Don't Tell The Paparazzi

Chapter 7

Twenty-seven thousand people crowded into the KeyArena that night. Youngsters dressed in black from head to toe and girls with wine-colored lipstick on their lips. The name "Dark Paradise" was repeated in perfect synchrony, like a war cry, and Stela's heart vibrated in the same sequence as the sound waves reverberating through the packed stadium.She could pinpoint the numbers because Rose Willians, the stunning anchor of the local TV network, was impeccable in a blue suit, going over all the information. The reporter ignored the euphoric screams caused by the camera's presence from the huddled fans behind an innocuous security line and randomly selected her interviewees.In the VIP area, things were a bit different. Bad food and drinks too strong. A kind of bourbon that Brian would have loved, but that would have made Stela lose motor control before finishing the first glass. She felt out of place next to girls wearing heels incompatible with the comfort required for rock shows and men who seemed to be there more for the double benefit of the place: whiskey and drunk beautiful women. They all had that typical tan of rich people and teeth that hurt the eyes they were so white. She doubted any of them really liked rock, and she envied the people in the pit who were having fun without worrying about messing up elaborate hairstyles or using the event for flirting.The show was forty minutes late. Despite being English, the boys from Dark Paradise had none of the British punctuality. And just when she was finding all that opulence too boring, the lights in the complex dimmed. A guttural sound escaped from the audience as the lighting was restricted to the fireworks that shimmered in the Denver sky.It was Dark Paradise's subtle way of saying the show was starting."Good evening, Colorado!"Brian Carter's unmistakable voice awakened a dormant monster in the arena. Stela couldn't muster any reaction. She was petrified. After a few seconds, she turned her chin back in place.Brian knew how to dress the part. The waist of the leather pants was low enough to make women forget they paid for a rock concert, not erotic fantasies. The exposed arms of the vocalist suggested he didn't care about the temperature of that night, or else the tiny fur vest warmed him satisfactorily. His shoulder-length hair worked as the best accessory, framing his handsome face. The man matched his fame very well and he knew it. Dominic, Tommy, and Elijah could be naked now, and Stela wouldn't notice."Are you ready for Rock and Roll?!" The vocalist exclaimed, and the audience's response came in a stormy yes. "Then tonight is rock night, Denver!!!"Guitars and drums joined to start "Wild Way of Life," one of the band's latest hits, predictably topping the charts. People jumped to the beat, the instruments hit perfect notes; Brian's voice, unimaginable tones. Christ. It was unbelievable to think that someone could have been randomly blessed with such a divine gift.At some point during the show, Carter invited a girl from the pit to come up on stage. The poor thing cried compulsively as she showed her trembling hands to the idol. A new uproar took over the crowd: some happy for the girl, others frustrated for not sharing the same luck."Hey, don't cry," Carter asked, and the fan sobbed even louder, tears smudging her mascara. He cradled the slender girl in a hug. "What's your name?""It's Me-Melanie," the teenager stuttered, her tear-streaked face displayed mercilessly on the giant screens."Melanie, I'm going to sing a song called 'I Just Wanna a Special Thing' and..." Brian was forced to pause as the audience went wild. It was one of the band's most romantic titles — "I need your help, could you do that?"The girl did, off-key, but the audience helped. When the music reached the solo, Brian hugged Melanie in a way that their lips almost touched. Then he kissed her.And suddenly, every girl in KeyArena wanted to be the anonymous Melanie.The girl needed to leave with the help of the technical team: too much emotion. Stela tried to determine if that burning sensation in the pit of her stomach was what jealousy did to people. No... What she felt was closer to adoration. Stela was his newest and most faithful devotee.The show came to an end, and anxiety devoured Stela's insides like a hungry beast: the credential hanging around her neck was her great asset. She tried to control her breathing while a band assistant shouted in anticipation of making his announcement stand out over the residual sound of a request for an encore."Hey, everyone! I'll say it only once, so pay attention: those with the credentials can come with me! To the others, good