by K E Osborn
Walking into the restaurant, a waitress looks over at me, glances me up and down with a turned up nose, but continues on with her business. I chuckle to myself. I’m used to people judging me for the way I look. But I can get away with it a hell of a lot more now because of who I am. Sometimes being a kickass rocker comes in handy.
“Effa…” A booming deep, husky voice calls out loudly making the quiet, peaceful atmosphere vibrate. I jump slightly, as I hear someone drop a piece of cutlery and it slams into their plate. Turning, I let out a bemused laugh as I see Jett from Swift Division already sitting at a table with an empty plate in front of him and eating off another.
I bob my head in greeting and walk over to him, seeing as he’s the only person in here that I know. I may as well have brunch with him. His sapphire blue eyes light up as I approach. His aptly jet black hair is in disarray, like he hasn’t touched it since getting out of bed this morning. But he rocks the look, the shambled image suiting him. The extra day’s growth on his face makes him look more defined. His cheeks lift up making his whole face light up with the brightness of his smile. Jett’s ears even moving up with the intensity of his smile, which makes me notice the black earing dangling from his right ear. He’s really quite the looker, no wonder our crowds love him and his band.
He’s the lead singer of Swift Division.
Luke sent a request to our record label asking for a talented American group, and they gave us a few names. When we heard their demo, we knew they suited our sound, and they would be best to tour with us. When we invited them in for the meet and greet, we all got along fabulously.
“Hey Jett, mind if I join you?” I ask reaching out for the chair opposite him.
He grins again and gestures for me to sit down. “Please do… I wanna pick your brain anyway.”
I take a seat, as he picks up a piece of crispy bacon and places it into his mouth with a slight crunch.
“Sure, what’s on your mind?”
He looks me right in the eyes, his lips turning up again in that little smirk he’s crafted so well. It’s almost mischievous. “Okay… so, we’ve been doing a thirty-minute slot before you gals come on stage and rock it out. Right?”
“Yeah, and you’ve been doing amazing. The crowd loves you guys.”
He stifles a laugh and shrugs. “Thanks, but ahh… we’re not as good as you guys yet, but we’re working on it. However, this brings me to my point.” I raise my brow. “What would you think about increasing our time before the show… just to add in a couple more songs, to make our set say forty-five minutes? I mean… I know this is a big ask and will increase the overall time of the entire concert. But I think that with you guys on our side, and if we could showcase a few more songs, we could really improve our worth…” he pauses and his mouth curves into a smile, “… and it would all be with Luminous’ help. Think about it, you guys can be the band that helps break us into the big time like Recoil did for you. Won’t that make you feel amazing, Effa?” Jett asks, his voice etched in super sugary sweetness.
“Jett, you know I like you. You’re an awesome guy. Your band is amazing. But you don’t have to suck up to me to ask for more time. I’m not a pushover little princess that just falls at the feet of a hot guy with a buttery way of asking for shit.”
He swallows hard, and his smile falls from his face, as he stiffens his body like he’s almost embarrassed by his actions.
“And in any case, I can’t make that kind of call. All that stuff is up to Luke.”
He lets out a heavy breath and sinks into his chair looking deflated.
“But… I can put in a good word for you. However, next time just ask normally, okay? None of this pussyfooting about... just be straight with me.”
“Okay, sorry. I should have known you were stronger than you seem. I like your tenacity, Effa. I apologize I came at it that way.”
“Meh, you’re not the first man to try to get his way by attempting to outwit me. But I’m smarter than I look. Just because I look all airy-fairy doesn’t mean I’m not attuned to what’s going on around me.”
He chuckles, and lightness fills the air, taking away the dark mood that was surrounding us. “Well, Effa, let me get you some food to celebrate our new found friendship. One based on pure honesty and trust.”
I smile and nod. “Okay, I’ll get us some coffee.”
“Deal.”
Chapter Eight
MERCS
The Next Day
After not seeing Effa for the day and spending another night on the crew room sofa, alone this time, I run my hand through my hair. Effa’s such a ray of sunshine in my fucked up life, and I went and screwed that up. She could have been a really good thing for me.
