The Plan

Okay so I had a plan.

It was crazy.

Let’s face it though, they needed something crazy. If I pulled this off, I would be the master commander. I would be a serious contender in the matchmaking, relationship saving community. Shit, if this plan worked half as well as the last one I would start asking for a salary.

My train to New Jersey had just pulled into the station when I got the idea. Seeing my parents had drained a lot of my strength. It sickened me that polite niceties were all that really existed between me and my family.

I typed the plan into my phone as I sat in the cab on the way to the venue that would be my home for the night.

Step One: Make Mike Say Sorry (Big Time)

Step Two: Garden Gnomes and Sprinklers

Step Three: Start Dating Andy Trick

Step Four: Operation Stage Dive

Step Five: Cinderella Type Shit

“Kelly!” I heard as soon as I opened my cab door. Andy had me in a tight hug and I smiled into his shoulder, confident that if nothing else, step three would work. I was vaguely aware of Simone being there too, her blonde hair noticeable in the background.

“How were your parents?” she asked, hugging me after Andy relinquished me from his grasp. I shrugged, lighting up a cigarette and letting the bassist take my bag.

“They could have been worse. They offered to pay for me to go back to school which was nice but I obviously said no. And they also liked to bitch about the fact that I live with a guy and this,” I offered up my wrists.

In a permanent script they would always read “Positive” and “Passionate,” one word on each wrist. It reminded me of dark times when I played with Satan and his groupies. I’d played with fire and got burnt. My parents hadn’t seen them until yesterday.

“Well, whatever, that’s what parents do; bitch,” Simone said. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and then, out of her deep burgundy shoulder bag, lifted a box of purple hair dye. “But I thought we might wanna get you back to normal.”

*

After I’d flipped my head over in the venues bathroom, Simone and I ventured to sell merchandise to hundreds of overexcited Prada fans. My freshly dyed hair was brighter than usual, warranting more pictures than I usually got asked for in a night.

Simone and I were a somewhat unusual pair. Style wise, we were nearly polar opposites. I barely cared what was on my body, usually opting for ripped jeans and cropped tops while she put outfits together and had a neat look about her. Regardless, we were best friends and the merch girls and an altogether dynamic duo.

“Can I get a picture?” a girl asked hesitantly. I smiled and nodded, leaning down next to her and smiling. She checked it and laughed before showing me. Simone had been behind us, making the best face in the world. I slapped her playfully and laughed.

“Hey! I looked half decent in that picture!” I scolded and she rolled her eyes. We continued selling shirts as the girl wandered away. Eventually the crowd thinned as the show started. People lingered around the tables though, buying occasionally.

“Hey guys,” I greeted two girls that had been staring strangely at me and Simone. They smiled and said hi back though continued looking at CD’s and bracelets. I ignored them, looking through my phone idly.

“Kelly,” one of them said, a girl with short brown hair, “Why weren’t you at the show last night in New York? My friend from there is obsessed with you and she was so upset when you weren’t there.”

“Oh, well,” I was surprised to hear I had fans, “I’m from New York originally so I took the day to go see my family.”

“Is it true that you’re dating Andy?” the other girl blurted. She had platinum blonde hair and a mousy face. I laughed and shook my head.

“That’s fabricated. Andy and I are very close,” I answered. I enjoyed talking to the fans. They were all really cool kids and none of them were anything less than very polite. It was always a mad house when the guys were around and I remembered gaining my badass rep from when I first started out by being a bitch during the busy times.

“Um, is it true that Simone and Mike broke up?” the same girl asked. At the mention of her name, Simone looked up from the shirt she was folding. I said nothing, not knowing how she’d choose to answer the question.

“That’s personal,” she said coolly, “But no, we’re still together. There was just a small argument.”

If she called that a small argument I would hate to see what she called a large scale fight.

“Oh, okay,” the girl said. She seemed noticeably awkward and they said bye and left. I turned to my blonde best friend with wrinkled eyebrows. She sighed and leaned against a table. I waited for her to explain.

“I dunno what to tell them. I don’t want my business splashed all over the Internet and I know…he wouldn’t want that either but we’re definitely not a couple any longer,” she elaborated. I nodded in sympathy.

“Well, you’re the one with the most access to the fans right now anyway seeing as he keeps himself locked away on the bus or wherever so you just say whatever feels right.”

I still felt like I was treading in dangerous waters.

“I’m entitled, considering he’s the asshole.”

I sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of my nose. I hoped my plan would work.