The gentle knock on the door had me wanting to escape and because I had nowhere else to go, I reluctantly undid the lock. Jess’s head soon appeared looking rather sheepish and not sure what else to do we both burst out laughing.
She came into the bathroom, now clothed and her face slowly turned red.
“I’m sorry for not telling you.”
We wiped the tears from our eyes and the horrible awkwardness of the situation sunk in.
“Something tells me this wasn’t the first time?”
She shook her head, and sat down on the toilet while I sat on the bench beside the sink.
“No, it started just before he moved out. I thought it was a once off only then we went out for dinner and I may not have been going to my parents all those times either.”
“Why couldn’t you tell me? This has been going on for months. What if I didn’t come back till later?”
Now I was angry, and hurt. I told her everything about Beau and I, yet she couldn’t tell me this? It made sense why he was so annoyed about me sending up the blonde last week and why she was more than willing to let Beau and I go back to our place. Actually it explained a lot of little things I had noticed lately.
“We weren’t sure if it was turning into something and it wasn’t exclusive, but last week we had a talk and decided to give it a real go. I wanted to tell you, but there has been so much going on in your life – I didn’t want to add to that stress. I’m sorry Bec, really I am!”
I couldn’t be mad at her, not for too long anyway and I wasn’t going to let them get away with it so easily either. Then another though occurred and it scared me more than anything else.
“And if you guys break up?”
“Then I’m sorry, but you can’t have John as a brother anymore. I call dibs.” She crossed her arms, frowning. “Seriously, we weren’t exactly best friends before this and we can move on. We’re both adults.”
“Speak for yourself, its John.”
“I know.” She laughed and stood, moving to give me a hug.
“Ew! No! Brother germs!” I quickly moved out of her way, and ran from the bathroom to find John gone. “And where is the golden child?”
“He gave us some space, and I think he’s more embarrassed about it than you are!”
Groaning I fell onto my bed, thankful it wasn’t creased or looked like anyone had laid on it.
“So did the black wonder get a work out last night?” She jumped on beside me, clearly forgetting my freak out and I rolled away, glaring. “Sorry, but did it?”
“No, I passed out. Oh and by the way – sex talk. Not happening. Don’t even say one word about anything you two are up to ok?”
“But Bec, your brother is such a generous lover!” She rolled the r and I covered my ears, possibly needing therapy already
“La la la I can’t hear you la la la!”
She grabbed her bag and pointed at it, shutting me up.
“Fine, I’m going to shower so you’ll let me hug you. I don’t care if you’re covered in Beau germs!”
“That’s because you wish you were covered in Beau germs.”
“True.” She shrugged and while she was showering I went and got my things ready too.
-
John had already left, texting us that he would meet us there and so we caught our own taxi. Once there, it was nice to meet some of the staff I’d spent hours interviewing via video calls a couple of weeks ago and this time, everyone knew who we were so we didn’t have to wait for John to get us our passes. The stadium didn’t open for another two hours and we found Beau on the stage with a stagehand going over a few things. The schedule left no room for delays, there were over twenty acts to get through and the genre present varied from DJ’s, punk bands, pop artists and the indie groups. While Grayson had declared they were the headline-opening act, it was impossible to say they were the headliners. Everyone who was anyone in the music industry had been fighting for a spot on stage, Pot Luck were just the ones to get put first on the program.
Seeing us hovering in the wings, Beau waved us over and just walking out to the middle had me feeling faint. How did he perform in front of thousands of people? I felt so tiny looking out over the empty lawn, a few staff ran around perfecting the barrier between the fans and stage, some others were checking the podiums that extended off the birdcage stage and the decorators had done a great job in setting up a forest for the crowd to be surrounded by. It was unreal and I don’t think there could ever be an event to top it.
“Hey Angel,” Beau hugged me and kept his arm around my waist so I was forced to stay beside him. “Nice shirt. Hey Jess.”
“Thanks, it’s signed by the lead singer.” I gloated, grinning like the fan I had become.
“Speaking of signing.” Jess got out her marker and held it out to Beau. She decided to wear her own Taking Back Monday shirt after seeing me put Beau's on, and turned so he could sign the back of it for her. “You three, over here!”