night." The man dressed like a CIA agent turned his back, and about thirty lucky ones crowded around until they realized the space required the formation of a single-file line. Stela didn't hurry, but she compulsively cracked her fingers as she waited in the last place.They stopped at a specific point backstage, and the fans quietly vibrated, pointing to the star pinned to the dressing room door. The assistant disappeared following orders from a walkie-talkie, and that's when Robert Barlet showed up. He still had the bushy mustache matching the ponytail and the extreme bad taste in color combinations (the yellow jacket was proof of that). Apparently, he didn't take seriously the promise to find another band to manage."Okay, okay. Form groups of six people, it doesn't matter if you don't know the person behind you, the band is tired and we have to do this quickly. You can stay for up to five minutes, not a second longer, so if you brought the entire family's CD collection, it's better to choose just one for autographing. Photographs are allowed, but don't forget: FIVE minutes, so be nice so everyone in the group can take theirs." Barlet's words poured out of his mouth, torrentially and without any emotion.Stela entered after almost half an hour. Inside the dressing room, Elijah Nash posed for photos with fans making unorthodox faces. The guitarist seemed to descend from a noble lineage of vampires, standing out. Dominic Wilde signed CDs while girls ran their hands through his curly hair. Stela saw the drummer tuck two notes into his pants pocket, probably phone numbers. In another corner of the dressing room, Tommy Morello gave advice on bass brands to a fan, just like a friend would.Then Stela realized Brian Carter wasn't there.She scanned the place once more, feeling stupid. Apparently, she had mistaken the kindness of being given a ticket, which meant nothing to a millionaire rock star, for the reciprocity of a reunion. She wished she could disappear or teleport somewhere else."Hey, girl," Tommy thought the girl who let disappointment overflow on her face was just another shocked fan, not someone with a broken heart. "Come here."She pointed to herself, Morello nodded, and Stela walked over to him, forcing a smile. Not that it was difficult to smile at that man, because, Jesus, he was beautiful, but given her current situation, Stela would have preferred not to interact with anyone, even if the object of contact had perfect lips shaded by a sexy goatee. What was this about female hormones and bearded men?"Hello, Tommy.""And what's up? Did you enjoy the show?"She waited a few seconds, still hopeful that Brian would show up. She continued the dialogue when she realized it wouldn't happen."I did enjoy it."Tommy looked at her hands, searching for CDs, posters, or some band shirt."You're an unusual fan. Didn't bring anything for autographs," he said.She laughed."I guess I got a little emotional.""Let's fix that."Morello grabbed a CD from one of the dressing room drawers. He signed it with a black pen on the cover, the leg of the letter 'M' invading Brian's face a little."Thank you, Tommy. Oh, Brian Carter didn't come for the autograph session?"The bassist smiled, already accustomed to fans always expecting to find the Dark Paradise vocalist much more than him or any other members together."Brian values ​​this contact with the fans a lot, but surely... he had other things to do..." The man stumbled, inventing an excuse for his colleague. "I think... he needed to go for an interview. Sorry to disappoint you.""It's okay. And thank you." She raised the CD to eye level. "My brother is a big fan of the band, he'll be happy.""Cool, send him greetings. What's your name?""Stela." She hesitated a second before saying, "I guess you won't remember, but I had breakfast with you guys once."Tommy furrowed his eyebrows, trying to recall the girl's face from some memory."Oh... that's true. Brian's friend. Was it in Amsterdam?""Prague.""Right, wow. It's a shame he's not here, I'm sure he'd love to see you again.""Yeah... Too bad. Well, tell him I said hi." Stela spoke and heard her own conscience mocking her with sarcasm. Stupid little girl.She didn't bother to pass by Elijah or Dominic. Even if all statistics were unfavorable, she preferred not to risk being remembered. When the security guard appeared to announce that time was up, she didn't oppose like the other fans did. Then she followed the red signs indicating the exit with a heavy heart accompanying her along the way.She thought she was hearing things when she heard someone call her."Hey, girl."It was the assistant who had taken them to the dressing room. Stela looked around to see