Broken Strings (A Rock Star Novel) (5 page)

“Always with the jokes...” I
say, but I can’t help but smile. See you Friday Brand.”

“Bye June, drive safe.”

He watches me as I take off.
As I make my way through Berkeley I feel like I’m in this cocoon of warmth and
peace. Good food, good wine, and especially good company has put me in my happy
place.

When I get home I turn on
some light music and sit on the couch to read. I have no desire to break the
mood just yet. I pick up my favorite comedy,
The Accidental Therapist
.
This one is guaranteed to at least put a smile on my face if not make me laugh
out loud. I read until my eyes are half- mast and I can’t help from nodding
off.  I look at the clock on the wall, it’s well past midnight. Reluctantly I
turn in. I’m asleep the minute my head hits my pillow.

Chapter Five

Backstage Again

The air is crisp and cool
when I take my place in line at HP Pavilion. It’s exactly five in the morning
and if my count is correct, I am number 34 in line. Of course that doesn’t
account for the people like me who are holding places for friends.

Lunatic etiquette says I can
only hold one additional spot. I’m well aware of the fact that I am fudging a
little here, but I know the people on either side of me and they assure me it’s
cool to save a spot for Brand, especially after I tell them how cute he is.

Gabby finally arrives at ten
and it’s a good thing too ‘cause I really gotta pee. The second she arrives I
know what’s on her mind, it’s written all over her face; in neon letters.

“So how was the date?” She
asks in an annoying, singsong voice.

“Fine…” I purposely deadpan
my reaction because I know it’ll bug her to death.

“Just fine, that’s all? You
go to Zebra’s with a totally hot guy and all you can say is fine?” Her face
screws up in frustration until she realizes I’m just jerking her chain.

“It was nice, actually. He
was the perfect gentlemen, dressed classy, and the wait staff catered to him
like he was a celebrity or something. He says he knows the owners and they owe
him favors, but I think it’s more than that. I think he must have done
something really great for them or something.”

“Keep going.”

“So we talked about
everything and we also just sat and enjoyed the food in silence. It was nice,
not like an uncomfortable silence. It was like we’ve known each other for a
long time or something.”

“So…you think he’s hot?”

“Huh, a little off subject,
but yeah, I guess.”

“What do you like best about
him?” She asks.

“He’s got a great person-”

“That’s not what I meant,”
she interrupts.

“Oh, you mean like body
parts?”

She nods.

“Fine, his ass, I like his
ass.” I admit.

Her eyes bug out. “And…”

“What do you mean and? Isn’t
that enough that I like his butt. He’s got nice lips too, full, kissable lips…”
I trail off. “You’re looking at me weird. What’s going on Gabby?

Then it hits me.

“Brand, how long have you
been standing behind me?” I ask, turning my head slowly.

“My ass huh?” He says as he
walks around in front of me.

I cover my face. I can feel
the heat burning through my fingers. I must be bright red now.

“It’s okay,” he says, “I like
yours too.”

Please go away please just
disappear, I plead in my head. Damn Gabby, she’s gonna pay.

I turn to Gabby, giving her
my most vicious look. “I gotta pee. I may not be back for a while; I have to
wait for my homicidal urge to die down before I can be around you again.”

Without waiting for her to
respond I start walking towards the outhouses. I’m not really all that mad, but
I feel like I had to kinda put on a show for Brand less he thinks me easy. I
end up wandering around for ten or fifteen minutes before returning.

Brand has the good grace to
not bring it up again, and neither does Gabby. After a few awkward moments we
fall into our normal routine of gushing about Fringe and comparing them to all
the other metal bands in the known universe. It turns out it's very nice having
Brand with us.

He's a good conversationalist
and well educated, so he’s not always making dumb uneducated statements about
things. It’s also nice that he has more behind his model good looks than empty
space. If I had to guess, I’d say he has a pretty high IQ. Maybe not Mensa
high, but high nonetheless.