The guys all appeared looking a little hung over and did as Jess told them. Sticks had a red bull in his hand and I wasn’t sure if that was a good idea considering how hyperactive he could be at times. That said, they signed away and moved onto me as well, more for amusement reasons.
“We have to go do some meet and greets at nine for some radio competition winners, did you want to come?” Beau asked as Seth started to draw stick figures doing it on Jess’s back.
“I have a couple of things I need to do, but I’ll come over as soon as I’m done.” I promised. Our kiss was cut short as everyone started whistling and clapping and blushing I let him go. Jess and I hung around by the stage for a few more minutes as some of the other acts came out to check their equipment and stage plans.
“Can you believe you’re backstage with all these people? It’s like the freaking MTV music awards back here but minus the bands we don’t like!” Jess ignored the look one of back up dancers gave her as they overheard our conversation and leaving the stage we headed down the other end of the stadium where I knew Sparky had been set up as it was a given that John would be there too.
“John Phillip Adams stop right there!” I yelled out as he jumped down from the platform when he saw us coming.
“Busted!” Jess yelled after, and from above us I could hear Sparky laughing.
“Because I know you’re the best sister ever, I know you’ve forgiven us for not telling you, but….” John started, and I went to slap him. He blocked it and so I hit his arm and we started to try and slap at each other, fighting like children until I saw an opening and got him hard on the cheek.
“That was like one bitch slap of awesomeness!” Jess declared, offering no support to her, boyfriend?
“Thanks for defending me Jess!” John snapped, holding his cheek.
“I told you to tell her sooner, but you didn’t want to so you deserve it!” She yelled back.
“Bec, really, I am sorry.” John rubbed his face, stretching his jaw the red mark of my hand was still on his face.
“New rules, nothing more than hand holding while I’m around and no sleeping together if there is a chance of me ever walking in on you two before, during or after!”
“That’s not fair!” John yelled back and I raised my hand ready to slap him again. “Yes Ma’am!”
“Same thing with you and Beau!” Jess followed and since she had already walked in on us once, it was a fair call. Then again I had a lock on my door – she didn’t.
“Deal.” We shook on it as John clicked onto what they meant.
“You’re sleeping with him now?”
“Ah double standards John?” I yelled back and Sparky appeared coming down the steps.
“Ok, all I can hear up there is you lot yelling. Bec, Jess and John are together. John, Bec is a grown woman and if she wants to sleep with her rock star god of a boyfriend I say you go girl!” He high fived me while John only glared.
“Dude, that’s my sister.”
“And that’s her best friend, think about it.”
I jumped at Sparky, hugging him tightly. “Best fake boyfriend ever!”
“I want a fake boyfriend.” Jess whined, joining in on our hug before John did too.
“Ok, truce?” John asked, moving back we all shook hands.
From somewhere near the stage, a bell rang like a fire alarm and Sparky gave me one more hug before going back up to his podium.
“Five minute warning for letting in the crowds. I’m hanging up here with Sparky so if anything comes over the radio, I can know about it first. You girls want to come up here or going to see Beau?” John asked, moving to the stairs.
“Beau.” Jess and I said at the same time and rolling his eyes he blew her a kiss and we headed back to the stage.
“It’s so weird Jess, my brother – in a relationship!”
“I know! He is the biggest man whore out. At least I know what I’m getting into.” She shrugged before grinning, “And I know exactly what I’m…”
“Do not finish that sentence. No sexual innuendos involving my brother.”
“That wasn’t in your rules.” She argued.
“It shouldn’t have to be!”
Seeing Perry he waved us over and introduced us to the three other guys with him. All were big and scary and had European names that I had no chance of pronouncing.
“If you get into any trouble or need anything, speak to these guys.” Perry told us and they all nodded agreeing with him.
Leaving them to do whatever it was they were doing, we headed back stage. Following the signs we found the pressroom only no one was there.
“You girls lost? Oh Miss Adams, everything ok?” One of the younger assistants came into the room and he quickly straightened up the bottles of water left one the table.
“Where is the meet and greet happening?”
“Oh that’s in the VIP room, they’re using it before the Gold ticket holders get in.” Jess groaned, that was all back out the front by the stage and so we went the way we came.
