Shattered By Broken Dreams

The next few days passed in a whirlwind of concerts, meet and greets and long bus trips. The bands had played in Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota. Savannah had loved every minute of it. With each show that Crimson Sins played, she was finding that her confidence level was soaring and she was able to relax more on stage.

She had studiously avoided Zacky as much as she could during the previous week. She still wasn’t sure what to do about him and what had happened in the past and she believed that she needed more time to ponder on her father’s possible involvement.

After the show in St Paul tonight, the bands had a few days off before they had to head to North Dakota, and Warner Bros has booked them into the Crowne Plaza which overlooked the riverfront. Savannah was looking forward to sleeping in a proper bed tonight, and as much as she loved performing for the crowds she was thankful that they had a few days off to catch their breath.

The bus had just pulled into the Roy Wilkins Auditorium, and Stan released the doors with a whoosh. The band clambered out and were immediately assaulted with Johnny’s high pitched shriek.
“Babeeeeeeee!” he yelled before sprinting across the tarmac. Savannah glanced up to see Jayde running toward him, whilst her two companions laughed at her enthusiasm. Savannah giggled.
“Awww, young love,” she sighed to Erica as they watched Johnny and Jayde throw their arms around one another and kiss passionately.
“Damn, you’d think they’d been apart from months rather than a week,” Tommy laughed.
“Oh shut it, you miser,” Erica snorted, whacking him on the arm. “It’s romantic.”

The group converged together, and Jayde pulled apart from Johnny long enough to grin at everyone.
“Hey my little munchkin,” Trisha exclaimed, trying to pull Jayde into a hug with Johnny still plastered to her. The two women that Jayde had been standing with approached the group and Savannah grinned when she saw Katie, Jayde’s cousin. Katie was just a little taller than her cousin, and had recently added purple streaks to her long jet black hair. She was quite thin and was wearing a grungy pair of cargo pants and a long sleeved Metallica sweater. She was a little bit of a tomboy and had an easy going nature and she and Savannah had gotten on quite well they few times that they had met. Katie was renowned for being blunt, and told Johnny upon their first meeting that if he hurt Jayde for any reason she would hack off his balls and feed them to him. As a result, Johnny was slightly terrified of her, much to the amusement of everyone else.
“Hey guys,” Katie called happily as she neared the group. “This is Shannen!” she yelled as she indicated the woman walking next to her. Shannen was the same height as Savannah with shoulder length black hair and light blue eyes.
“Hey,” she said, her eyes flicking over the group but constantly straying to Matt.
“Ooh, do you see what I’m seeing?,” Erica whispered to Savannah.
“What, the fact that she’s eye raping Matt, or the fact that he’s starting to preen at her attention?,” Savannah replied with a smirk. Erica glanced at Matt and noticed how his eyes were trying to unobtrusively remove every article of the petite girl’s clothing.
“This could get interesting,” Erica replied as she eyed the two before returning her attention to Johnny and Jayde, who were both still in cloud nine. “Ok peeps let’s get inside. I’m freezing my tits off out here.”

The group meandered inside the auditorium and headed to their dressing rooms, whilst the crew worked to unpack all of the gear. Once inside their dressing room, Savannah and Erica grabbed a beer and sat down on the black couch. Tommy was texting on his phone, whilst Kyle pulled out his laptop and updated his Facebook status.
“Stop texting Lee or she won’t get any work done,” Erica called out. Tommy blushed furiously, and both Erica and Savannah giggled.
“Damn, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so smitten before,” Savannah laughed. “Make a move before you get blue balls.” Tommy rolled his eyes at them.

*********************

A few hours later, Crimson Sins were ready to hit the stage and Savannah adjusted her corset top on the side of the stage whilst she waited for her cue. She was looking forward to going on stage, and the screams of the capacity crowd of 5,500 were music to her ears. Whilst she knew that the majority of the crowd had come to see Avenged, she was happy to know that they were also screaming to see her band. Both bands had received excellent reviews for their shows so far, and she was seeing her dream come true before her eyes.

Her cue eventually came, and she and Erica ran on stage, with the screams of the crowd ringing in her ears. They immediately launched into Mission Statement, and Savannah grinned at Erica across the stage as she played along with Kyle’s drum beat.

