Caught in a Bad Romance
X.
“I’m sorry but the lounge is closed you can go to the one on the main floor.” Someone said to us, causing us both to jump.
“Sorry,” We both said as we scrambled up and headed for the elevator.
“You should try and get some sleep.” Iker said to me in the elevator.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I nodded, not really sure about what had just happened.
There was no game the next day because the fact that Saturdays were always training days. Niko and Luka left around 10 am, and Iker had yet to answer my text about if he had training or not. So I went to see Eugene around noon for lunch.
“So how did last night go huh?” Eugene smiled as we ordered drinks as soon as we were seated.
“Weirdly.” I said shaking my head as I looked through the menu. “Got him to the roof, were sitting, milliseconds from kissing were interrupted by hotel staff and then he just sent me off back to my room.”
“Are you sure he’s not interested in men?” He asked seriously.
“Eugene!”
“What to turn down you? They’d have to be gay.”
“I’ll go with that being a compliment.” I said shaking my head with a chuckle.
Eugene and I caught up over lunch seeing as it must have been at least two months since I last saw him.
“You want me do to your sound tonight?” I asked him, as we left the café.
“No I’d like you to have fun tonight.” He explained putting an arm around my shoulders as we walked.
“That would be fun for me, it’s been almost a month here I’m going insane. You know two nights ago I fought with the sound guy at the club over there cause I told him he wasn’t doing his job right.” I explained.
“And how did that turn out?”
“Can’t go back there anymore.” I told him as he laughed.
“Oh Lena what am I going to do with you.” He laughed. “You can check us and mix us but after the first song I better see you on the side of the stage.”
“I love you!” I hugged him.
We hung out a little while longer, and even went to visit his grandma before he walked me back to the hotel so he could go to sound check.
“Why are you in such a good mood?” Niko asked me as I skipped in to their room.
“Where’s Iker?” Luka asked me.
“One, I have no clue.” I said in Luka’s direction. “And two, I’m working tonight!” I exclaimed jumping on Niko.
“Doing what?” They both asked confused.
“Sound for Eugene tonight.”
“So what did you do today?” They asked me while we ate dinner in the hotel’s restaurant.
“Just hung out with Eugene really, Iker never answered me so whatever.” I shrugged.
“What time is the show tonight?” Luka asked.
“Doors are at 8, we don’t have to be there until 8:45.”
“Well it’s 7:15 now wanna head back to the room to get ready?” Niko asked as he looked at his watch.
“Definitely.” I nodded as we left for the room.
While I was in the middle of getting ready, I received a text from Iker asking where the show was.
“He now get’s back to me.” I said to Niko who was sitting on my bed while I was doing my make up.
“What’d he say?” Niko asked.
“Asking where the show is.” I told him as I grabbed the jeans and white tank top I planned to wear and headed in to the bathroom to change.
“Maybe he had a lot of press and training today?”
“But why not say something? Whatever it’s not important.” I said coming out a few seconds
later.
“You like him, don’t you?”
“No shit.” I chuckled as I tied the scarf Eugene had given me the other night around my waist. “It wouldn’t work anyway, I’m probably better off listening to Andrea and dating
Brook.” I mumbled as I slipped on my sandals.
“Who?”
“This guy whose band I’ve worked with a lot. He’s really sweet, it’s just he lives in California.”
“Ready?” Luka said popping his head in the doorway.
“Yup.” I smiled as the three of us left for the venue.
Once at the venue, we headed to find Eugene to say hi before him and I went to the sound booth.
“How are you guys?” Eugene smiled shaking Niko and Luka’s hands.
“Can’t complain.” They both mumbled.
“Alright we’ll the bars over there your sister and I have to head to the back.” He explained as he took my hand and led me away from Niko and Luka.
After about five minutes of hearing Eugene talk in Ukrainian to the sound guy I was able to get at the soundboard.