if there was anyone else. There wasn't."Are you talking to me?""I am if you're a certain Stela... Reis." The man looked at a clipboard as he pronounced her name. "Is that you?""Yes, it's me.""Then come with me."She obeyed and followed him through a narrow corridor that cut through the lower part of the arena. The constant warning from her parents never to talk to strangers was a rule that could be waived when it came to strangers working for rock bands, right? She trusted and didn't ask any questions, even though there were no other people within meters. They reached a door marked as an emergency exit and went outside the stadium.In the cloudy sky, the moon revealed itself in the form of a waning crescent. Stela felt the cold air and ran her hand over her arms in a vain attempt to warm herself. Meters ahead, tiny clusters of fans still lingered, prolonging the night drinking on the sidewalks.The assistant stopped in front of a utility vehicle and opened the passenger door. He indicated for her to get in."You're delivered, Miss Reis."And there in the driver's seat was the reason for all the whirlwind of emotions Stela had experienced in the last moments. The passenger door closed, so it was just her and the Dark Paradise vocalist inside the vehicle. It was easy for her brain to associate the lines of that face with her happiest memories, but it took some time to process the information and understand that this time it really was the man in the flesh, and not the reverie of a wild dream, who was materialized before her."Hello, prodigy girl," Brian Carter gave a smile complete with dimples that dispelled all her doubts and fears. Damn. Good thing Stela was sitting. Her heart raced before her mouth finished the short sentence:"Hey, rock star.""Look at you, haven't changed a bit," the vocalist ran his fingers along her arm. The touch made Stela's entire nervous system focus on that route of tingling little hairs."Oh, I did change. Cut my hair," she joked.The guy grabbed a strand and checked the length. Unlike Brian, Stela didn't know where to put her hands. She thought it best to keep them well-behaved on her lap."Oh, really? Was it, what, three long centimeters?""About that."He was different too. Stela noticed the new earring in his left ear. Now the vocalist had two piercings on that side. But she didn't say anything about it, afraid he would think she was a maniac for details."Bold girl. Did you like the show?""Yes. Except for the part where you kiss the girl, obviously."Transparent. But that wasn't really hard to figure out."Oh, that's just acting," Brian smirked at her, his green eyes camouflaged within the dark vehicle. "Do I need to say 'it's not what you think'?""No." Stela shook her head. "First, because it'll sound cliché. And second, because you don't owe me an explanation."He stopped and stared before suddenly saying:"Oh, damn it, just give me a hug already."She didn't have time to do it. Didn't need to. Brian himself offered to hug her. And God. That was good. Stela tucked her chin into the curve of his neck and took a deep breath. It was from there that the virile scent emanated throughout the car. They stayed like that for a good while, until he took the initiative to let her go with the same gentleness one would use to put a sleepy child to bed. Huh. Unfortunate comparison. No woman would fall asleep next to a man like that. No chance."I thought I'd never see you again," his voice was almost a whisper."Didn't I? And here we are, sneaking out of your own show through the back. By the way, nice disguise," Stela pointed to Brian's clothes. The vocalist had exchanged the unusual stage attire for a white t-shirt and ripped jeans. Basic of the basics. "Goes well with the car.""Do I look like someone you'd introduce to your parents?"Oh. Was this question serious? The man couldn't raise hopes in another human being like that. It was cruel."Not with all these tattoos showing and this hair messed up by the pillow," she pretended to grimace. "My parents are too traditional.""Really? Maybe if I wear a long-sleeve shirt and tie my hair up..."The image of Brian in formal wear made the girl lose herself in daydreams for a moment. She didn't let him notice, and said:"Yeah, but you don't have to worry about that since you'll never meet them.""You never know," he winked at her. Stela didn't know what to say, just laughed. "So, did you manage to get a job?"Her face lit up."Oh, you remember?""I wasn't that drunk. I remember your master's degree was ending and you were afraid of what you'd do when you went back to Brazil."She nodded slowly."I got a job. It's nothing fancy, but I like it and it pays my rent. I'm a math teacher at