I know your pain

The show

Chris' pov

As the guys and I loaded our van with our band equipment, I couldn't help but notice Vinny's unusual behavior. He had been acting strange since his night out at the bar. "Hey Vin, did you meet someone special last night?" I teased, to which he nervously laughed and said, "Sure." When I inquired whether she would be at our show that night, he mentioned that she worked there. "Well, looks like you can score us some free drinks tonight then!" I joked, but Vinny just rolled his eyes.

Meanwhile, Ricky seemed visibly stressed, and it turned out that Rowan hadn't spoken to him in nearly a week. I found myself feeling a twinge of guilt for asking her to leave the house, but then again, she shouldn't have left us in a lurch while we were on tour.

Ricky's pov

As I gathered my remaining belongings and stepped into the tour bus, a heavy sigh escaped my lips. Vinny assured me that he had safely brought Rowan home the previous night, but he's keeping her whereabouts a secret. The uncertainty of not knowing where she is weighs heavily on my mind. All I want is for her to return home with me.

Ryan offered reassuring words, saying "We will find her," and I nodded, although my heart was heavy with worry. I know that we will eventually locate her, but I can't help but hope that it will happen soon.

As we arrived at the venue, there was a palpable tension among the band members. Rowan's absence felt conspicuous. "Let's get our gear inside and do our sound check; we play last tonight," Chris announced, to which I responded with a sigh as I slung my guitar over my shoulder. "Dude, cheer up," Chris remarked, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I exited the tour bus.

Once inside the venue, we noticed that there were very few workers around, except for the boss. "Welcome to my bar! You must be Ricky from Motionless in White!" he greeted me. "That's me!" I replied before making my way towards the stage. "It's going to get wild tonight. Sometimes, a few of the workers get hassled when it gets busy. Hopefully, that won't be a problem for you guys," he warned before disappearing into the back.

This is going to be a long night but hopefully it will go by fast.

Rowan's pov

After spending a few hours meticulously preparing for my workday, it was time to leave the house. The thought of encountering the band at the venue made me anxious, as I didn't feel quite ready to face everyone yet. As I drove towards the venue, I caught sight of the tour buses after about 10 minutes. Sighing, I exited the car and hastily pulled my hood over my head, hoping to avoid being recognized by the band. While Vinny was aware that I worked there, I wasn't keen on anyone else finding out just yet.

Upon entering the venue, I discreetly donned a mask to obscure more of my features. "Oh hey, ro—" my boss began, but I cut him off with a hushed "Shhh, I don't want them to know I'm here yet," to which he nodded understandingly. "Hiding your identity?" he inquired. "Just for now. I'll take it off once it gets busy," I replied, and he nodded with a small sigh.

As I wandered around the venue, my heart sank when I spotted Ricky engaged in conversation with Vinny. He appeared utterly worn out and devoid of the usual excitement that accompanied their performances.

"Hey, she's wearing a Motionless shirt!" Ricky exclaimed, and my heart skipped a beat as I froze in place. Thankfully, he didn't recognize me behind the mask, but I knew that once it came off, he would. Chris shot me a strange look, as if he could tell it was me, and Vinny's worried expression made me feel even more on edge. I quickly excused myself and headed to the bar to start preparing drinks before the doors opened.

"That was bizarre," Ricky commented with a small laugh. "Doors open in 5," the boss announced as he worked on getting the food ready. "Bands, come to the front to collect your wristbands, and I'll need to see your IDs," the opener called out. I observed as all the bands came up to get what they needed. Ricky eventually made his way to the bar. "Hey, I need a whiskey," he requested, catching me off guard. "Right before you guys play?" I inquired as I began making the drink. "We're playing last, so I'm not worried," he replied, meeting my eyes. "Nice ring; I gave my fiancée the same one," he added, and my heart sank. "Ricky, come on!" Chris shouted, and he quickly downed his drink before joining Chris.