“The burger isn’t as good as the tacos,” I said eventually.
“Damn, I didn’t get a taco.”
“We could go back and get one,” I said.
“Nah, I’ll give it a miss,” he said, rubbing his stomach.
I’d forgotten that his pre-show nerves could upset his stomach.
I took a gulp of my drink. We were talking like normal people. That had to be good. That easiness we’d had between us had vanished, though. I worried over every word, not wanting another “leave me alone” lecture. I didn’t need to hear that again.
“This band is pretty shit,” I said, wanting to say something.
We could hear them from back here. The strains of music weren’t as loud as out front but still clear.
“I guess we’re not in the best spot to hear them, but, yeah, they’re shit.”
I laughed. So did Crow.
“What are Damo and the others doing?”
“Damo’s being his usual control freak self. Fartstard and the others are tailing him. I’m not sure if it’s to help him or get him out of trouble if he pushes too hard.”
I nodded. I was about to mention how awesome it’d be to play to a crowd this size, but I figured that wouldn’t help with the nerves.
“How did you get here?” he asked. “Damo said you couldn’t have caught the train.”
I gulped. He wouldn’t be happy when I told him, but I couldn’t lie.
“I hitchhiked.”
He leaned forward, his eyes crinkling in a very non-sexy way. “What? Fay, no.”
“It was okay. I got a lift with this awesome chick. Carrie. She was fun.”
“It could’ve ended badly,” he said.
“I know. I was almost going to run back to the hotel when I got to the highway, but she pulled up, and I figured I’d be safe with another chick.”
He nodded. “You’re too impetuous.”
“I’ve been told that before.” Then I looked up at him, and I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. His mouth twitched a little, then he smiled too.
That smile hit me fair in the stomach. He knew how to take a girl’s breath away.
Before I could get too giddy over smiles, Elijah and Rose arrived back.
“Still got your clothes on, Fay? That’s good to see,” Elijah said with a grin.
I’d have thrown the rest of my burger at him, but I didn’t want to waste it. That wasn’t even funny.
“Still got all your teeth. That won’t last long if you don’t keep your mouth shut,” I told him.
He laughed. “You’d need a stepladder to punch me.”
“Stop teasing,” Rose said. “I’m sure Fay’s sick of it all.” Then she turned to me. “We got you a crepe.”
“This is why you’re my favorite person on this tour,” I said, taking the crepe from her. “Choco banana, my favorite, too.”
Then Damo and the others came back.
“Thirty minutes and we’re on,” Damo said. “We’d better start making a move.”
Fartstard looked at my crepe. “Where do you put all that food?” he asked. “You eat a ton every day, and you’re still tiny.”
“Maybe because I’m not weighed down by my fat, betraying heart,” I told him.
He walked off in a huff, but he had totally deserved that. And that was only the start of my revenge plan. My crepe tasted all the sweeter for that sick burn on Fartstard.
The guys got ready to go onstage.
“Let’s watch together,” Rose said. “I’m glad I’m not alone.”
Yay, one person glad I’d turned up. Then I looked around.
“Where’s Fiona?” I asked.
Damo shrugged. “She and Matt are around somewhere. He’ll turn up to play on time, and that’s the main thing.”
I hadn’t seen either of them all day, but they kind of faded into the background. Fiona had enough of the spotlight in this life.
The sun had just started to set as we walked up to the main stage. The band onstage were finishing their set. They were even worse this close up. How had they even gotten on the festival bill?
The guys set up on the second stage.
I waited at the side of the stage, finally able to relax. From here, it looked like the crowd stretched out forever. It made me want to play a festival like this one day. Not just play, but headline like the Freaks.
While we waited, a lot of the other musos joined us. Faces I recognized, stars I’d listened to for years, stood beside me. That was pretty cool too.
“Where’s Matty?” I asked Rose. “Shouldn’t he be onstage by now?”
