Half a World Away

5 - Zack

The crowd was going wild. The sound was deafening, but it made Zack just beam more brightly and wave. The lights on the stage started to dim and he walked off the stage, behind a curtain. The crowd began to chant for an encore, which would always happen. Janice handed Zack a towel which he used to wipe down his face. He handed it back to her, as she passed him a bottle of cool water. Zack sculled the water down, needing the refreshment after performing non-stop. A stage-hand collected his guitar and handed him another one, ready for his supposed unplanned encore. It was a lie. There was always a song planned for the fans. It just allowed them to think they were getting something more than other concerts he would play.

Stretching his neck to either side to loosen up, Zack walked back out onto the dark stage in Dublin, Ireland. A spotlight flickered on to follow him and the crowd began to scream in excitement. A strum of his fingers across the strings of his guitar, and a squeal of over eager fans in the front row sounded over the rest of the noise.

Zack sang gently into the microphone that sat in the stand. He began to pluck at his guitar, the crowd roared. The back-up band started to join in and as they built and moved into the chorus of the song together, the crowd settled down and sang along with the lyrics. Zack gave it his all, as he did with every encore song, giving the last of his energy to the adoring fans.

When the song ended, he left the stage with a wave. Girls screamed for him to marry them or even just spend a wild night with them. Zack ignored their offers and headed into the wings. The stage-hand was waiting to take his guitar, Janice waited with more water and a fresh towel. He took the towel and let it rest on his neck as he drank more water, handing Janice the half-drunk bottle back.

"Backstage pass holders will arrive in thirty minutes, you have forty-five to wind down," Janice gave him the same instructions she did after every concert.

Zack didn't always enjoy the backstage pass meet and greets, but Janice told him they were a necessity to keep fans involved with him.

Reaching Zacks dressing room, he opened the door.

"Zack?" Janice asked, checking if he had heard her.

"Yeah, I know," he groaned, looking at her. "Forty-five minutes. Come get me in forty. I'll be ready, but right now, I need my alone time."

"You heard him," Janice ordered those who had followed them. Everybody scurried away and Janice turned back to face Zack with a smile.

"Alone means, on my own, Janice," Zack muttered, walking into the dressing room and closing the door on her protests that they needed to talk.

Locking the door, Zack walked across the room and threw the towel he had hanging around his neck into the corner. Reaching behind to his back, he grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and pulled it forward, up and over his head, throwing his shirt where the towel had landed.

In the bathroom, Zack turned the shower on to get the hot water running. It was common for dressing rooms to take a while for the hot water to come through. He kicked off his shoes and socks, standing bare foot on the tiles with only his jeans still on. Zack pulled his phone from his pocket and opened it to see if he had any new messages.

It had become a slight addiction over the previous two weeks, checking his phone at regular intervals. At times Zack found himself up late messaging with C45510Y, who he could only assume her name was Cassidy from her pen-name. In three weeks, Zack would be touring Australia and he wondered to himself if he would be brave enough to tell her who he really was and meet her in person.

C45510Y: Went out for some drinks with Dean last night. Always funny to see women trying to come on to him.

Zack smiled, loving the fact that she thought to message him. Knowing he had limited time before Janice came knocking on his door, Zack typed a message and sent it before getting into the shower to freshen up before the meet and greet.