Behind the Mask

by J. L. Ostle

  “Let’s get them in, then we go,” I tell Naomi.

  “Yay.” Naomi claps her hands.

  I wait for the band to head in the club. Naomi and I walk behind them with Rich and Gav right behind us toward the VIP area. The place is full of people. I see a huge man with a shaved head and big arms moving the red rope to let the guys in. Once we get closer the guy puts the rope back in place.

  “We are with the band,” I say.

  “Of course you are,” he says, crossing his arms.

  “I am getting sick of this shit,” I complain.

  “Let us in or I swear we will get your ass fired,” Naomi says angrily. I know she’s pissed off already by what she saw Troy doing, so I know she is ready to punch someone.

  “Go ahead,” the goon says blankly.

  “I swear to God,” I grumble. “Richard, Gavin, I give you permission to shoot him,” I say, my hands on my hips. I swear I see Rich’s lips turn up a little in amusement.

  “They are with the band. This feisty one is the lead guitarist’s, little sister,” he explains.

  “Why didn’t you say so?” The idiot moves the rope for us.

  “We said we were with the band,” Naomi says in a mock voice. “Hate this place already.”

  The guy blows her a kiss, Naomi gives him the finger before walking toward where the band is.

  “Thanks, Rich,” I say.

  “No problem, it’s always fun watching you try to explain you’re with the band. Maybe we should put a stamp on your forehead.” He stands straighter, getting in work mode.

  “I think I might have to,” I say before heading to the bar. When the bartender spots me, he gives me a warm smile. I look him up and down, feeling a little better.

  “What can I get you, beautiful?”

  I smile sweetly at him. “Two vodkas, lime and lemonade, please.”

  He gives me a nod and I watch him make our drinks.

  “Now that’s a nice view,” Naomi says. We both go on our tiptoes as we watch the bartender bend over to grab something, showing off his very nice ass. “Very nice.” We both laugh.

  “You two fans?” The bartender sets down our drinks, pointing to the band.

  “Kind of,” Naomi says. “We kind of work with them.”

  His eyes widen in surprise. “I bet that’s fun.”

  “You would think so,” Naomi says, taking a big drink.

  “That bad?” He looks at me.

  “It can be. We are just having one of those days,” I tell him.

  “Just think it’s almost over,” he says before walking away to serve someone else. I couldn’t agree more.

  “Amen,” Naomi shouts. “After this, we are out of here.”

  I nod in agreement.

  We both turn to watch the band and they are either doing shots, sucking face or something similar to sex. I must be a glutton for punishment as I look for Nate and he has one of the blondes pressed against the wall as they are in a heated kiss.

  “Hey, little sister.” Tegan stumbles toward us. I can tell she is drunk. “Having fun?”

  “Yeah, loads,” I say sarcastically.

  “Me too. I love that everyone loves me.” She waves around the room. I roll my eyes. “I am in the most wanted band. Men would kiss my feet just to get in my bed.”

  You have slept with the guy I like.

  “Mom and Dad would love knowing I held up their dream.”

  Tears prickle my eyes.

  “They wanted us to be happy,” I tell her.

  “I know, but you know they loved music. Music is in our blood.”

  I down my drink.

  “Well, you are in the music industry.” She hiccups. “You are my PA. My goffer.” She giggles. “Who would have thought our parents’ little angel would clean up after my shit.” She laughs. My eyes brim with tears, but it’s like she doesn’t notice. “Would clean up my puke.” She laughs harder.

  “Think you had too much to drink,” Naomi says, pulling me behind her. “Maybe you should sober up.”

  “What’s it got to do with you? Who are you again?” Tegan almost loses her balance.

  “You got to be kidding me,” Naomi says in frustration.

  “Whatever, it’s okay, my sister will help look after me.” She pats my head like a dog. “Wouldn’t you, sis?”

  “I think I’m going to head home,” I say, walking away.

  “Will see you soon,” Tegan singsongs.

  I quickly walk away, brushing the tears away with the back of my hand. I can’t believe she brought up our parents. It’s like she wanted to hurt me on purpose.

  Throw in my face how great her life is.

