Diary of a Rockstar

Chapter 4

Chapter 4; California For the First Time::

She threw her arms to her sides frustratedly, out-screaming the horrendous roar behind her.  The hand on her shoulder tightened and she shrieked, trying to run away from the danger, the pain.  Why was this blackness trying to engulf her?  Why couldn't she just get away?  Amongst the snarls, she heard a familiar voice.  It sounded better, almost angelic in this situation.

"Jade?"  She stopped in her tracks, almost screeching to a halt and turned, trying to locate its source.  She knew that voice.  She'd know it anywhere, even if she hadn't met it's maker.  Tears poured down her face and she gasped as she heard it call out to her again.

"Jade!"  She felt a lurch and the her vision started to blur, black around the edges. 

"No." She didn't want the darkness to over take her.

"Jade!" White started to appear around the edges of her sight then, bringing with it what seemed like fresh air, blowing downward onto her face.  Her shoulder was nudged.

"Jade?"  She opened her eyes and looked over to see Mike sitting up straight in his blue seat on the plane, his hand on her arm rest.  She looked up to see her air vent was still blowing on her.  She looked to her right, out the window of the plane which was slowly descending. 

"I said you need to sit up. We're landing."  She blinked hard a few times, trying to get the sleep away from her tired eyes.  She sat up and buckled her seat belt again.

"You were out." She smirked and rubbed her hands over her red, sleep-blemished face.

"You've never been to California, have you?"  She shook her head tiredly.

"Well, it's nothing special."  She'd see that for herself.  The plane pulled up to the tarmac. Jade yawned.  Mike laughed at her.

"How can you sit there like that, not tired at all?" she asked.

"I'm a rockstar. I'm always on a plane or bus."  She shrugged then and grabbed her carry-on bag, following him off the plane.  They stepped into the overly crowed Los Angeles International airport and she looked around.

"Ever been to an airport this big?"

"Almost as big. I had to catch two connecting flights in Cincinnati when I was 18."

"Well, stay close," he told her, "I don't want to lose you."  It felt odd to hear that from him.  No one had EVER said that to her, let alone in such a manner that made her feel wanted.  He weaved them through the crowds of people, squeezing between as many of them as he could.  Jade didn't like the closed in space much.  She was starting to feel claustrophobic.  Mike grabbed her hand, towing her through a group of burly looking business men in suits.  They made it to the baggage gate that was spitting out the bags from their plane and waited until they saw their luggage wheeling around the corner.  Jade heaved her black and olive green duffle onto her shoulder. Mike heaved his own pure black duffle off the baggage line.  He lifted his ebony book bag, carrying his laptop, onto his back.

"Come on." She followed him blindly, staring at the ground, keeping track of his shoes to keep herself from having a panic attack in the overly crowded building. They stepped outside to find Mike's SUV.  It wasn't exactly extravagent, but looked brand-new.  He hit the unlock button hanging off the keyring on his lanyard.  The car unlocked with a beep and he opened the driver's side door and bent down, sticking his hand under the seat and the trunk hatch swung slowly open.  Jade stood there awkwardly.  Mike tossed his duffle into the back and leaned up over the back seat, letting the book bag holding his laptop slide gracefully to the seat.

"Are you just going to walk or...??"  She blinked a few times and then stepped forward, handing over her duffle to him. He threw the bag into the back next to his and then reached over his head to close the hatch.  It slammed shut and he walked toward the drivers side.  She had to lift her leg a bit to climb in, but it was a gorgeous interior.  She scutinized the radio dash, buckling her seat belt as Mike started the vehicle and pulled out of the parking lot, shoving his sunglasses onto his face.  She eyed the radio set-up he had, which wasn't too much more complex than the one Emily had in her car, except she couldn't figure out why, if he had a CD player in the front of the car, why he would need the changer for a magazine type player that was usually located in the back of the car or the trunk.  She looked up at him and pointed to the radio.

"Is your player broken?"

"No, why? Did you want to listen to something?"

"No, I was just wondering why you needed this." She snaked the cord to the remote changer for the installed CD player from the center console

"You think I'm crazy enough to leave our demos in my car? I take my magazine changer out whenever I get out of the car."

"Where is it now? I didn't see you putting it back in when we got in."

"It's in my bag. I'll take it in the house with me when I get home, so there was no point in putting it back."

"You brought those demos all the way to Indiana with you?"

"They go everywhere with me. I can't let them get into the wrong hands."  She wanted to laugh.  It was logical; too logical.  He went to every measure possible to make sure none of his work was compromised.  It was more than she could say about her own efforts to apply herself most of the time.  Mike slowed the car at a stoplight and turned right toward a tan color building with a blue roof.  He stopped the SUV in front of the entrance.  He opened the driver's side door, touching the button to open the back hatch again.  Jade opened her door and followed him to the trunk.

"You want me to walk you in?" She realized this was her hotel.

"If you think you can manage, they'll just need ID. I already booked the room and it's paid for."  She glared at him.

"I thought you said I could pay for it if it made me feel better."

"You can pay me back later."  She started to walk toward the doors of the hotel. 

"Keep your phone on." She turned to look at him.  He was standing in the doorway of his side of the SUV.  "I'll call you later and you can meet my wife."  Jade forced a smile at him and nodded.  He climbed into his car and waited for her to get inside before pulling away.  She watched him through the window and sighed, walking into the hotel and into her first trip to California.