The Desired Effect ~ Cameron Liddell

Chapter 1. "Just Look Up"

I had been waiting since the announcement months ago for the day my favorite band would be stopping through Albion. I waited and watched ticket prices and convinced myself that they wouldn't sell out so I could buy tickets at the door. My mom wouldn't let me use her credit card to buy them online. I also convinced myself that I would have someone to go with by then. Going anywhere but a coffee run alone was absolutely out of the question, and certainly not somewhere with so many people. The only friend worth asking was Kier, but he didn't like Asking Alexandria, or that type of music at all, so he really wasn't worth asking either. I spent all day in my room listening to music and taking pictures. "Naomi." I answered the phone to his loud voice.

"Kier."

"Come to V6." A local club. "Like, right now."

"It's five pm on a Wednesday. And I can't even get in." I sighed. The only reason Kier could get into V6 underage was because his dad owned the place and pretended he didn't notice the bartender sneaking him the odd long island iced tea. He also thought that made him better than everyone else, but being able to go to the bar whenever you wanted in high school kind of did make you cooler than everyone else.

"You'll thank me." He hung up. Curiosity got the best of me, so I dressed in my every day uniform - skinny jeans, a tank top, and a zip up hoodie - and got on the bus. Asking for a ride from my parents didn't occur to me because no one had driven me anywhere since I was old enough to walk anywhere myself. The bus was the best place to watch people, once you got over the smell, because whoever you saw wouldn't be there for long enough to speak to you. On their way to work, home from school, on their way wherever, it was the only way for me to try to keep up with other people. On the bus to school every morning all the students had to huddle in the back to get away from the same guy who harassed us every day. When I finally got off I started down the street and pulled a cigarette from the secret compartment in my backpack. I started smoking only a month before earlier, because all my friends started too. I figured it would look more natural by the time I started grade 12. Spring was turning into summer before my eyes, but the cool breeze still chilled the parts of my fingers that my sleeves didn't cover. The only good thing about going to the worst bar in town on a Wednesday was that there was no bouncer. I saw them before Kier even saw me. It was them. Asking Alexandria. Drinking and screaming and laughing at a booth. I didn't know what to do.

"Their show is right down the street. Thought you'd wanna meet them if you can't see them play." Danny, Cameron, Ben, James, Sam, Ben's girlfriend, Brandi, Myca, and Cameron. Cameron.

"What do I do?" I looked at Kier, still frozen on the spot. He primped the popped collar on his trendy blue jacket. I fluffed up the back of my hair and pulled the long parts down around my shoulders. I should have done my hair better. I should have put on more makeup. Put on a cooler t-shirt.

"Talk to them? Here, I'll introduce you." He pulled me over and I was too embarrassed about existing to resist. "Hi." He said loudly, catching all their attention. Kier was born without a sense of embarrassment, and also without a sense for most social cues, and also probably born without most of his brain. "Yeah, hi. I just wanted to introduce my good friend Naomi. She's a really big fan. She can't come to your show tonight because she's very shy." Sam tipped his bottle to me.

"You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Nervous. Can you tell?" I forced a laugh.

"I know what can help that." Myca handed me a freshly poured shot of vodka. I took it quickly. She made room in the booth. "Sit, you can hang out for a while if you like." The good thing about liking smaller bands was that it was easier to get to them and they were usually a lot more open for a conversation rather than just a quick autograph or picture. They weren't even famous enough back then to be signing autographs. When I looked back up to find Kier he was gone. Damn. Abandoning me. I'll never forgive you. What am I even supposed to say to them?