After Andy (#6 in the 'Outcast' Series)

Chapter 46

Chapter 46:

"You sure you don't wanna come along? Maybe get outta the house for a few hours?" I asked, Juliet watching as I grabbed my keys, making sure I wasn't going to lock myself out of the house. "You should start trying to get out of here more; you're home an awful lot."

"What am I seriously gonna do?" Juliet asked as I looked to her, picking up Crow as he rubbed against me. "Anyway, I got out on Saturday didn't I?"

"Well to be fair-."

Juliet held her hand up to signal for me to be quiet.

"Alright, I get it; you dragged me out of the house," she said, making me smile in amusement as Crow rubbed against me as I held him. "I guess I can get out for a few hours; see what you boys are doing today. What're you planning on doing after this run-through thing?"

"Matt said it was only gonna be two hours at the most," I said, Juliet nodding to indicate that she was listening. "So I was only gonna do a half day at work today; if you wanna come along I can always drop you off here before I go to work."

"I dunno Ash; what would I really do besides watch what you guys are doing?" she asked; it was hard getting her to leave the house nowadays. "I appreciate the offer but there won't really be anything I can do while I'm there."

I sighed. "C'mon; please? Just so you're not hiding away in this house all the time."

Juliet still seemed unmotivated, but she gave a nod nonetheless.

"Alright, fine; you win. I'll leave the house for a few hours, but you'd better drop me off here before you go to work."

I nodded. "Promise."

***

"Morning Ashley; Juliet," Brian greeted as I walked over to where everyone was, Juliet not far behind; by the looks of it I was the last to arrive, and it was only just before nine. "I think you're possibly the last one here."

I gave a nod as I stopped with him, seeing Matt talking with someone over the other side of the stage area.

"Well it's not quite nine yet, so I think we did ok with getting here," I said, Brian nodding. "How long's everyone else been here?"

Brian shrugged as Juliet decided to go over to Matt, leaving the two of us where we were.

"Matt and I've been here since about seven-thirty," he began. "Then Zacky and Jimmy got here about ten minutes ago; Vic, Mike, Tony and Jaime weren't far behind them, and now you're here so yes. I've been awake since like, six, so it's gonna be a long day for me, but that's what the tour life is like. You get used to it after a while."

I just gave a nod, looking around at everyone; Juliet was over with Matt, and I saw Valary was here too. At least that gave Juliet someone to talk to while we went through everything. Vic and Mike were chatting with Jaime and Tony, and I found myself frowning. I didn't know where Zacky and Jimmy had gotten themselves to.

"Hang on," I said, Brian tearing his gaze away from someone and looking to me. "Shouldn't there be a few more people? Isn't there another band that's meant to be here? Whoever's second?"

"They don't get in until tomorrow morning," Brian informed, making me nod slowly. "They're opening for some other band tonight over in South Carolina somewhere, so they're gonna be here early tomorrow."

"Right; that's a bit inconvenient isn't it?"

Brian shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Matt already knew about it when he was discussing it with them, so he's alright with it; it's the last show they have to open for those guys anyway," he said, making me nod again. "Matt'll take them through everything tomorrow when they get in; if he's too caught up though one of us'll have to do it, and I think I'd rather do it. Easier on Matt and I'm not quite as...hard on people I guess you'd say; Matt and Jimmy can get quite demanding on what they want to happen so it's best not to let one of them do it sometimes."