Work Experience

Matt Sanders was in trouble, so much trouble is just wasn’t worth thinking about…

“I’ve lost her,” He muttered to Jimmy as Rhian was organising stuff for their interview.

“Who?”

“Niki! Who else?” Matt hissed.

“How have you lost her?”

“I told her wait behind the bus, and I’d let her in through the back door, and she’s gone,”

“Oh,” Jimmy muttered looking around him. “I don’t see her,”

“Obviously!” Matt snapped, he was starting to lose his cool. “I need to find her,”

“You can’t,” Jimmy grabbed his arm, stopping him from going. “We’re on in a few minutes, Taylor’s doing the interview,” Matt groaned looking around for some help.

“What the fuck am I meant to do then?” Jimmy shrugged.

“Dude I dunno, I mean you’ve got to find her, think of all the trouble one girl could get into our tour! I mean you remember Taylor yeah?”

Taylor was Rhian’s cousin, who had come to do work with the guys in her summer breaks at college. Each summer her weeks with the band, became more and more insane, dangerous and well honestly, completely rock and roll. She got herself in so much trouble last summer, that Rhian had said it was the last time. Now Taylor worked as a music journalist, so was a regular feature on major tours for all kinds of bands, and at all kinds of major festivals; much to Rhian’s annoyance.

Rhian had also made it clear no one else was to come work for the band, or tour with the band, unless checked out first.

So having Niki do work experience would have been a big no, if Matt had asked Rhian.

“Dude I have to find her though!” Jimmy looked at his friend, his eyes suddenly going wide, as if he‘d worked it all out.

“Ask JB to-”

“Ask JB what?” Rhian appeared behind the two looking pretty stressed. “Look make it quick,” She added gazing at Matt. “Taylor’s running late, or more accurately is in a broom closest with Johnny 3 tears,” Matt smiled at her and nodded, sometimes she was pretty lenient.

“Just wanted him to make sure the umm,”

“The mikes were set up properly!” Jimmy added quickly.

“He’s the drum tech,” Rhian looked between the two.

“The drum mic’s,” Jimmy added. “So we’ve got the right balance! You know, sometimes it’s not dead perfect,” Rhian’s eyes lingered on him for a few seconds, and Jimmy just smiled goofy, hoping she’d buy it.

“Fine go, but Matt if you’re not back in 5,” She warned.

“I’m going!” Matt chuckled, jogging away from Jimmy and Rhian, in search of their drum tech Jason Berry.

“JB?” He called ducking behind the set of tonight’s show. “Jason?” He wondered out of the back doors to the theatre they were playing in, and into the car park where all the equipment vans were being unloaded. “JB Diz?”

“He’s with Matty,” A girls voice called appearing out of one of the lorry’s clutching a box of merchandise.

“Hey Sarah,” Matt smiled, not realising she’d arrived yet. Sarah was Zack’s girlfriend, trained as a fashion designer, she now worked on his and Brian’s clothing lines; plus had a lot of input on Avenged Sevenfold’s merchandise. “Does Zack know you’re here?”

“Yeah, I’ve just seen him, but Matty put me to work already!” She laughed. “Him and JB are just looking for the merchandise stands, was there something you wanted?”

“Umm yeah actually, I need a massive favour?”

“What can I do ducky?” She smiled brightly, flicking her red hair off her face and putting the box down.

“I need you to keep this from Rhian,” As soon as he mentioned her name Sarah winced slightly. He knew Rhian and Sarah were close, they were the two English girls in the Avenged family, and they’d bonded straight away.

“Matt she’s my best friend, I don’t wanna keep things-”

“It’s a tiny, tiny thing, I will tell her at the end of the day, just when she’s less stressed,” Sarah chewed her lip, debating whether she wanted to be involved in this or not. “Sarah please? For me?”

“As long as whatever you’re lying to Rhian about you will tell her,” Matt nodded.

“Of course, I hate-” He stopped and just nodded. “Of course, right my parents friends daughter, has signed up to do work experience with us-”

“Rhian doesn’t take work- oh I see,” Sarah sighed. “She won’t like this,”

“It get’s worse, Sarah, I’ve fucking lost her!” Sarah’s eyes went wide and she couldn’t help but let a laugh out, it was more nervous than the fact she found it funny. “I need someone to find her for me, we’ve got an interview like now, so I can’t look!”

