{ Note- Eli is pronounced E-Lie in this story, okay? It's not pronounced Ellie, it's Eli, a guy xD}
[A N N E T T E]
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I stared down at my history of music evolution homework, the words floating around the page as my mind wandered back to thought of my bed in the next room. It would be so easy to get up and walk to my room and curl into bed, beneath the warmth of the sheets. My eyes urged to close and my body begged for rest, but my brain wouldn't allow it; I wouldn't allow it. I had classes today.
I pushed away from my desk, standing up and walking away from the stressful mess of my work computer and trudged into the kitchen. I turned on the kettle, leaning against the kitchen bench as it boiled. From my spot I could see Freckle curled into a ball on the sofa asleep, that made me grin, and the photos of the lounge wall of Tom and I as well as the rest of the squad (we used to call it that) we used to have, also making me smile. Ones of us at beaches, some at parties, music festivals and functions. There were photos of when Tom and I went backpacking through Italy for 2 weeks last year and just stupid ones of us together on our first Christmas living on our owns.
The kettle finished boiling, I made myself a boiling cup of wake-up-liquid, otherwise known as coffee, and walked into the lounge, slouching into the cushions.
My phone buzzed in the pocket of my lazy-morning-track-pants and I yanked it out, finding a message from Tom. It was 10:30am? Surely it's like.. 12 o'clock...1am for him?
From Tommy <3 - Tune onto Morning Chicago on Channel 62 in 5 minutes, We got interviewed and I had a few small things to say about you. I found out the broadcast time for London because I think you should see it <3
They talked about me on a morning show? I'm not supposed to exist to Chaos Of Mayhem fans.. Neither Zoe really.. Zoe is only known by her name, not by her face. The boys had always wanted to keep us out of the spotlight because Zoe and I both had lives outside of the band. Zoe was a journalist for The Times in the central city and I'm in my fourth year of study at LPAC (technically now I'm in the university part of my study as I'm in my second year of my music teaching degree) and if word got out that we were in relationships with two of the boys from Chaos Of Mayhem, it could actually ruin our careers as people wouldn't want to hire us- we'd bring too much unwanted attention from the media.
From Netty - I'll watch, but what did you say? Surely I don't exist to your fangirls? xD
I picked up the television remote, flicked the on button and search through the pages until I found channel 62. On the screen was my boys, well, the boys that Zoe and I loved to pieces. The four of them sat together, squished onto a sofa beside two hosts, I didn't think I'd seen them before.
"Welcome back to the Morning Chicago and incase you've just joined us, we're being joined by the wonderful boys of Chaos Of Mayhem, the band taking the world by storm! How are you going this morning?"
"We're doing great thankyou," Daniel replied with a smile, "Thanks for having us!"
"It's a pleasure having you boys here this morning, so tell me, how has it been touring America, and Chicago in particular?" The male host asked the boys. Tom looked on edge, but he wasn't the most confident on Live Tv. He liked filmed and recording interviews where if he stuffed up, the world would never see it.
"It's been incredible, the people of Chicago know how to party!" Tom replied, a smile spreading across his face. "But in all honestly, it's been great. Touring around and seeing new places and new people is better than anything we've done before."
"Well sounds like you're enjoying it," the female host replied, she looked extra happy to have them in the studio, if you know what I mean. I could tell by the way she was looking at Tom- I shouldn't be jealous of a blonde, cliché tv presenter, but in reality, she was closer to Tom than I had been in a long time. "What's your plans for the rest of your time in Chicago?"
"We have two more shows," Hunter explained, I noticed he was holding his signature completely black drumsticks in his right hand, I assumed they were doing a guest performance "Tonight and tomorrow night and then we have 1 day of rest before we head off traveling through Ohio eventually heading towards Massachusetts. Our schedules jam packed after that."
The blonde host presumed, "So you're pretty busy for the rest of the tour then, I guess?"
"Yep, very busy." Tom rolled his eyes.
"So you've just released your new single called Addiction, could you explain to us, and the thousands of girls outside and at home the thought behind that song?"
The question was directed to Tom, he was lead singer and the best talker, but he turned to Daniel who was seating beside him in his navy blue tank top.
"Dan can explain this one, he wrote the song!" Way to get the attention off yourself Tom.
