Indigo Nights

By Michelle Leyland

Warning: For readers aged 15 or over. Contains swearing, drug use and sexual references.

Max was taken into foster care when he was fourteen and became best friends with Paul and Olivia. They make a pact that when they finish high school, they’ll move into a flat together and form their own band.

Following their dreams, they create their punk rock band Indigo Nights with Max as the drummer, Paul as lead singer/guitarist, Olivia on electric guitar and their new friend Aaron as bassist. After playing at bars and pubs for two years, they’re working towards playing bigger venues in the future.

Max meets a girl called Ella and invites her to their gig, but will the long distance get in the way of them dating.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michelle Leyland
• Release date: Jul 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005773175

Michelle Leyland

Michelle Leyland was born in 1990 and spent all of her life living in Lancashire, England. She has always loved writing and drawing and since the age of 13 has dreamed of becoming a published author and illustrator one day. She has written several fiction stories for children, teenagers and adults, and illustrated all her children’s books.Michelle also loves to play drums, dance, sing, go to concerts, daydream and read.

Book preview

Indigo Nights

Michelle Leyland

Published by Violet Star Publishing

United Kingdom

Category: Young Adult, Fiction

First published in e-book format 2020

Copyright Michelle Leyland © 2020

Cover design by RLSather

ISBN : 9781005773175

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 1

I hope this will be enough, Paul says as we pack a few boxes into the van.

The day has started off with our monthly good deed, taking time out from the band schedule to help our local children’s charity. We donate all of our profits each month via online banking; but we also donate food, toys etc that we buy with any spare money we have.

It was Olivia who had the brilliant idea of supporting a charity, instead of being one of those bands who are all about money. We just do it for fun and because we love music.

Paul, Olivia and I were in foster care together. They quickly became my best friends, which I needed during that difficult time. They’re brother and sister, but they feel like my siblings too.

As soon as we finished school at sixteen, Paul and I got warehouse jobs and rented a flat together. Olivia had to stay in foster care for another year, until she was legal age to leave and moved in with us.

The band started with me and Paul, but we needed more than just a drummer and lead singer/guitarist. We held auditions but there weren’t many people who could play well enough, until a shy and nervous guy called Aaron wandered in. We were so impressed we offered him a place as our bassist right away.

No one else made the cut, but Olivia overheard us complaining that night and said she’d join our band. Paul wasn’t really keen on letting his little sister join at first. I think he’d pictured an all guy rock band; but even he couldn’t deny that she was amazing at singing and playing electric guitar. So Olivia was accepted in and our punk rock band ‘Indigo Nights’ was formed. The name was her idea because the few suggestions we made were pretty dumb.

Despite Paul’s doubts, having a girl in the band has its advantages. Olivia is super organised and manages our band pages and advertising. We also get more guys coming to the gigs just because they fancy her.

Olivia has wavy bleached blonde hair with hazel eyes. She always wears make-up and designer clothes and looks like a model.

Paul has the average rock star look; short black hair, blue eyes, black jeans and goth style t-shirts.

I have the wild drummer look; styled up blond hair with green eyes, skinny jeans and band t-shirts.

Aaron has ginger hair with glasses that hide brown eyes. He always wears baggy jeans and nerdy t-shirts that are sci-fi or gaming related.

After two years of playing gigs at pubs and bars, we’ve got pretty well known in Birmingham. Now we’re hoping to move onto bigger venues in the future.

The charity centre is already busy when we get there, with loads of volunteers helping to make care packages with the donated items. We carry our boxes over to Aaron who’s waiting for us. He volunteers here during the day whenever he’s not in college. I think he prefers doing good deeds here in peace rather than loud nights out performing with us. He’s pretty reserved and has social anxiety so the crowds freak him out, but we do our best to look after him.

Thanks guys, Aaron tells us gratefully. We’re really making a difference with our donations.

I’ve got some free time if you need any extra help? offers Olivia.

That would be great, Aaron smiles and she goes into the back room to join the other volunteers.

I peek in and can’t help but stare at a girl who is helping out.

I had no idea there were hotties working here, I comment to Aaron and Paul.

They follow my gaze and see the girl I’m checking out. She has long hair that’s dyed shades of purple and blue perfectly blended in together. She’s wearing a black tank top with skinny jeans and doesn’t have any make-up on but she’s naturally pretty.

Paul rolls his eyes at my interest, annoyed that I’m always chatting up girls. We’re so different when it comes to relationships. He’s asexual and has zero interest in getting with anyone. I don’t really understand it but I support him. He doesn’t understand why I’m so obsessed with girls and always teases me about whoever I’m trying to pull.

That’s Ella, Aaron informs me. She started volunteering here a week ago.

I wish I’d known that, I smile. So you’ve met her then?

Yeah… He knows what’s coming.

Go introduce me.

He sighs, Fine, he agrees, but doesn’t sound happy that I’m interrupting his work.

We walk into the back room, leaving Paul waiting on his mobile. Aaron goes over to Ella and says hi. I follow behind and lean against the work top, waiting for my chance to talk to her.

She gives him a beautiful smile in greeting, Hi Aaron.

How’s everything going?

It’s OK, pretty busy.

She must feel me watching because she looks up and notices me stood nearby.

Hey, I give her my flirty smile.

This is my friend, Max, Aaron introduces us.

Hi, she blushes a little. I’m Ella.

It’s great that you’re volunteering here. That’s a really nice thing to do, I say, a little impressed.

Well I like to help with good causes and I love children, she replies.

I nod, me too. I don’t have much time to volunteer but I donate a lot.

I notice Paul is starting to look bored just stood there waiting for me. I know it won’t be long until he comes in and pulls me away with some excuse.

If you’re not busy tonight, you could come to our gig? I offer. We donate all the profit so it’s for a good cause.

She looks impressed, So you’re in a band? she asks, looking at Aaron as well to include him in the conversation.

Yeah, we’ve been playing for two years, I answer.

We thought it was a good way to help raise money, says Aaron.

What kind of music do you play?

Punk rock. I’m the drummer, I say proudly, and Aaron plays bass.

Cool, she replies. Where will you be playing?

At the Ivory bar in town. It’s a ticket only event but I can get you in, I promise. We could maybe hang out afterwards?

Paul gets impatient and comes over. He narrows his eyes at me when he hears what I’m talking about. He hates when I try to bring girls backstage and has enforced a ‘band only’ rule for every dressing room we have.

We’d better get going, he tells me. Our shift starts soon.

I feel disappointed and don’t want to leave. I wish I could stay here volunteering all day just so I could keep talking with her.

Sorry, I gotta go, I apologise. See ya at the gig. It starts at seven by the way.

She smiles at me as I leave and goes back to chatting with Aaron. I hope he can convince her to come because I really want to see her again.

"Dude, why are