Just this once, I will go to the front.
I will let you all disagree!
You won’t last, all you’ve got is the past.
And an overnight shotgun that fucked up the dream
No excuses and no surprise.
The real McCoy is a look in your eyes!
I don’t rate, they can alienate this American selfish everything!
We’re the breakdown, I will break ground, on original sin!
Suddenly I’m on the right side, in the middle of nowhere again!
I am in your hands – I don’t mind – ’cause I don’t understand
I am in your hands – I want you all to tell me who I am!
Just tell me who I am!
Just tell me who I…
Just in case, it’s an arrogant fate.
’cause I know you all wanna see!
Here’s a test and you’re a dire bet.
No one feels like you and screams like me! (yeah)
All confusion and all control.
The real McCoy isn’t real anymore!
I’m amazed at the innocent taste of America’s selfish everything!
We’re the breakdown, I will break ground, on original sin!
Suddenly I’m on the wrong side, in the middle of nowhere again!
I am in your hands – I don’t mind – ’cause I don’t understand
I am in your hands – I want you all to tell me who I am!
Just tell me who I am!
Just tell me who I am!!
Somebody Tell ME!!
I am in your hands – I don’t mind – I don’t understand
I am in your hands – I don’t mind – I don’t mind!!
Oh, I am in your hands and I don’t mind ’cause I don’t understand
I am in your hands – I want you all to tell me who I am!
Just tell me who I am! (tell me who I am)
Just tell me who I am!
Just tell me who I.. am! (tell me who I am)
Tell me who I am!!
The crowd roared as the song finished, and Savannah blushed furiously when she noticed a sign that read “Marry Me Savannah.” Erica laughed in her ear.
“Just be thankful they’re not throwing underwear. I’d hate to be hit by a pair of Y-fronts,” she giggled.

After a few more songs, Tommy silenced the crowd and stood on the riser with his microphone in hand.
“Hey all. We’ve got a little something special for you here.” The crowd screamed in anticipation until he hushed them again. “Our little friends Avenged and ourselves came up with a song challenge to do once a week.” Once again, the crowd screamed and Tommy grinned. “You can thank M Shadows for this one! This is our take on The Sound of Music.” Savannah had to grin at the shocked faces of some of the crowd in the front row. She glanced to her right and saw all of the members of Avenged, Trisha, Jayde, Katie, Shannen, Lee, Matty B, Jason and Sebastian standing on the side of the stage, just waiting to see what Crimson Sins would come up with.
“Guys, I give you My Favourite Things!” Tommy yelled moments before the band started up. They had been rehearsing between shows to get their version right, and by the shocked look on the faces of Matt, Brian, Zacky, Johnny and Jimmy they had succeeded in shocking the pants off the other band.

The crowd were going bananas at their version of the song, their grins spread wide. Savannah and Erica bopped along to the song, grinning at each other.

*********************

“Crap,” Matt muttered as he stood on the side of the stage. “I didn’t think they’d do something like this to the song.”
“This is awesome!” Trisha squealed as she jumped up and down. Brian frowned at her.
“You’re supposed to be on our side,” he whined with his bottom lip stuck out. She silenced him with a kiss, however he was still pouting slightly when she pulled back.

*******************

“What did you guys think?,” Tommy yelled to the crowd as the song finished. The crowd screamed in response, and Tommy grinned at his band members before they launched into their last song, Home Again.

You might have changed but all I can see is how you're the same
Behind that face are beautiful things and terrible ways
Remember - I remember - we were everything and nothing together
But I can't stay... and I can't get away

Can anybody hear me? Can anybody live like this?
Can anybody hear me?
Can anybody love someone but pretend that they don't exist?
I can't be wrong again
I never agreed to see this to the end
I can't go home again
And if I'm wrong then I know that I'm home again

Too much to lose - I'm choosing to learn and learning to choose
We find our faith according to lies, according to clues
Remember - I remember - we were gonna burn the world together
But I can't stay - and I can't get away

Can anybody hear me? Can anybody live like this?
Can anybody hear me?
Can anybody love someone
When they know that they don't exist?
I can't be wrong again
I never agreed to see this to the end
I can't go home again
And if I'm wrong then I know that I'm home again

Oh, I can't be wrong again
I never agreed to see this to the end
Oh, I can't go home again
And if I'm wrong then I know that I'm home again
Then I know that I'm home again
Then I know that I'm home again

As the song finished, Savannah glanced to the side of the stage to see everyone still standing there. She knew by the look in Zacky’s eyes that he realized that she had written the song and it was more or less aimed at him. He shuffled his feet awkwardly and look at the ground.
“Thank you St Paul! We’ve been Crimson Sins, and get your screams ready for the boys in Avenged. And boy do they have a surprise for you!” Tommy yelled to the audience.