a high school."His lips curved in satisfaction."I knew you would.""Yeah... and I'm amazed you remember those things. Actually, I'm amazed you even responded to my message in the first place."Brian scoffed, as if Stela had spoken the greatest of absurdities."Don't underestimate yourself, girl.""I don't underestimate myself. But, well, I overestimate you," she continued. "And an hour ago, thousands of people inside that stadium would confirm that I'm right to think that way."Brian frowned and gave Stela a censorious look. The girl looked at her own feet in the darkness of the car, embarrassed."And yet I was out here waiting for you, right?" Carter said."Yeah...""Well..." The man continued in the face of his guest's still hesitant expression. "Would it help if you knew how I felt when I saw your message?"She suddenly looked up at him. A tacit yes."I was heading home after meeting with the guys. It wasn't the best of rehearsals and I left the studio with a hot head," he gave a half-smile and Stela imagined a discussion between handsome rockers about imperfect guitar solos and high-pitched intensity. "So when the signal turned red, I checked my phone messages and there was yours, sent a few hours before. When I saw who had signed it, I almost crashed the car."Stela was speechless. Indirectly, she could have been blamed for traffic recklessness. But screw that. Knowing that the musician reacted positively to her message at that moment was much more important than the physical integrity of a Ferrari. Or a Batmobile. (Or whatever type of car vocalists drive)."And you know what I found funniest? You signed it Stela 'from Prague.' As if I needed geographical specifications to remember you," his eyes were fixed beyond the windshield, staring at a group of teenagers playing air guitars unaware that their idol was just a few meters away."And don't you?" Stela asked.Carter then stopped staring and looked directly at her."What do you think?"A short silence."And to think I almost didn't send the message," she said after a while."And to think I took a good half hour to choose the right words to say to you."Stela's face turned red. Whatever that man was doing would cause irreversible damage to her heart. Rock stars weren't the best guys to fall in love with, she knew that. But Carter was hinting that, somehow, the girl also made him nervous.He seemed to feel a little embarrassed suddenly. Changed the subject:"Oh, and... what brought you to Colorado?""There's going to be a math conference, my master's thesis topic was selected."A smile appeared on his face."Well, look at that, things really worked out for you.""Yeah. Things are working out," she smiled too.They fell into silence. It was indicative that the latest news about Stela's life had come to an end. The rule didn't apply to the musician, obviously. Anything the girl needed to know, just a single click on Wikipedia and problem solved. Brian then checked the time on his phone."Hey, do you still have a Kraken living in your stomach?"She narrowed her eyes disapprovingly, but relented:"If you speak any louder, you'll wake it up."Carter stifled a laugh."Let me just check if Earl put what I asked for in here." He leaned over to reach the glove compartment. His arm brushed against Stela's stomach and she held her breath. Inside the compartment was a Chelsea cap and a pair of sunglasses. A disguise kit so famous vocalists could blend in as regular people. "Okay. Let's grab something to eat."***Stela analyzed the situation: Brian Carter, dressed not much differently than those found in department stores, driving a common vehicle. Driving to her. And for a moment, the idea that they could form a couple didn't seem so absurd to her.The radio station was playing old romantic hits."Can you imagine if in ten years it'll be your songs playing in the Flashback section?"Carter didn't take his eyes off the road, but smiled."I prefer imagining where the two of us will be in ten years."The girl gave him a sarcastic look and chuckled."Easy. You, on some yacht surrounded by drinks and women. And me, alone. In a house full of cats, watching a rerun of Dirty Dancing."The man laughed heartily."Your version is too dramatic. I prefer it like this: you and me, in our house, with at most two cats, and deciding through 'rock, paper, scissors' who's going to wake up to change the baby's diapers."After the cheesy declaration, Brian glanced at the girl, checking if his words had any effect on her. Yeah. That was good to hear. But... focus, Stela! The man was a natural charmer! Her father had instructed her to stay away from guys like him before even teaching her how to tie her own shoelaces."That was the cheesiest