The next morning, the plane to Boston left without me.
By mid noon, I was sat downstairs, anxiously waiting for Trevor to return home. He promised to get me on the earliest flight possible to Hamburg.
Gina and Rita returned from the kitchen with steaming cups of tea. They sat across from me and exchanged knowing looks. When Gina began to smile, I got fed up.
"Why are you smiling like that?"
"No reason", she replied with a shrug of her shoulders. She took a sip of her tea, smile turning into a smirk.
"It's just this series of events make it sound a lot like a movie climax, doesn't it? The hero trying to win his girl back."
"Pff, Liam is no hero. He's the farthest thing from a hero."
"That's right he isn't. He's just a scally you're terribly fond of."
Yes, fond was the word. I'm glad Rita didn't use the L-word.
"I mean it's fitting really. You're gonna find love in the city where Beatles found their glory."
Spoke too soon.
I was loathe to romanticise my decision any more than it needed. In my head, I was going to Hamburg to hear Liam out. But Gina and Rita were making it seem like some cheesy movie scene, even more so after listening to the audio tape.
Trevor returned with disappointing news. "You're not gonna make it in time for the gig, Julia", he said as he handed me the ticket.
I bit my lip, "That's alright Trev, thanks anyway. I'll just have to find him after the gig instead."
Later that evening, I said my goodbyes to everyone. I planned on catching a direct flight to Boston from Hamburg itself. Even if something told me that wouldn't be possible once I met Liam.
By the time I landed in Hamburg, it was past eight. As luck would have it, I forgot the name of the venue and my backstage pass was useless in that it had no venue listed. I mentally rebuked Liam for not sending a proper ticket.
After two hours of looking for a cab and driving to the venue, I was no less keyed. I jumped out once the car stopped, thanked the driver in my clumsy German and rushed towards the entrance.
The inside of the venue was another maze. I gritted my teeth in annoyance, exiting through the wrong door a second time. Every minute I wasted in navigation contributed to my restlessness.
People began to file out from a hall, people I recognized to be fans from their Oasis shirts. Thoughts of the band raving to go to a pub made me anxious. With my limited knowledge of Hamburg, I would never be able to find them if they left.
I elbowed my way through the incoming crowd, earning many ugly looks in the process. The men guarding the backstage entrance stared at me with enough mistrust to tear my pass into two.
By the time they let me through, my heart was in my mouth from all the piled up anxiety.
I meandered through the halls, desperately seeking a familiar face until I passed by a room from which raging voices could be heard.
"Fuck you ya fuckin' cunt. If you didn't 'ave a such flair for dramatics, you wouldn't 'ave fucked it up for the rest of us."
"Shut up! You are one to talk you fuckin' knobhead", another Mancunian voice growled.
There was a loud thump and a few whoas, and I knew I found the right room.
Without warning, I burst through the doors and stopped abruptly at the sight that met me.
YOU ARE READING
In Strange Places
RomanceJulia has good reason to be wary of Liam Gallagher. He's a hooligan whose track record is riddled with several flings, including one with her best friend. Surely she knows better than to fall for someone like him. But when love keeps finding her in...
