The Look Of Knowledge

8. Tired

Julian

The annoying voice of Fabrizio woke me up but I kept my eyes closed.
"Wake up you fuck" he said shoving his finger into my ear making me sit up immediately. I rubbed my eyes and gave him my look of doom.

"Jules we gotta go man, we're late for the interview" I heard Albert say as he walked out of the bathroom fixing his afro.

"Is this our hotel room?" I asked confused.

"No, it's the Queen's palace, get dressed" Nick said throwing some pants and a shirt on my bed.

I got dressed and we got into the van. I barely even talked because my head was like literally beating. Self note: I have to stop saying 'literally'.

"Hey Julian, did you get some girly action last night?" Fab asked whilst serving Nikolai a cup of coffee.

"...Don't think so" I replied while I tried to remember actually what I did last night. "I think um.. Mika took me back to the van and went back to the party"

Nick and Fab looked at each other in complicity and bursted out laughing.

"Yeah right man" Nick said making me nervous. I fucking hate when they mess with me when I'm hangover.

"Oh, what fucking happened then? Come on, you're dying to tell anyway"

"Nothing Jules, chill. Leave him alone guys." Albert interfered looking serious. "He wasn't actually jerking off, so technically... he isn't a necrophiliac" he added and joined to everyone else's laugh.

"What?!" I said really disconcerted.

"Ok, ok, let's tell the poor guy" Nick finally said. "Well, when we got back to the van you were sleeping with your arm around Mika and your other hand was in your pants"

"And there was some movement going on it there!" Fab added.

Nikolai looked at me, he was fucking laughing too. He took out a camera and handed it to me.

"You took a fucking picture?!" I snapped. "Delete this man" I said pressing every button as Albert tried to take the camera from me. "How do I... YES" I said rising my fists in the air.

"You're the worst friends ever" I added.

"And you're a buzz killer" Nick said pouting as a little kid.

I wasn't so worried about it, I mean yes, but.. like, seriously, I've done worse things while I was drunk.
I was actually intrigued about how I ended up sleeping with her. Well, not with her, but next to, you know what I mean.

"Where is she by the way?" I heard Fab ask, thankfully because I had the urge to ask the very same question.

"She took a cab" Albert said.

"All by herself?! She was drunk man" I interrupted.

"I know, man. But she said she was afraid to puke here" Nick interfered. "Maybe you should've been awake"

"I told her we would drive her home. That's the whole reason why she went to that party" I said. I was really angry, they can't just put a 17 year old girl on a cab all alone and drunk at 3:30am.

"Was it Jules?" Nick asked using his sarcastic face. I mean, I couldn't see him, he was on the other row, but I knew he was using that face, so I turned around and looked at him peeking above my seat.

"Mean what?"

"I think she was at the party because you wanted her to be there, it was pretty evident" Nick replied, I was gonna tell him to fuck off but he started talking on his cell phone so I sat down properly again, cursing to myself. Nick was being stupid.

••••

We arrived shortly after that. A Paris Hilton looking woman received us with a huge annoying smile plus whitened teeth that hurt my eyes.

"Hello boys!" She said and hugged every single one of us, then walked to a set of couches where we followed her.
She plugged our mics in and sat in front of us.

"I'm sorry, uhh... what are the cameras for?" I asked raising my hand.

"Yeah man, I thought this was an interview for the magazine. Like an article" Nick agreed sounding as surprised as me. This fucking assholes from NME always do the same shit.

I spotted Ryan walking up to us.

"There was a change of plans. You have the video interview today and later a small photoshoot in the dressing room. We're passing the article for next week. I'm sorry guys, I forgot to tell you" he said looking afraid of what we might say but we were all too tired to argue so we gave in.

The woman started talking to us and asking all kinds of questions we've already been asked but trying not to be too mainstream.

"Yes, it's kinda crazy for us, the fans know all the lyrics to the songs, it's really cool, yeah." I said knowing I was sounding uninterested, I was actually trying not to make it noticeable at first but I gave up at the third question.

"You have a lot of girl fans around the country, is it good to have all of this female attention? Do you guys like it?" The interviewer asked.

"Of course, man!" Fab shouted as most of us nodded except Nick who was staring at a table filled with food waiting for us. I'd been eyeing it through the whole interview too.

"Nick, do you not enjoy it?" The bitch asked him directly because he didn't fucking nod. She'd been asking Nick questions all the time.

"What...? Oh, yes, the girls. Of course. It's very flattering. My 15 year old self would not believe it" He answered snapping out of it. She giggled and looked at him with this smile like I think she was trying to flirt. It was funny and I laughed a little hiding behind Albert's afro.

"So... Julian, you're dad is John Casablancas, was it fun growing up surrounded by models?" She asked. Nikolai looked at me and it kind of soothed my anger.

"Oh yes" I said smiling widely. "Unbelievably fun. My father would agree on that" Ryan was looking at me biting his nails. I felt Albert patting my back.

"So, are you excited for this show tonight? You're closing!"

"It's great man... we're still shocked" Albert said.

The woman asked a few mote questions and hasta la vista, baby.
We stuffed our mouths and ate everything we could find on the catering table, then went to our tent/dressing room and got wasted.

Nick, Albert and Nikolai jammed for about an hour and a half or maybe that's just how long it felt to my brain, but I knew I needed to get out of there. So I decided the best I could do was going for a nice walk on the field.

Yesterday was nice walking with Mika, when we got back. What I like about festivals is that most people don't have a clue of who we are. They come for the bigger bands like RHCP so we can walk freely without being bothered. It's not like fans bother me, I actually am a fan myself. If I got to meet Eddie Vedder, man... I dunno what the fuck I'd do.
Not like I'm comparing myself to Eddie, obviously, what I meant, is like.. Nobody is like Eddie fucking Vedder. I completely lost my line of thought.

I went to a food tent 'cause the munchies were hitting me again. I ordered a hot dog with only mayo and handed the man my money. I was feeling like mayo that day.

"Julian?" I heard a voice behind me and turned as I took the first bite of my delicious doggy.