Take Your Time

January 11th 2012
Anaheim, CA

“No, why would you say that? Why would you tell Marshall every single thing about me?” Addie asked Dan during their drive to the House of Blues. She had been rambling about her privacy for the last ten minutes and Dan wasn’t sure if he could take another second of it. Sure, the girl was extremely silent most of the time, but once she talked it was pretty hard to stop her. She’d say all of the things that had been bothering her, the things she didn’t say when she was silent. “I’m not trying to dictate you or something, Fusselman, but there’s something-“

“Okay, Addie, I get it, I shouldn’t have told Marshall that. But you rambling on and on about it won’t make him forget about it except if you brainwash him,” He cut her off, finally tired of her rant about his so called ‘mistake’.

“Brainwash huh?” Addie grinned before leaning back in the passenger seat. She took out her phone and googled ‘how to brainwash someone’, she was about to press enter when she caught the look he was giving her. “What? Eyes on the road, Dan.”

As she said, he looked back on the road, but he didn’t let their argument stop there, “Adds, you can’t brainwash a person, you can’t brainwash Marshall, or anyone, you just can’t,” He said slowly, putting emphasize on nearly every word. He was trying to make it clear to her that brainwashing wasn’t an option, he was well aware of how stubborn she could be about these things.

She pouted, “Why are you trying so hard to be Mycroft? Telling the enemy the information about me. There’s something called privacy, Dan, and I don’t have a Watson,” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, upset that she wasn’t allowed to brainwash Marshall.

He let out a sigh, “What enemy? You’re not really Sherlock, and Marshall’s not your enemy, he was nice, right?” He retorted, hoping to prove a point. She was becoming a little bit ridiculous in his opinion, she was twenty for Pete’s sake!

“For the sake Benedict Cumberbatch, Fusselman, you know very well that they’re all my enemies. I don’t like them, they don’t care about me, it’s natural,” Addie said as if it was something as simple as 1+1, Dan really couldn’t understand the way she thinks sometimes.

“They care about you, you just need to give them a chance,” He replied, a little tired of giving her advices that she will probably ignore anyway. Starting from the moment that she saw her walk in for the interview, he knew she was stubborn, but he didn’t expect her to be that stubborn. “Give them a chance, or you’ll never work for Motion Army, ever.”

“Why do you like blackmailing me so much?” She asked as they arrived at the venue. Obviously, it was a rhetorical question. As the car stopped, she took her bag containing her lenses and checked the content.

“Because I-“

“Don’t even tell me,” She got out of the car and slammed the door behind her. Addie proceeded to walk into the venue without anyone talking to her, her eyes glued on the screen of her camera as she walked.

However, she wasn’t so lucky because right when she was about to go to the side of the stage, she bumped into someone, particularly Joey, or at least that’s what she picked up when she looked up from her camera, his hair was pretty distinct. “Addie, you should really be more careful,” He laughed.

She put down her camera, letting it hang freely around her neck, “Um...,” She scratched the back of her head, “Yeah, sorry about that,” She apologized in a small voice. She wondered if Dan will be the only one she could talk to freely on this tour, she didn’t like the fact because he was always too busy with everything else to talk to her at the venue, except for the car rides.

“It’s okay, watching the soundcheck?” He asked, his tone was friendly and warm. She hadn’t actually talk to him, but he was one of the less dangerous members of the tour in her eyes. She had seen him with Dave and they acted childish around each other, calling themselves ‘Salt and Pepper’ or something... it wasn’t something she could understand. Realizing that she was only nodding, he started talking again, “Want to grab a drink?”

“She doesn’t like alcohol and she is staying right here,” Dan put his hands on Addie’s shoulder. Addie didn’t know if she should thank him for saving her from having to socialize or to be angry at her for earlier, but if she was to be angry at him she’d have no one left to talk to.

“Too bad, see you around,” Joey waved at them as he walked backwards, tripping a little in the process. He laughed a little and turned around before walking straight backstage, probably to the dressing room.

As Joey left them alone, they exchanged looks, but Addie was the one to break the silence, “I don’t know what I should feel right now, I really want to punch you,” She frowned at him.

