Shock Factor

As soon as Tré got offstage, he went straight to have a quick shower. Damn he missed his kids. He was getting too old for this, maybe. But he loved the thrill of being onstage, it was all worth it.

He grabbed some jeans and a tee shirt, he didn’t care what he looked like, there was no one backstage except Billie Joe and Mike, and the roadies and techies and people. Oh wait, Stix and her friend were coming too. He’d signed their passes. He grabbed better clothes.

A quick fiddle in the mirror made sure his hair looked effortlessly cool. He wasn’t quite sure why he was making such a fuss. He had a red shirt on, black combats. He looked smart and casual. He looked at his feet, red socks would have to do, his shoes stank… Since when had he really cared?

His pushed open the door, and saw Nickey saying hi to Billie Joe. Now he knew why he cared. She was still so hot. He walked over, said hi, and then asked where Mike was. Getting coffee; he should have known.

Nickey sat on the sofa, Tré sat next to her and put his arms on the back, so his arm was round her but it looked innocent. No, nothing ever looked innocent with Tré. It looked incidental. Alex sat down on his other side, and Tré grinned.

“Hey, Billie! Looks like I got both girlies here!” Nickey shoved him playfully
“Tré, Alex is lesbian. She's one girl you have no chance with!”
“So I have a chance with you?” She shoved him playfully again.
“I really have to stop you doing that, Stix!”
“God, no one’s called me that in ages!” she grinned, and he started tickling her.
“Chip?” Billie Joe offered Alex, who was glad to be distracted from the scene next to her.

Tré barely noticed when Mike came back with coffee. He knew they were coming, so he brought five black coffees, with milk and sugar too. Soon Alex and Mike were talking coffee and other caffeine drink, Billie Joe was chatting on his phone, and Tré was whispering in the giggling Nickey’s ear. They were lying on the sofa now, Tré had given up on being subtle and Nickey had given up on playing it cool as well.

Over by the coffee, Mike and Alex were ignoring the scene unfurling on the sofa. Mike was used to Tré’s antics and Alex was used to Nickey’s. Alex hadn’t been there last time, but Mike wished they’d wait until tonight, or leave the room like he and Kal had.

Billie Joe threw some chips at them when he hung up, but soon got bored when his annoying antics were ignored. He was bored already, and needed to get out of that room. He poked Tré, just to make sure they were listening.

“You wanna check out the clubs round here? I bet you can take us somewhere cool, Nickey?”
“You bet I can!” She and Tré sat up some, “Food or not?”
“Well,” Billie Joe looked to Mike, who looked to Alex.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I'm fucking starving!”

Laughing at Alex, Billie Joe went to tell the security where they were headed. Nickey directed them to a club that served food. It was called The Dive. Just like before, as the man at the chicken shop had known Nickey when fast food was her level, the doorman knew Nickey and Alex now that nightclubs were her level.

The tables were on a balcony above the main club, and the rock music was loud. Tré and Nickey sat next to each other, whispering and giggling. Billie Joe found this funny, and made sure he got loads on alcohol on his list. The guy taking the food and drink orders high-fived Alex for her ‘famous friends’.

He would have high-fived Nickey but he decided she was too busy, so ran to tell his mates about Nickey and Tré Cool. He always knew she had something special.

After they’d finished the food and alcohol, Nickey pulled Tré down the stairs to the main club, and the others followed. The music was louder on the dance floor, and a fast song from In The Sun came on.

“Hey! Nickey, it’s my song! Well our song. Don’t tell Billie I said that. Just dance with me!”

They danced right in the middle of the crowd; most people recognised Tré and most people knew Nickey. Half the eyes were already on them when the music changed and they started dancing dirty. Then all eyes were on them.

All up for attention seeking, they dirty danced in a row; Mike, Alex, Nickey, Tré, Billie Joe. Eventually, Alex complained of feeling sick, and Mike volunteered to drive her home. Billie Joe, Nickey and Tré were left partying until the club shut at half three.

You cannot begin to understand how hilarious it is for three drunken people to try into two hotel rooms without waking someone in a nearby third. The night staff at the hotel did. Mike, the person in the third room, didn’t find it so funny to be woken up.

“Billie Joe! Stop fucking giggling at those two and go to fucking bed! Tré! You’re fucking old enough to know better but I fucking know you don’t, so just keep it fucking quiet, you two!”

A few minutes later, the drunken pairing managed to get into Tré’s hotel bed. Clothes being discarded and words being whispered in ears, a near enough repeat of five years ago began.