“Send him a message and get him to meet us somewhere, Pot Luck is on in like twenty minutes and I don’t want to miss them.”
Neither did I. Despite what I knew about Grayson, as a band they were amazing and we were still there to see some music. Now that the doors had opened, the access from the stage was closed off and we had to go right around through the stadium and join the crowds back out onto the oval.
We headed towards the VIP marquee and already people were starting to line up around it to get in. The fact it included a drinks package probably had something to do with it and seeing us again, Perry stopped us.
“You just missed the guys, jump over and you’ll catch them up there.” He held out his hand and he got us over the railing causing some of the more eager fans already lining the barrier to start complaining.
We headed up the stairs, slipping behind the curtains and it wasn’t the band we ran into.
“Jess? Becky? How are you here?” Rosa glared at me as her make up artist touched up the final parts of her makeup and Jess lost it laughing.
“What are you wearing?”
“I’m a songbird, all of us are wearing it!” She defended and sure enough three other women appeared as the hosts for the show. Their tiny sparkly mini dresses matched the glitter-covered platforms and the giant feather plume resembled something you’d expect a Vegas showgirl to wear. They kind of did look like birds and I couldn’t think of anything worse than sitting in a tiny cage around the stage for two seconds of fame when introducing the next performer.
The red did suit Rosa and the hot pink was a little hard to look at for a long period of time.
“No hard feelings Bec, I guess you must have been having some kind of breakdown. My life is a very blessed on, I can understand why you struggled with the news that not only am I on TV now, but dating celebrities.”
It was hard to take her seriously considering she had a giant feather coming out from her ass only her use of words distracted me.
“Dating?”
“You really don’t read the magazines much do you?” She laughed it off, adjusting her dress slightly to lift her boobs up so they looked perkier.
“Anyway Bec, we gotta go!” Jess tried to lead me away and Rosa’s face lit up like a firework as she looked behind me and I watched it fall just as quickly. Before I could turn around to see what was going on, the familiar scent of Beau’s cologne surrounded me as his arms wrapped around my face and he hugged me from behind.
“Hey Angel, been looking for you.” He kissed my cheek, my ear and a little lower on my neck and instinctively I leant back against him. Jess covered her mouth with her hand, looking away as Rosa stared like it was Elvis standing with me.
“Sorry, Rosa – I believe you know my boyfriend, Beau Morgan? Beau this is a girl I went to school with, Rosa Catelli.”
Beau looked at her with no interest while the other ‘song birds’ gathered closer with his appearance.
“Yeah, we’ve met.”
“Well break a leg Rosa!” Jess grinned and pulled us away just as the starting music began to pour from the speakers and the growing crowd screamed their excitement.
“God I wish I had filmed that, nicely done Beau!” Jess high fived him and looked at her watch. “We’re not going to be able to get out there to watch Pot Luck. We’ll have to do it from back here.”
“It’s only Pot Luck, why would you want to see them?” Beau muttered and Jess raised an eyebrow at him, as dissed one of her favorite bands. It was easy to forget what a jerk Grayson could be when he had the other guys with him, and we were more about the music than the people making it.
“I like their music, they did an awesome job at Rock The Planet.” I defended and Jess nodded.
“Oh so you watched them, but not us?” Beau teased, letting me go like he was offended.
“Well yeah? You were on last and we had places to go, people to see….” I winked and we found a place to hide amongst the curtains that was out of the way of everyone else, and we could watch without being seen.
“Hey Bec, what are you lot doing here?” Grayson looked us over as he appeared with his band, none of which seemed even remotely interested in who he was talking to.
“Hey. Waiting for you guys to start actually.” I didn’t bother introducing him to Jess this time, he didn’t even look like he remembered her and I knew he wouldn’t have given second thought to who I was if not for Beau, whose hand was digging into my hip at Grayson’s arrival.
“Really?” He smirked mischievously and I didn’t like how that was directed more at Beau than me. “Nice shirt Bec, I’ll have to get you something decent to wear later.” He winked and Beau went to move after him before I held him back.
Just when I thought it was over, Grayson said something to one of his band mates and turned back to look at me.
