I Wish I Could Be the One

“Hey, Bree…” I heard Val, yell over to me. “Incoming…7 o’clock.” I whipped my head around to see the various members of our crew, walking…make that, charging…toward the group of guys I was in the middle of.

I noticed that my brothers had hung back a little, they knew better after they caught the look that had just come across my face. Because even though this little experiment of Val’s was working out better than imagined…I was not any happier with the guys than when I left them earlier. Especially, after I heard all about Val’s…interrogation.

Jimmy, Johnny and Zack where bringing up the rear. They obviously were not as committed to this mission as a couple of the others. Shads was taking long strides from the front line, but Gates just ended up pushing right past him. I glanced back at Val, and she looked as though she was going to start spitting nails. She grabbed the nearest random girl and asked her to watch the table for a few minutes. The girl seemed happy to oblige. By the time I turned back around to the direction of the guys, I got a face full of broad chest and massive arms. These, of course, were things that I would normally find incredibly enticing on any other given day…but not today.

“What’s up Gates?” I mumbled as he immediately grabbed my arm. Not a good start, needless to say. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Shads intercept Val as she came running up. I could see my brothers become a little panicked when they saw Gates take my arm. Did they really think we were going to have World War III in the middle of this field?

“Come with me.” Gates demanded.

“Where?” I demanded right back.

“I don’t know, anywhere but here.”

“Why?” Honestly…did he think that this was going to be easy?

“I need to talk to you.”

“Right now? You need to talk to me right this minute? I asked, incredulously. “Look around you Gates…I’m kind of in the middle of something.” I fumed. “And you need to take your hand off my arm and go get ready for your show, or my efforts out here will be all for naught.” My tone and steely gaze said it all. Any resolve any of them might have come out here with, was quickly dissipating. Besides, they may seem stupid at times, but they’re really not. As they all started taking in the big picture around them, I could literally envision the dollar signs starting to dance in their heads.

“Um, Miss?” I turned to see a very attractive young man standing there with his camera. “You had promised to have a picture taken with me, but I really have to go catch up with my friends.” I smiled sweetly at our newest fan…

But Gates’ grip on my arm tightened, as I whipped my head back up to him. Conveniently he had his sunglasses on so I could not see what his eyes were saying at that moment, but I could tell his jaw was pretty well set in place.

“Hey, Buddy…could you give me a minute with my girl?” Gates asked trying to be as pleasant as possible.

“I…can…not…be…lieve…you.” I seethed at him through clenched teeth. I heard Val start laughing nervously behind me.

“Oh, sorry Miss, I didn’t realize you were with your boyfriend.” The young man politely deferred.

“Hey, kid, I don’t have a boyfriend.” I called out, as the young man turned back around. “This is one of my bosses. I work for him and his mates. Let me introduce you to the band who owns the name on the shirt you just bought.” I was pretty sure I got my point across. “Now, if you’ll excuse me Sir Gates, I have to get back to work…” I claimed, as I ripped my arm out of his grasp.

“My name’s Tim…hey can I go grab my buddies so they can meet the band too?”

“Absolutely Tim, will be right here waiting for you to get back.” Shads replied as he stepped into the ring…so to speak. Fans first, he always says!

“Why are you doing this?” I heard him whisper into my ear. I could tell he had a face full of my hair in front of him, and I could feel him breathing it in. I vaguely wondered if he was at all enjoying some of this newfound closeness between us, as my heart started racing, just thinking about it.

Without turning around, because I’m pretty sure our faces would have only been centimeters apart, I simply said; “I’m sorry Boss, but I can’t…for the life of me…imagine what the fuck you’re talking about.” Yeah, I had a hard time letting some things go.

“If you call me boss one more time, I’m going to come unhinged on someone’s ass.” He shot back. Huh…he sounded as un-pleased as I had felt standing in the middle of that holding room. Well then…good for him!

I could feel his hands brush through the hair that was resting on my back, as his fingers lightly grazed my skin. “And if you fucking touch me again today, Gates, I will fucking come unhinged on your fucking ass.”

Why did I throw the word today in there? Was I sending out some subliminal message? I don’t want him to touch me today, but it’s ok if he touches me tomorrow? Like I’m going to be any less pissed by then. My problem was that I knew I was not going to stay pissed at the guys for very long. Especially him. My heart and soul were wrapped tightly around his little finger and he pretty much knew it. So a couple more angry brushes over my hair or skin and I was going to be putty in his hands.

Val must have seen my personal struggle because she got away from Shads long enough to come up right alongside of Gates and me. “Hey kids, are we all playing nicely in the sandbox today?” She said as she took my hand and slowly pulled me away from him. “Thanks for that save, Chica.” I breathed into her as she gave me one of her big bear hugs. “No problem, Berry, glad to be of service…I could see you start to crumble in his clutches.” She tried her hardest to gently tease me. I think I was even going to start with the waterworks soon, but caught myself, when our new friend Tim showed up with his buddies.

After introductions and what seemed like a ba-zillion more pictures…the crowd was thinning out, as they were now taking their spots in the pits for the next round of shows.

Then Zacky, very gently, came up and put his arm around my shoulders.

“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are, Sis?” he asked nicely. We, of course, always had different nicknames for each other. Hearing Zacky talk to me like that was actually quite comforting. I just gave him a side-glance and a small smile though.

“Listen to me Babe, please…” he started. Oh great, I knew what was coming next.

“Look, you don’t have to do this…especially not for us bozos. I don’t want you to feel like you’re cheapening yourself just to get us some extra money. None of us, and you know who that includes, wants you out here…just to be treated like a piece of flesh.”

Jesus, I think the tears were welling up for the third friggin’ time today.

“Zacky, I know that I don’t have to do this. And I’ve always just wanted to do whatever I can for all of you, all of us I mean…really. We’re an inseparable pack…like a Rat King.” I grinned, as Zacky full heartedly laughed at my analogy.

“Wow, ok, Babe…if that’s what you want to compare us to…” Zacky responded, still giggling as he pictured it in his own head.

“Well, some of us are more like rats than others, but I’m not going to throw out any names, just yet.” I continued, as he gave me one of his ‘stern’ looks.

“And you know what else? When I first got out here, I felt really vulnerable. But all the fans have been genuinely sweet and polite, including the girls. You guys have THE best fans in the universe, and I’m just working on getting some more to jump on board with us. So I’m really not feeling like a piece of flesh. The guys have actually been pretty shy about approaching me. Do they look at me kind of lustfully? Well…yeah, sure, I guess…but they’re guys…you’re all the same, even YOU have to stand beside me now, just so I won’t catch you checking me out.” I chuckled, as I elbowed Zacky in the side and he immediately started to blush.

“Bottom line, I want to do this. I feel much more comfortable now. And I think that you all know that I can handle myself if anyone gets ‘fresh’ with me.”

I finished my talk with Zacky and winked at him as I started to walk away. “Now…go tell your boys, that I’m a big girl now…and don’t go worrying ‘bout me. But the lot of you have got to pull your fingers out of your asses right quick, because you need to be onstage within the hour now…” I commanded, like the freaky little mother I usually was to them. He just smirked and ran back to the huddle that had been eagerly waiting to see how Mr. Vengeance fared with little Miss Berry.