Lunchtime rolls around and
passes without incidence. Soon I begin watching my clock again. The six o
‘clock hour approaches. That’s when the doors are supposed to open tonight.
After everyone else’s friends show up I do a head count. We have fallen from 34
to 56 in line; not too bad I guess.

We’ve been worse, and we’ve
been better. Depending on the set up of the Arena, sometimes it’s better to be
ten feet back from the stage. We’re still within the first 300 in line so we’ll
get to be in the designated area closest to the stage. While I’m lost in
thought I suddenly notice something strange. There’s a guy way up towards the
front of the line and he’s working his way down the line towards us. He’s
talking to people and holding something in his hands. When he gets a little
closer I notice two things. First of all the man is the band’s manager,
Stewart, and in his hand he’s holding what looks to be a picture or something.

I point him out to Gabby and
we wait anxiously for him to get to us. Someone must have lost a friend or
something and if the band’s manager is in helping it must have to do with a
lost kid. This is not a good place to bring a kid and I can’t help but wonder
what kind of lunatic would bring their kid to a metal show? When he finally
reaches us he looks at me and actually seems relieved.

“Are you June?” He asks.

Bewildered, I nod my head. “What's
going on here?”

He looks at me and he looks
at the picture in his hands. “You really don’t look much like this photo. No
wonder why no one recognized you?”

“Okay…and the reason you’re
looking for me is?”

“You’ve been invited
backstage after the show tonight.”

I just about fall over in
shock. “Could you repeat that, ‘cause it sounded like I’m being invited backstage
again after the show?”

“Oh you’re invited alright.
Silas wants to see you.”

“Really? Silas Mann requested
me?”

“June,” Gabby pleads, “shut
up and take the pass!”

I think for a minute. “Sure,
I’ll come, but my two friends have to come with me,” I say, pointing to Brand
and Gabby.

“He only said your name
June…” He trails off uncertainly.

“Me and my friends or I don’t
go at all.” I stand my ground firmly. I’m not going to grovel at some rock
star’s feet, not even if they're Silas's.

“He only said your name,” he
persists.

“Do you really want to tell
him the reason I didn’t come is because you refused to allow my two friends to
come?”

He thinks for a minute before
answering. “Fine. Here’s your pass. I’ll tell the door guards to expect three.”

“Does he do this often?” I
ask. “Inviting girls backstage? Oh, guess you can’t answer that, his first gig
was last week.”

“Actually I can. He’s my
nephew, and no, he doesn’t do this at all. I don’t know what bug bit him but he
wants to see you so…”

“Thanks!” I holler as he
walks away.

“OMG!” Gabby screams,
literally jumping up and down. “I can’t believe it. I get to go back stage and
meet Fringe! I cannot believe it.”

She gives me the biggest bear
hug I have ever felt and I swear my ribs are in danger of breaking before she
turns me loose.

I laugh. “You’re welcome
Gabbs.”

“Really appreciate you
sticking up for us June,” says a much more subdued Brand.

“You guys are my friends, how
could I not invite you.”

“Oh my God, I need to
change.” Gabby is getting paranoid now. “I can’t let the band see me wearing
this,” she says. She points to her very short skirt. “They’re going to think
I’m Amish when they see how long my skirt is,” she complains loudly.

I look at my own skirt self-
consciously. It’s still pretty damn short, just not micro mini short like what
Gabby likes to wear.

“If only we were closer,” she
complains bitterly. “Maybe there’s a store open in San Jose?”

“Uh, hello Gabby, the doors
are gonna open any minute. And besides, no store is open anyway at this time.
You’re gonna have to burry your face in shame and just go backstage wearing
what you’ve got on.”

She’s just about to launch
into yet another tirade when the line suddenly surges forward. Finally they
open the doors. In no time we’re inside and hurrying over to the stage. This
one is a lot bigger than the one in Arco arena which means even as far back as
we were, we’re still going to be up against the stage.

The three of us end up on the
Bassist side of the stage right in front of Lance. Oh well, I don’t need to see
Silas right now. I’ll see enough of him backstage. Then a thought occurs to me.
Do I really want to see him again?