“Nice, we’re going to start with concert photography 101 now,” He said, quite ignorant of her statement before jumping through the barricades to the pit, making her cringe because she was worried about his safety. It sounded weird, but she actually cared about him.

Still though, she just stared at him when he jumped. It was unsafe and stupid of him to do that, in her opinion. She caught his look, expecting her to do what he just did but she shook her head, “No, I’m not stupid, just no,” She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Take a risk.”

“No.”

“You’re not going to die.”

“No.”

Dan sighed as he noticed that The Summer Set had finished their soundcheck. Getting a brilliant idea, he grinned, “Hey John,” He said with a glint of mischief in his eyes.
John, who was just walking to the side of the stage, stopped at his tracks and looked at the photographer, “What’s up?” He greeted, putting down his guitar. Addie followed Dan’s eyes and narrowed hers, wondering what he could possibly be planning.

“Would you mind bringing Addie to me?” Dan smirked, looking at his intern who was raising her eyebrows at him. He wasn’t Dan Fusselman of Motion Army for nothing, there was no way he was going to Addie live with not jumping barricades.

Addie would gladly speak her mind, but she had to remind herself a lot of people was around. Therefore, she stayed quiet, but she was looking at John with anticipation, ready to run if it was needed.

However, apparently he wasn’t the Gomez she should be worried about because the next thing she knew Stephen already lifted her from the ground, “You’re so light,” He laughed a little.

“Hand her to me,” Dan said, holding out his hands in anticipation. He caught Addie’s glare and he just knew she wasn’t going to let him live it down, but again he was pretty sure she will eventually come around. He wasn’t trying to be full of himself, but she needed him.

“You know my twelve years old cousin is heavier than you, and taller as well,” Stephen told her, still keeping her feet from the ground. Jess was already telling him to put the girl down while his brother cheered him on, Addie really couldn’t understand these disgusting (at least in her eyes they are) people.

As he was told, the bassist handed the girl to her boss as if she was just an item. It wasn’t her fault that she was so small, really. As soon as her foot touched the ground, she pouted at Dan, telling him that as soon as they were alone, probably after the show, he will experience her rage first hand.

“Thanks, Stephen,” Dan waved at the man as he walked out of the stage, following his band mates. Fortunately for him, they weren’t left alone because The Cab was ready for their soundcheck. “So, concert photography 101, I have a few tips for you.”

“I also have one, don’t ever let them put their filthy hands on me ever again,” Addie hissed at the man, careful not to let the members of The Cab or any other person in the venue to hear her.

“Someone’s angry.”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

Dan chuckled but he ignored her statement, “First... not first, really. After checking your results, I noticed you tried to take a photo of Dave, that’s great, most people always forget the drummer, touring or not,” He said, “Your attempty was sweet, but it was pathetic,” He gave her a small smile, kind of mocking actually.

The short girl rolled her eyes. She wanted to say something but she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to interrupt Dan in the middle of his so-called lesson. She still had respect for him... kind of, she couldn’t quite explain it but in the bussiness no one really give respect like in an office, everyone’s friends.

“Lenses,” He stated, “Do you have a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8?” He asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

“Dan, that’s at least 2.000 bucks,” She stated with a frown, looking at him like he was crazy. It was insane, her mother may be married to some rich guy now, but even though both she and her brother sends her money monthly, she wouldn’t have that many lenses for her photography.

“I know, I was just asking because you will need a telephoto someday, now you just need a midrange zoom lens, that would do well,” He told her, making a point by raising his index finger.

She nodded, “It’s a good lens,” She admitted. In all honesty, she was new to photography, she had only been in this world since two years ago when she tried out her late grandfather’s old camera which she found in the attic while packing when she was moving with her Mom. Still though, she knows her way around a camera pretty well, she knew the fact that she was so new makes her lack in experience, but she was ready to change that.

“Next about drummers, watch out for the drum kit, you don’t want that messing up your photo so angle is the key,” He looked at the stage as The Cab walked in for their soundcheck, or in Joey’s case, jump around. Addie tilted her head in confusion

“Angle is the key,” she repeated.

“You paid attention to high shutter speeds already...” He trailed of, “you have, have you?” He asked for clarification, looking at her. She only nodded, “Awesome.”

