by Krista Ames
“Hello, did I lose you?”
“Oh shoot, I’m sorry, my mind drifted there for a minute. My name Accalia but most people just call me Cali.”
“Well just Cali, it’s nice to officially meet you.”
“You too.”
She couldn’t help but smile every time he did, it was infectious.
“We should probably start working on these papers before they call one of us.”
Why couldn’t she date a guy like Reese? He was friendly, really cute and he smelled amazing.
“Why thank you.”
“What?”
“You said I smelled good.
Chapter Three
Derrick sat on the edge of his bed in the dark, staring out the window. His alarm clock flashed quarter til five in the am. Sleep was out of the question. Of all the places to perform, did it have to be right there? And why the hell did they wait til the last minute to tell him about it? Ash made a convincing argument about it being a worthy cause as most of the money would be going to the college campus housing and the crowd wouldn’t be near what a normal concert topped out at. For him it wasn’t about the hundreds in the crowd, he could deal with that every day. It was about the one girl that went to that college. Yes, there were thousands of other girls on that campus but he wasn’t still in love with all those other girls, he wanted Regan. In every way.
They had such a great relationship while they were together, practically a match made in heaven. When she was off in the summer, she even traveled with them and the guys were cool with hanging around. She wasn’t in the way and was a genuinely nice person. Plus, the guys liked her cooking. Derrick fell in love with her that summer. He hadn’t mean to but she was just so easy to love. At the beginning, he hadn’t expected it to last with her going back to school to get her masters.
He guessed some might consider her a groupie, but she was different. She agreed to go to his concert with friends under duress and they had to drag her backstage against her will but the first time he laid eyes on her he knew she was the one. They spent the next three days together and never even had sex. However, once they did, that was as amazing as she was. Not that he had a lot of experience in that field to begin with. The groupies that hounded them at every concert and every hotel they stayed in never interested him. Probably the reason he could focus so well on his music.
“That’s it.” Why hadn’t he thought of it before?
It was true he loved the music before he met her. He’d grown up loving it, the beat matched the rhythm of his heart. But she made him a new, better man that had room for both. When she left, she’d taken his heart with her and left him half a man. Uninspired. Falling into a world where he no longer cared about anything. And that included his music. Didn’t feel the same anymore without her. It happened gradually, he hadn’t noticed til now. When Ash forced him to with the college concert.
He didn’t blame her for leaving, his wasn’t a life that most could deal with. The thing about it was, now that he had a glimpse of himself with someone he loved, he didn’t want his old life back.
“Jesus, be honest for once in your fucking life. She didn’t leave you because of your lifestyle, she left because you screwed her over in a moment of weakness.”
“Are you talking to yourself?”
“Shit man, don’t sneak up like that.” He wasn’t used to having anyone in his space. Ash usually went home to his own place but they were on the wrong end of town once they’d gotten a passed-out Ollie to his own place.
“Sorry bud, didn’t mean to. I was going in search of coffee when I heard voices.”
“Just in here beating myself up.” Same thing he’d been doing since before Afterthought decided to take a break.
“Well knock that shit off. What-the-hell good does it do to dwell on the past. You can’t change the things you did.”
“Thanks genius, I know that.” Ash was nothing if not straight to the point.
“Christ Derrick, it’s time you got out of this funk. We’re all suffering for it. You know you are the best at writing our music and we’re all itching to get back out there.”
“Well you just said I can’t change the shit I did so what now?”
“Damn, are you that dense? You may not be able to change any of it but you can make amends.” When Derrick looked at Ash like he had two heads he elaborated. “Fix things, you know, apologize and talk it out? Ask for forgiveness.”
Derrick ran his hands through his hair. The thought of having to face her now scared the shit out of him. “I don’t even know if she’d talk to me at this point.”
“Guess you won’t know til you try huh? Now where do you keep the damn coffee, I need it bad.”
***
Marci covered Regan with the comforter on her bed as she sobbed and mumbled incoherently, asking the same question multiple times.
“Tell me again how she knew about the concert?”
“Honey, you need to sleep, you’ve had too much alcohol.” But really, she hadn’t. She didn’t feel it at all. She was just in shock. Why would Afterthought be having a concert at the college, were they trying to garner attention to come back out again? She remembered hearing that they were taking a break because the band members were all burned out from the traveling. She didn’t really believe it. She’d traveled with them, she’d seen it first-hand. They lived for that life. It was a hard life but all four of them loved it.
“Just tell me.” Regan breathed out the words between sobs.
“Okay, okay…the waitress was pretty flighty but she claims DJ was at the bar earlier, out on the deck drinking. The rest isn’t important but she said she overheard someone in the bar say Afterthought was doing a benefit concert on Saturday to help raise money for new dorms at the college. I don’t know Regan, she could be right but I just don’t know.”
Regan was speechless. They needed to find out for sure. She didn’t remember seeing any fliers around campus but then again, she didn’t really pay too much attention to her surroundings when she was walking to class.
“Can I ask you something Regan?” She only nodded her head. Words were hard to form.
