Infinite

I manage to take a shower, and then stumble to the bus where Gerard is waiting. He watches me as I get out of my dirty travel clothes (which I have been wearing for the last twenty-four hours) and into a pair of sweatpants and my oldest MCR t-shirt (with holes in various places). He looks kind of dazed as I climb in next to him in his bunk, my back to the wall, facing him. "You’re beautiful,” he says, putting his arm around me to pull me closer.

“Likewise,” I say, yawning.

I don’t know if he says anything more, but I think I remember him kissing my forehead as he leaves some time later. When I wake up, the bus is boiling hot and someone is opening the door. I open my eyes just in time to see Frank’s knees (attached to the rest of him, probably) walk into my field of vision. Frank’s head appears from above.

“Hey Aubrey, Billy Talent’s up in half an hour.”

Ten minutes later, I’ve pulled out a pair of leggings, a wrinkled Fall Out Boy t-shirt and some eyeliner from my bag. I’m still a bit dizzy from the jetlag as I make my way outside where Frank is smoking while waiting for me. It’s about five in the afternoon and there are people everywhere, roadies and musicians and random people that I have no idea who they are.

Gerard and Ray have just come back from an interview with some Norwegian magazine, and they meet us behind Billy Talent’s stage.

“They asked about you,” Gerard says after giving me a peck on the lips.

“They did?”

“Yeah, well they didn’t ask about you but they wondered if I was single. I told them I wasn’t.” He idly strokes my temple and tilts his head a bit. “I told them you’re in a band. I just thought you should know.”

I smile and kiss his cheek. “It’s okay, I suppose I just have to stay inside for a few years to avoid the revenge of the fangirls.”

He laughs at this. “Yeah, that might be necessary.”

Big Worm is suddenly there, handing me a backstage pass and telling me to keep it close, since "people would kill for one of those".

“Worm, does she look like she’s five years old?” Gerard says, and Big Worm shrugs.

“No, she doesn’t, but Frank loses his all the time so it doesn’t have anything to do with age.”

“It was stolen!” Frank exclaims, looking a bit offended.

“Three times?”

“It really was!"

Before Frank can go any further into defending himself, Ben Kowalewicz appears behind Gerard, placing his hands on both our shoulders.

“Gerard, my only love. I hear you have been deceiving me with another?” he says, and Gerard doesn’t even flinch as he turns around and says:

“Benjamin, you are my true love, but lately I’ve been finding myself emotionally attached to this girl. Can you ever forgive me?”

Ben lets go of our shoulders and seems to be in deep thought.

“I forgive you!” he then says. “But it comes at a cost – I cannot carry on without a kiss from my love.”

Behind me, Ray and Frank are doubled over with laughter at Ben and Gerard’s antics as well as my very confused expression. Ben is suddenly very close to Gerard’s face.

“But Benjamin, not now!” Gerard says, placing his hand on Ben’s shoulder theatrically. Ben looks utterly disappointed for a split second, before Gerard plants a kiss on his lips.

"Ben, this is Aubrey."

Ben’s face lights up and he shakes my hand.

“The last time I met Gerard he couldn’t stop talking about you,” he says, and I glance at Gerard who smiles at me, a little embarrassed. I don’t really know what to say to Ben after his dramatic entrance, but he seems like a nice guy. Ray and Frank have disappeared off to somewhere and Gerard and I stand there talking to Ben until the rest of Billy Talent arrive. The chants from the other side of the stage has become louder by the minute.