The Hush Society Presents... by Izzy Matias (best desktop ebook reader .txt) 📕

a while," Ella says, but this only adds to the mystery. Cassie enters the lobby and heads towards us, so the matter is closed.

"Nice of you to join us." Eric taps his invisible watch.

"You lot share a flat?" Benji asks as we climb the flight of stairs to the fifth floor. It’s a question addressed to the three tenants.

"It was a headache organizing gigs when we lived away from each other," Ella answers. "We’re all from different cities, but decided to move to Manchester for Uni."

"It’s easier to plan and manage gigs if we’re all under one roof," Dan says. "Especially when we start Uni in the fall. We’re all going to Uni in the same place anyway, so might as well."

"Better than sharing a house with other Uni students who party every night," Cassie interrupts. Eric comments that it mustn’t be that difficult; might even be fun. "Not if you’ve got revisions to do," she quips.

"Art majors have to revise?" he says in disbelief.

"We’re a tad far from Uni and the rent’s higher than a student house," Ella says turning to another hallway. "But it’s worth it ‘cause we have access to potential gig venues around us."

Dan halts in front of the door to what I presume is their flat. He grabs his keys, unlocks it and ushers us inside.

"Don’t you feel like a third wheel, living in with a couple?" Eric asks.

"Not at all," Cassie says. "Then, again, I’ve only lived with them for about a month."

We enter a polished wooden floor that squeaks when we step on it.

"It’s so neat," Eric raves. "I love it!"

The walls are white and amplify the light from the small windows. The place is compact, but looks like it could be a showroom—everything in its proper place. Even the art supplies that are scattered around the room look as if they’re decor. We set our things in the open space beside the grey, L-shaped couch.

"Thanks!" Dan beams. "The gals can be such slobs sometimes."

My eyes ping pong to Dan, Ella and Cassie before I burst into laughter.

"Thanks for sharing our secrets of living together the minute they enter our flat!" Cassie snaps at Dan, but he waves her comment away.

"We’ve got a spare room," he offers. "You lads can build your fort there before tour starts. We’ll introduce you to the rest of the crew."

"Where in Manchester do The Psychedelic Glitch and Amber Skye stay?" Eric asks, springing to her.

Ella describes where, but I’m not paying attention anymore. Instead, I help Cassie move our bags into the spare room. The space is small and has one big window overlooking the Manchester skyline. Skyscrapers block the rest of the view, but it’s beautiful.

The room’s white walls are covered in plastic with blotches of paint all over them. There’s a cabinet full of art materials I can’t name, a couple of easels, canvases I’m tempted to rummage and a small foldable couch. On one corner of the room, there’s a keyboard and a guitar case.

I turn to Cassie with a cheeky grin.

"What?" she asks, smiling. There’s lavender even in this room.

"If you’re still up for that guitar lesson, we’ll have time to pursue it." My eyebrows go up and down.

She responds with a mischievous grin. "We’ll see," she teases.

Maybe I can get through her no-musician rule. I take her ‘we’ll see’ as a positive sign. She hasn’t said anything to me about her no-dating-musicians rule, so maybe she’s changed her mind? I don’t ask her just yet about said rule.

"Kai! ‘Bout time you showed up," Dan’s voice echoes from outside.

Cassie turns towards the door and I follow. If I had asked about her no-musicians rule, she’d have had a convenient out because of Kai’s arrival—whoever he is.

"Benji and Eric, right?" An unfamiliar voice greet my mates. Kai’s sat at the far end of the couch beside Ella and Dan.

Eric pushes Benji playfully out of where he’s seated to claim ownership of the bigger beanbag. Benji feigns annoyance but takes the remaining beanbag beside Eric. I sit beside Cassie.

"Where are the rest of The Psychedelic Glitch?" Benji asks.

Ah, so Kai’s part of that band. I never got a chance to meet them that night at The Hush Society because they had to leave to play another show. We exchange nods and trade names, though I already know his.

"Ed’s arm still isn’t fully healed," Kai tells Benji.

So it was The Psychedelic Glitch’s spot we were taking. Were we really ready for this? We’ve been practicing hours a day—every day—for weeks, but to stand in for a band as good as The Psychedelic Glitch…

"I’m here as Bristol’s hub manager," Kai explains, "and I’ll be holding down the fort here to help plan the music festival whilst you lot are on tour."

"How’d it happen?" Benji asks, referring to Ed’s injury.

"He was on a skating deck, but had this brilliant idea of rolling belly-flat on it, down a steep slope. On his descent down, a bunch of sheep crossed the road and on instinct, he used both hands to halt."

"Ouch!" I cringe at the pain of imagining the friction of the hot asphalt road against the palms of my hands and bloody skin. "Bloody sheep!"

Cassie stands up and enters one of the rooms down the hall.

"Sports and a professional career in music do not blend well," Eric says. I bet he recollects the time he played Polo, fell off his steed, and sprained his leg. He was so frustrated he couldn’t do a double bass for weeks.

"He’s normally on the cautious side, but he was pissed."

"He’s always pissed," Ella says.

"More than his usual," Kai admits.

Cassie approaches us with a handful of papers, plops down on the wooden floor, and spreads them out.

"Gather round the campfire," Eric says and huddles us around Cassie.

She unrolls one of the bigger papers, unveils a map with lots of red circles, which, she points out, are the cities we’re playing; the route; which cities she, Dan, and Ella are in charge of; as well