He hadn’t turned up yet. I hoped nothing was wrong. They could play without him—he’d only joined them at the beginning of this tour, and they’d been a three-piece group for years—but it would really put them off their game.
Crow sat behind his drum kit. His hands trembled a little, but no one would notice that but me. As soon as they started, he’d be fine. I wished I could do something to help, but I knew I never could. At that moment, just before the lights shone on the band and the music started, you could be with tens of thousands of people, you could be with your bandmates, and you could be with the one you loved. But for those few minutes, you were always alone.
Chapter 12
MATTY RAN IN AT THE last moment. Damo really didn’t look happy, but as the cheers for the last band died down, he turned to face the crowd, all business.
Then the lights hit them, and the massive crowd all screamed as one. We’d played to some decent crowds, but that was like an endless sea of people. I couldn’t even conceive of how many people were in that crowd.
“Well, hello,” Elijah said, cupping his microphone in his hand.
The screams got louder.
“Are you ready?” he yelled. “Are. You. Ready?”
I thought the screams would never stop. That energy—you could feel it, even standing here. It came off the crowd in waves.
I looked at Crow. He grinned. He was fine now.
Then they started playing. Those bozos really knew how to put it on. Even Elijah was no longer the big dork he normally was, but a shining god instead. He had all the sex appeal onstage. Damo was more the romantic dream. He had his own appeal, but it wasn’t raw sex like Elijah. I wondered how Rose felt about that. A good number of the women in the crowd would be thinking about sex with him. He’d be screwing them like crazy in their fantasies.
Crow got a lot less attention sitting at the back, but there’d be enough people who noticed him. Especially a few songs in, when he stripped off his shirt. That got way too many cheers for my liking. Those chicks could keep their eyes off him and look at Elijah.
Their show on this stage had a whole extra dimension to it than on the tour. It all became larger than life. They sizzled, and the energy from the crowd became stronger. I watched them, all moving in time like one solid mass. A few beach balls were floating over them. I could only pick out faces in the front few rows. Sweaty, sunburnt people, singing along with all their hearts.
Then I turned back to Crow. With his arms bare, you could really see the muscles ripple as he bashed the drums. One of the camera guys squatted beside him, projecting that up onto the big screens. The real thing up this close was so much better. He had amazing arms. If Elijah had arms like that, he’d never wear sleeves, but Crow didn’t flaunt it.
I wanted them to go on forever. The music floated around me, seemed to pick me up. I could stand this close to Crow and look at him all I liked. He really loved playing, and that passion made me care for him all the more. I could never feel anything for a guy who wasn’t passionate about things. I’d spent enough of my life around slackers.
They finished up their set with crowd going frantic. The Freaks did an encore song, and that got them even more worked up. I was pretty worked up myself. Their show was over, and it’d been so great. The silence they left behind had me feeling empty.
I wasn’t sure what to do with myself as the guys got up. They�
��d go backstage, but I didn’t know if they wanted to be alone for a while or what. After a normal show, we all hung out together, but this had been different. It’d been magic.
Before I could move, Crow grabbed hold of me.
He didn’t just grab me; he picked me up in the air and swung me around. His beard tickled against my cheek. I held him tight. This was the perfect end to their show. I was in his arms, and it felt like heaven.
It became even more perfect when he pressed his lips against mine. This time, he kissed me slowly. Gently. Nothing like that kiss from before. I kissed him back. He tasted of burger, but then so would I. I sank into him, wanting this kiss to last forever. The crowd keep screaming, and it seemed like they were screaming for us. My heart screamed just as loud.
That kiss proved it. It proved everything. Things between us had shifted.
But just as suddenly as he’d lifted me up, he let me down. He grabbed a towel from one of the crew and wiped himself down, then walked off.
Huh?
What had that been about?
Would he have kissed any girl who’d been standing here? I didn’t know. I’d never seen him even look at anyone else before. Not so much as a glance.
