Au Bord de la Mer - Redux

Hello Again

A/N: Hope you all are enjoying this :) This is one of the first few chapters where you'll see a lot of changes. I hope you dig them because I think they make it better and more believable. Let me know what you think! 

Traffic was a bitch. 

Cars filed themselves in endless lines, red lights appearing one after another, with no relief in sight. By the time Rylee was parked and able to walk up to Echo, she felt mentally and physically exhausted. Any thoughts of being nervous or awkward were long suppressed by irateness and the desire to be anywhere but behind the wheel. 

She slammed the car door, ignoring the concerned looks of those nearby, and stomped over to the arena. It was like any arena, really. Large. Bustling. Surrounded by more teenage girls than one could count on their hands. Rylee had underestimated just how many there would be, in all her anger. She had thought maybe a few dozen would be waiting to get in, but not the hundreds that sat camped out and wrapped around the building. Never that many. That was a sight to break through any emotion, especially anger, and leave one gobsmacked. 

The feeling lingered as she followed the crowd around the building, desperate to find its end. She was not sure it would ever end the longer she walked. It could be considered a mob with those numbers. A large, young, enthusiastic yet very intimidating mob. She was not sure if she should be concerned or impressed by the thought they may all be there for Matty.

Concern was what she decided by the time she got to the front of the line. Resting there were people who looked so exhausted, there was no way they could have been there for less than a day. Their tents said just about as much, too. She almost dared ask the people why, why they believed this was all worth it for some guys, when she caught sight of the person she was there to meet. Mr. large, bearded, and important.

He was accompanied by another large man, equally as terrifying, dressed in matching black, and ready to kick her ass at a moment's notice. They both looked down at her and frowned. Rylee shrunk back, hyperaware of just how out of place she was. 

"You need something, miss?" Mr. Beard's voice was thick and enough to strike fear in anyone, especially a smaller girl like herself. Rylee swallowed and ran a nervous hand through her hair to force herself to relax.

"Matty sent me." 

They both stared back, unfazed. Quite bold of her to think things would be that easy. She took a deep breath. 

"Erm, my name is Rylee Pateray, if that matters."

Apparently, it did. Something seemed to click in the bearded man just then. Sending a silent command with his eyes to the other guard, he pushed the door behind him open and motioned for Rylee to follow. It was an instant attention grabber to the sleepy crowd at the front. They all watched with wide-eyes and the simmering jealousy only fandom could bring as she did as commanded and made her way inside, ducking through the heavy black door. She could only imagine how frustrated their poor souls would be upon finding out how little she knew the band they had waited so long to see. They all probably deserved to be the VIP she was ten times over. Guilt began to well up in her gut, but she managed to somehow push forth with it.

Pull yourself together, girl.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the lower lighting inside. She was in a long hallway, and a quiet one at that. It was made of white cinderblocks and dotted with images of past concerts all the way down the hall. The bearded guard allowed her to stop and explore the photos for a minute or two. She examined them all as much as she could until he cleaned his throat and finally beckoned her to follow him once more. This time, their journey led Rylee to a room. This room was much easier to adjust to, but far more terrifying than the hall. It was marked with a paper displaying the words 'The 1975' in bold, dark black lettering.