The Ballad Of Flavia And Sarah

This is my entry in the Valentine's Day 2025 contest. It's a slow-burn romance, so if you're after something more immediate, this probably isn't for you.

My only previous contest entry (Double-booked) is my most viewed and highest-rated story. I received some lovely positive feedback for it, but also some constructive criticism. I wanted to use that feedback to attempt to create something better yet with this story, which has similar themes.

Many thanks to

DawnDuckie

for editing and critiquing this story.

The muffled sound of bass and drums came from the distant community centre. Wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans, Sarah walked nervously across the moonlit park. A flash of light and swelling in the music came as the building's door opened, drawing her attention to a figure outlined in the doorway. The door shut again, muffling the music and quashing the light. The shadowy figure gradually coalesced from the darkness, walking towards Sarah. As they neared each other, she saw it was a girl who was not much older than herself, perhaps nineteen or twenty.

As they passed, the girl said, "You going to the audition?"

Sarah nodded nervously.

The girl stopped and glanced over her shoulder at the building, then turned back. "I wouldn't bother. That lot are a pack of arseholes."

The girl continued on her way without waiting for a response. Sarah looked after her and almost followed, but after a moment's hesitation she turned determinedly back. It was hard enough making new friends in a new town, and a place in a band would give her an excuse to get out of the house and possibly pay her some money to help her mum out. Plus, it allowed her to dream of hitting the big time and becoming a rock star. She walked on, but noticed the music had stopped by the time she reached the door. Her shaking fingers worked the cold steel handle, and she stepped in, smelling the musty air. Following the sound of voices, she found a wood-lined room containing four girls of about twenty, packing up musical equipment: drums, a bass, keyboards and a guitar.

"Excuse me," she said, her voice weak. "I'm here for the audition. For a singer. I'm Sarah."

"We're finished for the night," said a tall peroxide-blonde girl, putting a red Stratocaster into its case.

"But I messaged someone called Georgina about an audition."

The blonde looked up. "I'm Georgina. We've done a bunch of auditions today and they've all been crap. We're going home."

"I can sing. Please give me a chance." She had to fight the urge to stamp her foot.

Another girl with spiky green hair stopped putting her keyboard away. "Let's give her a chance. She might be a decent singer for all we know."

Georgina snorted. "We're after a frontwoman, not a scared mouse."

The keyboardist gave Sarah an appraising look. "Don't be so hasty; she's a looker. Dressed a bit conservatively, but she could be a model with that face. And a redhead will stand out well on stage. We gotta try her out."

The drummer looked up, tossing her huge mane of wild brunette hair behind her. "You can listen to her sing if you want, but I'm heading home."

The willowy bassist, her face barely visible under her jet-black '80s metal hair, said, "Got a hot date tonight Beth? What's the rush? Are you off to meet a cute 'boy'?"

The keyboardist started setting back up "Sarah, was it? Looks like it's just you and me. What do you want to sing?"

"I listened to all the list and tried singing along. I think I--"

"Screw the list. What do you usually sing?".

Sarah felt her cheeks flush. "I've not sung much rock. I've practised a lot in a choir, but that was hymns; you'd laugh me out of here if I did one of those. I did enjoy most of the songs on the list; more than I thought I would." She realised she was wringing her hands and quickly let them hang at her sides.

"OK," said the keyboardist. "The rest of them can only play songs they've learned anyway. I'm Kira." She pointed to the drummer, who had at least stopped packing up. "That's Daniella, our totally straight drummer. And this--" Here she pointed to the bassist, "--is Bethany. So which song spoke to you the most?"

"

Alone

?" Why had she made that a question? She tried to sound more confidant when she added, "By

Heart

."

Kira said, "Same key as the song?"

Sarah felt she'd already been found out; what did the key of a song mean? She stared at Kira for a moment. "Sure."

Kira smirked knowingly. "It's alright, you don't need to know music to be in this band; Daniella gets on just fine. I'll play it in C sharp, like the record. It's what you'll be used to singing along to. We can work out if you need it higher or lower later; based on your speaking voice, you may be more comfortable with it in E. The rest of the band will need to relearn it if we change the key though."

