Only chapter for today, I'm afraid. A little warning: Pretty much no Edward in this one. I wanted to take a chapter to explore Bella's relationship with her band mates. But I promise he will be back for chapter 5! Enjoy, and thanks for reading!
Chapter 4 - Post-show
The crowd is cheering their heads off.
"Thank you! You guys are fucking awesome!" More cheering. This is one of my favorite parts. It's not that I need other people's approval to validate our music, but getting this kind of response from a crowd makes me feel like we aren't alone. Like we can share our dreams, our vision, with other people and they'll get it. It feels fucking awesome.
There are screams, clapping, whistling, and yes, even bras being thrown on stage. Ok, one bra. It lands on my microphone stand and I'm more than a little weirded out by it. I pick it up, with the very tip of my fingers, and hand it to Riley assuming it had been meant for him. Riley, being used to this sort of thing, is not at all disturbed by the flying undergarment. He grabs that baby with both hands and looks at it like he can picture the boobs that had been there. Freaky.
I'm in the midst of high-fiving all of the guys one by one, our little post-show ritual, when I feel someone tapping me on the shoulder. I turn and find myself face-to-face with a very amused Riley. Holding the godforsaken bra. He hands it to me, still laughing, and walks off to high-five the rest of the guys.
Okay, strange. It's not like Riley to return one of his trophies.
I look down at the offending garment and immediately realize what that fucker was laughing his ass about. Inside the bra cup, someone had clearly written 'For Bella: 555-0159'. Wow. I guess I can add another item to my list of disturbing things that happened to me on this tour.
I discretely walk to the side of the stage and deposit the D-sized cootie trap in a corner, where it is immediately retrieved by one of the club employees, who shoves it in his pocket. I refuse to allow myself to wonder whether he means to dispose of it or keep it for himself. Eww.
We walk off the stage and are immediately surrounded by a crowd of people. Some are complimenting us, some are trying to buy us drinks, and some are making pretty offensive sexual remarks directed towards myself and Leah. That last part, of course, gets Demitri going on his usual "I'll fuck you up!" diatribe. Riley and Seth have to intervene by holding him back , as usual, until security gets involved and kicks the pervert assholes out. All in all, it's just another regular night for us. Part of the joys of being a female band member.
Walking even a couple of steps in the middle of that crowd is pretty much impossible at that point, and we're quickly ushered into the backstage area. I know I need to find Edward and do some serious explaining, but there's no way I can get to him before that crowd settles down. Unless…
"Marcus!" I yell over to our manager, who is currently on the phone. He waves at me and says something to whoever is on the phone before ending the call.
"Bella! That was one kick-ass set! You guys were incredible!" He says, hugging me.
"Thanks, Marky Mark." I'm always coming up with different nicknames for him, just because Marcus seems like such a stuffy name. of course, he hates every one of them, but because Marcus is such a good sport he always laughs it off. "Listen, could you do me a big favor? I brought a friend with me tonight and he's still out there. Green eyes, Red-ish hair, goes by Edward. You think you could bring him over?" I ask.
"Sure thing Honey, just let me inform security about him."
"Thanks alot, M&M!" I hug him, because he deserves it.
Waiting for Edward to show up, I find myself getting kind of nervous and wondering what he must be thinking of me right now.
That's because you care. You want him to like you.
Oh, shut up Brain.
Feeling the need to remind myself that I'm not the kind of girl who goes crazy over a guy, I put a lid on my internal conversation with myself and join the rest of the guys in the miniscule space that had been appointed as our dressing room. Right. That's exactly what I need. Just shoot the shit with the guys, act normal.
"Heeeey Bella! High-five! That was awesome!" Demitri comes up to me with his hand raised. Yeah, we high-five a lot. Well, that and Demitri is totally smashed right now.
"Awesome!" I yell in an overly-enthusiastic voice, and high-five him. What? I couldn't leave the man hanging!
"You guys are such dorks." Leah laughs. "Although tonight did totally fucking rock." We all cheer.
"Hey Bella, where's your new Wonder Bra?" Riley asks.
"Ugh! Don't remind me!" I sit next to him and hide my face in his shoulder. "I mean, yeah some chick thinks I'm hot, and I'm flattered and all, but I don't know where that bra has been." I shudder.
"Awww, poor Bella is traumatized." He puts his arm around me and I lean against him. It's a common misconception that Riley and I are a couple. I suppose in a way it makes sense, it's not often you see two people of the opposite sex become as close as Riley and I have without it turning into something romantic or sexual. But we've known each other since we were four years old, when Riley's family moved in next door to mine, and he's always been like a big brother to me. Neither of us has ever been tempted to turn our friendship into something more, despite our parents making it clear they love the idea. It just isn't like that with us.
"So, Bella. Where's Mr. Nice ass?" Leah asks, with a rather mischievous look on her face.
"What Mr. Nice ass?" Demitri immediately gets up from his comfy little spot on the floor, where he had been busy air drumming. Well, fuck you very much Leah.
"The little Brit boy our Bella picked up tonight. Spill Bella!" Apparently Leah has a death wish.
Telling a sober Demitri about any involvement between us and other guys was torturous enough. Telling him while he was drunk? Now that's just stupid. Demitri is the oldest in our little group and he tends to think it's his responsibility take care of us, specially Leah and I. He also tends to become belligerent when he drinks.
"What Brit boy?" Demitri looks really pissed to be left out of the loop. Dammit, Leah!
Maybe she's paying you back for telling the guys that she hooked up with that security guard, Sam?
I'm just gonna ignore that.
"Jesus, man! Were you not on stage with us when Seth called her out for being all googly-eyed over that red-headed dude?" Oh yeah, that reminds me…
"Seth!" I jump up and walk over to a pale-looking Seth.
"Y-yeah?" That's right fucker, fear my wrath.
"Payback is a bitch, and she's coming for you." I say, in an eerily calm voice. That always gets to him.
"Uh-oh, Clearwater's gonna get it!" Riley laughs.
"Oh, cmon! It was just a joke! Can't you take a joke?" Seth looks a little green at this point. "Leah, back me up here!"
"Sorry, Bro. You dug your own grave." Leah replies.
"Will SOMEBODY tell me who the fuck is Brit boy with the nice ass?!" Demitri yells.
I hear someone clear their throat from the general direction of the open door behind me. Deep down, I know who it is. And I know what he heard. Well, that and the highly amused look on Leah's face is giving it away. But still, I can't bring myself to turn and confirm what I already know.
Great idea Bella, denial will make reality go away! How about you take it a step further and dig a hole in the ground for you to shove your head in?
Sigh. Bitch brain is right, it's time to face the music. I turn.