************************

Half way through Avenged’s set, Savannah, Erica, Tommy, Kyle, Trisha, Lee, Katie and Shannen were standing in the wings of the side of the stage as Matt spoke to the crowd.
“Ok guys, you know about the song challenge now,” Matt called out. “We’ve been given the honour of playing Nutbush City Limits!” he yelled with a roll of his eyes. The crowd yelled in response. Brian stepped up to his microphone.
“Trisha baby,” he called to his girlfriend. “We’re gonna need you onstage to help Mr Two Left Feet.” Trisha glanced in alarm at Savannah and Erica, who grinned evilly and pushed her onto the stage. She self consciously walked onto the stage to stand next to Johnny, who was almost shaking with fear.
“What if I mess up the steps?,” he shrieked to her. She rolled her eyes at him.
“Of course you’re gonna mess up the steps,” she laughed back at him.

The band launched into the song, and the crowd starting screaming as they noticed Johnny and Trisha doing the dance steps. Johnny was doing surprisingly well, as he tried to keep up the bass whilst also trying to follow Trisha’s dance steps.

Off to the side of the stage, Erica and Savannah were both bent over double laughing as they watched Johnny trying to keep up.
“Oh man, he’s dancing his little nuts off,” Erica laughed, wiping tears out of her eyes.
“My man’s doing so well,” Jayde grinned as she watched him jumping around on stage.

As the song ended, Brian motioned to Matt who hurried off stage and grabbed something from Jason. The girls looked at each other in confusion as Brian put his hand on Trisha’s shoulder to keep her on stage.
“What’s going on?,” Jayde asked them. They all looked at each other, then back out on stage.
“I don’t know,” Savannah replied as they watched Matt scurry back over to Brian. Brian handed his guitar to Matt, then he turned to look at Trisha and then everyone on the side of the stage gasped as he lowered himself onto bent knee in front of Trisha. They all screamed, as Trisha’s hands flew to cover her mouth.
“Trisha, I love you more than life itself. You are my everything, and I can’t live without you. Baby, will you marry me?”

The crowd’s screams were deafening, and Savannah could make out a few teenage fan girls in the front row who were on the brink of tears, and scowling at Trisha.
“YES!’, Trisha shrieked, tears running down her face. Brian jumped to his feet, as he carefully slid the ring onto Trisha’s finger and pulled her into a passionate kiss.
“Oh my god!” Erica and Savannah yelled simultaneously.

**********************

A few hours after the concert, everyone was in the hotel bar celebrating Brian and Trisha’s engagement and their successful show. The alcohol was flowing freely, and Savannah felt the room spinning after she finished off her third shot of chartreuse. They had started out doing shots of Jack, until Brian had drunkenly slurred that they should up the ante and get onto the harder stuff.
“I can’t feel my legs,” Savannah laughed to Katie who was drunkenly singing along to the music playing in the background. Jimmy was beside her, playing air drums on the table with a pair of chopsticks. Matt was snoring lightly with his head on Shannen’s shoulder, and Erica awed at them before she attempted to get up to go the bathroom before she slipped over and face planted into Jason’s crotch.
“Damn woman,” Jason laughed. “All you had to do was ask!” He helped Erica to stand up and led her to the bathroom.

************************

About an hour later, and numerous shots later, Savannah was stumbling along the hallway to her hotel room with a strong arm holding her upright. The room was spinning alarmingly when she got inside and she was vaguely aware of strong hands on her hips helping her into the bed.

**********************

Savannah awoke to bright sunlight coming through the curtains she had forgotten to close the night before. The inside of her mouth felt like the bottom of a bird’s cage, and she blinked like Mr Magoo as she tried to get her eyes to adjust. She was squashed on the side of the king single bed, and as she became more aware of her surroundings she realized that she was completely naked. She couldn’t remember undressing, but her next thought was that she couldn’t remember getting to her hotel room. She burrowed down under the covers, then realized that she felt a slight soreness in her pussy.
“Oh crap,” she muttered to herself. “I must have picked up in the bar.” Deciding to worry about it later, she closed her eyes again, then became aware of the body spooned behind her. An arm was around her middle under the covers and soft snores and breaths were blowing down the back of her neck. She shivered a little at the sensation and closed her eyes again.
“I’ll deal with it after a bit more sleep,” she thought. As the figure behind her shifted slightly, and lips touched the back of her neck, the cold metal of snake bites registered in her brain and her eyes flew wide with alarm.