Daniel moped, "finneeee. This song was meant to be a different way to look on love, in a way. Love isn't always good for you, sometimes a relationship is toxic but so addictive that you can't let go. This song was to express that. We wanted to test a different sound as well, as the music this song has is different to the stuff we've done before. I guess in a simple way it was just a taking a risk and trying something new."
"You guys are known for the work you put into every song, how long did you spend working on this song as a whole?" I heard the screams of girls outside the building, I could only imagine the crowds of people outside waiting for them. When they were in London I struggled to be with Tom because we couldn't go anywhere without be swamped! I sipped on my coffee as I watched intently, Freckle curling into my lap.
"Writing took hours... I must have re-written 5..6 times at least," Daniel admitted, "The musical side took another week or two until it was perfected, we worked with our production team to tweak the imperfections and then recording ect. took another 3 weeks before the production of the song was complete. We released it a month later, so all in all, a long time!"
The host moved on the conversation, "Well it's a great song and I've heard you'll be performing it later for us?"
"Yep," spoke Eli, the fourth band member, he'd been very quiet for most of the interview, but he didn't like television interviews. He was just a shy person in general, but he was just like the other boys in one aspect, he knew how to let loose and rock out on stage.
"Before we get to that though," continued the male presenter, we have a little quizzing type game for you guys if you're will to play along. In front of you are some pieces of white care and permanent markers. 3 of you are going to be asked a question and you have to write down your answer on the card without the 4th member seeing. The 4th person will have to guess your answers and then the spots will swap, another person having to guess the other 3's answers- simple enough?"
The guys nodded, Eli, Hunter and Dan picking up a piece of card and a pen each. The blonde host woman was handed a phone and looked down at it, reading the question.
"The questions we ask you are from your fans on twitter." She explained, "First question, something simple you should know about each-other. What is your middle name?"
Dan, Hunter and Eli wrote down there answers, Tom seemingly confident that he knew what they were going to say.
"Okay Tom, Do you know what their middle names are?"
"This is easy as," Tom laughed, "Dan's is Jared, Hunter's is Jack and Eli is Samuel."
"Please reveal your answers," The woman said, Daniel laughed, his paper saying that his middle name was Doge with Jared written in smaller writing beneath it.
The game went on, I watched and watched, but nothing had really come up about me.. Or Zoe for that matter. I was confused. I wanted to text Tom and ask if he'd made a mistake or something but I knew he'd probably be asleep by now. I just kept watching anyway.
"Last question, Have you ever been in love?"
Things began to click into place.
Tom, Daniel and Eli wrote down answers, before looking up. Now Tom looked more on edge.
Hunter pointed to Daniel, "Yes Definitely," he pointed to Eli, "Yes.. I think..?" And then to Tom "2000% sure definitely."
The boys flipped their cards over. Tom- Yes, Daniel- Yes <3, Eli- No :(
"Yes, Yes and No? Aww poor Eli!" The blonde host woman said, "I'm sure you'll find a gorgeous girl to have for your own soon Eli!" The boys looked at Eli, Eli looked disappointed. They knew he wouldn't find a girl.
"So we've heard of Zoe," the brunet male host said, "-the mystery girl Dan's involved with, but Tom, you're single? When was the last time you were in love? Will you spill the beans?"
Tom looked at his hands sheepishly, chucking the card down on the table in front of him. I saw him holding in a laugh, obviously realizing the hole he'd dug himself into. I began to feel anxious, was it all out in the open? Was I now the public girlfriend of the famous Tom Spencer?
"I'm still in love," he admitted, looking reluctant as he said up straight.
"Are you implying you're in a relationship?" The blonde one asked again, of course she asked, she obviously wanted him. What can I say, my boyfriend's a hot rockstar, what's better than that? Of course she had the hots for him.
Tom looked at Dan, shaking his head, "Am I explaining this now?"
"Well you wrote it down and opened your big mouth, I guess you are!" Daniel laughed at his mistake.
"Yes, I am in a relationship actually." Tom suddenly looked quite confident. I wanted to cover my ears, no, this wasn't happening was it? I didn't want to be famous!
"Since when?" I could hear the absolute shrieks of the fans outside the studio they were in. I could imagine the mayhem all the girls would be feeling- no pun intended- they'd always been told Tom was a single pringle.
