Confessions of the Band P.A. (The Strypes)

EVAN

He can be downright intimidating when you first meet him.

This one don’t talk a lot if you’re new company. When I met him he gave me a firm handshake, a brief nod, and a short “Hello.” He wasn’t smiling like the other lads. I could imagine if I was applying for a job, Evan would be one of those corporate guys who give you a hard time during interviews.

Apparently, he wasn’t initially convinced that The Strypes needed a P.A. Also, he wasn’t that impressed when I got hired. Not because I’m a girl (in all fairness to this lad, his views on gender rights are pretty solid. The last thing that he would do is to take it against me just because I’m a female), but because I didn’t come across as ‘responsible’ and ‘patient.’ Oh please.

Hey, I may have been into a lot of troubles (mind you these are troubles initiated by the lads themselves and I was just a willing participant and a victim since I always get the sanctions), but god knows I’m doing my part as the band P.A. Oh Evan knows this too, because I wouldn’t be in his hotel room right now rummaging through every nook of his closet and his suitcase just to find one of his missing yellow checkered socks. Ha! He thinks The Strypes doesn't need a P.A. but he always come running to me to help him find his socks.

I looked at the clock and it’s already half-past six. I need to drive him to the venue by 7pm which is 30 minutes before their gig. We were the only ones left in the hotel and Evan was crouching on his open luggage already dressed in his black button-up shirt, bolo tie, skinny trousers and his curly hair slightly tamed by a small amount of mousse. His blazer was neatly spread on the bed while everything else in his room was in shambles. We’ve been searching for almost an hour and Evan was walking around the room with a bare right foot and a sock on his left.

“We still can’t find it, Ev.” I tossed aside one of his black sweaters back in the luggage. He has too many sweaters.

“It must be somewhere here, Y/N.” Evan muttered while he continues looking in the other closet. I just sighed defeated and checked the drawers once again. I’m hundred percent positive that no socks were included in the last laundry, not Evan’s socks anyways because his pairs are mostly bright in color. Josh’s and Pete’s are always on the neutral designs while Ross chose to wear mostly plain ones.

“I heard you talked to dad about something going to Uni.” Evan said. He crouched to look underneath his bed. It’s always like this whenever we search for his missing sock. While we’re in the middle of the hunt, Evan would randomly ask me about myself and just about what’s going on. I just assumed this is his way of being friendly or some sort of ‘obligation’ since he’s the son of the manager and would like to know the welfare of the band’s P.A. I have to admit, the sock hunt and these chats made our relationship ‘warmer’. Evan never treated me bad, no, but he was initially aloof and snobby with me. The first time he asked for my help to search for his socks, I found the missing item after five minutes but we ended up talking for the next hour and a half.

Yes, I think Evan’s the only one among the lads whom I can always have a proper chat. Sometimes Josh. Ross is very random. Pete? Nah, it’s always the weirdest shit with him.

Evan’s like his father. He listens and he gives logical comments. I’ve heard people telling him that he’s wise for his age. I’m just a year older than him and I agree. Once he’s comfortable with you, he’s so easy to be with. Sometimes he would just give me a nod of acknowledgment and just sit nearby doing his own thing but he’s always present. You just have that feeling that, he’s there… like maybe a tiny Buddha but with a tiny face and loads of hair.

I was folding some of the clothes in one of the drawers and turned to him. “Well, it’s a discussion with my parents, you know they think of this P.A stint as my sort of a gap year…and I just brought it up to Niall for advice.”