What I Need

123 NO!

It was a few minutes shy from 8 pm and we were all ready for some music even though I'm pulling up my pants and trying to get my clothes and act together backstage.

"I told you, wear a belt, " Bailey says to me like a mother.

"I heard you the 8th time, gees mother. When does SWMRS go on anyway?"

"Soon, bud, but not soon enough. "

I look over the curtain and still see that that band FIDLAR is still on stage. I like them, they're like SWMRS but with more partying and drugs in their lyrics.

"These FIDLAR guys ain't too shabby, " I say to Bailey.

"Not bad indeed. " Bailey says.

"I know them, " Joey bumps in, leading to a kiss between Bailey and Joey.

"Hey Joey, when do you go on? "

"After FIDLAR, I'll introduce them to you later, they're really something. Talented, funny, and I've been good friends with them over the years. "

I heard the longest crowd applause and a 'Thank you' from the lead singer.

"Alright, " I say, "SWMRS should go on next, so go kill the crowd, but not literally. "

"Alright, I'll go collect the others, " Joey says, kissing Bailey again then, he dashed away into the back.

"Well, one last show Bail," I say.

"Oh hey, I hate bothering you, bud and this may seem like a pain, but could you... "

Oh Gosh, what stretch of a task are you going to ask me to do.

"Go to the merch table and fetch me a SWMRS shirt, please, I got the money, I just forgot to get it beforehand sorry."

"Of course, Bail, " I say.

Jesus Handstand Christ, why would you ask me now? You hand so many opportunities to buy it on tour but ask me now.

Bailey handed me the money for the shirt and I smiled as I felt a part of me resent Bailey for this.

I went out of the backstage area past the crowd now cheering for SWMRS who went on already and I saw a young brown male around Joey's age selling merch at a table.

"Hey yo, what kinda clothes are you trying to finesse right now? "

"Uh a friend of mine needs a SWMRS shirt, " I say.

"SWMRS, those are my boys, I love 'em. "

"I love them in a way you wouldn't imagine. "

"Okay, a SWMRS shirt, that'll be $15.99, " He said to me, quick like he needed to be somewhere.

I hand him the $20 and he gives me my shirt and change which I put in my pocket.

"Thanks, " I say.

I walked away, barely hearing what he said to me, but I stayed in the crowd for a little bit and looked at SWMRS perform as a fan. It reminds me of the Boston show, it brings me back to the warm and excited feeling of joy and community when I first saw them in the crowd. I stayed and headbanged to 'Palm Trees' like before. It was a great feeling that could only be captured during the middle of a concert.

I stayed in the crowd longer than necessary and I sort of got out of hand and traveled to the front and onto the stage, making eye contact with Cole as I crawled onto the stage. I danced, danced like I was in Virginia Beach without the grinding up against Seb, I felt amazing, like my body was controlled by the fast and loud punk music and danced with the encouraging crowd even when I heard a large gasp by them I kept on dancing until Stove said to me.

"Um, your pants, " I looked at Stove, confused with what he meant but then looked down to see my underwear exposed to everyone. I could hear laughter and gasps and Max covered me up with his flannel shirt as fast as possible and I dropped my shirt and ran away from the stage near the front door, mortified.

Hundreds of people saw my birthday suit. I can't believe it, Bailey was right! God, I'm so embarrassed.

I couldn't be any more humiliated until a tall man in a trench coat came up to me.

"Well hello there, quite the fall your pants took, " He chucked under his grimy deep voice.

"Oh go choke, " I said, with my best stereotypical Bostonian attitude.

"Come in, that was funny. I could almost say, kind of sexy. "

I felt uneasy and creeped out by this man as I backed up into a table with him and his unsettling smirk follow me.

"I know how to fight, don't get funny with me man. "

"C'mon, don't be uptight, after all, you have a nice, tight body I would love to explore. "

I started to kick at him and scream up until I heard a,

"That's enough! " I turned to see it was the guy at the merch table before.

"I think you should leave. "

"I didn't do anything, " the guy said.

"Uh, I saw what you were saying, I'll call the police if you don't get your creepy janitor, swamp monster, pedo looking ass outta here. "

The creep then gave us a glare and left me alone, to my comfort. I turned around and said,

"Thank you so much, that guy was creepy and I don't even know what I'd do if you weren't here."

"Ah well if there's any creep sexually harassing or assaulting someone, here at a SWMRS show or anywhere, tell me and I'll tell SWMRS so they can deal with it. "

"Anywhere? Uh, so if there's a sexual predator at an Iron Maiden concert in Sweden, you'll handle it? " I ask, jokingly but curiously.

"Yep. Anyone with the balls to sexually assault anyone is free to catch some hands."

"Well thanks, uh what's your name, " I ask.

"Tafia, " He answers, "It's, It's Spanish for rum. Let's go eat something. There's a food truck outside. "

I was reluctant to trust a stranger but hungry so I followed Tafia outside and looked around for the creep, just to be safe. He's not in sight thank god and I see a food truck nearby.

"Whoa, a California food truck," I say in awe.

"It's like the other food trucks but 10x better. Yo, I need 2 burritos. "

The chef turns and gives us 2 burritos and Tafia pays for our meal before I have the chance to reach for my pocket.

"Whoa thanks, you're such a gentleman, " I say.

"Gentleman level, supreme. " He says.

Well, I'm going back inside, thank you so much for all that you've done for me. I'll never forget you, ever in my life.

He throws some surfer fingers with a burrito in his mouth, making me remember the face of a hero for the rest of my life.