My mind wanders to Kiera, my beautiful sister, and I can’t help but get a little choked up thinking about her and how she’s going right now. I’m doing this all for her, but money’s tight and I’m not sure I can meet the deadline for her procedure.
“I’m sorry, Kiera,” I murmur, as I start to pace the crew room floor.
“They say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness,” a deep voice echoes from behind me with a hint of a laugh.
I turn to see Tank standing in the doorway, his eyes gleaming like he’s amused. Rolling my eyes, I huff and move over grabbing my cell and shove it in my pocket then I walk over to him. “I might just be going crazy, man.”
“Well, no better bunch of people to be going stark raving mad with than these rockers. I tell you, it’s easy to be crazy around them,” he jokes, and I smile. “But really, anything I can help you with?” he asks.
“Nah, man, thanks though. Just something I need to sort out on my own… somehow.”
He nods and raises his brow. “Ahh… I get it. Women trouble getting you down. Well, don’t worry, my friend. We get paid today, so you can go out and buy your girl, Kiera, something nice to make up for however you fucked up?”
“Thanks for letting me know. Tank you’re a legend.” That’s great news, I can send some money home to Gran to put away for Kiera’s procedure.
He chuckles and nods. “I know that. What I didn’t know is that you had a girl back home.”
“No, I don’t. Kiera’s my sister—”
“Hold up… you’re not into that Game of Thrones type of brother-sister relationship are you?” he asks.
“Oh, gross, dude. No. Come on now—”
He breaks out into a fit of laughter, putting up his hands in surrender, effectively cutting me off as he bends over clutching at his stomach. “Oh, bro, you should have seen your face… fuckin’ priceless.”
Reaching out, I slap him on the back of his head as he continues laughing at me while following me out.
“So, you stayed here again last night didn’t you?”
I nod. It will be weird seeing Effa again in a matter of minutes, after not talking to her since the night before last.
“Why didn’t you come to the hotel with us? You know your room’s paid for, right?”
I turn to look at him furrowing my brow.
I didn’t know that. It’s one of the reasons I stay here because I don’t want to spend money on unnecessary hotels. “What! That doesn’t seem like something bands normally do?”
“Yeah, these girls take care of their own. They hire a whole floor for the two bands and the crew. Pretty sure they have a room marked for you. You might have to share with someone, but at least you’ll have a bed and...” he sniffs the air, “… a shower.” He chuckles slightly.
“Okay. Right.” I quickly sniff under my arms. “Is this something they do at every stop?”
“Yep. If they don’t have an entire floor, they will get the penthouse and then hire rooms for us close by. These girls are something else. They really care about everyone on their team.”
“Yeah, I think I’m beginning to see that.”
We enter the backstage area, and there’s a few more people milling around now. They’ve been filing in since about lunchtime, sta
rting to get things ready for tonight’s final show before we move on to Colorado to set up for an intimate show in Denver at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre. I’ve had to work out a whole new lighting dynamic for that show as it’s a hell of a lot smaller, and the stage is only half the size of their typical setup. Plus, the audience size is intimate with just over nine thousand, so there will be no interactive effects, no waterfalls, only the girls and the lights to showcase their sound. ‘Going back to grassroots,’ so I was informed by Luke. I’m quite looking forward to Red Rocks actually, I’m sure Effa would have asked to go there.
After checking it out on the internet, it’s said to be a magical, spiritual, and emotional area being outside, set amongst a geological phenomenon of the only naturally occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world which is surrounded by plains that meet rocky mountains. A breathtaking wonder mixed with live music. I can see why musicians like Sting, U2, and The Beatles all performed there. I’m really looking forward to seeing it.
Jay walks up to us as we head to the backstage area and he smiles wide. “Yo… heard you stayed here again last night. You know that’s weird, right?” he calls out, and everyone around us laughs.
“Okay, okay, I get it. Don’t worry I’ll stay at the hotel with the rest of you tonight.”
