playing
and my heart keeps saying
"boogie wonderland, wonderland"
dance boogie wonderland
dance boogie wonderland''. He ended it with a long harmonic sustained note before finishing, breathing a bit heavily from singing and gob smacked. This bitch was awesome! The guys looked to him like he had lost it. Cut it up as vampire hearing, but there was something about her voice that was - amazing. Smiling at her, obviously impressed her remarked. ''Um - that was sick! Your in!''.

''No need Mari, you're in. But, I dunno. I am thinking that you need to be introduced to what the 'Broken Hearted Bastards' are all about. What about it guys? Hinder?''. Eli smirked as he took her hand and jumped on stage. He liked her. Her 'don't give a shit' attitude, her buzz, her vibe was jolting and if he was straight, he would not one night stand her but invite her out to dinner. She was bright and groovy, but this band wasn't about dancing and disco. It is about rocking out and playing from the heart and even though these guys could be primo jackasses, they had soul. So with that in mind, Eli was going to jump on stage and do an improvisional duet of Hinder's Better Then Me. They got into formation, and walking towards Mari he smiled at her. Just because he was gay didn't mean he couldn't be a heart throb, and loosening his already loose casual tie against his designer button up, he started.

''I think you can do much better than me
After all the lies that I made you believe
Guilt kicks in and I start to see
The edge of the bed
Where your nightgown used to be
''. He smiled as he as he finished the note and turned from her. Taking a few paces, he spun to face her. Eli wasn't affraid to go all show-choir sometimes. It was fun, and the audience loved it. Especially when he really gets into it. Music isn't about metal or playing as loud as you can; it's about feeling. Facing her, he continued.

''I told myself I won't miss you
But I remember
What it feels like beside you
''. Pushing out that loud and long note, he moved straight up to her, in her face as he yelled out the chorus. Yeah, he gets really into it. Like, really really into it. It's his mother's fault, she is the one that wanted to have him in the 80s.

''I really miss your hair in my face
And the way your innocence tastes
And I think you should know this
You deserve much better than me''. Sustaining the low note, he walked back over to his side of the stage, pulling over a seat for him to sit on as she was meant to take over. He was really curious to see how she handled a song note based on dancing, and to see how far her lungs could go. The audition was round 1, but if she can keep up is a totally different story.

In three weeks they had the 'Battle Of The Bands'. When you here it, it just sounds like a bunch of bands playing as hard as they could for cash. It was much more then that. It was where bands could go to unleash their tallent, play from the heart and really get the audiences attention. He just hoped that Mari could be the super-fine secret ingredient for them to kick this shit to a whole new level. If not, they are sitting ducks. The real reason they wanted in was to finally get somewhere. Eli was the one that dreamt big, and being able to get a record label and actually do something with their lives, more then they ever thought was to do the best they could. ''Come on, can you do it''. He said in the interval before her verse. He looked at her with an interested smile to see what she had.

Like he wanted, she went on. It was amazing that their voices were so aurally compatible. It was hard to measure up to 'the Eli' and he smiled at her as she went on. He let her have this verse, and could literally feel the emotion pouring off of her. Seriously, he could feel it! Vibes went through him, radiating from her. Maybe like himself, there was more to her then meets the eye. The song seemed to be a bit personal, but she nailed it. This chick demolished the song and when she got the prechorus, he joined in with some harmonies. ''What it feel's like beside you''. He rung with it as he sang the rest of the song with her, rising from the stool and walking towards her, sadness and sympathy resting in his eyes.

''I really miss you hair in my face
And the way your innocence taste
And I think you should know this
You deserve much better then me''. Tears were falling down her face as she connected with the song perfectly. Eli released some loud malismatic scatters during the small interval, walking up to her and putting a hand on her shoulder as she got ready to pour the rest of her heart out. Maybe, just maybe, this girl had what it takes to help them win this thing. But the question rising in his mind was that if she was in the right state of mind to be able to engage in such a competition?

''The bed I'm lying in is getting colder
Wish I never would've said it's over
And I can't pretend that I won't think about
you when I'm older
Cause we never really had our closure
This can't be the end
I really miss your hair in my face
And the way your innocence tastes
And I think you should know this
You deserve much better than me
I really miss your hair in my face
And the way your innocence tastes
And I think you should know this
You deserve much better than me
.....''. He held the note with her for their finish, and once finished her lowered the microphone and looked at her, wipping a tear from her face. He might be a hard guy sometimes, and also a vamp, but he cared. He felt seriously bad for her, but she delivered that song so well, emotions were really flowing out of her. The guys were getting restless, and they had might as well pack up for the night. He looked to them quickly until Mari asked her small question.

''I think we will stop there for today, we should probably bounce before it opens''. The guys heard, and scattered to fix everything up before leaving. Eli didn't. He knelt by Mari on her stool and looked up at her. He didn't want tears, but it worked. Her voice was amazing, but her heart was extraordinary. He could hear it beating against her chest, and sighed. He wasn't too good in these situations unless it was in life or death situations or if he is talking to his boyfriend. But he just asked the obvious question as they were now kinda alone. ''Are you okay, Mari?''. He asked, letting out a breath as he looked at her.

She opened up, the best quality for a singer. Mari seemed like a really, really constrained girl who wanted to break lose. She wasn't the type who just loved music, it was deeper then that. It was like Eli. It was life. He sang because it gave him balance. Songs weren't just lyrics to him, it was more then that. This quality, the strength that she was showing him right now, was essential. Sure, she had a boyfriend who does her head in and a father that strongly, strongly tries to control her. Sounds like his dad. 'Eli, you can't go anywhere with music. Think practical damn it'. Um, screw you dad. He didn't want the simple office life. He wanted to sing, that's all, and maybe kill a few demons on the way. That's all! He gave Mari a warm smile as she spoke how real they were, and he couldn't help but smile.

''Babe, it will be okay. All I have to say is fuck everything. That's right, fuck it all. All you need to worry about yourself. Tell your dad, to go stick it and if you love this guy - - then tell him how you feel''. Eli looked down slightly. He sang for Axel. Things were great, but unsteady. Guilt ate at him everyday because he has to live with the fact that he tried to kill him. More importantly, tried to turn him. Things were cleared and Axel acted like it didn't phase him but Eli knew one thing; Axel could do much better then him. Someone not so - strange. Someone who can provide some normalicy in his life. Not a freak. That's just how he felt anyways. It looked like both him and Mari had some boyfriend issues.

''Here, let's do one more number. Love isn't negative darl, its amazing. If you have it - your lucky''. A smile spread across his face as he rose. His favourite duet of the 21st century, something that made love a whole lot better. Eli walked over towards his acoustic sitting in its case, and pulled it out as he sent the strap over his neck. ''I sang this to my boyfriend a few days ago. We turned it into jokey karaoke but maybe this will give you some perspective on your boyfriend situation''. Pulling out a pick from between the strings, he got ready. He strummed as he smiled at Mari.
''Do you here me?
I'm talking to you.
Across the water,
Across the deep, blue, Ocean
Under the open sky.
Oh baby, I'm trying''.
He kept strumming for Mari to take the girl's role. There is nothing in this big world that music couldn't fix.