Not Just A Fan

Chapter 6

Ester could not figure out what happened in the studio between her and Drew, even after shouting at him, he still wants her to be on tour. Either way, she got it off her chest. It went round in her head she needed to prove herself, but to what? She rattled hard about what made him say that, hearing him not release an album in three years, with no interviews or any social media content. What happened three years ago?

Walking through the door, Katie was in the kitchen working up what smelled like a curry, they greeted with a hello and asked about each others day and how excited Ester is about her date with Brad.

'Has he told you what you are doing together?'

She shakes her head, 'No, I did ask him what the dress code is, and he said to wear anything you want.'

'If he had this way, will probably be your birthday suit.' Katie winks at her and Ester slapped her on the arm.

'Not my thing to do on a first date.'

'Does it matter if you sleep with them on the first date? If you like them, you might as well go for it.'

Ester raises her eyebrows at her in astonishment. 'Says to the girls who invented the five-date rule.'

'Hey, 16 is young to be dating like that, and you know you had to be careful, so I thought.' Out of the band, the guys always had their eye on Katie, but believed in romance, love at first sight and put this rule into consideration when dating. She stopped when she slept with someone on a first date once at college and had a good relationship but ended not long before graduation, broke her heart completely. 'You're both grown adults and if you feel like it, go for it.'

'I don't know, don't want to rush things.'

'You crushed on him since you worked there and probably thought about him, here's your chance to.' Katie's encouraging almost thinks she should give it go, but this is not what she is thinking about right now. She fiddles with the food left on her plate. 'You all right there? You nervous about it?'

'No, rehearsal today....it was a bit weird.'

'How so?'

'I try to put my input in to help, and all he does is throw it back at me, like I don't know what I'm doing. He said he wants to prove something and to do it at his own pace, apparently I'll understand. And the thing is... I don't.'

'Hmm sounds like a bit of a diva, he must think he is already famous and treating his members like shit gives him kicks. Just stand up for yourself, and maybe, he'll have to realise treating people like that isn't the way to get your celebrity profile higher.'

'He figured out who I was.'

'Well, there you go then. He feels threatened because you got on the TV show and maybe he didn't. Explain to him that you're not there to do that and if he doesn't believe you, maybe you should forget it.'

'What is it with you? Being this wise person.' Katie shrugs.

'My horoscope says I should give some kindness to people who need them.'

'You still read those up?' Every day at school, Katie will tell Ester and the girls relating events that are happening in their lives. She would of thought for a Capricorn this would not be her thing. Ester sign is a Virgo and thought it was all nonsense.

'Yes, and apparently, yours says, "It's time to stand up for yourself and break out of the routine you're in".'

'Woah, that's kind of weird as I feel like I am doing that.'

'See, coincidence, they are not far off wrong.'

After dinner, Ester made her way upstairs to bed, grabbing her comfy flannel PJs once folded up on the bed. She lies down and checks her phone to see a message from Ryleigh responding about her relationship with Rory.

"I can't believe we finally done it. Thank you so much for keeping it a secret too. We should arrange to meet up soon love you xxx".

She hopes one day she could be happy like them, watching it all happen during the show falling for each other. Ryleigh was engaged, but it didn't work out, and Rory seem to fit well into her life better. Her mind then changes thinking of Drew. Maybe something in his music might give away on why he needs to prove something. She listens to the last album he made "In The Shadows", listening to the lyrics.

What are you hiding?

She stayed up late re-listening to the album three times, she still not grasping on what he needs to prove. The only thing Drew songs provoked they are powerful, and talks about how much he misses someone, and if he disappears from it all, he will feel better. Ester then listen to the album before "Sickness", it had some upbeat at the beginning, but half-way through it changed with her favourite song "Heartache". The melody, lyrics are unique, everything about it is wonderful, and to scrap it from his tour is unbelievable.

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Brad said to meet him by the park at 7 pm. For the day she re-listened to his album again while cleaning the house and made a playlist of the tracks he decided to pick out to get a vibe on what she will be playing for the next couple of months. Something was missing from his setlist but not sure what.

Preparing for her date, she wears a navy blue sundress with golden moon and stars patterns, wedges to match a black jacket and her hair curled out from her plaits. She adds a blue eyeliner to complete her look.

She walks her way to the park while the sun is setting over the city, the chill is starting to come out from the sun disappearing and hears her phone buzzes in her pocket.

'Hey bro.' Ester says to Eric.

'Hey, I got a gig for you at the Kelly-Cross Key bar downtown in two weeks Saturday. Are you ok to do it? Or is he working you all evening?'

'Actually, he's given Saturday the day off.'

'Cool, ideal. I'll let them know you're coming.'

Ester continues walking and wonders, 'Hey Eric.'

'Yep.'

'Why did Absent...I mean Drew, disappear off the grid for three years and then suddenly comes back... Do you know what happened?' The phone went silent for a bit.

'Why would I know?'

'I don't know, I thought managers talk like that.'

'Err no, if your curious why don't you ask him?'

'It's none of my business.'

'Whatever. I've got to go, love you sis.'

'Love you.'

She places her phone back into her pocket and sees Brad at the gate waiting for her, she checked the time and had one minute left to spare, and he is already there. He wears a tight grey hoodie, his fitted jeans making every shape of his body perfect with his hair is messy, and it suited him perfectly. The rush in her body comes back and can't believe this is a date.