“Oh and Bec,aAfter our drink the other day I planned something just for you.” He looked at Beau and again I had to try and block him from going after Grayson. I had never seen him like that before and his expression was deadly as his rival finally went out on stage.
The crowd went crazy and Beau pulled me away from the stage as Grayson started talking to them.
“Drinks? What the fuck did he mean by drinks?”
“I went to the hotel bar and he came in and had a drink with me. He spent the majority of it singing Piano Man and Sparky was there too! He is just stirring you up!” I grabbed his head in my hands, seeing him starting to freak out and made him look into my eye. “Beau, nothing happened. Don’t let him get to you like this.”
“Fucking hate him.” He muttered, turning away his fist slammed into the thin partitioning of the corridor.
“I know. We don’t have to watch ok?”
I looked at Jess who nodded, understanding and I took his hand to take him away back to his band or at least somewhere away from Grayson, but the other singer had us inching closer to the stage as we heard his words.
“Now a friend of mine thinks that I could sing anything in the world and you will all love it. So I’m going to see if I can prove her wrong! You feeling me LA?” The crowd screamed in response, he could have just told them his cat died and they’d respond the same.
“Since it’s early, I thought we could start the day with a sing along. I’m sure you’re going to know the words! Humpty Dumpty sat on the ….”
The audience screamed out wall and a few laughs broke out amongst the fresh hysterical scream of a dan.
“Humpty Dumpty had a great…”
“FALL!”
The drummer found a beat, tapping away as surprisingly the guy with the guitar started beat boxing and Grayson sang the song in a way it had never been sung before.
Beau looked at me, mouthing ‘what the fuck’ to me and I only shrugged, trying to resist nodding my head in time to the beat.
“Couldn’t put Humpty – together aaaaagaiiin!” He belted out and once done, he turned and waved in our direction.
“Well thanks LA, you just proved her right. How about that?” The audience ate him up and playtime was over. “Ready to get this party started?”
“Come on, let’s go.” I was worried Beau was about to jump on stage and take him down and not needing that kind of press, urged him to walk away. Especially after that little spectacle I didn’t want to know if Grayson had anything up his sleeve to try and annoy Beau further. Jess stayed behind, finding Noah I knew she’d be ok and we headed down the back away from everyone.
As soon as we found a quiet spot away from staff and other performers, Beau had my back pressed up against the wall. All the pent up desire from last night returned with a vengeance and I was demanding his affection as much as he was mine.
Despite that, he was still tense. His jaw was practically clenched his arms were hard like he was ready for a fight not a make out session and it scared me.
“Beau, slow down. Breath, what’s going on up there?” I looked up at him from where I leant against the wall, his arms were either side of my head as if he was trapping me in place and as I gently rested my palm on his forehead, he dropped his chin down to his chest to stare at the ground.
“Beau, talk to me. When you get like this you end up disappearing and you really can’t do that today.” I put my hands on his shoulders, gently massaging them to try and make him relax and it must have worked somehow as he took a deep breath and stood up straighter.
“Just not him ok? If you’re going to leave me, not him.”
“Leave you? I’m not leaving Beau.”
“What the fuck was that all about then?” He growled, still refusing to look at me directly.
“I told you, he came into the same bar as me yesterday afternoon, Beau – I’m not her. Leave all of that in the past. I’ve been there for you through it all, why do you keep acting like I’m going to screw you over the next chance I get?”
I didn’t understand; I thought I could be the strong and that I could handle his freak-outs and drinking sessions. Yet even after everything - the trust I had always wanted from him wasn’t there. I had given him everything I could and I wondered if that was ever going to be enough.
“Because I don’t know how not to. I’m scared you’re going to wake up and realize that you are to good for me and leave anyway. It’s not as if any guy here would say no to you and I know half of them are a hell of a lot easier to be around than I am!”
“You’re an idiot. You do hear what you’re saying right?”
He finally looked at me and a tiny smile appeared at the edge of his lips.
“You’re not leaving me are you Angel?”
“No moron, and I just wish you’d trust me enough to believe it.”
He pulled me against him, gentler than minutes before and I prayed one day, he’d understand enough for it not to get to him so easily. I also prayed he’d understand before the day I would have no choice other than to walk away so he didn’t destroy me too.