A loud round of cheering echoes through the backstage area, and I burst out laughing as they all crowd around me. “Why guys, I didn’t know you liked me so much,” I tease.
“Shut up. We want all our team together. We don’t particularly like having a man out,” Tank expresses.
I like the team atmosphere. It’s a pleasant environment to work with.
Suddenly, a round of wolf-whistling rings out down the hall, and we all look around to see the girls making their way toward us. They’re not dressed in their concert attire just yet, but they’re all looking very stylish, except for Effa. I smile when I see her. She’s shoeless, makeup-less, her hair is down and looking extra wavy today. She’s wearing these crazy as hell pants, and a plain shoe stringed white top showing off her midriff that only just covers the fact that she isn’t wearing a bra.
She looks… like Effa.
She looks great.
On anyone else that look would be a complete failure, but on her it’s fucking hot, and I smile wide while staring at her. She looks so tiny and fragile, but I know beneath the tiny girl façade is a fierce woman who’s ready to take on the world.
“Cool it, guys,” Luke calls out to everyone as he walks behind them. And just like that my daze is broken.
Effa walks toward me along with the other girls. They’re talking amongst themselves as they approach, but I don’t miss the sly sideways glance Effa tries to hide as she walks past me. However, she doesn’t say a word and keeps walking. Alana looks to me with a wince and I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck in frustration. It’s hard to keep my thoughts in check when I don’t even know what it is I’m meant to be thinking. I hardly know Effa, having her being annoyed at me shouldn’t affect me, but knowing that I’ve upset her with my words sends an ache through my body that I can’t seem to shift. It makes the caring man in me want to go to her and try to make things better between us. But maybe sometimes space is the best answer. Sometimes not trying is the only way to try.
Tank lets out a small laugh. “Wow! I’ve never seen Effa give someone the cold shoulder. You’ve been here less than four days, and already you’ve pissed her off. Dude, what the hell did you do?”
“I was an asshole. She was nice, I was a dick, because Luke was in my face.”
“Mmm… Luke, the overbearing older brother type. He only steps in when he sees potential in something. Otherwise, he lets the girls run amok. So, if he stepped on your shoes about Effa, he sees a connection there with you two. Not trying to scare you off or nothing, but if you like the girl, which from the googly eyes I just saw you do… then don’t let Luke get in your way. I thought you had bigger balls than that, Mercs,” Tank states. He turns and walks away to start getting everyone in line for the evening.
Taking a deep breath, I straighten up giving myself the boost I need to grow my balls back. My feet start moving before I even think about what the hell I’m going to say. I really should be working this out in my head, but all I’m thinking about is how sexy the small of her back is, naked and exposed like that, as she stands facing Andi talking to her about something.
Alana sees me coming and opens her eyes wide like she didn’t expect me to make a move, but I don’t care. I need to let Effa know I didn’t mean what I said. That spending time, the kiss and holding her two nights ago meant something to me.
As I step up toward them, I hear Effa talking to Andi, and I can’t help but overhear her conversation. “So then Jett said he’d wait around for me after the show tonight—”
I stop on the spot just behind her. Alana shakes her head looking right at me as the other girls giggle.
“You and Jett are getting along so well,” Kristy interrupts.
Alana furrows her eyes at me and grabs Effa shaking her slightly. “Mercs.”
“He said his piece the other morn—”
“No, behind you,” she warns.
Effa turns to look at me. “Mercs,” her husky, velvet voice mumbles.
“Look, I’m not the type of guy who wants drama. So if you want to talk, I’ll find you at the after party. Right now, I have work to do.” I walk off toward the crew room, but she doesn’t follow me.
At this moment, though, all I really want to do is slam her against a wall and kiss the fuck out of her.
But what good would that do?
Chapter Nine
EFFA
My mind is still on watching Mercs walk away from me. I should have gone after him, but he said to wait until the after party to talk, so I let him walk. We’re just two ships in the night, pushing past each other with every tumultuous wave. I don’t know what he overheard from my conversation with the girls to make him talk about drama. I mean I was only saying that I was going to meet up with Jett after the show tonight to talk more about extending Swift Division’s set time.
