Safe outside - A The Script fanfic

Chapter 11

We leave a bit earlier in the morning this time. When Danny wakes up from the alarm on his phone he looks so dead that I offer to go buy a coffee. I get his card and before I walk out to find the closest Starbucks I check in on the other guys to see if they want anything. So when I get back I have eight cups in one of those cardboard things. I balance them four in each hand and take a swing to leave everybody their order before I walk back to our room. Then I take a shower and brush my teeth. We leave at around ten for Phoenix. It's not a very long ride at all so when we get there at around twelve we just make a quick pit stop at the hotel before finding someplace to eat lunch. We ask a couple of locals and eventually find our way to a nice little place with great  pasta. Then we just explore the city, look around, they meet a couple of fans and stop to take pictures and chat. The heat is bearable, but I don't need a jacket. At about five we get to the venue where they are playing and set everything up, do a couple of interviews and sound check. After the show we all get back to the hotel and get some sleep. And then it all starts over again. You would think that it's boring, but it's actually great. I get to see cities that I never thought I'd visit and a lot of fans are actually really nice. I've become really good friends with most of the crew, but I've just clicked with Ben, Mark, Glen and of course Dan. It could be because they're the youngest and we have a bit more in common, but everyone is really nice. I don't find it hard at all, only being around guys and not have anyone my own age to talk to. There is no drama and everyone is nice and they all make sense. I'm comfortable and what I'm really thankful for is that no one is looking down at me or pity me. Just because, you know, I'm the little weak girl who is just here because Dan feels sorry for me. There is none of that. I also try to help out as much as I can, setting up the stage, run errands, show the people who works at the different venues where all of the gear is and sometimes I meet up with the fans and just talk a little. What ever is needed. I get payed by being able to watch an amazing show basically every night and then by Danny buying me food and letting me stay at his hotel room.

One night about a week later, in some city in Oklahoma, I jump out of bed like I'd just been shot from a canon. I accidentally pull the covers with me and they wrap around me as I try to get my breath under control. I was there again. The car crash with my parents. But this time I'm not five years old, and it's me. It's me with blood running from my nose, sitting in the passenger seat. I see this like I'm a ghost or something. I see myself being pulled out of the car. I cry as I watch over where driver seat be. But it's not my dad. It's Dan. That's when I started screaming, desperately trying to escape, but I can't feel my legs. Next I knew I was on the floor in the hotel room.

"Carrie? What are you doing?" Dan asks. I can see his silhouette in the light from the window.

"Nothing" I say, taking a deep breath. "It was just bad dream. Sorry for waking you up."

"It's alright" he mumbles as he turn over and go back to sleep. I walk back to the bed and put the covers over us both. I look at the red numbers on the clock; 05:11. I try to shake the dream off me, but the more I try to forget it, the more real it feels. I twist and turn but I can't go to sleep. So I just lay there, waiting for the alarm to go off and everything to get back to normal again.

Fifteen hours later I'm standing backstage, watching the first of two shows. They have just finished Before The Worst and they take a little break, drinking some water and Mark change guitar. I go over the next day in my head and I look forward to having a full day in the same city the next day since we don't have to leave until late tomorrow.

"You know, it's great to travel and when you meet crowds like you guys..." Danny starts and the crowd cheers. "But we're really lucky to have our crew that helps us out and we have actually got a new face in our little family-on-road. Everybody, give it up for Carrie!" He looks over at me and I can feel my jaw drop. No no no no no, I'm not going out on that stage. I start to walk backwards but I see Ben putting his bass down and run after me, so I turn around and head down to the dressing room as fast as I can. But I stumble over a cable and have to concentrate on not falling, and that's when Ben catch up on me. He grabs my arm, I try to twist free but his grip is too firm.

"No, I'm not going out there, God no, I look like a mess, I refuse to let that many people see me like this! Ben, seriously, I mean it! No!"

"I've never been more serious" Ben laughs as he wraps his arms around me from the back and lift me up. I try to grab boxes and things that goes by as he carries me to the stage, but he is too strong and before I know it I see the stage appear, and we're out in the spotlight. He puts me down right next to Dan before he returns to his place. I look after him with my best you-will-pay-for-this-look. Dan laughs and walks to his keyboard and I don't know what to do so I just stand there, feeling more and more stupid. I'm just about to walk off stage when I hear a loud gasp and see the faces of the front row go blank. Then I feel an extreme pain in my head and everything goes black.