"A while now," he chuckled, "I didn't tell anyone because she doesn't want to be in the public eye, just like Zoe doesn't."
"Can we know a name?"
"I'd rather not, her name isn't as common as Zoe's and she has a life back home, I don't want to jeopardize that for her."
I breathed a deep sigh of relief. Thank you Tom. Thank you.
"So you've heard it here first," the woman spoke directly to the camera, "Tom Spencer is taken, ladies!"
"So where is this girl of yours while you're on tour?"
"Uhh.." Tom looked so uncomfortable, he didn't want to talk about me to personally on television incase other interviewers in the future begin asking questions. "She's back in Britain, she's studying for her degree. She didn't come with us touring because she wants to focus on her studies and do something successful. She always said that this was my success, she wanted to work on her success. She is really successful now too, I'm really proud of her."
Awwwwww Tommy I thought to myself. He talked about me in a such a way that boosted my belief in him, and in us. He was still in love, he hadn't lost his feelings for me between the distance. We were still hopeful this distance gap wasn't tearing us apart. It warmed my heart and pick up my broken pieces, he managed to stitch up my scarce will to keep going without even seeing me.
"Aww, that's so sweet," The blonde host said, I'd finally worked out her name was Stephanie, "I'm guessing you've been together for a while then?"
"Yeah it's been.." He looked down on his hands, trying to remember how long we've been together.
"Almost 5 years Tom, almost 5 years.." I muttered, laughing a little, "Come on Tom, you know this."
"I can't get this wrong," he laughed, "uhh.. Oh I remember, almost 5 years! Our anniversary isn't too far away,"
"That's a long while," the host, I think his name was Steven, said, "..speaking of a while, our while has run out, it's time for you guys to head off to perform. It's been a pleasure having you here and we hope you've enjoyed Chicago."
"We have, thanks for having us." Eli replied.
"You're welcome."
The show went to add break and the interview was over. My heart swelled. He remembered our anniversary, spoke about me in a sweet way and everything on live television. It just showed me that he still cared and that we were still in love even though I hadn't seen him in person in more than 3 months.
I picked up my phone, lifting my hand from where it was resting on Freckle's back and texted Tom.
From Netty- I Love You So Much Tommy! Thankyou for saying those things! <3 <3
Tom didn't reply, which was perfectly okay, I knew he was probably asleep because it was the middle of the night in Chicago. That little interview had completely boosted my mood about the whole situation and had made me feel a whole lot more confident about today. I had 2 classes, Musical History and Music Teaching before I has to head to the studio for 2 lessons. Luckily I didn't have a shift at the M&L today.
"Do you here that Freckle?" I giggled, the puppy looking up at me, "You're daddy loves me and is proud of me. It's not all bad."
~•~
Motorbike riding. I've been told by people that I don't look like that kind of person, yet, ever since Tom and I met, it had an urge to get a license and ride a road bike wherever I liked at 100 kilometers an hour. Now with my full license and my own bike (so technically it's Tom's but until he gets home it's completely mine) I could do that. It made traveling to boring classes or work fun.
The wind blew my hair around like crazy, my leather jacket tightly zipped around my torso. Cars drove around me, the engine of the bike humming and revving around every corner. Sometimes, like today, I wore Tom's bike helmet, it reminded me of him in a weird, sentimental way.
Pulling into the collage carpark was routine, the spot I parked the bike was always there, never taken. I turned off the engine and climbed off, yanking off my helmet and walking into the school with my shoulder bag swaying against my waist. I walked through the halls, people busily getting to there classes. It wasn't like highschool, but there was still the sense of drama and gossip in the place. I wasn't a favourite person to most people here. A lot of the other students, especially the ones that didn't go to LPAC for the first 2 years of college and came from somewhere else to here to do degrees. Apparently they were jealous of my talent, I didn't realize that could be a thing IN PERFORMING ARTS COLLEGE but apparently it is.
"Looking good hotty!" I heard someone call from behind me, I turned my head and looked behind me, seeing Riley Turner laughing and glancing at somewhere that wasn't my eyes.