Through the entire show, I kept thinking about whether Mercs was in the rafters looking down on me, watching me rock out, giving Phoenix another stellar performance. But all that did was distract me, so I focused on the show and tried to eliminate him from my mind.
That was until now when the lights are dimmed, the show’s all but over, the crowds are dispersed, and the energy is waning. Now that I’ve arrived at the after party I have time to think, time to reflect, and time to mull over what he might have to say.
“Effa… the music’s thumping, the drinks are flowing, the cocks are loud and proud and readily available. So, what’s with the mopey face, my friend?” Casey asks as she slides into the booth seat opposite me in the VIP room of the after party. Andi follows her, sliding in with a huge grin on her face.
“Did you see that chick with the barely-there skirt on? Fuck! I’d kill for those legs. She’s fucking hot as. Fuck me,” Andi sings, and Casey slaps her cousin in her boob and scowls at her.
“Stop wishing you had a more feminine body and pay attention, Andi, we’re having an existential crisis over here,” Casey snaps.
Andi’s smile falls, and she nods like she’s taking on a serious tone. “Right, okay, girl code. I gotcha. What’s happening?” She looks from Casey to me then back to Casey.
“Effa… the Effervescent, is mopey,” Casey conveys.
Andi nods like she understands completely where Casey’s coming from. “Ahh… yes, I see the crisis. Effa is never mopey. So if something’s making her quiet, then we need to fix it pronto. Because we need our Miss Bubbles back.”
“Did someone say bubbles?” Kristy calls out, as she rushes up and slides into the booth next to me puffing like she’s out of breath. Only Gaia knows why.
“Guys, really… thanks for looking out for me. But I am fine. I need to open my chakra and let the calming energy tak
e hold. Be one with the free spirits in the room. Live in the atmosphere surrounding us and enjoy the moment—”
They all look at me raising their brows as Kristy lets out a bemused laugh effectively interrupting me.
“Effa, I love you. I’ve been your best friend for years, but sometimes talking about things rather than opening your hooha helps too,” Kristy gushes making me giggle.
“Firstly, it’s opening your chakra, not your hooha—”
“Opening your hooha couldn’t hurt either,” Casey murmurs interrupting me.
I ignore her and tilt my head. “And, I guess I’m a little rattled by Mercs.”
“Ooohhh,” they all say in unison like they were expecting me to say that.
“What?” I ask and they all smile wide like they know some big secret. “Guys! What?”
Casey leans forward pursing her lips. “Word is he’s just as rattled by you. What the hell happened the other night?”
“No. I don’t think that’s right. Mercs said he wanted to forget the other night. Although, I am meeting up with him here tonight to have a chat.”
Andi rolls her eyes. “Tank thinks he really likes you, but Mercs is worried about job security.”
“Um… we sought him out. So job security? Yeah… his job is more secure than all of the crew. I guess he needs to know that, though.”
“Maybe overhearing you talking about Jett, after you guys spent a night together, is going to place doubt in any man’s mind.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I need to sort this shit out and now.”
“Go get him, girl. Get him to light up your world.” Casey breaks into a fit of laughter.
“Wow… really?” Andi asks as we all look over at Casey while she continues laughing at her own joke.
She nods frantically. “Yeah, ‘cause he’s a lighting technician—”
“Yeah, we got it. It was just really bad. Girl, your jokes are getting worse, I swear,” Andi teases with a smile. “Eff, just play it cool. Okay? Don’t go in all guns-a-blazing. His job is important to him. So think about what you guys want to do with this infatuation you seem to have with each other. Mercs is fucking good at what he does.” Her mouth sets in a hard thin line. “Remember that pact we made? That none of us would fuck around with him? We don’t want this thing you two have to ruin his place on our tour, just because you want to explore some weird ass connection you have with him,” Andi warns.