  “I swear I wanted to throat punch that bitch. That was so harsh.” Naomi links her arm through mine.

  “She’s drunk.” Is all I say.

  “A nasty drunk. I’m just happy I’m finally leaving.” We head to Rich and Gav. They scowl when they see me.

  “Who the fuck upset you?” They look behind us, looking like a person will just appear who they can kick their ass.

  “My sister was just being as loving as ever.” Their eyes soften.

  “Don’t let her get to you,” Rich says, holding on to my shoulder.

  “I personally think she’s jealous.” Gav shrugs.

  Yeah, she’s jealous of me doing everything for the stupid band. I am starting to get sick of it now. How long can I keep doing this and not getting any gratitude from it?

  “Now that’s funny. I’m heading home with Naomi if they ask where I am.” I laugh, shaking my head. “If they do, tell them I’m unreachable.” I walk around them. I don’t wait for the bouncer to open the rope. I do it myself, letting me and Naomi through.

  “Bye, ladies,” he says, winking at Naomi, and she gives him the finger again.

  “I swear I might go lesbian,” Naomi says once we are outside.

  “I think I might join you. We should just be lesbians together. We already make each other happy,” I joke.

  “Yeah, we so should. But I will miss cock too much.” She frowns.

  “We could get those dick strap-ons.” I offer her.

  “We could. Okay, we are now lovers.” She gives my cheek a loud, wet kiss.

  “The best of lovers.”

  We laugh. We head to the limo. Max is reading a book. I knock on the window, waiting for him to put it down.

  “We are heading home.”

  “Need a lift?”

  “We are going to get a cab. They might need you. Most of them are drunk, so good luck with that.”

  “Yeah, I bet on someone throwing up,” Naomi adds. Max’s face scrunches up.

  “Oh great.”

  Naomi and I look at each other and laugh. “Have fun,” we say in unison, waving before walking down the street, waiting for a cab to drive by. Once we see one and hail it down, we climb in, sighing into our seats.

  “I am so looking forward to my bed.”

  “Me too.” I am looking out of the window when I hear my phone ringing. Naomi groans, recognizing it’s one of the band members.

  “Don’t answer it.”

  I debate, but it could be important.

  “Hello,” I say, pressing accept. Naomi groans out louder.

  “Blair, you need to get back. It’s Tegan,” Sam says in a worried voice.

  “I am not cleaning up her sick. If she’s passed out, you will have to deal. I’m tired and I’m almost home,” I say in a stern voice.

  “You go, girl.” Naomi cheers me on.

  “There was an accident. She was on the bar and fell. We are taking her to the hospital.”

  I sit up straighter. “Is she okay?” I rub my forehead.

  “What’s wrong?” Naomi asks me.

  “She’s in a lot of pain. Her hand, it looks bad. You need to come back. We are all drunk and it’s hard for me to talk right now.”

  “Okay, I will meet you at the hospital.”

  “Thanks, kiddo.” He hangs up.

  “W
e need to go to the hospital,” I tell her driver and he soon turns around, going in the opposite direction we were going in.

  “What the fuck has happened?” Naomi shouts.

  “Tegan had an accident. From what Sam was saying, she may have broken her hand.” I bite my lip.

  “God karma works fast,” Naomi says under her breath, but I heard her.

  “That’s my sister,” I tell her, glaring at her.

  “I know she is, but how she treats you, I swear karma got sick of her shit.”

  “She may have seriously hurt herself, damaged her hand.” I defend my sister.

  “I don’t want to fight with you. I am sure she will be okay.” I sit back, crossing my arms. I know Tegan upset me before, but she’s my sister. I wouldn’t want any harm coming to her. At the end of the day, she’s my only blood relative left.

  Once we reach the hospital, I pay the driver, running out, heading to the receptionist and asking where my sister is. She types on her computer and tells me she’s on the third floor. I don’t even wait for the elevator. I find the stairs, running up two at a time. I look left then right, wondering where I should go. When I spot Troy, I run to him.

  “Blair.” Troy jogs toward me, hugging me.

  “How’s Tegan? Is she okay?”

