"This is for you." Celestina said, emerging from the back again with a suit case. She nervously glanced around to make sure James was gone. "These were the cloths they gave me when I first got here, I hope they fit you better then they did me." She placed the bag in front of me and I quickly unzipped it to see what treasures laid inside. The little excitement that had built within me at the unexpected present diminished at first glance of it's contents. It held about a weeks worth of tank tops and ripped up jeans and shorts. The jeans I was content with because I always wore ripped up jeans but I shuddered at the though of heading into winter with nothing but tank tops. I flashed her a small smile as thanks but we both knew the cloths sucked.
"You can change in the back if you wish." She said then started rummaging through the fridge. I followed her lead, rolling the bag into the back with me and picked out a Silent Villains tank top with some purple skinny jeans. The Silent Villains were one of my favorite bands, I've seen them in concert 4 times and they just keep getting better and better. My mind trailed off to thoughts about them. 'Were they vampires too? Were they nice or more like james? I wonder if I'll meet them while touring around?' I felt eyes on my back as I danced into my jeans and turned to see james looking at me as he left the bathroom, he flashed me a grin that made me feel sick. I tugged the curtain completely shut and finished getting dressed. I found some mascara and foundation in the top zipper of the bag and applied it in the mirror over the sink, I was also thankful to find a hair brush because my hair resembled a lion's mane after a long day of hunting then a pretty teenaged girl. I smoothed out my long black hair and tired to rekindle the twinkle that usually filled my eyes from my always happy nature but the girl I knew was gone. Replaced by a broken, sad little girl that just wanted to go home.
Celestina was flipping pancakes by the time I had pulled myself together enough to enter the front dinning area with my head held high. The whole band of Despite Midnight had now awakened from their beds and sat around the table, staring at breakfast cooking with drooling mouths. Demitry is the drummer of Despite Midnight, he was always portrayed as quiet and reserved which even in privacy he still seems to be. The guitarist's name is John and the bass player Shaun. They are twins but completely opposite, Shaun barely talks and John is what you'd call a "Mr. Personality" type. They were universally loved by everyone. Then there was Rem the lead guitarist, he gave me the same vibe at James, he even had the same knowing, flirty smirk. I sat quietly on the couch and listened to their idle chit chatter until Celetina served us. I garbled my food happily not realizing just how hungry I was until the buttery pancakes exploded on my tongue I detected a hint of vanilla expertly paired with the perfect amount of sweet chocolate chips. When they boys were done they threw all their plates and flat ware in the sink, turning sharply on their heals and filing out of the bus without a word to us. I followed Celestina's lead still not knowing exactly what my job in titled and helped her clean up.
"What are our jobs?" I asked curiously as we finally left the bus, leaving it spotless. The hour was only 9am so not much was to behold as far as progress with the day's work. The boys didn't go on until 8 tonight so no one was in a rush to set up the stage or tune the guitars.
"Everything." she answered simply. "We cook, we clean, we go get coffee, man the mech stand, do sound check, help set up and tare down, tune things, ruin things, you name it we do it all while kissing the asses of our band in hopes of living for another day." The coy, shy little Celestina was a whole new person now, stepping into a strong, general type roll, barking orders for others to follow and leading me around showing me the ropes. You could tell just by looking at her that she was a veteran of the rock tour scene who had earned her stars and accepted them gratefully.
"Today I'll start you off slow and you'll just learn merch but tomorrow.. you'll be learning how to do everything on that." she said jerking her head towards the stage. We stood at the front guard rail before the stage and I looked up at it and all its glory. I had so many memories of this spot at concerts, some good some bad. I remember always wondering about the workings of a stage but now I was just scared, it always seemed so fun to be part of the crew but this wasn't like anything I had imagined. Learning how to build, tare down, tune, ect. all in one day then being expected to know it by heart and get it perfect every time seemed like an impossible task to me. I was grateful to have an easy first day to adjust to everything but tomorrow was a whole different ball park. I followed her back out of the venue and to a dark green trailer that was being towed by a van. She tugged at a chain around her neck, exposing a key which she popped into the pad lock and tucked back in her shirt after opening the trailer.
"This trailer is where we keep all the merch, we sell ten items each stop. Six different shirts, their two albums, a bracelet, and a necklace. You need to get two boxes of each thing out and bring them into the venue. Take no more then two boxes of each item out per stop, everything has been measured out precisely for each stop."
"What if something sells out and there are people who want it?" I asked
"Sucks for them. The boxes are the most important part and if anything happens to them they'll have your head. Before you unload the boxes get out the table and set it up in the designated area, the manager will tell you where." She said pointing to a plastic, white, fold out table leaning against the side wall. "Then get out the display" She then pointed to a wire wall with shirts hanging on it. "After the display and the table comes the boxes, protect them with your life."
"Okay I get it! the boxes are important!" I laughed, she looked at me skeptically. "Geez your so serious." I said feeling awkward for laughing.
"You should be even more serious them me! You belong to James and lord knows what he'll do if you screw this up!"
"I do not belong to him!" I snapped, making her take a step back. We heard someone clear their throat behind us and we turned to see James leaning against the back doorway of the venue, Celestina looked like she wan't to run away or die.
"I-I was just showing her how to do merch." She stammered.
"I know" he replied cooly "for once you didn't do anything wrong, scram." I heard her exhale happily and begin to run back into the venue but stopped the throw me a worried glance, 'go' I mouthed and she finally did.
"You can think what ever you want but it doesn't change reality." He was smiling but I knew his blood was easy to boil and he'd lose it in an instant. I sized up my chances, James: well built, much taller them me, and a vampire. Me: small, human, and my mouth gets me in trouble a lot plus we were in a small secluded area with him blocking the only escape.
Shit.
YOU ARE READING
The Tour Life Bites
FantezieLIke any 17 year old fan, Divya Fio didn't wonder about the secrets her favorite bands could hold, until she found herself smack in the middle of them. Kidnapped by a singer in her friend's favorite band she is forced to work in the band's crew and...