“Fine, okay!” Sarah groaned putting the box of merchandise down. “What’s she look like, and what does she answer too?”

“Her name’s Niki, she’s 5’6”. Shoulder length black hair with blue streaks in it, quite skinny but curvy like she’s got big-” Sarah nodded and rolled her eyes. “She’s 18!” Matt added trying to defend himself. “And they are pretty obvious,”

“Anything think else?”

“She’s wearing skinny jeans and a tight kinda ripped misfits top,” Sarah nodded.

“I’ll do my best ducky,”

“Thanks Sarah, you’re a life saver, I need to run, but text me if you find her!”

“Will do,” Sarah smiled leaning into hug him. “Have a good interview, and be nice to Rhian, it’s only getting harder for her,”

“What is?” Matt asked pulling away a little confused. Sarah shock her head and just pointed to the stage door. “Yeah I’m probably late already,” He sighed jogging back inside and leaving Sarah to stare around the car park.

“If I was an 18 year old girl where would I go?” She asked herself, gazing around the car park for inspiration. “Oh,” A smile crossed her lips, as an 18 year old girl she would have gone where the rock stars were. There were none on Avenged Bus, but the support bands had plenty.

It was as good a place to start as any.

“Matt!” He heard Rhian shout him just as she got to the stage, there was a camera at the bottom, with the four boys huddled around it, a strikingly beautiful, tall brunette to one side holding a microphone, and Rhian stood to the far right with her phone in hand.

“I’m here sorry, took longer than I thought!” He called jumping off the stage and going to stand in front of the camera, next to Johnny. “Hey Taylor,” He added with a small smile, her dark eyes flickered over him and a dangerous smile played on her lips.

“Nice of you to join us Matt,” She added. “Been a while,” He just nodded in agreement, not sure saying anything else was a good idea right now. He could feel someone’s gaze burning into the back of his neck though, he guessed Rhian’s but wasn’t going to dare turn round and find out. She was probably angry that he was late, since that made her look bad as well as him; and the last thing Rhian would want was to look bad in front of Taylor.

The two girls never quite saw eye to eye on things, and after the last summer, they’d seemed to have just fallen out completely. Most of their conversations turned into bitchy snipping matches.
Taylor could really get nasty when she wanted too, while Rhian had an extremely catty side that always surprised people. In short, the two didn’t get on around each other any more.

“Can we get the interview started?” Rhian called over. “They’ve got a sound check at 5:30, and a tight schedule afterwards, they can’t afford to be late,”

“That’s your problem not mine,” Taylor replied.

“And I’ll be yours if their not done in time,” Rhian told her sweetly, the bitching starting all ready.

“Whatever love,” Taylor muttered rolling her eyes and putting down her clipboard. “Let’s begin then,”

The interview went on for a while, with a few retakes for the introductions, and Taylor adding extra questions when she did not get the answer she wanted.

Though half way through the interview thing’s started to go a bit wrong.

“Where the fuck is she?” The doors to the theatre were pushed open and a tall, board shouldered man, with close cut hair and dark eyes stormed through, dragging a girl by her arm behind him. Rhian looked up, getting off the floor where she’d been sat to get a better view of what was happening.

“We’re holding an interview can you please leave!” Rhian shouted.

“Cut,” Taylor muttered rolling her eyes. “Rhian get him out of here! For fuck sake do your job,” Rhian ignored the jibe and started to walk towards the man.

“You’re Rhian Jones?” The man shouted.

“Yeah,” Rhian had yet to moved from her space by the guys, she was just standing up starring at the man now. “Can I help you?”

“Yes you fucking can! Keep your fucking staff out of my fucking bands bus!” He screamed at Rhian. “This fucking slut belongs to you!” Rhian gazed at the man and then towards the girl.

“Excuse me, but don’t you dare talk to me, or any member of my staff like that again,” Rhian snarled at him. “And just so you know, that isn’t a member of my staff, maybe you and your bus need some better security, now I’ve booked this room for an interview so if you would kindly leave I won’t file a complaint against you and your band, and won’t kick you straight off this tour,” She smiled sweetly her eyes fixing on the tall man.

