In This Room

Chapter 2 - Queen

He runs quickly off-stage and is greeted by assistants with warm towels and water bottles and gear. As he walks back through the dark hallway to his dressing room, the assistants work meticulously; unplugging his mic pack, removing his guitar from across his body, holding his water bottle and towel after he finishes with it.

His tour manager comes up to him, radiating energy, "Nice job tonight, Shawn! I have some people in your dressing room who said they knew you. They brought a friend... some girl. I don't remember her name, but they're waiting for you." The tour manager reaches for the doorknob and opens it. A couple of people stand up, smiling at him as he walks through the door.

"Shawnie boy, come 'ere!" one of the guys came up to him and messed with his hair.

His mood is instantly lifted. He moves back slightly, laughing, "Chris! What the fuck is up?" They go in for a quick embrace. The other guys, Max, DeVeon and Trent, come up and say hi to him.

Chris turns around and grabs a girl off the couch: "Shawn, this is my friend! She's been tagging along all day and we offered for her to come here! We thought you'd like to meet."

He looks the girl in the eyes.

"This is Magnolia! We call her Mags for short," Chris pushes them together.

"Nice to meet you, Shawn," she says, smirking. She reaches out her hand to shake his.

His blood boils, but he shouldn't be surprised. No matter who they're around when they see each other again, she says the same thing. Forced to play along with it, he bridges the gap and clasps her hand in his. "Nice to meet you, too... Maddie?"

"Mags," her tone annoyed.

That's what she gets for acting like she's always above me. He walks over to an armchair with a grin plastered on his face. "How do you know Chris and the boys?" he quizzes her.

She wedges herself between Chris and Max on the small couch next to his armchair. "I met Chris freshman year of college at WCU and he ended up being a four-for-one deal. We've been friends ever since." She smiles and looks at him. "We're really close," she giggles as she wraps her arm around Chris.

"I would think you two were dating if Chris wasn't engaged already," he replies somewhat passive aggressively.

"We dated for a month back in college, but we figured we'd make better friends. Look at us now!" Chris smiles and laughs. "She's probably one of the sweetest people I know... besides my fiancee... and you, Shawn!"

"Enough about me," he says. "How are you guys? How's wedding planning coming? Who's the best man?"

"Man, you know my brother's gonna be the best man," Chris says.

"And I'm one of the bridesmaids!" she pipes in.

He glares at her, mad that she is trying to one-up him in his own dressing room after his headlining show.

"Mags and Tracy get along so well, and she knows how important it is for me to have Mags there, so Tracy agreed to put her in the wedding party! How fun is that!" Chris exclaims.

"So much fun," he says, swigging from his water bottle. He loves Chris, but the idea of spending a whole wedding weekend with her made him shiver. He knows he can't put up a front if she is going to act like this through the rehearsal and all the way to the reception. Being a groomsman was the last item on his stress list, but it just managed to get bumped all the way up to the top.

A security guard comes swiftly opens the door, "Shawn, it's time to load up. You have a flight to catch."

"Sorry I couldn't spend more time with you guys. It's always great to see you. I'll see you in two weeks for the rehearsal," he says, giving all of them hugs. Chris and his posse walk out of the dressing room as Shawn gathers items scattered across the dressing room. "Magnolia," he calls out before the door shuts, "can I see you for a second?"

Chris oohs and pushes her through the door. When he hears the click of the door shutting, he turns around to face her.

"I told you I'd see you tonight," she whispers.

"Why do you do that everytime I see you with someone that's not me?" he asks.

"Do what?"

"You know what: 'nice to meet you,' 'I'm doing this!' 'I have no clue who you are!' 'whatever's going on, I'm too cool for it!' It's bullshit! Who crowned you and made you the queen of the world?"

"They don't know I know you. It's one thing to tell your friends that you know one of their friends, but it's another to tell them you're fucking him on the side."

He turns, collecting the small bags of toiletries he had laid on the counter earlier that night. He starts to shake even more. "Okay, it's fine. You can go. I have a flight to catch. Good night, Mags."

She exits, laughing with the boys as she walks down the hallway.

The security guard reenters the room, "It's time to go."

His hands shake and teeth chatter as he slips on his jacket and wool gloves. The security guard notices his state of panic and asks, "You okay, man?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. It's fine." He rubs his covered hands over his face. "Let's go."