We Find Love

Chapter Eight

I meet Eris, Aven, and Darby at the front gates where a car waited for us. "You look hot!" Darby shouts as I approach them.

"Rock concerts are the one thing I know how to dress for," I laugh. "When I first moved into the city, rock concerts were the only things I and my friends could sneak in before we were 21, and you had to dress the part," I say, spinning around.

"Total rockstar," Darby grins.

"You look adorable," Eris adds, before pushing through the side gate and allowing all of us to walk through. "This is my friend, Melanie, she's our designated driver," Eris tells us, opening the back door. "Hey, Mel—This is Darby and Soncerae, and you already know Aven," Eris says, allowing us all to pile into the car before climbing into the passenger seat.

"Hello ladies," Melanie beams. "My name is Melanie, but you can call me Mel, Lanie, or just Me-Me if you want," she tells us.

"Mel! Come on we need to beat the traffic!" Eris says.

"So impatient this one is," Melanie scoffs, before turning in her seat and reversing away from the gate, before turning towards the city. "This is the band that's playing tonight—Lightening Fire," Melanie says, turning on the radio, and turning the stereo to the highest setting. The car is suddenly consumed with music, and it's so loud that my earbuds feel like they're about to pop.

It doesn't seem to bother the others though, I see Melanie and Eris speaking in the front seat, and Darby is rocking along to the music. Aven is resting back in her seat while on her phone, bobbing her head to the music as well. The entire car ride is nothing but the blaring music, and Melanie driving with her foot down the entire time, I was surprised we didn't get pulled over at the speed she was going.

When we arrived at the venue, the parking lot was filled with cars. People were still lounging around the parking lot smoking and drinking, and I could hear music thudding from the old building. Melanie founds a decent spot underneath a lighting post, and we all pile out of the car, immediately getting the attention of a bunch of drunk men, leaning against their truck drinking.

"You couldn't handle all of this," Darby shouts, flipping the men off, as we walk towards the building.

"Don't antagonize them Darbs," Eris scolds her, before wrapping her arm around Aven and pulling her towards the line. When we make it to the building, people are rushed inside. Eris doesn't stop in the line though, she guides Aven towards the front door, and we follow after her. When we get to the front, Eris passes over 5 tickets and gestures to the rest of us. The security guard looks over the tickets, before opening the door and allowing us in.

"Eris is so cool," Darby whispers to me, as we step into the building. The music inside here was just as loud as in the car, but it bounced off all the empty walls. Even though there weren't a lot of people inside, there weren't a lot of places to stand or sit, and the room was already starting to smell like sweat. It brought me back to my first year in the city. Squeezing into whatever rock concert my roommates could find, and drinking shitty beer, while listening to the music that I barely understood. This time Eris glided through the crowd like she owned the place, and it was almost like everyone knew who she was because everyone glided out of our way until we made it to the bar. We were close enough to the stage that I could see everything, and the crowd seemed to give us space to breathe; as if they knew better than to crowd Eris's space.

"I used to be a band manager when I was fresh out of college," Eris tells me, bringing my attention to her. "I can sense your confusion," she says with a laugh.