Crossing The Barricade

1

Melanie's eyes looked me up and down for what felt like the hundredth time before nodding in approval of my outfit. A dark red v-neck tucked snuggly into black shorts which were sitting over top of black fishnets following to a pair of well loved black doc martens. She nodded in a gesture of approval, I was free to leave the house. My backstage lanyard hanging off my belt loop and my worn out leather jacket in hand, I turned for the door. I was shivering in excitement. My first backstage show. My first show by myself. The first time I get to see the boys after their month in the UK! Before I could reach for the door knob I'm stopped.

"Charlie, wait. I have something for you." Melanie calls, her small feet move soundlessly over to me.

In her hand is two things. One is my black beanie that I lent her months ago. I take that first and tug it on over my already messy hair. I'm glad to have it back. Shows aren't the same if you don't have a constant fear of losing your beanie. But the other is shocking to me. It's the locket our grandmother gave her before she passed away. Both of them called it their good luck charm. I was never allowed to touch it after the passing. Tonight was different though. Melanie dropped it in my hand and closed my fingers around it. Giving me a bone crushing hug, she shoved me out the door. Shouting not to lose it and to be safe. I slid the necklace quickly, making my way down the front steps and to the sidewalk.

I listened to the sound of my worn boots hit the pavement repeatedly as I made my way to the train station. In order to get in the city, I had to take a half hour train. Then I had to walk fifteen minutes to get to the venue. Hopefully to be able to collapse in Lennon's arms and yell at him for being gone too long. He leaves on tour to another country, and expects his best friend to not get angry. What. An. Idiot.

In reality, I was sort of the idiot. I couldn't expect my three best friends to stick around forever. Especially not when their band is finally getting their big break. It's selfish, but who really does want their best friends gone all the time. Lennon and I had known eachother since we were 3. We grew up attached at the hip. We went to every concert, movie, family reunion, and everything else together. There was hardly a day where you would see a Charlie without her Lennon. Then he starts a band, gets famous, and you only ever see Charlie.

Like tonight, you would've only seen me walking onto the train.  You would see only me sitting in an uncomfortable train seat alone, counting the seconds until I can get off. But soon, it would be Lennon and Charlie togther again.

~

The train seemed longer and more soul sucking than the last time I'd taken it to the city. But now all I could be focused on was my feet carrying me to the venue. Very quickly, might I add. I'm sure strangers were staring at me. All they saw was a scrawny modern day Rapunzel almost sprinting down streets and around corners to get to wherever she was going.

Thankful for my powerful strides, I made it to the venue on time. That is, if you can call 3 hours early on time. I gave the guard at the gate my name. He asked for my pass and ID before showing me to the bands area backstage. It was beautifully chaotic backstage.

The dressing room where my boys were; well it happened to be less beautiful and pure chaos. There was food wrappers across the floor, instruments thrown carelessly, and clothes in a heap by the door. I swear I could kill them for this mess.

"Charlotte Rose Kendall, is that actually you? Or were those brownies not what I thought?" I hear a rough, familiar voice call from across the spacious room.

All my anger at the mess disappearing, I was across the room in half a second and throwing myself into Lennon's muscular arms. "It is I, the one and only Charlie. In the true flesh, and not the kind cut off of someone else's body." My laughing response muffled by his shirt.