"What's her name again?" I hear a voice like Pete Wentz exclaim. I look around wearing my aviator sunglasses. Fall Out Boy was walking down the sidewalk to the entrance of Universal Studios Orlando, and I was giving them an all access tour of the park. It didn't take much convincing for my manager, Jenn, to let me get them in for free.
I smooth out my polo shirt that was navy blue and had the company's logo on the right side. my lanyard was covered in pins from multiple places in the park, and my nametag said my name. Under my name, it said "TOUR GUIDE," and said one year under that title. My khaki shorts were helping my shirt stay tucked in, and my Nike sneakers helped me stay comfortable walking around the park hundreds of times.
"There she is!" I hear Patrick say, happily. I wave to them and they wave back, and I become excited. Skye was starting a tour right behind my tour for FOB, so she'd be near me, which would be cool. I keep remembering that for this, FOB was giving me tickets to their next future concert. I'd do it for free, obviously, but it was just a generous bonus.
"April!" Patrick exclaims, happily, and giving me a hug. I laugh, hugging him. I'm really glad they showed up today; honestly, I wasn't sure if they were being serious or not. Patrick reassured me they'd show up but Pete also was telling me they would...four drinks in. To see them show up made me really happy, though. This was probably the most fun I'd have at work, ever.
"You guys ready to start the tour?" I ask, happily. The guys all agree and I decide to use the VIP entrance into the park. The park was pretty crowded today, as it always is on nice days. I see Skye and her group follow behind us, some of the tourists taking photos of FOB. They seemed to just ignore it, as I'm guessing it happened often when they went to big places like this. They must be used to it.
One of the cool (and convenient) things FOB did is that they creating their own tour plan. The guys came together to collaborate on the things they wanted to see, and made their own custom plan. It was probably a good thing, because touring the whole park takes a whole day, and there was no way I, nor FOB, were staying here all day. I take out my iPhone, using the exclusive employee app to grab FOB's tour itinerary. First up: rides.
"So right here behind me is Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit," I tell the guys, not even looking behind me to know that I was standing in front of the huge red and yellow rollercoaster. "It goes to a speed of sixty five miles per hour, and the drop about seventeen stories above the park." I watch as the guys look in awe.
"Well guys, let's do it," Pete says, clapping his hands together. I smile and begin to turn around to walk over near the line to watch, not participate. I could never go on this thing.
"April?" Pete asks me, confused. I turn around to look back at the guys, smiling politely, but then my eyes widening as I realize that they want me to come on the ride with them. My face goes to happy to worried in two seconds, and the dream I had pops back into my head. I didn't want to go on that huge rollercoaster at that park in the dream, either, and it was Pete who was the one that made me go on it. I gulp, and try to think of something.
"And absolutely no riding rides while working," I remember Jenn telling me. I've never really had that apply while I was working, considering no one has really wanted or encouraged me to go on a ride with them during work hours. Thank goodness.
"Sorry guys, I can't. Employee policy," I say, faking an upset tone. Pete's eyes look at me like I was ridiculous, and he walks over to the ride operator named Mike, who was also a fellow coworker.
"Hey buddy! Can-"
I turn and look at Patrick, and at this point, I was freaking out.