“I promised you a long time ago I wouldn’t interfere in your relationship when you started dating DJ but maybe, if it is true and he’s coming here, don’t you think you should try to talk to him?”
She shook her head dramatically then covered her eyes with her hands. “I wouldn’t know what to say.”
“You haven’t talked to the man since that night, right? Maybe it’s time to hash it out like rational adults.”
“I don’t know how to be rational when I’m around him. I saw him downtown once. He didn’t see me so I ducked into the tack store and his behind one of the racks until he’d passed by.”
“Good lord, really?”
“Yes really. I told you, I get all fluttery and tongue tied when I see him and I panic.”
“And why do you think that is?”
“I don’t know, maybe because I’m angry that he could so easily cheat on me when presented with a way sexier and much prettier girl.”
“Are you sure that’s what he did?”
“Are you kidding me?” Regan threw off the comforter and jumped from her bed to pace around her bedroom.
“Jesus Regan, let’s just stop for a minute and rehash that night okay?” She stopped pacing and sat on the window sill, staring out into the back yard where the sun was starting to come up.
“I’ve been coddling you long enough. I can’t see you mope around here anymore. I’m tired of walking on egg shells and the other girls shouldn’t have to.”
“Have I been that bad?” Regan’s face fell in defeat. Marci sat down beside her, throwing an arm around her shoulder.
“You have but it’s okay. I really want to help you with this. Know what I think?”
“Geez, it’s hard to tell. You’re always so closed off and quiet.” Both women laughed.
“Yeah I have a badass reputation to uphold yo
u know. Anyway, what I honestly think is that you’re still in love with him but you’re holding a grudge because of what you think he did.” Marci watched Regan’s face run through a few different emotions. The important thing is that she never denied it. She couldn’t because she knew Marci was right. She got hurt but she never got over him. However, she didn’t want to confront him.
Marci was waiting on an answer. She wouldn’t accept anything but what she wanted to hear. Did Regan have it in her to deal with it?
“Okay, okay…you’re right. I do still love him and I’m miserable. I have been trying really hard to focus on school because I also need to pass and get my degree but he…” she took a deep breath to gather her thoughts. “He consumes my every waking moment and it drives me batty.”
“Well men are like that in general from my experience, the driving us batty part but my question is…is it still worth it to be mad enough at him to not talk it out? Did you actually see him screw that other girl?”
And there it was, the million-dollar question. She hated it when Marci made sense. She was good at gloating too, damn her.
“Why is it that you know so much?”
Her friend laughed and walked across the room to Regan’s closet.
“I wish that were true. It’s just that I know you sweetheart. Sleep is overrated at this time of the morning so let’s see what little hot numbers you have in your closet to wear to a concert, for you and me.”
Chapter Four
Derrick and Ash sat in the living room going over a playlist of songs while they waited for the other two members of their bad. Derrick picked at his guitar, loosening up his fingers but was having serious doubts.
“Are you sure I should do this?”
“Do what? Sing? Hell yes, now decide what song you think we should open with.”
“No that’s not what I meant.”
“Let me guess…Regan?” He shouldn’t be still thinking about her when they had a lot of work to do to get ready but he couldn’t help it. He was nervous to see her. Ash said he’d call her and work it out so she would be there but the more he thought about it, the more nervous he got.
“Did you get ahold of her yet?”
“Don’t worry about it okay? I told you I’d take care of it. Now focus.” Ash pointed to the papers on the table in front of Derrick. The doorbell rang.
“Nope, you stay put, I’ll get the door.” Ash ran to let the guys in.
The three band members piled into Derrick’s living room carrying drums, guitars, and food.
“Hot damn Ollie, you’re a fucking life saver. DJ can’t shop for shit. It’s a wonder he hasn’t withered away from the lack of food in this house.”
“I have food, you guys are just junkies. I have the healthy stuff, you know, to keep me alive?”
“That’s rabbit food, and it tastes horrible. Now, you should have a piece of this mushroom and sausage pizza. It’s extra cheesy and double the grease.” Keaton was a party boy through and through. He could survive on a couple of hours’ sleep, cold pizza and beer for breakfast and still outlast the other three on a good day.
“Jesus Keaton, that’s a heart attack in a box. Put that shit down and let’s have a jam session. I’m sure you all got rusty while you were out fucking off.”
“Jesus DJ, just shut up and count down.” Ash to the rescue again. They’d be lost without him to keep them on track.
“Hey Ash, I think we have a new job for you.”
“My singing not good enough for you?” They could also add smartass to his list of accomplishments.
“No, you fit that bill, you’re just bossy so maybe you should be our manager. That way we don’t have to pay that stupid shit we had last year.”
“Ha, very funny.” But it wasn’t a bad option and he could see Ash’s wheels turning as he thought about it too.
“I’m actually being serious. You are way more organized and you always keep the rest of us on task and what else is there that the other guy did that you can’t handle?”
“And we actually like you.” Keaton chimed in with his two cents between greasy pizza bites.
Ollie played a few high-pitched cords. “Can we start playing already?”