Rose and Elijah went back to the VIP area, and I tagged along with them, still shell-shocked. I needed answers.
Crow wasn’t in the Freaks’ area when I got back there.
I sat alone at the table, not sure what to do. Damo and the crew stood around chatting about the show. Elijah and Rose were wrapped up in each other, literally. Matt had disappeared again.
“Hey, Damo, is that food area still open?” I asked.
He looked at his watch. “Yeah, for the next half-hour or so. You’d better run if you want stuff before they sell out, though.”
I nodded. I wasn’t even hungry, but standing in a food line beat the hell out of sitting around here, being all awkward. It wasn’t like I’d say no to another of those tacos.
I got to the food vans. The taco line was long again. I looked around, wondering if this was where Crow had got to, but I couldn’t see him anywhere. That guy drove me crazy with his attitude. I could still taste him on my lips and smell him on my skin, but he’d run off like that.
The line moved slowly. They’d better not run out of tacos before I got to the front. I traced circles in the dirt with my foot. I wasn’t even in a hurry, just anxious.
Finally, I got to the front of the line.
“We only have two chicken left,” the girl said.
“I’ll take them.”
I waited for her to make them up, then headed back to the Freaks. Even if I was ignored, I could eat my food and maybe have a beer. The world seemed flat and dull, but who knew. Maybe Crow had returned and maybe he had a good excuse for running out on me.
“Hey there, girlie,” someone said as I walked back.
Shit. It was the double jerk from before. I screwed up my nose and kept walking.
He grabbed my arm. “Don’t screw up your nose at me,” he said. “Don’t you know who I am?”
Actually, I didn’t.
“Yeah, you’re the jerk from before. Listen, I’m not interested, so take your hand off me.”
I tried to walk off, but his grip tightened. He moved his body closer to me. Way too close. His breath stank, and he really needed a shower.
“Your beardy boyfriend isn’t here to rescue you this time,” he said.
I twisted, trying to get out of his grasp. He put his other hand on me so I couldn’t get loose.
“I shouldn’t need him here. I need you to stop being a jerk.”
He laughed. “Come on, sweetie. You’re hot to trot. Don’t put on that bullshit.”
“I’m hot to kick your ass,” I said.
I wasn’t sure how I’d do that, since he was a lot bigger than me and I had my hands full with tacos. Then he started pulling me. If he got me inside his closed-off area, I’d be screwed. He had a hold of me from behind, so I couldn’t strike out at him or rub one of those tacos in his face. All I could do was kick back at him, but my foot didn’t connect.
A few people walked past, and I screamed out. Surely, they’d stop him. But they just laughed. Who did that? It was obvious the guy was being a dick.
I struggled, but he was way too strong for me. Someone had to help me, but there was no one else around.
Chapter 13
I KEPT SCREAMING, BUT no one cared. There was music playing in about ten different spots around the VIP area, and no one would even hear me unless they were close.
“Let go of me, you stupid jerk!” I screamed. “I’m not interested!”
He ignored me. I dropped the tacos and tried to hold on to one of the metal poles holding those tarps up, but my fingers were all greasy from the tacos, and he easily pulled me away. I had no chance against him.
“Settle down,” he said. “I just want to talk.”
“You don’t talk by mauling people,” I told him.
I’d fight this bastard to the death if I had to. I couldn’t count on Crow coming to rescue me again. I couldn’t count on anyone.
This guy’s area wasn’t nearly as fancy as the Freaks’, but he had a sofa, and he threw me on it.
“Come on, just a little taste,” he said. He started undoing his belt buckle.
Hell, no. I jumped up off that sofa and rushed out of there. He tried to grab me again, but he was too slow. I ran as fast as I could, my feet bouncing on the rubber mats under me until I got to the Freaks’ area.
“What’s wrong, Firecracker?” Elijah asked. “All out of tacos?”
I tried to answer but couldn’t talk. Then he looked at me and put his arms around me.
