Lovers Love, Liars Lie.

“Gare, wake up”

I felt my body being shook over and over, so I woke up almost scared. I always was in a terrible mood when people woke me up in that way, and after years nobody understood it. I opened my eyes to see Pat’s hair on my face.

“Jeez Pat go away”

Living an entire month or even more on a tour bus was both fun and extremely stressing. It was like having a constant jet lag.

“Garrett we’re at the venue, come on”

I puffed and looked at him. I didn’t even remember where our first show was.

“Where are we again?”

“Austin, Texas! Get your ass off that bunk!”

I got down from the bunk and made my way out the bus. It was probably late afternoon, but the heat was unbearable. Texas remembered me of my beloved Arizona sometimes, because the hotness was kind of the same.
I took a long breath and walked to the venue, looking to the girls who were lining probably since that morning just to take a good spot in the first row.
Some of them waved at me and I just replied with a weak smile. Everybody knew I wasn’t fan of being surrounded by crazy fan girls, that’s why I often sneaked from the back doors. I didn’t think I was a rude rock star, I just didn’t like stares and being at the centre of attentions. Weird, uh? I was in a band and I didn’t like attentions.
That’s why people told me I was awkward, and I was aware of it.
No one ever complained and neither did I. If someone didn’t like the way I was, they could just run away. I never begged anyone to stay by my side if they didn’t want to.

“Hey, Garrett, I’m sorry, can you help me?” Her voice made me jump. I didn’t even remember her being there. I nodded “can you take that box and bring it here? It’s very heavy and I can’t do it by myself”

“Sure” I obeyed like a dog and brought the box full of t-shirts behind a table “this is where you’re working tonight then”

“Apparently” she replied while opening the boxes full of our merchandise “I hope your fans won’t eat me alive”

“If you need any help you know where to find me” she stopped and looked at me smiling. I smiled back because I didn’t know what else to do or say.

“Thanks Garrett”

I looked away and saw John staring at us, and I knew he was supposing something that clearly wasn’t true. I approached him.

“What”

“I think I’m going to text Vito right now” he took his Iphone out of his back pocket and started pretending he was texting “Hey mate, Garrett is not following the rules. He clearly wants to get down on your cousin. What am I suppose to do?”

I took the phone from his hands “Stop it asshole, we were just talking”

“I saw you two smiling at each other”

“And what’s that suppose to mean? You smile to hundreds of girls”

“Exactly. In fact, I’d like to fuck them all”

“Too bad you never achieve that”

He knew I was right, so he finally shut up. I walked away to the bus with his phone still in my hands, which I hid under the blankets of my bunk.
I decided to start being active and after taking my bass from the trunk, I went back into the venue to start practicing a bit. We played two songs just to adjust the sound, before finding a place where to eat. We asked Cooper if she wanted to join us but she denied our offer. Did that girl ever eat something?

“She’s not that bad” Kennedy said “I actually had a serious conversation with her”

“About what? Clothes and make up?” Jared was always hilarious.

“Ah-ha funny. Anyway we talked about music, and apparently she also has good tastes; she listens to Death Cab as well”

“Well that’s good news”

We kept on talking and every now an then her name popped into the conversation. We were all interested in knowing her, someone better than others. I was sure John wanted to get to know her –sexually speaking. I didn’t know why I was always dizzy when she approached or asked me something; it was just the first day we were together 24/7. I didn’t know anything about her: I liked what I saw, that was it.
All of us liked what we saw actually. We were guys and she was a beautiful girl.
Feeling weird when a girl like her was around was pretty normal and obvious.

We all went back to get prepared for the show; before us there was a local band who really remembered us at our first shows a couple of years ago, when we used to wear those horrible headbands. The band played for less than hours, and then it was our turn. The lights went off and all I could feel was a mixture of excitement and tension.
It always happened before going on stage, and it wasn’t necessarily a bad feeling.
I heard people screaming as soon as we stepped under the lights, I heard girls screaming my name and all I did was smiling awkwardly.
Being the first show of the tour, I wanted to give the hundred and one percent of me.
I loved playing and I loved my band: that was what mattered to me.
At the second song I was already sweating in that damn black shirt, and those skinny jeans were so uncomfortable: although I didn’t care and I kept on enjoying the show.
I talked for a while and instead of looking to the crowd I watched as people were talking to Cooper at the other side of the venue: she was smiling and giving a girl a t-shirt. Apparently she was doing a good job.

“This is the last song for tonight guys, thanks for coming and be careful on the way home!” John didn’t look like the scared kid of our first show, he was confident and he was actually looking to the crowd while talking and singing “This is We’ll All Be!”

We played the last song of the night like it was the last of our career. We were so happy and excited to be on the road again, that we wanted to let people see we were changed. We weren’t those scene kids anymore; we were growing up as people and as a band. I loved the new sound we were creating and I was proud of us.

“You did a great job tonight up there”

I was walking around the empty venue after the meet and greet with a horde of fans, waiting for Kennedy to go and grab our stuff, when she talked to me again.

“Did you actually listen to us?”

She laughed “Well I’m not deaf”

“Thanks anyway. How about your new job, how was it?”

“Kinda good, a part from explaining to all the girls why Vito is not here”

“I bet they were rude to you, weren’t they?”

“Not really. Some of them were actually nice to me, a girl also asked for a picture with me, isn’t that weird?”

“Vito gets that all the time, get used to it”

“Anyway” she closed a box and take it on her shoulders “it’s time to get back on the road right?” I nodded.

“Do you want me to help you?”

“I can do it, thanks. Everyone bought something, now the box is deff weightless”

“If you need…” she interrupted me.

“…any help, I can ask. I know, you tell me every time. I’ll keep that in mind”

I nodded again, looking away from her green eyes. She walked away and I stood there for a while, wondering why I was such a loser.

“Gary are you all set? We’re heading off” Kennedy called me from the back door.

“You prick, I was waiting for you!”

“I’m sorry I forgot!”

“Well thanks!” I went getting my stuff and my bass and then walked to the bus.

When I got on the bus the first think I noticed was John talking to Cooper, and all I could feel was jealousy rushing all over me.

That wasn’t good, at all.