Six Feet Under The Stars(Alex Gaskarth)

Playing Games

Chapter Seven

The bus started to move again and I felt a little uncomfortable without the guys there. I was faced with more strangers and the prospect of having to watch from the sidelines as Rian and company play. Matt grinned at me as the bus jolted, stopping, and he slid open the door. The lights from the lampposts caused the back of the venue to be devoid of color. I recognized the scenery of a city; starless nights bleeding from black to the hue of neon erupting from buzzing signs. As I jumped off and the summer air caught me, a back door swung open and Matt and I, along with the rest of the tech crew who pushed ahead of us, crept through.

"Ever seen the guys live before today?" Matt asked as a security officer led us through a maze of dingy, overly lit corridors to a door marked, "Backstage Room 3".

He held it open as we all piled inside, met by a vast space that smelled like dust and old paint. It's everything I expected 'backstage' to be; a craze of wires tangled together on the ground, peeling black brick walls, amps, bright lights swinging from the rafters and an array of guitars, mics, and stands, all surrounded by the ever-present sound of music that was inhabiting every space; a loud tumble of words that were deafening, even from behind. There was a curtain in front of us, thick like the theater ones, too thick to let light through. It was obviously the backdrop, shielding the workers, the ones who really make the show go on, from view and in front is the stage where all the efforts are combined to create an amazing gig. Matt patted me on the back as, after a heavy moment of feedback, the music stopped and the support act singer cried,

"I fucking love you all!"

Matt shook his head and then ran a hand through his dark spikes, already perspiring slightly with nerves. He wasn't looking at me, but his eyebrows were furrowed in confusion. From where we were on the edge of the backstage section, I could see onto the stage. I never realized how big the venue was. Or how it had a capacity of about one thousand people. At that moment, the capacity was being stretched. I couldn't see all the faces, but I could make out the figures, crushed together in a mound of sweat and fabric and screams. I shivered with nervous excitement.

"Er, listen, the guys are going to come out from their room and these lots are going to hand out the tech shit. Give them a hand, yeah? I need to go sort out something." Matt told me, through the screaming voices and cheers erupting from those gathered to watch.

I watched his retreating figure and then saw another curtain drop in front of the black cape in front of us. The support acts moved through the side spaces, hauling guitars off their shoulder as if they were toys and not at all expensive. A door opened at the opposite end of the stage and I watched as Rian walk out, followed by Zack, who had his face in his hands. When he moved them down, he exposed an expression of utter worry. Jack tripped out behind them and despite the fact that he looked at me before taking in his surroundings, despite the closeness we shared and the secret words we exchanged, it wasn't him. But Alex the one who escalated my heartbeat saw me and smiled, while the tech crew passed out instruments. Music was playing from the speakers on the stage and the crowd was singing along in earnest unison. Alex crossed the space, narrowly avoiding falling over the wires, and made a face.

"Having fun yet?"

"Oh, you wouldn't believe," I replied sarcastically. "Good luck."

"Thanks," he grinned as a woman with a microphone spotted him and began jogging over, "and I'll see you later. I'm about to be ambushed. Are you going to give me a bra?" He asked, his expression suddenly somber. My eyebrows shot up and I stared at him.

"Eh, what? I'm sorry, I don't know if it's customary or lucky to strip before each show, I've never heard of that superstition."

He threw back his head in laughter.

"We always get a bra." He told me, as the woman reached him, her expression frighteningly busy. "Just you watch. I bet we do."

"I'll buy you a drink if you do," I told him, smiling as the woman stepped between us. Alex watched me over the small woman's head.

"Move your sweet behind before I'm forced to kick it." She told him, and he made a face of mock horror. "Don't think I won't." She added, and Alex started slow-motion running towards the stage. He turned to me just before he slipped through the heavy curtain.

'DEAL.' he mouthed, in response to my offer, just as the woman did actually kick him.

I glanced over to see Jack, looking at me irritably. I tilted my head to the side questioningly, but he shook his head and continued to tune his guitar.

I think that I made it to Level One of that infamous game, 'Annoying Jack Barakat.'