“What’s wrong?”
I didn’t want to say. People kept saying I’d get myself in trouble, but I’d only gone to get a taco. It wasn’t like I’d been doing anything wrong. I couldn’t tell him anyway because every time I tried to talk, it came out as a dry sob.
Then Crow walked in. He saw me in Elijah’s arms.
Damn. The way his face dropped. This was not good.
“It’s not like it looks,” I said, pulling away from Elijah.
“It looks like you’re upset and Elijah’s comforting you,” he said. “Is that right?”
I nodded.
“What happened?” His dark eyes flashed.
I didn’t want to tell him. He’d tried to punch the guy earlier. If I told him about this, I didn’t know how he’d react. This could mean trouble. But I couldn’t lie to him, either.
“Nothing. I’m overreacting,” I told him. “It’s fine.” I forced myself to smile.
He put his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t lie to me,” he said. “It takes a lot to wipe that bubbly smile off your face. You’re a little ray of sunshine. Now, tell me.”
I wanted to rest my head on his chest. I wanted him to tell me it was okay. But I did not want to tell him what had happened.
“Promise you won’t do anything,” I said.
“I can’t promise that,” he said. “But I’ll try.”
The music buzzed around us, an annoying mish-mash of noise. People whooped somewhere in the distance. I didn’t want to tell him. I wanted to get far away from here.
“It was stupid. I’m overreacting, I tell you. That guy, the jerk who knocked my burger—he was being a dick.”
“Did he touch you?”
I hesitated. The look on Crow’s face suggested he might kill the guy. I didn’t want him doing anything stupid.
“Where is he?” Crow asked. I didn’t want to answer, but he turned to Elijah. “That electro guy, Elijah, what’s his name?”
“Bilson?”
“Yep, that’s him.”
Crow strode out.
“Go with him, Lij. Make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid,” I said.
Elijah nodded and took off after Crow.
Rose put her arm around me and led me to the sofa. I sat down, but I couldn’t keep my hands still.
�
��You didn’t do anything wrong,” she said. “And Elijah will make sure Crow doesn’t do anything stupid. Just wait for them to come back.”
I tried to smile. “I shouldn’t have—”
“There’s nothing you shouldn’t have done. Well, except the hitchhiking. But going to get some food—you should be able to do that without some idiot molesting you.”
I nodded.
She started talking about the show. Asking me questions. I knew what she was doing: trying to distract me. But it helped a little. I was just worried that Crow would punch him, and he’d end up being the one in trouble. Even so, a part of me wanted him to grind that guy into the ground. Make mincemeat out of him. The freaky creep.
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Even if you hadn’t, it was clear when you walked back in here that something was wrong. Even Elijah noticed, and he’s not the most switched-on guy in the world. You were as white as a ghost.”
“If I’d stayed back in Brussels—”
“He’d have attacked someone else. It’s sad it had to be you, but guys like that are just shits.”
I pulled my knees up to my chest. This wasn’t the way this night was supposed to go.
“At least you got away from him,” Rose said.
I nodded again. I could still feel his hands on my shoulders. I’d had guys be a bit overly keen before, but that had been different. A few stern words and they’d backed off, but that guy wouldn’t ever have backed off. And those people who’d seen him dragging me, had seen me screaming, and they’d laughed. The world could be a really shitty place at times.
“They’re taking a while,” I said.
“They’ll be fine. You really care about him a lot,” she said.
“I do. Everyone keeps telling me to stay away from him, but he’s not a bad person,” I said. “Although he scared me a little. The way he looked.”
“He’s a good person. I bet it takes a lot to anger him, but when he gets fired up, it’s for real. That’s not a good thing, but it’s not a bad thing, either, so long as he knows how to control it.”
I got up and grabbed one of the beers. I wasn’t sure if I should be drinking when I was so worked up, but I wanted something to hold in my hands. I didn’t even open it, just picked at the label.
Hard Freak Page 5