“Don’t patronize me, I’ll be complaining about-”

“She’s not with us,” Rhian repeated looking towards the girl.

“She says she is,” The man’s smarmy voice starting to grate with Rhian.

“Who are you?” Rhian asked him.

“Tour manager for Black Tide,”

“Right well I’m manager for Avenged sevenfold, and co-organising this tour, so that means sweetheart, I out rank you! If I say she’s not a member of my staff, I mean it, now please get out!” She snapped this time.

All the time this argument between management was going on, Matt Sanders was shrinking back against the stage; he knew he’d have to speak up eventually.

“Isn’t that Niki?” Jimmy questioned, loud enough for the band and Taylor to hear but no one else.

“You know her?” Taylor asked a smile playing on her lips.

“She’s with me,” Matt groaned.

“Oh dude Rhian’s gonna kill you,” Taylor laughed looking up at the girl who was missing her top. “She a friend?”

“My parents friend’s daughter, she’s doing work experience here,”

“How does Rhian not know that?” Taylor asked a little confused.

“I’ve yet to tell her, she arrived today,” Matt mumbled. “Look I should go-”

“GET OUT NOW!” Rhian shouted at the man. “I’ve had enough, Black Tide will be off this tour-”

“Rhian!” Matt shouted, realising it was probably a good time to speak up.

“Not now Matt,”

“No Rhian you need to hear this,” She turned up her heel as Matt reluctantly walked across the large hall, away from the stage and towards Rhian.

“What?” She sighed looking at him.

“She’s with us,” He muttered.

“I’m sorry what?” Rhian repeated her eyes looking from Matt to the girl now.

“Her names Nicole Lowman, she’s the daughter of a family friend, she’s doing work experience with us,” He muttered still quiet enough that he hoped Rhian just wouldn’t hear but also wouldn’t question it.

“Oh so she is with you!” The man said smugly. Rhian turned away from Matt and towards the tour manager.

“Leave her here, I’ll deal with it!”

“I have a name,” Niki spoke up glaring at the girl.

“Right now sweetheart I don’t care!” Rhian snapped at her.

“I’ll leave you lot too it, just so you know next time you try too pull rank, or degrade me Miss Jones, you should remember you‘re just a beginner in this management world. There is a reason there are very few female managers for rock bands!” The manager smirked. “You need balls to be in this game, and sweetheart I bet your jock strap feels pretty damn empty when you put it on!“ He laughed and turned away. “ I’ll be waiting for my apology!”

“Sorry about this,” Rhian replied as strongly as she could, but obviously completely enraged by the whole situation. The manager just laughed and let go of Niki, walking out with a smug smile on his face. Rhian, Matt, Niki, the band and Taylor were all in silence; no one dared speak.

Rhian had been completely embarrassed. She’d been talked down too, degraded and treated like an idiot. That was one thing no one dreamed of doing to her, so when it happened it hurt.

Rhian finally turned too look at Niki and shock her head.

“Put some clothes on, then we’ll be booking you a taxi home,” She said simply, before turning on her heel and walking away.

“Rhian where are you going?” Matt asked quietly not wanting to anger her.

“Kenny’s in charge,” She answered, opening the door to the theatre and walking out of it. No one spoke for a few minutes; it was rare to see Rhian beaten down.

“Dude she’s gonna be soo pissed with you lot!” Taylor laughed.

“Did you see that! That man totally stood up to that cow!” Niki added, holding her hand up to high five Matt, but Matt just shock his head and walked away.

“Niki put some clothes on, guys were done,”

“Woah hold up I haven’t finished my interview!” Taylor shouted in annoyance. “Just cause the precious princess is in a bad mood, you gonna run up and grovel for her forgiveness Matty?”

“Taylor leave it!” He hissed turning to the boys. “Johnny lend Niki your hoodie, and take her back to the bus to get changed, I’m gonna check on Rhian,”

“Dude is that wise?” Brian asked almost sounding nervous for Matt.

“I’m the reason she’s pissed,”