My Italian Nightmare

Chapter 14: New Song (Working Title)

My head was spinning and my knees were so weak that I needed to sit down on the curb. This was...too much. This was too early, too fast, too unexpected, too...
I genuinely did not think that Angelo would recognize me, let alone invite me backstage. The entire experience, the entire first night I spent with him felt like a fever dream, a memory that happened to someone else, a poem I'd read a hundred times but nothing I had actually lived. But now, this... this was real, this was the proof that everything I had experienced was real and, more importantly, that it was not over yet.
"Ari, please say something, you're scaring me", Cecile's voice reached my ears and I looked up with glazed eyes.
"Sorry", I murmured and stood up, shaking slightly.
"Ari...", Cecile said and put her hand on my shoulder, squeezing it tightly. "You know, you don't have to go."
We looked at each other without saying anything and I knew that Cecile saw the expression on my face that was a mix of uncertainty, anxiety, but over all, the almost unbearable desire to be near him again. I blinked and sighed, looking over to the club again.
"Come on", I said and took Cecile's hand, "let's get into the queue so we have a good view." Cecile shot me a last worried look, but shrugged, nodded and followed me to the entrance. The band had left the scene meanwhile, and the crowd had queued in front of the club.
"Ugh, how is the queue so long already", Cecile whined and I agreed silently, observing the crowd.
"It's okay, we're still gonna get close", I said and smiled reassuringly. We lined up and I reached into my backpack pulling out a bottle of white wine.
"Ohhhhh", Cecile said and grinned, nodding approvingly. I opened the bottle and drank a big sip before handing it to Cecile.
"How long do you reckon we'll have to wait?", Cecile asked and I shrugged, looking at the line of people in front of us.
"Half an hour?"
"Hmmm", Cecile made and took another sip from the bottle. We took turns drinking from the bottle and waited in line, shifting forward at a slow pace. I kept checking out the entrance and suddenly spotted someone I recognized. I bumped my elbow into Cecile's side.
"Look!" I said and pointed at the man who was checking the tickets at the front row.
"What?", Cecile said confused and raised her eyebrows, trying to see who I was pointing at.
"That's Jürgen!", I exclaimed and smiled at the memory. "You know, the security guy! That I met in the tour bus!"
"Ohhhhhhh", Cecile made and her expression shifted into a smile as well.
"Let's try something...", I said and pulled her along the queue, pushing past the people waiting and eyeing us rather disapprovingly. I put the bottle of wine back into my backpack and tried to not raise any suspicion. I pulled out my ID, my ticket, my phone for the CovPass and got in front of the queue, pulling Cecile beside me who looked rather insecure. "Hey", I said and smiled at Jürgen, who eyed me up and raised his brows.
"Ticket?", he asked and I showed it to him.
"Genesen, geimpft oder getestet?" I showed him my QR Code and he nodded.
"Hey, they cut the line!", someone behind me called and I rolled my eyes. I mean, technically I had. Jürgen furrowed his brows and eyed me suspiciously. I showed him my ID and finally his puzzled expression dissolved into an expression of recognition.
"Du bist doch der...", he started but I cut him off quickly, because I didn't want anyone to hear.
"Ja", I replied and pulled out my backstage pass as well. "Also, können meine Freundin und ich durch oder was?"
"Ja ja, geh ruhig. Hätte ja nicht gedacht, dass ich dich noch mal seh'", he said and I shrugged.
"Danke", I said and pulled Cecile with me, getting into the club, grinning about my stroke of genius.
"Jeez, Ari, that was like...so impressive", Cecile said and I laughed. "Kinda, yeah." We walked through to the coat check where we left our jackets and then went into the club, where a stage had already been set up.
"Oh my god, Ari, see we're actually gonna be up front!", Cecile said and smiled happily. I nodded and was feeling really good about the fact that while everything seemed like a mess, I could still do something good for my friend. We got in front of the stage, where some people already waited and I checked the time. "We still have like one hour", I said and sighed, pulling out the wine bottle of my backpack again.
"Ari, I don't think you're allowed to...", Cecile said but I shrugged and took a sip. I knew I was being arrogant at best and ignorant at worst, but the feeling of being invincible had settled into me since I got so easily into the club, by just flashing my backstage pass and being recognized as someone who Angelo had taken with him once. It felt validating, it made me feel special. We spent the rest of the time with drinking the rest of the bottle, chatting to the other fans and bopping along to the background music that was played.