“Are you happy now?” He chuckled as I put on the headphones leaving one off my ear.
“You have no idea.” I said getting the levels, and talking in to the mic to the roadies on what I needed to hear.
“You’re happy, I’m happy.” He smirked sitting in the chair next to where I was standing. “Ah just like when I first met you.” He said more to himself.
“Okay, you’re set get back there you’re going on in a minute.” I told him as I told the crew to standby.
“Remember after the first song, you’re out of here.” He reminded me as he left.
I mumbled to myself mocking him, and laughing as I waited for the signal to start the intro. Once I saw the waving flashlight, I started it and the show began. I mixed them and they sounded perfect, towards the end of the song the sound guy came back I told him he only really had to worry about the two back up mics for one song that I had marked on the set list and gave him instructions hoping he’d follow them.
“Having fun Lena?” Niko laughed as I joined him and Luka back stage after getting a beer.
“Not anymore.” I laughed as I watched the band play.
The second song they played was one of my favorites so I began dancing and forcing Niko to dance along with me while I sang along.
“You’re how old again 10?” Niko chuckled.
Five songs in to the set I still hadn’t received any word from Iker at all. After every song I’d check my phone to be safe.
“Anything yet?” Niko shouted in to my ear.
I just shook my head, as I headed to get a drink from the bar.
“Lena!” Someone shouted after me while I did a shot before ordering a beer for myself and one for Eugene.
I turned to see Iker and some dark haired woman whose hand he seemed to be holding, as he approached me.
“You made it!” I exclaimed faking a huge grin.
“Sorry I had to pick Eva up from the airport. Lena this is my girlfriend Eva, Eva this is Lena.”
“Nice to meet you.” I said extending my hand to shake it.
“Hi.” She said bluntly ignoring my hand.
“Okay then.” I mumbled to myself. “Well have a good time.” I said grabbing the two beers and heading backstage.
“I found Iker.” I told Niko as I showed up.
“Where is he?”
“With his girlfriend.”
“I see.”
“It now all makes sense.” I mumbled shaking my head.
“Sorry,” We both said as we scrambled up and headed for the elevator.
“You should try and get some sleep.” Iker said to me in the elevator.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I nodded, not really sure about what had just happened.
There was no game the next day because the fact that Saturdays were always training days. Niko and Luka left around 10 am, and Iker had yet to answer my text about if he had training or not. So I went to see Eugene around noon for lunch.
“So how did last night go huh?” Eugene smiled as we ordered drinks as soon as we were seated.
“Weirdly.” I said shaking my head as I looked through the menu. “Got him to the roof, were sitting, milliseconds from kissing were interrupted by hotel staff and then he just sent me off back to my room.”
“Are you sure he’s not interested in men?” He asked seriously.
“Eugene!”
“What to turn down you? They’d have to be gay.”
“I’ll go with that being a compliment.” I said shaking my head with a chuckle.
Eugene and I caught up over lunch seeing as it must have been at least two months since I last saw him.
“You want me do to your sound tonight?” I asked him, as we left the café.
“No I’d like you to have fun tonight.” He explained putting an arm around my shoulders as we walked.
“That would be fun for me, it’s been almost a month here I’m going insane. You know two nights ago I fought with the sound guy at the club over there cause I told him he wasn’t doing his job right.” I explained.
“And how did that turn out?”
“Can’t go back there anymore.” I told him as he laughed.
“Oh Lena what am I going to do with you.” He laughed. “You can check us and mix us but after the first song I better see you on the side of the stage.”
“I love you!” I hugged him.
We hung out a little while longer, and even went to visit his grandma before he walked me back to the hotel so he could go to sound check.
“Why are you in such a good mood?” Niko asked me as I skipped in to their room.
“Where’s Iker?” Luka asked me.
“One, I have no clue.” I said in Luka’s direction. “And two, I’m working tonight!” I exclaimed jumping on Niko.