I flipped him the middle finger with the hand that wasn't holding my helmet, as I walked half backwards down the hall. Most people here forgot who Tom was, some didn't even meet him in the first place like Riley Turner, the ones that did know him assumed we broke up. He'd been pretty much forgotten here.
"What's wrong hot stuff? Playing hard to get?" He asked, trying to catch up to me. Seriously, this isn't highschool! I'm 21! We're grown adults and he's acting like this in the halls? Some people need to stay in highschool, I swear to god.
I snapped back sarcastically, "I'm not interested and never will be Riley! Go root the girl that suppose to be your girlfriend, can you?"
He scowled, turning to a lecture room. I walked through the doorway to the last lecture room on the right and scanned the room. A lot of the seats were taken, I was here just as the class was about to start.
I spotted Nelly, my one friend in this class and she gestured to the spot she'd saved next to her. I walked up to her, slid into the seat and pushed my helmet down beneath the desk.
"Hey," Nelly smiled, her chocolate brown locks falling down her shoulders, "How are you?"
"I'm alright," I laughed, pulling down the zip of my jacket and swinging it onto the back of the chair, "-besides being hit on by Riley Turner in the hallway again!"
"Yuck! That guy is disgusting," Nelly cringed, "he's such a pervert! He once tried to back Milly into a corner and make advances. He's almost got thrown out of here and got a restraining order against him for it."
"He's a creep." I shivered, "Anyway, how are you?"
"I'm alright," she replied, pushing an earbud into her left ear, "just tired."
"Watcha listening to?" I asked Nelly as I pulled my lavender coloured binder out of my bag, as well as the stapled pile of homework I finished this morning.
"Blindside by Chaos of Mayhem," she replied, making my eyes immediately jolt to her. Shit! That looked bad.
I never told Nelly that Tom and I are together, or that I know him at all. Turns out that Nelly's family are crazy religious and as a teenager she was deprived of the wonderful world known as pop and rock music. As soon as she moved out of home, she dropped the religion and now she's a bit of a crazy fangirl of many bands. She's kind of like a teenager in a twenty year olds clothing and people tend to judge her for that- I don't see why they do. She's interesting in bands and fangirls sometimes, what's wrong with that?
The reason I jolted so quickly though is that I wrote that song with Tom, but hey? She'll never know that, nobody ever will.
"I've been obsessed with all their songs lately actually," Nelly told me, "-especially the song Nerdy, it's so cute!"
I was laughing so hard on the inside.
"I'm not a big fan to be honest," no, I actually used to be their lead singer.
"Why's that? I thought you liked rocky-kind of bands?"
"I do, I just don't find them.. as inspirational or interesting.." Because I know everything about every aspect of what they do. I formed the band. I wrote their music. I got them discovered.
"I think they're amazing," she flipped her binder open at the same time as me and I noticed the amount of celebrity photos on the inside cover. Even one of Tom. My in class friend has a photo of my boyfriend inside her binder. That's weird. "I think Tom's pretty dreamy too, with the blonde hair and blue eyes, and I can't even talk about the way he smirks in photos for magazines."
Stop please nelly, "Yeah, he's a hottie." What? He's my boyfriend? I can say what I like!
"So you like Tom but not the band?"
"I never said I didn't like the band," I love the band, "-they're just not my favourite of all time."
"Fair enough." That moment was when Professor Jonathan walked in and the lecture began. It took notes, listened, answered questions like any good student would. Professor Jonathan wasn't my favourite lecturer, but he was one of the better ones. He tried to make learning about musical history not boring, which is a task within itself.
But at the same time, I wondered what was going on on the other side of the world. What was it really like being up on stage in front of thousands, commanding the crowd with the use of instruments and voices? I yearned to know, but at the same time, it terrified me. One day, I'd be known as the girlfriend of Thomas Spencer, lead singer of Chaos Of Mayhem. I'd be a public figure, just like him. Tom was never gonna be normal again, he's too famous for that now.
Eventually I'll just have to make the leap and join him in the spotlight.
If I ever find the courage.
~•~
DONNNNNEEEEE
AGAIN, MORE INSIGHT! HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT CHAOS OF MAYHEM NOW THAT YOU KNOW THE MEMBERS AND THE LEVEL OF FAME THEYRE AT?
More Soon!!
Love You All!!
~ Rubie <3