  “The doctor is with her. They just did an X-ray, so we should know soon,” Sam says. Taking a seat, I see Nate sitting in the corner, his body slumped forward, his hands in his hair. I ignore him, looking away.

  It doesn’t take long until a doctor walks toward us. I stand up, waiting to hear what he says. “Are you family?”

  Everyone says yes.

  I step forward. “She is my older sister.”

  The doctor nods, looking at each member of the band before looking back at me. “Your sister is fine, but she has a couple of broken bones, nothing serious. It’s in a cast and should heal nicely.”

  “So…” Sam starts to talk but soon we hear Tegan screaming.

  “Three weeks,” she shrieks.

  “Yes, she won’t be able to play for three weeks,” the doctor adds.

  “Fuck.”

  “Shit,” Sam and Troy say at once.

  “Is there no way she can play sooner? We are on tour, we can’t really cancel,” Sam says in a pleading voice.

  “I’m sorry, but bones are a delicate thing. If you don’t let them heal, it may cause permanent damage.”

  “Thank you, Doctor, can we take her home?” I ask.

  “Of course.” He smiles warmly at me. “Plus, a few of my nurses are kind of scared of her.” We both chuckle. I watch him walk away.

  “Shit, shit, shit. What are we going to do?” Sam pulls his hair. “We are fucked.”

  I look at each of the guys and they all have that deer caught in headlights look.

  “You just need a temporary replacement,” Naomi says, shrugging.

  “Can we do that?” Sam looks at Nate and he is pacing up and down. “It’s only for three weeks.”

  “Tegan is going to shit a brick if someone takes her spot,” Troy says with an unsure look.

  “But what choice do we have? Cancel the tour, give back all that money?”

  “We have to give the money back?” Troy asks, looking worried.

  “Duh, if people paid for tickets to watch a show, if there’s no show, then yeah, they have to give a refund,” Sam explains. Troy slumps in a seat.

  “I guess we need to start looking for a replacement guitarist. Do we know any?” Troy looks around.

  I look at Naomi, who is looking at me with a wicked smile. I ignore her, looking back at the guys, but I can feel her eyes burning a hole through me.

  “We will speak to Jeffery, tell him to set up auditions,” Nate finally says, getting his phone out and making a call. Jeffery is the manager of the band. He’s a bit of a dick, but because I keep things in line he’s hardly around.

  Thank God.

  The guy is a real sleaze.

  “Who is going to tell Tegan?” Troy asks.

  “Dibs not doing it.” Everyone apart from Nate says as he’s on the phone.

  “I guess Nate is doing it. Shit to be him right now.” Troy laughs, leaning back in his chair. Once Nate is off the phone, he walks over and we are all looking at him.

  “Auditions will be set up for tomorrow as we need a replacement ASAP. I still can’t believe Tegan broke her fucking hand. Does she not know her limits on drink?”

  I give him a pointed look.

  He can talk.

  I stand up, walking up to him, anger taking over. “You are such a hypocrite. You drink until you pass out. I have seen you lie in your own vomit. I have lost count of how many times I had to get you into bed.”

  “Oh, I,” Troy says, waggling his eyebrows, and I give him the finger as Naomi slaps him across the head.

  “You are all to blame when it comes to your drinking. You are as bad as each other, so don’t go being all dickheads because Tegan does what you all do and act like total idiots once drink is in your system.” I huff and puff. Nate looks down at me with hardened eyes.

  “I never asked you to do any of that.”

  I laugh. “Fine, next time I will let you wake up in a puddle of sick. No skin off my nose. Tegan is going to be heartbroken when she finds out there’s going to be a replacement, so get over yourself.” I step away.

  “Who knew that kiddo had a backbone.” Troy stands, pulling me into his side.

  “She gets it from me,” Naomi says proudly, I roll my eyes. Troy pulls her to his other side. She looks up at him with dreamy eyes, already forgetting about the other girl he was basically finger fucking back at the concert.

  “Okay, so, Nate, you go tell Tegan what’s what. We wait here,” I say sweetly and he looks at each of us.

  “Why do I have to?” He acts like a baby.

  “Because we already dibbed not to.” Troy smiles.