“When someone is drumming, Addie, they move a lot, at least their hands do. Watch how epic their movements are and take pictures of it, you will want to do that, trust me,” He told her.

“They don’t look so good when they’re drumming,” She mumbled, just loud enough for him to hear. She was so used of taking pictures of beautiful objects (like models), and in her opinion, drummers never look decent.

“It’s not that, it’s the energy,” He said, “You’ll understand this someday, just listen for now.” Dan wasn’t trying to degrade the girl, but in all honesty? In his opinion, photography needs soul just as much as it needs technique.

“Lastly,” he paused, “You don’t always have to ignore the drum kit, it can make the photo better. Take as much pictures as you can tonight, we can sort it out later.”

“Dan, there’s a problem with your van!” They heard Ryan Sweeney call for Dan. The older photographer sighed, “Dan, seriously!”

“Shut up!” Dan shouted back before he patted Addie’s back, “Practice, soundcheck is almost like the concert, I really have to go,” He told her before leaving. “And careful you don’t want-“ He tripped over air and fell on his back. Everyone laughed at him as he stood up, “I’m fine, I’m fine,” He said as he walked away.

Addie just chuckled as she shook her head, it’s been a while since she saw Dan make a fool of himself, the last time was about a month ago when he was flirting with some girl at a bookstore back in Glendale, he ended up knocking down bookshelves and it wasn’t so charming.

She uncovered the lenses of her camera and pointed it at the stage. It was only soundcheck so the scenery was normal, the lighting was boring, and the band wasn’t giving all of their power so taking pictures were somewhere between easier and harder. She didn’t have to worry about exposure, but the pictures she took ended up being plain, boring, not colorful enough in her opinion.

The pictures she took were crappy, and she was pretty much aware of that. She made a mental note to herself to not show Dan the pictures as it would only make him think her less as a concert photographer. She wasn’t the best out there, she was maybe one of the worst concert photographers ever.

She was trying to take a picture of Singer when someone tapped her shoulder. She groaned before lowering her camera and turning her head to the direction of the culprit who disturbed her. Seeing Stephen standing there with a crooked smile on his face made her rethink her decision to give up that good shot for him. She thought he was Dan, honestly. She slowly turned her head to the stage again, trying to ignore him.

He raised his eyebrows at her, “Why are you so tense around everyone that’s not Dan?” He asked, now already watching the soundcheck, “You should relax a little, I saw how annoyed you were last night when the crowd was singing,” He pointed out.

She shrugged, “Um... I’m not tense,” She defended herself before focusing on her camera, trying to get the best shot she could get of Singer. As soon as the window opened for her to take a picture of him, she pushed the shutter but she was a little too late, she took too long composing the shot that she missed the great shot once again.

“Yes, you are, like right now.” He didn’t even look at her, it was almost like there was this aura around her that told everyone she’s not relaxed and she was desperate for a perfect shot. “Listen, relax, enjoy the music, take the picture.”

She raised an eyebrow at him, what does he know about taking pictures? Music is all he could do. She only gave him a small polite smile before trying to take the perfect picture again, still rooting for singer to give her something good.

“Oh you’re shutting me out? Okay,” He said, “Pay attention to Frank’s hair, feel the vibes,” He told her again, this time with a small chuckle.

She couldn’t help but snort at how ridiculous that sounded, “His hair?” She asked with a look that said she wasn’t taking any advice from him.

“Yes, his hair. Look at those curls, and the lenght of the majestic hair of his,” He made hand motions to make a point as they both looked at Frank.

She didn’t mean to, but she laughed. However, she covered her mouth as soon as she
realized she was laughing, but he kept smiling at her which made her laugh just a little more.

He patted her back, “That’s called relaxing, you should do it more often,” He told her, “And I’m sorry for earlier, it was fun for you wasn’t it?”

“I’m acrophobic.”

“Bless you.” He ruffled his hair, “Fortunately you’re short because if you’re tall that would be a problem right?” He grinned before leaving her.

She rolled her eyes when he was gone, cursing the bassist silently in her head as The Cab’s soundcheck ended. She could only sigh, this is the reason she didn’t want to take part on this tour.