Ash stared at Derrick, shook his head then adjusted the mic stand.
“All right, let’s go over this playlist once. I think Mr. Music man picked a good flow.” Derrick cracked a smile. Felt like things might start falling into place just a little, one thing at a time.
“Ready? 1, 2, 3…”
***
“So, is this really happening?” Regan had one three-hour social class that day but spent the entire time rehashing the speech she’d prepared to confront Derrick with. Thank god, the professor had a bad habit of not looking up from his lecture book for most of the class. However, she might need to find someone to copy the class notes from.
“Yep really happening.” Marci brushed out her short pixie-cut hair and sprayed it in place.
“Did you call Derrick?” She wanted to ask her friend earlier but kind of didn’t want to know at the same time.
“Everything is under control okay? Don’t you worry about a thing. Just get yourself all dolled up and looking hot and let me handle the rest.”
Regan looked at Marci who was smiling as she applied eye liner.
“Yeah not worried at all, just so you know. And that was total sarcasm if you didn’t notice.”
“Regan I’m not giving you the details. You don’t need to know because you’ll only stress out and I’m not playing twenty questions with you. Now hurry it up, we need to leave.”
“I thought it didn’t start til eight?”
“It doesn’t but we have another stop, so move it.” Marci grabbed her hooker looking pumps and left the room.
“Do you need your tip belt to go with those shoes?” Marci ignored her but she could hear her dropping things into the blender. Good idea, she might need a stiff drink to get her loosened up.
“What in the world did I agree to.” She finished her makeup and pinned her hair up into a messy bun and grabbed the flats that matched her cover girl pin-up red dress. She didn’t want to wear it but Marci didn’t give her much choice. Something about making sure that everyone noticed her. After trying numerous times unsuccessfully to adjust the girls into the front of the dress, she felt more like a hooker than a college girl on the verge of getting her master’s degree and she was more than sure she’d get attention she didn’t want.
“Quit messing with your boobs for Chrissake, you were blessed and you shouldn’t try to hide them. Not that you could in that dress anyway.” Marci laughed as she handed Regan a frozen pineapple daiquiri.
“This is the last time I let you dig in my closet.”
“Fat chance, I love your closet. I think I’ll start wearing your clothes instead of mine.
“Ooh that’s strong. What did you put in this drink?” Regan was not the drinker of the bunch and when she’d had too much her mouth got a little loose. Said things she probably shouldn’t say.
“Don’t worry about it, just drink up, we have to go.”
“Why are we in a hurry? I can’t drink all this now, can’t I take it with me?”
“Good lord, I suppose but let’s go.” Marci moved her arms in a sweeping motion toward the front door, hollering to the others as well.
“We’re not going alone?”
“No, we’re better in numbers. Now quit asking so many questions will ya?”
Regan mimicked turning a key on her lips then throwing it, didn’t say another word, and followed Marci out. While they waited at the curb out front, she could hear Suzy shouting her excitement as the door flew open.
Suzy rushed up on Regan then apologized for her outburst. “I’m so sorry, that was a little overzealous. I’m just super excited y’all invited me to come along with you. It’s flippin’ Afterthought, ahhhhh.”
So much for Regan thinking she could hide in the crowd and keep a low profile. No doubt just a
bout every breathing female from the college would be there hoping they’ll get noticed buy any one of the guys in the band, including Suzy. Well at least Keaton would have his pick. That was what he lived for after all. The guys gave him a hard time but she thought he was a nice guy, and a hearty eater.
Suzy started flapping her arms, jumping up and down and Regan turned to see what she was freaking out about.
Marci moved toward the car as it came to a stop and the driver climbed from the front seat.
Oh, my god! “Who rented a limo?”
Chapter Five
The dull roar of the crowd outside their tent pounded out an anxious tempo and his pulse met the beat. Derrick was surprised that Ash and the guys had gone to such lengths to make this work and keep it from him at the same time. Their stage had been erected in the center of the courtyard with a rented tent as their waiting area. They literally thought of everything, including guards to monitor the fenced courtyard and their body guards were right outside waiting to usher in the small group of people for a meet and greet. If Keaton had anything to do with it, they would all be girls.
Ash got a signal from the door and called all the guys out to the table in the middle of the tent where they were serving soft drinks and snacks.
“How many are we expecting anyway?” Derrick directed his question to Ash who wasn’t paying any attention.
“I don’t care how many there are as long as they’re cute.” Keaton was such a hound dog.
“Dang man, can you try not to hump anyone in public at least?” Ollie was laughing but they should all probably watch Keaton closely just in case. The boy had nothing but drums and sex on the brain.
The group filtered in one at a time until they were all standing in a mass in front of the guys. Brit, their bodyguard went over the rules with the women, and they were all women, not that Derrick was surprised. Keaton must have been part of that decision.
They organized a few small clusters in a greet line so they got to meet everyone and spend a few minutes talking personally with them. They had stock photos for everyone that each band member could sign as well. Felt good to know they hadn’t lost their appeal in the time they’d been gone. As they finished talking with a small group, Brit would escort them out so another could move up.