Kira started playing the haunting opening melody, and Sarah stood up to the mic, her heart racing, facing the others. The music was well-played, and she was determined to nail this. When it was time for the vocals, she kept her voice quiet, hitting the perfect pitch and getting a feel for the music. But there was a glance from Georgina to Kira; weren't they impressed? With the chorus, she compressed the air in her throat, giving the song intensity and punch. Bethany quickly plugged her bass back in, and its deep notes filled out the music beneath the keyboards. For the climax of the chorus, Sarah really let rip, pushing as much power as she could into the words. Her reward was a nod from Kira back to Georgina. The guitarist smiled back, then plugged in her own guitar. A glance to her side showed Daniella sitting back at her drums.

Sarah dialled it back again for the next verse, but the feel of the group was different. Kira slowed the pace, giving herself more room to follow the passion in Sarah's voice. The drums kicked in half-way through a line, creating a vital rhythm. This time, they knew that she was holding back for a greater contrast once the chorus arrived. And she gave it all she could for the scream into that chorus. For the second chorus, Georgina came in with both guitar and backing vocals, filling out the sound. Before Sarah knew it, the song was over and all four girls were smiling.

Georgina said, "You're in."

"Hang on," said Kira. "You're not in charge of this band. We're a democracy, and we all get a say."

"You don't want her to join?"

Kira shrugged. "Course I do. She sings great and looks fantastic. Bethany?"

"Definitely."

"Daniella? Do you want the pretty girl to play with us?"

Daniella tried to act blasé, which she failed at given how easily she blushed. "Yeah, I suppose so. She can sing OK."

Georgina started packing up. "I'll send you the rehearsal times on WhatsApp. Welcome to the band."

Smiling widely, Sarah said, "I can't wait to tell my mum. What's the band's name?"

Kira gave a tired laugh. "We've not been able to agree on one."

🎤

Her mum was watching television when Sarah got home, which was how she usually spent her evenings. And days. It looked to be a police drama tonight. Sarah walked through the small living room, the thick carpet springy under her feet.

Her mum said, "How'd it go?"

"Well, thanks. I got in."

Her mum snorted. "I don't want you spending time with a bunch of boys."

Sarah stopped walking. "The band's all girls. I told you. And with any luck it'll bring in a bit of money. You know we could do with some."

Her mum sneered. "But there'll be boys when you play. Groupies."

"I don't think boys count as groupies."

"Well, you be careful of them. They're only good for breaking your heart." She finally looked up from the television to meet Sarah's eyes. "Do you mind? You're in the way of the TV."

Sarah stomped upstairs to bed, unsurprised but still disappointed by her mum's lack of encouragement. She phoned her dad; at least he was excited to hear about the band and wished her luck.

🎤

As the music faded, the lyrics already finished, Sarah swayed her hips and looked around the community centre.

Kira said, "I think we've got that one down."

"Yep," said Sarah. "We can add

Love is a Battlefield

to our list of covers."

Daniella grinned. "That's good, because we're going to need a full set list by next week." She waited a moment as the others looked at her bemused. "We've got our first gig!"

The room was filled with screams while the girls jumped about and hugged each other. In the space of seconds, Sarah's thoughts went from a gig in a club, to being signed to a record label, to playing sold out stadiums.

Bethany brought them all back to the moment. "When is it?"

"Thursday night," said Daniella.

Georgina said, "You'd better give me the contact details. I'm the one who's supposed to do the bookings."

"Where?" asked Kira.

"The Queen Liz."

There were groans. Bethany muttered, "Of course you booked us there."

Sarah looked about her, confused. "What's so bad about the Queen Liz?"

Georgina shrugged. "I forgot you're new to town. It's the big pub on the London Road. Its real name is the Queen Elizabeth, but everyone calls it the Queen Lez because it's a lesbian pub."

"There's a lesbian pub in a little town like Tarnstead? I thought they only had them in big cities."

Daniella banged on her snare drum to get their attention. "It's a gig, and a gig's a gig. We've gotta start somewhere, and I'm pretty sure the lesbianism is optional. We go, make a name for ourselves, and then we can book other pubs and clubs. The Queen Lez -- Liz -- gives chances to lots of new bands."

Bethany said, "Ones with hot boys in them?"

Daniella rolled her eyes. "Yes, ones with hot boys. It's one night. I'm sure your libido will be able to wait."

Sarah said, "If we're going to play, we'll need to decide our name."

"

The Song Birds

."