What’s the point? It’s not
like we want to get to know each other. No way am I ever dating a rock star, no
matter what he looks like. And besides, I kinda like where things are going
with Brand and I. Don’t really need a third wheel in the equation right now.

As usual, they play a mix of
different metal songs from different bands to keep us entertained until the
show is ready to begin. I’ve got Gabby on my right and Brand on my left, what
more could I ask for.

In between songs we chit chat
about different things that come to mind. We have about another hour to kill before
the show begins. Now that it's official for Silas, maybe they’ll showcase his
talent; give him an extra-long guitar solo or something.  At about a quarter
after eight the lights are suddenly extinguished and the other music disappears
as well. It’s show time.

I’m so excited I can barely
stand still. There’s no energy like the energy in a metal show and I can’t wait
for the shot of adrenaline I’m gonna feel the second Silas hits that first
chord on
Straight Jacket
.

They always open with the
song. It’s the fan favorite and the intense energy of the guitars in the
beginning really charges everybody up and sets the tone of the whole show. I
look around at the eerie glow from the light sticks they hand out at the doors
and the various cell phones all raised to capture the band the moment the
lights come back on. I add my phone to the mix and look over to my right where
Gabby is holding up a light stick in each hand. Her face has been transformed
into a rapturous look as she waits to be taken away by Fringe.

The darkness lasts even
longer this time, probably to catch us off guard. They try to do something
different in every show so that Lunatics like us always have something new to
look forward to.

Suddenly Silas lays into the
first riff and Lance and Marcus follow shortly behind. The effect on the crowd
is energizing. We’re all one frenetic mass of moving, gyrating bodies, dancing
to the beat of
Straight Jacket
.

Instantly I can feel the
heavy grind of Silas’s guitar grating in my chest. The feeling is amplified
tenfold when Marcus on the drums joins in along with Lance on the bass. When
the spotlight finally lights up Sam I can't take my eyes off him. His mastery
of his guitar is mesmerizing.

I remember back when I was
taking guitar lessons and how difficult it was. I remember my fingers were raw
and aching as I tried to press those tiny little stings down on the fret board
enough to make something that at least partially resembles music. I’m sure if
I’d have kept at it all I would have to show for it would be callused fingers
and not much else.

To play like Silas, it’s
gotta be a gift; something you’re born with. I was not born with the gift and
three years of lessons just proved that sad fact. I still have my guitar
somewhere in my storage locker and I’m quite sure that’s where it’s gonna stay.

What really amazes me is how
fast his hands fly over the strings and he doesn’t even look down once. He’s
like a man possessed. I used to wish I had that gift. I used to dream about
being on stage playing for huge crowds, people screaming my name…

Then the harsh cold reality
that I can’t play worth a damn sunk in, and eventually I quit practicing, then
a few months later dropped my lessons. That was more than 10 years ago and I
never really looked back.

The next 90 minutes or so fly
by. As usual I’m so caught up in the music and the feelings it stirs in me that
I lose track of time. This almost two hour rock show feels like it's over in
ten minutes.

I look over at Gabby for the
first time since the music began and she’s got this sheen of sweat covering her
face. I reach up and wipe the sweat from my own forehead and wonder if I’m
sporting the same look.

I look over at Brand and the
difference between the two of us becomes obvious. I can tell he enjoyed the
show, but it didn’t move him. He’s like a distant observer instead of a
participant. Gabby and me, we’re participants. Brand catches me watching him
and gives me his award winning smile. I can see a second date in our near
future.

Fifteen minutes later the
last encore is over and the band leaves the stage for the last time. For the
three of us, the real show is about to begin.

I grab Gabby’s arm and am
surprised when Brand finds my hand. I’m not sure what to think about that. Is
he just doing it so we don’t lose each other in the crowd, or does he have
other motives here? I’m actually glad for the crowd and the distractions;
otherwise I’d be self-conscious with the hand holding.