How I feel when I'm around you (System Of A Down)(EN)

First day

-Nikki-

If I had to sum up the day until this moment I'd use two words: crowd and hotness.

There are many bands that will go on stage before the guys so we all stay there in the backstage, already sweating and just being in the middle of the morning, there's a screen made of white clouds in front of the sun but it only makes the hot weather worse; the tech team and I do a check-up to see if everything's alright for later and there isn't any problem, luckily.

After a time that seemed very long another band goes away from the stage and see these guys pass in front of us looking tired but happy and after checking the setlist of bands we get to know it's time for the guys to play; from the rear I watch Sako and some other guys adjust instruments and wires, feeling a strange ticklish sensation in my stomach.

«Are you okay, lil thing?»

Daron's voice interrupts the stream of my thoughts and I slightly boggle before turning to face him: he's dressed with dark clothes, his eyes are painted with black kajal and he already has his guitar in the hand, seems to be really ready. «Yup.»

«Are you anxious?»

«Just a bit. And you?»

«Yep, too, but once I'm on stage I only feel the music and the good sensations, let go and don't mind my anxiety anymore.»

«That's good.»

«C'mon, Daron, it's time!» Serj comes up and avoid us an embarrassing silence; the guitarist winks at me before meekly following the singer, then I join the tech team in a zone that is halfway between a side and the back of the stage so we can watch.

The start-up song is "Prison song" from the most recent album and I recognize it almost immediately. The live version of the song is very nice and the guys manage to stay on stage beautifully: John is totally focused, with his eyes directed towards an unknown point, Shavo keep the rhythm moving his head, Serj gestures and moves a lot and then there's Daron who is a crazy splinter full of energy. 

I think they're so adorable... then I stop and notice that, in an undefinite moment, the youngest member of the band has thrown his t-shirt away and keeps going on playing half naked, my cheeks flush and burn and I try to hide this.

After the third song we hear a crash and acknowledge there's something wrong: the barriers in front of the stage have collapsed, and they ask to cut short the setlist. The guys confer quickly with the gaze, then the guitarist plays an improvised kind of cover of "Goodbye blue sky" by Pink Floyd, in which the singer joins him, then goes on with "China Girl" by Iggy Pop rearranged in a similar way before the band greets the public and goes towards the backstage.

«Shit» Daron mutters, sulky, drying himself with a towel after refreshing himself with a bit of water.

«It's not your fault if the barriers were probably not very safe» I try to cheer him up, staying near. «Your exhibition has been awesome, take my word.»

«That's comforting» he smiles.

A sharp hoot makes us boggle and everyone's attention goes to the person who's just arrived; I see a brunette, apparently younger than me, barely dressed with a fishnet t-shirt, some bikini's black bra, skimpy shorts and purple Converse coming towards us and then I see Serj and Shavo rolling their eyes... she's probably a groupie. Shit, we didn't really need this right now.

«Hi guys!» she greets everyone happily but no one of the guys approach her for a hug or a kiss.

«Hello, Tina» Shavo replies without any hints of friendliness.

«How are you doing? I'm sorry for what happened, but you've been awesome» she continues, imperturbable; now that she got nearer I sense her smell, a mix among some nauseous feminine fragrance, smoke and beer.

«We're okay, don't worry» Serj answers with a flat tone of voice, but she's already ignoring him and the bassist and happily approaches the guitarist.

«Daron! You're in perfect shape!» she chirps and he smiles just for a moment before returning to his pout while she starts to move around him, stopping after a while apparently without a reason.

«Who is she?!» she exclaims with outraged voice. I get immediately that she's talking about me; I wait for her to finish to observe me from head to toes with a grimace as if she's smelling something bad, scanning my blue t-shirt, my black denim vest with studs, my shorts that are surely longer than hers, my boots and my studded bracelet, then I return the "favor".

«I'm Nikki, problem solver tech» I utter, with measured slowness and a hint of harshness.

«Oh» she says, pretending to be surprised.

I put some distance between me and her joining Serj and the others, with my eyes stuck on her, as to make her understand I don't have anything to do with a hoe like her, then I observe her while she chatters with Daron, her voice still audible despite the general noise.

«Bleah!» she complains, almost stomping on the ground.

«Listen, Tina, I don't have time for managing capricious children» the guitarist says, strangely quiet. «What do you want?»

«Well, make up for the lost time, revive the old times...» she answers, playing with some of the guy's rebel hair locks and then tracing the line of his jaw while he apparently remains deadpan.

«It's not that easy, you know, it's not like changing a pair of shoes.»

About five minutes have passed since when the girl appeared in the backstage and I already think she's an obnoxious hoe. Now I understand why the others kept her at distance but I don't understand why the guitarist doesn't shut her out... well, it's his own business, in the end I don't have any rights to speak about the people he rubs shoulder with, he's a grown-up and I'm not his girlfriend nor his mother.

«C'mon, Daron, let's go, so we can get changed and then go to eat» Shavo invites with quiet voice.

«On the way» he answers before turning again towards Tina for a while. «Bye» he only says before leaving her there and joining us; I sense her hateful gaze on me but I ignore it and follow my friends.

[Author's note: I'm back! I'm already announcing you that my exams are approaching so I won't be able to write very much and update quickly :c but I'll do what I can! Special thanks to I-will-be-there for the help and advices and thanks to everyone who reads, vote and comments my story <3]