  “Great, just what I need.” He storms off where Tegan is and we tiptoe closer to the room and it doesn’t take long for us to hear Tegan scream out every swear word under the sun.

  All the way back home Tegan screeched and shouted how everyone is against her and that it’s a way to kick her out of the band. Naomi hasn’t said a word, but every time I look at her, I see she is trying to hold back a smile.

  I head straight to my room, wanting sleep. The day ended on a bad note and I am ready for it all to be over. Naomi is humming as she follows me up. Once we are behind closed doors, I face her with a suspicious look.

  “You have been acting funny ever since the hospital, now spill.” I watch as she sits on my bed, leaning back on her hands like she doesn’t have a care in the world.

  “Well, you know the band is going to need a replacement?”

  “God, don’t remind me. Whoever they get, Tegan is going to make her life hell.”

  Naomi sits up, looking at me with a huge smile. It’s starting to freak me out.

  “Naomi, stop looking at me like that.” I push her arm.

  “You should audition for the part.”

  I gape at her, thinking I imagined the words that just popped out of her mouth.

  “Are you drunk?” I stand up, facing her. “No, not drunk, crazy. You are crazy. I’m not good enough for Blacken Hart.”

  “Of course you are. You are amazing. You can so do this.” Naomi stands up, holding on to my arms. “You know every song. You know you can play anything. There is no harm in trying out. If you don’t get it, at least you tried.”

  I step away, scratching my head.

  “Tegan won’t let me audition. Once she sees me she will put a stop to it.” I slump in the chair near my desk. “It’s a nice thought, but I can’t do that. The guys won’t take me seriously.”

  Naomi comes to me, kneeling down, looking up at me.

  “I wouldn’t be asking you to do this if I didn’t think you were amazing enough. Once they see you play, they are going to beg you to join them. Why not you audition without them knowing i
t’s you?” She stands up, pacing.

  “What, like send them a video? Like from the film Jem? Put on a wig and makeup so they don’t notice it’s me?” I start laughing, but Naomi doesn’t.

  “No, too cliché. You put on a mask, a masquerade mask. You don’t say a word. You just play and let them make up their minds,” she says, proud of herself.

  “This isn’t going to work.” I stand up, but she pushes me back down in my seat.

  “It will. Now get some beauty sleep. Your new life starts tomorrow.” She shrieks, heading to the bathroom. I sit there, shaking my head.

  They are going to tell it’s me.

  I’m not good enough.

  Once Tegan finds out, I know she will make sure I quit.

  What am I getting myself into?

  “I think I’m going to be sick.” I place my hand on my stomach to stop the butterflies from somersaulting. Why am I even doing this?

  “You are going to be great. You know their music, you are a badass with the guitar. They are going to want you after two seconds of hearing you play.” Naomi places her hands on my shoulders. “You got this.”

  I suck in a deep breath, nodding. “Okay. I got this.” Dammit, my voice shakes. Good job I’m not singing.

  “Don’t forget this.” She places a black lace masquerade mask on me. I am sure Tegan would stop me before I get to play if she saw me standing in front of them.

  “Do I look okay?” I look down at my skinny jeans and T-shirt that hangs from one shoulder. I probably look stupid with the mask on, but it’s a must.

  “You look great.” She beams at me.

  I just wish I had her confidence. Playing for Blacken Hart would be a dream come true, even if it is just temporary until my sister’s hand is healed. My life will be so different for three weeks.

  “Two, one, two.” The lady who has been calling out the attendees turns my way, looking at me. Now I definitely feel like I’m going to be sick.

  Oh shit, what if I throw up?

  “Just breathe. Remember you are good. Now show them what they are missing.” Naomi gives me a little push to the woman, and I start walking on shaky legs to the stage. I look around the gigantic room, seeing my sister, Tegan, Sam, Troy, and of course Nate watching me.

  Just luck will have it, I stumble over my feet, almost landing on my face. Tegan smiles devilishly. Sam shakes his head and my eyes go to Nate, but like always his face shows no emotion. I stand on the marked spot on the floor and the lady walks to the band, handing over my application, which Naomi helped me fill in.