“I do trust you, I just don’t trust anyone else.” He sighed, “Well apart from the guys.”
He kissed the top of my head and sighed heavily.
“I’m sorry.”
“Do you ever watch these things or do act to cool for school and hang out the back?” My change of question confused him and he shrugged, stepping back slightly.
“Hang out the back, why?”
“Come on.”
I dragged him down the corridor and passed Seth who was heading towards where the caterers had set up food for everyone.
“I need this.” I stole his hat and put it on Beaus head and kept going.
Passing through the black curtains, one of the security guards recognized Beau.
“Do you have an escort Mr Morgan?”
“He doesn’t, but if you could give us the sunglasses that would help disguise him?” I grinned hopefully, trying to look as innocent as possible and he grabbed the pass around my neck.
“Fine, but I want these back!”
“Promise!” Now we had the sunglasses, Beau put them on and walking through the corridor, no one even looked in our direction.
“Are you sure about this?” Beau didn’t let go of my hand as we headed out onto the oval and I nodded, right in my assumptions of keeping his face hidden and joining the rear of the crowd we watched the end of Pot Luck and by the third act we were just like everyone else.
“I haven’t done this in years!” We headed away from the bulk of the people, and Beau grabbed me for another kiss. His smile was genuine and I was glad I found a way to get him relaxed that didn’t involve drugs and alcohol or end an argument with sex as the fixer.
“You’re a musician, how do you not enjoy the music at these things?” We went over to a food van and I grabbed us a couple of kebabs and headed over to the podium where Sparky and John were.
“Just get distracted I guess, you know how it goes.”
I did and I wasn’t going to let him fall back into those routines.
---
After lunch there was only a couple hours before Beau was due on stage. It was like dealing with a kid in a toy store who wasn’t ready to leave, and finally I managed to convince him it was time to go. A few people stopped to admire my shirt, especially seeing the signatures and I wondered what they would do if they found out who the guy avoiding them actually was. I remembered the mini-mob that formed when we saw Elvis and didn’t want to think what a crowd full of fans could do.
Once backstage we headed out to the tour bus that would be taking them across state after the concert, so he could freshen up after being out in the sun all day.
“This is amazing, I don’t know why you fly anywhere I’d rather be in here!” If I thought the hotel suites were amazing, the bus made them look like a cheap motel.
“Flying is quicker, do you know how long it would take me to come see you if I had to be in this?”
“Good point.”
Unlike some of the other buses around here, this one was a converted double decker and upstairs the guys had actual beds rather than bunks like I had seen on TV. The windows had been tinted and another covering of some sort went over that, making it feel like night-time as well block any prying eyes.
“Wanna see my bedroom?” Beau asked, coming to stand in front of me and I nodded, letting him lead me to the front of the bus and sliding open the thin cover, the room was all bed with cushions of different sizes taking up one wall and in the dividing one, a small TV with a book shelf sat in the middle of it.
What surprised me more were the few pictures stuck above the cushions as a most had me in them. Without thinking I climbed over the bed to have a look. They were all from our date and feeling the pressure of him following me I turned to look back and smile.
“You look good being in here.”
I glanced up at the pictures as he positioned himself on top of me.
“I have to agree.” I pulled on his shirt to bring him closer to me, wishing with just a kiss I could solve all of his problems. I couldn’t, but I hoped if I loved him enough he’d find the ability to fix them for himself.
“Everything is different with you Angel, you make me feel better without doing anything at all.”
I felt the tug of the button on my shorts coming undone, before his hand made use of the extra room doing that provided and as his fingers trailed lower between my legs, the heat that was came from his touch had me squirming.
“I want you.” He whispered kissing my neck and he removed his hand, “I need you.”
“I’m yours.”
I lifted my hips to help him ease off my pants and as I removed my shirt he did the same so as he moved back on top of me, there wasn’t an inch of each other hidden now and it felt like months rather than a weeks since we had been this close, this intimate with each other.
His own arousal is obvious and as he deepens our kiss I hold my breath, ready and aching for us to connect completely. I close my eyes as it finally happens, gasping as moved slowly at first and I can’t stop myself from clinging to him like my life depends on it.