"

Mac's Wooden Fleet

."

"

The Spaced Girls

."

Georgina rolled her eyes. "This could take a while."

🎤

"Thursday?" said Sarah's mum. The television was blasting out a quiz show, and despite sitting next to her on the worn sofa, Sarah barely heard her mother speak. "That's a school night."

"We're just playing until closing. Then straight back here to bed. It's only one day till the weekend."

Her mum snorted. "There'll be boys there. Men too. They'll be drinking, you'll be drinking. You shouldn't go."

"Mum! It's a mid-week gig in a pub, not Caligula's court. And I won't drink, not when I'm singing."

Her mum grunted, but didn't look away from the television. "And the boys? Don't go, sweetheart."

"You know how much this means to me. I thought you'd be happy. Anyway, you don't have to worry; there won't be any boys there." She immediately wished she could take back those words.

Her mother turned to face her at last. "What do you mean 'there won't be any boys'?"

Sarah sighed. "It's a lesbian bar."

"Lesbians! Oh Sarah, how could you? After what those people have done to us?"

"'Those people'? They've done nothing to us. All that happened was dad fell in love with another man."

Spittle flecked her mum's lips. "All? That man stole my husband. And now they might steal my only child too. Are you--"

"No, mum, I'm straight." Sarah stood. "I promise I won't fall for any boys

or

girls at this gig. I'm just going to sing a few songs and get paid for it." She headed for the stairs. "The band needs its singer. We need the money. And

I

need some support once in a while."

🎤

The Queen Elizabeth was larger than Sarah expected, standing alone with a car park in front and a big beer garden behind. It was narrow, but with a long area in front of the bar, and a bend to the shorter section near the toilets, giving the building an 'L' shape. It seemed very old, with wooden beams and uneven walls and floors. The girls brought in their instruments and gear from the transit van Georgina had hired. The bouncer, a tall and broad woman in a dinner jacket, gave them a hand with the drums. With her short blonde hair and heavy jaw, she struck Sarah as a stereotypical lesbian.

They set up on a low wooden stage at the end of the pub furthest from the 'L' bend. A friendly barmaid helped with the sound check, moving from place to place letting them know how it sounded, while Kira repositioned the speakers and Georgina fiddled with the equalizer. The place was pretty empty, but Sarah noticed her hand shaking when she reached for the mic and sang a few lines, her voice catching. Georgina explained that the acoustics would be different once more people arrived. The girls were happy and excited, and ordered some drinks to steady their nerves. While most of the band went to the toilet, Sarah sat in a corner with Georgina.

Georgina said, "I wish you'd worn something more revealing."

"What? Why?"

"You're our frontwoman. You've got the looks, but jeans and a loose t-shirt? We're not

Nirvana

. If you wore a short skirt, and something that showed a bit of cleavage, it might get us more fans. If you must wear jeans, at least make them skinny and add a crop top."

"Do lesbians care about that sort of thing?"

Georgina shrugged. "Take a guess. If they find women attractive, they find women attractive."

Sarah shook her head. "I'm a singer, not a stripper. We'll wow them with our music, not flashing our flesh."

🎤

The pub filled quickly, and Sarah nervously eyed the growing crowd. Some of the women looked the way she imagined lesbians would look: short or dyed hair, Doc Martens, tattoos and piercings. But the majority were ordinary-looking women, who wouldn't look out of place in any other pub. As they chattered, she wondered what they'd make of the band and her singing. She was scared they were going to laugh her off stage as the untalented wannabe she was.

With increasing dread, she watched as seven o'clock approached; somehow time seemed be flowing both faster

and

slower than usual. The girls in the band became gradually quieter as the time neared, and were silent as they finally made their way to the little wooden stage that held their equipment.

While the others readied their instruments, Sarah stood watching them with her back to the rest of the pub. Most of the crowd were still chatting, ignoring them. With the band ready, Sarah gave a nervous nod to Daniella, who set the rhythm by clacking her drumsticks. With a look of glee, Georgina stabbed out the opening chords of

I Love Rock and Roll

. They'd chosen that to start, partly because it was a lively song, but also because the chorus was a statement about their love for the music.

