Don't Fuck With My Love {Joel Hokka}

How close...

I survived that day, the following one I spent it in bed to recover for the next, we woke up early and took a plain to Turku.

—Hey, does anyone has the gig line-up?—I asked while we ate at the hotel.
—Yeah, I'll send it to you later—Joonas nodded—. There are two opening acts before us.
—Finnish bands?
—One yes, the other I think that is from London.
—And at what time do we have to be there?—Niko asked while pointing at the ketchup for me to reach it.
—Over five, so we better start to get ready when we finish the meal because you all know what happens—Olli warned.
—Okay, I'm not the one who has that little habit before every show...—Joonas giggled and looked at me.
—Shut up—I laughed.

We met at the hall at half past four, but...ended up leaving at ten past five. When we arrived, the organization guys didn't seem to be in a hurry, so we put our things in place and waited for them to tell us to go make the sound testing.

—I hope this is the last time we are so late to a concert, we're becoming more and more important and...—I disconnected.

Niko's words were no longer a thing inside my head. Just behind him was the ramp to the stage, from where a redhead girl had come down. I didn't think it was possible but when she lifted her head to look at a guy with a pair of drumsticks on his hand, I couldn't deny it anymore.

—Are you listening?—my friend waved his hand in front of my face—Joel!!
—Sorry—I ignored how mad he was and started walking towards the girl—. Rachel?—I called her name astonished.
—Hey!—she smiled—What are you doing here?
—I could say the same, why didn't you tell me you were coming?—I tried to hold the excitement.
—We've been so busy, I haven't had time to look at the line-up.
—And where are you staying?
—At the Grand Hotel.
—Same as us—I smiled.
—How close—she did the same—... Come over, I'll introduce you to the band.
—Sure—I followed her.
—So, he's Jax—she pointed at a boy taller than me, with long blond hair. He was the one with the drumsticks that was talking to her before.
—What's up?—he said
—The black-haired girl is Kriita—a girl with red contacts a little shorter than her.
—Hi—she smiled looking away from the mirror where she was doing her makeup.
—And he's Blue, they're non-binary and they go by any pronouns—the head-shaved person with the bit they had grown painted in red, looked at me with a guitar on their shoulder.
—You go before or after us?
—Before, we're one of the opening acts—Jax said.
—Would you go later and say hi to the boys?—I looked at Rachel.
—Yeah, sure—she smiled and I felt like I was slowly melting on the inside.
—Well, see you later—I hugged her—. Don't leave when the gig is over—I whispered.
—I won't—she replied.
—See ya—the drummer put an arm around her shoulder and I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to break a guitar on his face, but I just turned and came back to hear Niko's telling-off.