Wait until the music's over

25. Snow, fire and polaroids (Pt.3)

What a night, there's nothing more to say. I can't walk up to the guys without running the risk of being the victim of stupid Melanie's unmotivated enthusiasm, she acts like we've been friends since we were kids, whereas, if I had known her for so long, she would have probably never grown old enough to get to preadolescence; I bumped into Matt and Cornell, but they left right after the show; the guys from Alice in Chains are busy with the groupies of the day and Angela is nowhere to be found, I guess she's somewhere with Jerry, because when the band came out with the girls I noticed he and Layne weren't with them. Thank god, I'd say. If I had seen Jerry simply talking to one of those stupid chicks, I wouldn't have missed the chance to kick him in the nuts. I've been rooting for you since the beginning, man, but try and make the wrong move with my friend and you're dead! After putting out the umpteenth cigarette, I get out of the Moore's restrooms and make my way to the back, hoping that, in the meantime, Mike's sweetheart has evaporated or exploded or simply lost her voice. I'm not that lucky though.

"Ehi! So, did you find your friend?"

"Ehm, no... I looked for her for a while, then I stopped to talk to some friends... anyway, she must be somewhere round here" I answer with clenched teeth, trying not to look upset at all by the fact she's in that idiot's arms.

"Where the fuck is she? We're done here, we're waiting for her only" Jeff chimes in into the conversation between me and the useless girl.

"Well, I saw her before with..." Eddie starts talking and I'm almost about to give him a nasty look, but I immediately realize I don't need to "... with some guy, I think he was a college mate"

"Who? Kendall maybe?" Stone asks, making it hard for the singer, who surely just said the first thing that came to his mind to hide the fact he had seen her with Cantrell.

"Uhm... I don't know, he didn't introduce himself..."

"A tall guy, with dark hair?" Gossard goes on with the identikit and I'm behind his back, making signals for Eddie, so he can make a credible description.

"Yeah, quite tall, skinny and... ehm, with curly hair?" Eddie understands everything and accurately translates my gestures in words. The next time we play charades I'm gonna team up with him.

"Ha! That's him, I knew that. Angela says he has a girlfriend, but I suspect there's something going on..."

"Huh no... I mean, they were just talking..." Ed tries to find some excuses. Why do you care? If Stone believes she and her friend have a thing, well that's even better! So he won't suspect of Jer anymore.

"Oh... well... yeah, sure! I was just saying, of course, how could she date that guy?" the guitarist adjusts the wording and becomes istantly serious. Stone giving up so easily? Did I miss something?

"By the way, we really should go now..." Ament slams the van door after setting the last things on the vehicle.

"Listen, I'm gonna go and search for her again, we'll be both here in a minute. D'you wanna come with me, Ed?" I suggest. I don't wanna miss the opportunity to get Melanie and Mike out from my field of view, and hearing, a little longer, but I don't wanna wander around alone looking for Angela. And I also wanna hear some new gossip, Ed surely knows something!

"Sure!" Vedder gladly accepts, maybe to spare himself more questions by Stone about the infamous Kendall, and we both get back inside.

"She was with Jerry, right?" I ask as we take a look into the dressing room, just to be certain, although I know she's not there. I've just looked in here and only found her jacket, which I'm carrying my hands right now.

"Yep" he admits with a half smile.

"I knew that... And now, where are those idiots?"

"Last time I saw them they were here, then I joined you in the back and they went down there" he explains pointing at the other end of the hallway.