They had the crowd's attention now, the chatter dying as everyone turned to watch. Sarah felt nervous and self-conscious standing there, her back to the pub, but the rest of the band had a good groove going; she told herself to enjoy what could be her one and only chance to pretend to be a rock and roll star. On her cue, she took a deep breath and spun to face the audience, tossing her hair back and launching into the verse about seducing a boy. When it came to the chorus, Georgina and Kira added backing vocals, then Sarah became aware of some of the audience joining in. Just a couple at first, but by the second chorus most of them were singing along. The band members traded satisfied looks with each other when the song ended with the crowd thundering the final line.

Taking a moment to calm herself, Sarah said, "Good evening, ladies and, uh... This is our first gig, and we're very happy to play it for you. We are..." Shit, what was the name they'd agreed on? She glanced behind her, but the rest of the band were looking in amazement at the crowd. She remembered them agreeing the name at the last practice, but she'd forgotten it in the excitement. She turned back to the mic. "We're

The Unnamed Band

."

At her side, Georgina gasped. "What?"

Sarah turned shame-faced to Daniella. "Next song."

Daniella set the beat by clicking her drumsticks together, the keyboards entered, then Kira and Georgina sang the opening harmonies from

The Bangles

's version of

Hazy Shade of Winter

. Sarah could feel Georgina's gaze burning into her back, and when the guitar's opening riff came in, Sarah glanced over and saw venom in her gaze to match the passion in her playing. Her anxiety rising, Sarah remembered watching a video online which recommended finding friendly faces in different areas of the venue and imagining playing just for them; Sarah found several pleasant-looking women and switched her focus between them as she sang. Concentrating on her singing calmed her nerves.

Their worries abated when that song went well, and the band started to enjoy playing. By the time they ended the set on

The Chain

, Sarah wished they didn't have a break coming up.

As they made their way through the tables, Georgina whispered, "

The Unnamed Band

? What the fuck?".

"I forgot the real name," said Sarah. "We can change it next time."

They arrived at a pair of tables jammed together and filled with young women.

"These are the girls we went to school with," explained Kira as she introduced them to Sarah. There were ten, and there was no chance of her remembering all their names.

"So what did you think?" Georgina asked them.

"Fantastic, innit!" said one pretty blonde. "I'll post something telling people to check you out. What's the band called again?"

Georgina's mouth opened, but Kira quickly said, "

The Unnamed Band

."

The blonde nodded. "I like it. It's weird, but cool and memorable, innit. Anyway, have you heard the latest gossip?"

Daniella said, "About what?"

"You remember Isaac Crekett from school? He was dating Emma Claimond, but he dumped her for Hannah Wyatt. Can you guess what happened a month later?"

She waited while she was met with head shakes and shoulder shrugs.

"He got a call from Emma saying she's pregnant. So he dumped Hannah and got back with Emma to have the baby. Then a month later he got a call from Hannah."

"And?" asked Bethany.

The blonde raised her eyebrows in answer.

"No! Not her too?"

"Yep, her too. Someone didn't listen when they showed us how to use a condom in Sex Education."

Feeling a little left out in catching up on gossip about people she'd never met, Sarah left the group to visit the toilet. As she wended her way through the tables and past one group of women, she felt a hand grasp her bum. She froze. After a moment, she recovered and turned. An older woman was leering at her while the others at her table laughed. The woman pulled her closer, grinning lecherously. Her friends cackled drunkenly.

The woman said, "Aren't you pretty, little singer? Would you like to come back to my place and sing out just for me?"

Sarah was taken off guard. Was this normal behaviour in a lesbian pub? She tried to twist away, but the woman held her tighter, her arms wrapping around Sarah's waist. A middle-aged woman stepped out of nowhere and pulled Sarah away. She gestured for the bouncer to come over and the women were soon escorted out.

The woman said, in a sophisticated European accent, "I'm so sorry about that. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thanks. Just a little shaken. It wasn't your fault." Sarah began to move away.

"You look a little dazed. Would you like to sit at my table for a moment and recover?"

Sarah looked the woman over. She appeared to be in her mid-forties, but was beautiful, with cascading dark hair and piercing blue eyes. Her slim but curvy body shape was easy to see in her tight black dress. Given where they were, Sarah suspected the motivation for her offer went beyond mere kindness.

She said, "I'm OK, thanks."

The woman gave a warm smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to put you on the spot. And it wasn't a line, if that's what you're concerned about. You're younger than my daughter."