Fluorescents

20

" 'll try my best, how much do I invest?
Like cardiac arrest, high voltage in her lips"

I press my head towards the side of the door as I hear the voice seep through it. When we finally arrived at the venue I began to walk through it until I was told that I was needed backstage. When I made my way backstage I overheard a lovely voice coming from one of the dressing rooms so here I am. Being nosey, but only when it comes to music.

" I'll try my best, how much do I invest?
Like cardiac arrest, high voltage when we kiss." The voice continues and I nod my head to the singing voice. The song sounds somewhat familiar but I'm sure that I haven't heard of the band enough to know what the song is called.

" Is everything ok?" Shay asks standing a couple feet away from me as I evaluate the voice behind the door. I jump in my spot and turn towards her as she stares at me with a humorous grin pulling at her lips.

" I was Uhm just uh." I stutter not exactly sure what excuse to come up with. She stares at me before laughing lightly and pulling me in for a hug.

" I haven't seen you in forever." She sighs laying her head against my shoulder. I nod and laugh shortly after, giving her a tighter squeeze. " How have you been?" She asks me and I just shrug my shoulders not exactly sure what to tell her. A lot has happened yet not a lot at the same time. I've never been the type of person to just completely vent every little thing that goes on in my life to somebody but for some reason I find myself trusting her more than anyone else. I tell her about Alex constantly taunting me, about how he interrupted me and Derek, how we later interrupted him with Amy in his bus & how Derek almost kissed me again but how I rejected him. " Damn." She huffs before letting out a light laugh while I try my best to catch my breath from all the talking.

" There's also this-" I say before pulling out my phone and showing her the picture of Alex chasing after me that someone from inside of the hotel took. She scrunches her eyes like Clair before reaching for my phone and getting a better look at it.

" Scandalous." She teases me like Clair and I roll my eyes as well. " Whats so wrong about it?" She asks staring at me intently, I shrug my shoulders before taking my phone back and looking at the picture again. " Aren't you used to it?" She asks the same question as Clair and I shrug my shoulders again, not even sure myself why I'm so bothered with the picture being taken. People took pictures of me and Cage when we were together all the time but this picture of me and Alex keeps nagging at me.

" I don't know, it just feels weird-" I say and Shay raises an eyebrow at me not completely sure with what I'm talking. " Like it just feels different." I say still not giving her a better explanation than last time.

" Well you should try and get use to it cause we still have over a month left of tour." She says laughing lightly and rubbing my shoulder up and down, trying to comfort me, while I continue gazing down at my phone. I nod my head and we begin to make our way through the backstage until we reach the main floor.

" Well I'm going to let you get to work." Shay tells me and I nod my head before she makes her way backstage again.

" How's everything going?" I ask when I reach the effects crew in the very back of the venue on the main floor. They begin to show me how the equipment is working and when they're done I make my way through the venue checking with the lighting, sound, and equipment crew.

Once I'm done checking in with all the different crews I watch from the middle of the staircase that leads to the balcony as Derek enters through the entrance of the venue and makes his way inside. A security follows closely behind him and tries his best to make sure that the screaming girls don't push themselves through the entrance. I gaze at Derek with a hopeful smile but when he looks up at me he quickly lowers his head and moves forward without saying a single word to me. A frown implants my lips and I instantly feel an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Is he angry that I rejected him? What's his problem? I don't have time for men right now, if he wants to be upset that's his problem, not mine. A man approaches Derek and tells him something before approaching me shortly after Derek runs off towards the main room.

" Hey we're ready for the first band's soundcheck." The man informs me and I nod my head and start to make my way towards the back of the venues main floor, preparing for the opening act to start. Several minutes go by before Derek steps out of the backstage and makes his way towards the floor. Shortly after what I presume is the opening act shows up and starts to plug in their instruments.

The opening acts soundcheck goes smoothly and they step off before making their way backstage to prepare themselves for the first show of the tour.

" Where's the other band?" I finally muster the courage and ask Derek as he walks in front of me and the effects crew. He turns to look at me with a shocked expression before clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his neck while looking down at the floor, obviously trying his best to avoid my gaze.

" They're still in the back." He informs me and I open my mouth to respond but he interrupts me before I can mutter another word. " I'll go get them." He says quickly before rushing away from me and making his way backstage. I hear a snort come from the side of me and I turn to gaze at one of the lighting specialists staring at me with a humorous look on his face.

" What?" I ask with an upset look. He shrugs his shoulders before pursing his lips and trying his best to hold back a laugh. I wasn't aware that the tension between us was so obvious towards others.

Shortly after, Arctic Monkeys steps out, all of them looking confident and fetching. Except for Alex who has an unbuttoned white shit that's leaving his chest almost completely exposed. He looks exhausted and groggy as he pulls out his flask and takes a large swig before bringing the mic close to his mouth and muttering incoherent words against it. The band begins to play their instruments seconds later and I quickly try my best to mute them out. Trying my best to focus on the technicalities of the performance instead of how hypnotizing Alex's voice sounds.

Once the performance is done Derek waves them off towards backstage and we begin to set up the finishing touches for the first performance. I make my way through backstage and my body stops once I notice a familiar figure. I stand in my spot, silently watching as her brown hair waves around and her body silently and discretely wiggles out of the opening band's dressing room and into Alex's. Shay?