Green Porcupine

*Knock, Knock, Knock!*

The obstructive sound coming from the door of my apartment wakes me up with a start. I make my way out of my room to the door and look through the peep-hole. A Fed-ex guy standing impatiently.

"Can I help you?" I ask rubbing my eyes.

"Yes, are you Bianca Sylva?"

"Yes."

"There's a package for you to sign for," he says as he passes me an envelope and hands me a clip board and pen. I sign the clipboard and close the door. I sit on the sofa and open the envelope.

Bianca!
I miss you too damn much! Come visit me on tour, I know you don't have any major rehearsals (I called that Roberto guy, I think he's gay, he kept asking me what I was wearing) anyway your plane ticket is inside the envelope. The details are on the ticket. Please come, please, please, please. Great, I'll see you in a couple of days. Guess where we'll be Texas! Oh, yeah baby!
Love
Tre

I look back in the envelope and pulled out the plane ticket, as well as the pixie necklace he gave me when I was seventeen. I put on the necklace as I do, I miss Tre so much more, so I scurry off to pack my suitcase.

***

I walk out the airport gate around 11:00PM and look around for Tre. Instead I see a man in a suit holding a sign the says "Pixie".

"I'm Pixie," I say walking up to the man.

"Very well, this way," he says taking my bag and walking out to a black car. He opens the door for me and puts my bag in the trunk.

"Mr. Wright sends his apologies for not being able to pick you up himself."

"Okay," I say as I look out the window.

"If you don't mind me asking, what kind of name is Pixie?" the driver asks looking into his rear-view mirror.

"It's a nick name Tre, err Mr. Wright gave me years ago," I say so unused to calling him anything but Tre.

"Why's that?"

"Well, I'm a dancer and he claims when I dance I look like a pixie."

"Ahh, that's nice, so are you two married?" he asks.

"No, we're not. And you're awfully nosey for a driver," I say chuckling.

"It's all part of the business," he says smiling.

"So, where exactly are you taking me?" I ask looking out the window again.

"The Toyota center," he says as he turns into a parking lot. "Mr. Wright told me to take you to the stage door; is that alright with you?"

"Yeah," I say as he parks at the back of the center. I step out of the car and walk up to the two bodyguards at the door.

"Name," the bigger and scarier one asks.

"Bianca Sylva," he shakes his head, "Pixie?"

"Oh Pixie, yes go right in," he says opening the door for me. I walk past the multiple dressing rooms and see Adie at the end of the hallway.

"Adie!" I yell. She turns around and smiles.

"You're here! Come, the guys are playing their last couple of songs," she says pulling my arm to take me to the side of the stage. I stand offstage watching Tre play.

"Good Riddance, final song," Adie says into my ear. Billie Joe starts introducing the song and I see Tre notice me because he does a twirly thing with his drumsticks as if to say hi. Adie walks away and I see Tre still looking at me, so to keep with tradition, I lift my shirt up quickly just to flash him. I see his smile increase sufficiently as he continues to play the drums.

The guys run off stage and Tre wraps his arms around me.

"So glad you decided to come," he says lifting me up and kissing me.

"I missed you too much," I push him away a bit, "You're all sweaty" I say poking at his sweaty shirt.

"Yeah, join me for a shower?" I laugh. Mike comes up behind me.

"Peripheral vision, Bianca."

"Not again," I mutter as I start to laugh.

"What's going on?" Billie Joe asks wiping sweat off his forehead. "Oh, hey Bianca."

"Didn't you see? Bianca flashed Tre!" Mike says laughing.

"What? I missed it again!" Billie says in disbelief.

"Funny how history repeats itself," Mike says punching me in the arm playfully.
"Yeah, well, I'm going to shower then do you guys want to go party?" Billie asks as he wipes more sweat from his forehead.

"Yeah," the rest of us say sporadically. I follow Tre back to his dressing room where I plop on the couch and he makes his way into the washroom to shower.
"Aren't you coming to shower with me?" he asks in childish voice. I shake my head.

"Don't want to keep the others waiting. Rain check?"

"Fine. But I'm going to use that rain check in the near future."

"Fine with me," I say as I push him into the washroom and make my way back to the couch.

The five of us (me, Tre, Adie, Billie and Mike) make our way to the club which is only a few blocks from the hotel we're staying at. At the club, we drink ourselves silly and decide to stumble back to the hotel.

I trip over a step in the lobby.

"You lost your balance," Tre points and laughs.

"No I didn't. I have perfect balance; I'm a dancer," I sneer back. We walk up to the elevators and we press all the buttons.

"Argh! They're taking too long," I complain as I head toward the stairs. Tre follows, grabbing at my hips every so often. I stop after the second flight of stairs and sit down.

"What's wrong?" he asks, leaning against the railing.

"Shoes." I say as I pull off both my shoes and continue my journey up the stairs. Around the fifth floor Tre stops me.

"Can we take the elevator now? Our room is on the top floor," I look up the stairs and nod as I follow him out into the hallway. The elevator opens and we step inside. I start laughing when the elevator starts to move.

"Whatcha laughing at?" Tre asks as he goes cross-eyed.

"I can see your man curves," I say pointing at his crotch.

"See anything you like?" he asks laughing at my random comment.

"I see couple of things."

"Hmm really," he says as he wraps his arms around me. The elevator doors open and I push away from Tre.

"Race you!" I yell as I stumble into the hallway. I hear Tre charging after me, but I get to the door before him. "I win!"

"Yeah, well, I'm the one with the key," he says sticking out his tongue.
"Gimme."

"Come and get it," he says smirking. I shrug and reach into his shirt pocket. "Not in there." I reach into his back pockets and when I realize there's nothing in them I pinch.

"Hey!" Tre yelps jumping forward a bit. "Do that again." I laugh and reach into his front pocket which makes him say, "Oh, yeah!"

"Got it!" I yell as I open the hotel room door. Tre runs after me and pins me to the bed as I laugh uncontrollably.