“Doing what?” They both asked confused.
“Sound for Eugene tonight.”
“So what did you do today?” They asked me while we ate dinner in the hotel’s restaurant.
“Just hung out with Eugene really, Iker never answered me so whatever.” I shrugged.
“What time is the show tonight?” Luka asked.
“Doors are at 8, we don’t have to be there until 8:45.”
“Well it’s 7:15 now wanna head back to the room to get ready?” Niko asked as he looked at his watch.
“Definitely.” I nodded as we left for the room.
While I was in the middle of getting ready, I received a text from Iker asking where the show was.
“He now get’s back to me.” I said to Niko who was sitting on my bed while I was doing my make up.
“What’d he say?” Niko asked.
“Asking where the show is.” I told him as I grabbed the jeans and white tank top I planned to wear and headed in to the bathroom to change.
“Maybe he had a lot of press and training today?”
“But why not say something? Whatever it’s not important.” I said coming out a few seconds
later.
“You like him, don’t you?”
“No shit.” I chuckled as I tied the scarf Eugene had given me the other night around my waist. “It wouldn’t work anyway, I’m probably better off listening to Andrea and dating
Brook.” I mumbled as I slipped on my sandals.
“Who?”
“This guy whose band I’ve worked with a lot. He’s really sweet, it’s just he lives in California.”
“Ready?” Luka said popping his head in the doorway.
“Yup.” I smiled as the three of us left for the venue.
Once at the venue, we headed to find Eugene to say hi before him and I went to the sound booth.
“How are you guys?” Eugene smiled shaking Niko and Luka’s hands.
“Can’t complain.” They both mumbled.
“Alright we’ll the bars over there your sister and I have to head to the back.” He explained as he took my hand and led me away from Niko and Luka.
After about five minutes of hearing Eugene talk in Ukrainian to the sound guy I was able to get at the soundboard.
“Are you happy now?” He chuckled as I put on the headphones leaving one off my ear.
“You have no idea.” I said getting the levels, and talking in to the mic to the roadies on what I needed to hear.
“You’re happy, I’m happy.” He smirked sitting in the chair next to where I was standing. “Ah just like when I first met you.” He said more to himself.
“Okay, you’re set get back there you’re going on in a minute.” I told him as I told the crew to standby.
“Remember after the first song, you’re out of here.” He reminded me as he left.
I mumbled to myself mocking him, and laughing as I waited for the signal to start the intro. Once I saw the waving flashlight, I started it and the show began. I mixed them and they sounded perfect, towards the end of the song the sound guy came back I told him he only really had to worry about the two back up mics for one song that I had marked on the set list and gave him instructions hoping he’d follow them.
“Having fun Lena?” Niko laughed as I joined him and Luka back stage after getting a beer.
“Not anymore.” I laughed as I watched the band play.
The second song they played was one of my favorites so I began dancing and forcing Niko to dance along with me while I sang along.
“You’re how old again 10?” Niko chuckled.
Five songs in to the set I still hadn’t received any word from Iker at all. After every song I’d check my phone to be safe.
“Anything yet?” Niko shouted in to my ear.
I just shook my head, as I headed to get a drink from the bar.
“Lena!” Someone shouted after me while I did a shot before ordering a beer for myself and one for Eugene.
I turned to see Iker and some dark haired woman whose hand he seemed to be holding, as he approached me.
“You made it!” I exclaimed faking a huge grin.
“Sorry I had to pick Eva up from the airport. Lena this is my girlfriend Eva, Eva this is Lena.”
“Nice to meet you.” I said extending my hand to shake it.
“Hi.” She said bluntly ignoring my hand.
“Okay then.” I mumbled to myself. “Well have a good time.” I said grabbing the two beers and heading backstage.
“I found Iker.” I told Niko as I showed up.
“Where is he?”
“With his girlfriend.”
“I see.”
“It now all makes sense.” I mumbled shaking my head.