Right now that’s exactly how it feels.
“Oh god, you feel so good.”
I have no idea how he managed to make words right now, the slight pain gave way to pleasure and I’m left breathless as I begin to move my hips in time with him, our pace only increasing.
His hair was getting long enough for me to run my fingers through and in our frenzy it only made him groan, the vibration from the sound going through his body and there were so many different sensations going on all I could do was try and survive the ache for more.
Sweaty, satisfied and still lost in each other, I wasn’t sure if I could handle anything else when my phone began to ring, and so did Beaus. I could reach mine easier than him and he didn’t seem to bothered as he began to kiss my shoulder blade and follow the line of my spine. I shivered at the touch, trying to answer the call.
“Jess?”
“Heads up, Beau is MIA again and everyone is freaking the fuck out.”
Beau pulled me down beside him and looking around there was no clock. We couldn’t have been gone for long.
“What’s the time?”
“Quarter to six. Why are… oh my god! You naughty little tart! Get him back here before John finds out!”
Hanging up I kissed Beau quickly and reached for my clothes.
“You’re on stage in like ten minutes – get dressed!”
“Shit!”
By the time we got back, the band was up and trying to delay the guys went to their spots one by one. Each member got their own screaming welcoming and the crowd was sounding a little rougher than they did this morning after a day of screaming. Sticks had started to a random beat before Noah ran out, followed by Seth who at seeing us running over, glared at Beau.
“Not cool dude! Freaking us all out and where the fuck is my hat?”
I cringed at that, forgetting the guards sunglasses and made a mental note of trying to get them back to him after the guys set.
Sticking with the new routine, Seth went out and once he had strummed a few notes, Beau gave me one last kiss and went running out on stage.
“That’s your boyfriend!” Jess screamed beside me, and like teenagers we jumped up and down – calling their names with the crowd. They beat changed and Beau jumped straight into one of their new songs, and I already knew every word.
“You’re always there to catch me when I fall, still loving me through it all. A light at the end of the tunnel, please don’t go away, hey please don’t go away.”
Sticks kicked it up a gear and the others followed yet it was Beau’s voice that dominated the music. Every now and then Beau would look in our direction, the audience not even noticing they didn’t have his undivided attention.
He had them laughing between songs, singing the chorus of the more well known tracks back to him in others and despite not being the last one, the chants for encore left them with no excuse, not to go back on.
“You wouldn’t have heard us do this before, in fact it’s not even one of our songs, but thanks to the music powers that be we have permission to perform it tonight and I’m dedicating it to my own angel…..”
Just like how I teased Grayson about being able to sing anything and still be loved, you’d think Beau just told them he was going to get naked from the way they carried on.
“I sit and wait, does an angel contemplate my fate..”
Everyone already knew the song from where it had been a hit a few years earlier and Jess tapped my arm and pointed to the audience. Reluctantly I moved my eyes away from Beau and in the weakening light of day, everyone’s phones had the screen alight or a torch of some kind shining making it look like a swaying sea of stars.
“And through it all she offers me protection, a lot of love and affection – whether I’m right or wrong..”
Rock star, semi-fictional character, lover, friend – how ever you classified him didn’t matter. All the labels were just one tiny part of who he really was and I was completely in love with each and every one of them. The second he came of stage I was in his arms and he easily lifted me against him. Ignoring the gagging sounds from Jess or the teasing from the band this kiss sealed our fate.
I didn’t care about the sweat or the fact I could smell my perfume on his shirt or even about the chick in the front row who flashed her tits at him as they said goodbye – he was all mine just like I was his.
“I love you!”
“I love you too Angel.”
“Come on, get a room!” Jess teased and Beau relucantly put me down, but didn't let me go. Poking my tongue out at her she ducked as I playfully went to slap her arm and the guys all laughed as we walked together as a group to the backroom where John and Sparky were waiting, ready to get our night started.
--
Hi everyone!! Big thank you for reading so far and it's getting towards the ending. I just have one more question for you.....
I had a couple of more chapters to go, but re-reading this now, do you think I should tweak the ending slightly and let it finish here, followed with an epilogue or keep it going like I originally planned?
Thanks xx :)