thing... anyone has ever said to me.""Admit it, you loved it." He used that damn smile that warmed and cooled her body in all the right places. Slid his hand from the gearshift to a spot above the girl's knee. Stela didn't even know she had enough nerve cells in that area to feel so electric. The guy was an expert in mapping out female erogenous zones."Yeah..." Stela forced the words out. She didn't even notice that Brian was slowing down the vehicle. The tires rattled loose gravel on the asphalt before entering a parking lot. The lights from a billboard illuminated his face."McDonald's?" She said surprised after Carter turned off the ignition."You're not going to tell me you don't eat burgers anymore?""Of course I do. But... Isn't this too exposed? We can order at the drive-thru.""It'll be more comfortable inside. And there's no one here." Brian said as he put on his RayBan and cap, pointing to the empty parking lot.Stela didn't want to be a killjoy, but the disguise was too obvious. Only a celebrity would wear sunglasses at night. Not to mention his tattoos, so distinctive. Put the pieces together with the fact that Dark Paradise had performed in Denver that night and... bingo.They pushed the door open. The group of employees quickly composed themselves in their respective positions, offering them four free registers to choose from. They went to the one with the most courteous smile. The guy had a metal nameplate gleaming on his chest: Max. And the whole time, he stared as if he were about to solve a difficult detective case. So when Brian handed over the Platinum card to pay, the boy shouted upon seeing the name engraved on it:"Ha! I knew it! THE DARK PARADISE VOCALIST!"Not even a fire alarm would have the same effect. Five employees hurried out of the kitchen and the other grumpy attendants suddenly transformed into the most solicitous beings on the planet: employees of the month. All the fanfare lasted about ten minutes. In return, their meal wasn't charged, and it came with loads of stickers: "special for you."Carter and Stela sat at the back. She tried to ignore the stares from the employees, which were becoming intimidating with their excessive kindness. The vocalist didn't seem to care. He must be used to it. When they were leaving, Max made a request to Brian:"Could you sing a bit of 'Glory Days'? It was with that song that I proposed to my girlfriend."A uniformed audience formed behind the boy: subtle pressure for the vocalist. Brian took off his sunglasses, serious, eyebrows raised over his green eyes. After a few seconds of suspense, he finally spoke:"And... did she say yes?"Max reveled for a moment, hands wide open around his face where a sparse beard was sprouting in random spots."Of course, man! After that song, she wouldn't say no to me!"The impromptu audience applauded. Carter and the boy high-fived like old friends."Okay. But I have to warn you that at this hour of the night, a playback would be the best option." The musician cautioned."No, Brian! We want you live!" A female employee shouted, encouraging the idol who, let's face it, didn't need to play modest.Then Stela heard a dozen love-filled sighs when Dark Paradise's vocalist sang. It wouldn't be surprising if a new marriage proposal came up right there. They said goodbye to everyone and walked to the car amidst the remaining applause. Carter opened the door for Stela almost at the same time his phone rang."It's Tommy. I have to take this call."The call didn't last more than a minute. The girl heard the last part of the conversation. "I needed to eat something. And there's a girl here with me who, if she didn't eat something quick, would have a hypoglycemia crisis. I saved her life." A pause. "Oh yeah, it was worth it. She's beautiful." Brian laughed before saying goodbye. A click, and the call ended. Stela waited for him to get into the car, then said as she fastened her seatbelt:"It's not nice to blame the damsel.""I've seen you attacking food. It's not pretty.""Speaking like that, you don't make me feel embarrassed at all." She sounded dramatic. Then she asked reluctantly, "Do you have to leave now?""I do."She didn't expect that response."Oh.""But... you can come with me."The girl's eyes sparkled. He continued:"That is if you like pure ostentation parties and people full of airs."And all Stela wanted to know was:"Will there be food?"She remedied before his look became even more startled:"Just kidding! Of course, I'd like to go. But I don't think I'm dressed appropriately."The guy looked at his own clothes, then back at her."Do I need to give a speech about it?"Yeah. He didn't need to."Okay," Stela replied. "Let's go. See these people full of airs."