Total Chaos (A.T.O.C. Part Two)

The Replacement

Chapter 15:

*The Next Day*

While Gerard finished the ending note of Mama, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked up from my box of confetti and saw that someone was holding a black phone out to me.

"It's for you," they said before turning and walking away to speak with another crew member.

I furrowed my eyebrows and held the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Hello, dear," the other end replied. I felt my stomach drop into my feet as I was greeted by an unfamiliar female voice.

"Who is this?" I asked, plugging my other ear with my finger and walking across the floor to the exit. Once the sound level decreased, I leaned against the cement wall of the back hallway.

"For shame. I would've thought that you would've had a guess. Try again," she challenged in an oddly sweet voice.

I was at a loss for words. I had never heard this woman before. It wasn't my mom, Donna, Lindsey, or any of the other girls associated with the guys.

Wait, she called me 'dear'. The last person to call me that was whoever wrote the notes to me.

I was speaking to the author of those notes.

Gena.

"Gena," I stated into the phone.

A chuckle. "Nope. Try again."

"Listen, I know it's you Gena. I don't know how the hell you got this number, but you need to stop. Fuck off and leave me alone."

I hung up and re-entered the backstage area. After returning the phone, I quickly filled the confetti cannon and stood by the edge of the stage to watch Gerard speak to the audience.

The high level of noise from the crowd and the concert itself, mixed with the phone call, I could feel a headache creeping into my skull.

I walked out the back entrance and left the building to return to the tour bus. Some medicine and quiet would do me some good.

I knocked on the shining black paint of the door and waited for an answer. A few moments later, the door cracked open and I saw a familiar eye look at me.

I swung the door open and saw a very fatigued Lindsey standing in black sweatpants and one of Gerard's t-shirts.

"Hey Anna," she greeted with a half smile. She yawned as she motioned for me to enter the bus.

I followed her and closed the door behind me. "Are you okay?" I asked as she collapsed on the couch.

She nodded her head and rested her forearm on her forehead and looked at me.

"Yeah, I just woke up from a nap."

"Oh, I didn't mean to wake you," I apologized, feeling guilty for interrupting her rest.

She shook her head. "Nah, I actually need to be up. I told Gerard that I'd be backstage for part of the show."

I nodded and walked to a cabinet above the tiny sink in the kitchenette. I dug around for a bottle of aspirin and plucked a pill from the container.

"Headache?" Lindsey asked as I placed in on my tongue.

I nodded again and took a drink from the running water of the faucet. Once I swallowed, I returned to the couch and placed Lindsey's legs across my lap so she could still lay down.

"Anything else from Zack?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I'm not really surprised, though. We can't talk without fighting about Gena. So until she's investigated, I'm not expecting anything."