Sequel: The Legacy of Rock N' Roll ›
Status: Finished
I'll Be There
Am I dreaming?
The guitarist shoved his way past road crews and band members to get to the room they shared behind the stage. He quickly used his stage shirt to dry the sweat off of him and grabbed one of his signature shirts from a rack. He fixed his hair under his hat, then looked at himself in a mirror and deemed it somewhat presentable. Not that it would matter much soon anyway. The party was just starting. He didn’t move however, he just kept looking at himself in the mirror. Why? He took his hat off. Under it was a spiked mess of hair. His shirt had his last name printed in bold letters. He stared at himself, not his clothes or his hair, but as a whole, and saw himself as a boy once again. His first real concert, Motley Crue. How the rampaging, wild rockstars had nearly blown up themselves and the stage during the course of their show, how his inspiration Nikki Sixx had tossed him his bass pick after the show, and how that moment had forever changed his life. Never would he have dreamed back then that he would be here, playing with Guns N’ Roses, or writing life changing music with his idol in their spare time. Setting his hat down, Dj slinked past the marching roadies and glanced into the club. It was empty except for a few employees, a drunk man at the bar, and two girls standing center stage. He noticed the striking red hair instantly. It reminded him of the time a few years ago that Nikki had died his hair red and black just like that. The girl was looking down, studying something in her hands. She twirled the object around her fingers, then held it strangely…the pick. She was holding the pick, and correctly as well, she must be a guitar player. Then the girl next to her, roughly the same age and dressed averagely, looked up and nudged her. Both girls looked directly at Dj.
I couldn’t believe he was just standing there, watching me. How long had he been there? I start to get nervous and almost drop the pick. He glances behind him, then comes out to the stage. He is looking around him, almost like he may get in trouble. He watches the bartenders in the back anxiously, but none seem too interested in him. Then he sits down with his legs dangling off the stage and looks directly into my eyes. “Hi” he said. He stuck out his hand to me. I stare dumbly for a moment, then weakly stretch out my hand to meet his. I shiver from his warm touch. He smiles at me. “I’m Dj...but I think you know that. May I ask your name?” “R..r..Raven” I stutter. I take a deep breath and try to stop my heart from running out of my chest.
The guitarist smiled at her. “I like that name, nice to meet you Raven. And your friend?” He looked at the girl beside her. “I’m nobody” was the reply, with an added smirk and a nudge to the shaking girl beside her. Raven seemed to snap out of whatever fog she was in. “That was an amazing show.” She said. Dj smiled. “Thank you, I did my best.” He glanced at her hands, which were still nervously twirling the pick around her fingers. “You play” he said suddenly, not really an intentional statement. She looked up at him with wide eyes. He glanced away quickly, then pointed to her hands. “I noticed you found a pick…and you hold it correctly, do you play?” She nodded sheepishly. “How long?”
I couldn’t believe that Dj Ashba was actually talking to me. I kept nervously twirling the pick around my sweaty fingers like an idiot in an attempt to appear calm. “About 5 years” I said quietly. He looked slightly shocked. “You must be great!” He said. My friend laughed and I elbowed her ribs. Dj looked at me questioningly. I sighed. “Well...I’m pretty good I guess, I just really suck at solos…” I looked away. He smiled. “Well, that’s not much of a problem. We can solve that pretty easy.” I looked up at him, confused. “We?”
Dj kept his composure as he thought about what he had just said. He can’t help her. That would be prejudiced to other fans. Besides, he has other shows to play and she can’t travel with him. Not to mention the press, they would be all over him hanging out with a minor. He stuck his tongue in his cheek and squinted slightly. Why did he have to feel an attraction to this girl? “What I meant was…I want to help you practice, I would love to in fact, but I have so many shows to play and you can’t come with me…” Raven looked up at him sadly. He hated sad fans. Now his offer hung in the air, like a stench of dead fish hanging over his head. Guilt. He mentally sighed and put on a smile and looked down at her. “How old are you Raven?” this caught her by surprise. “Um…19.” She replied, then, “Why?” “I was just thinking, if you don’t have a curfew or anything, we could go out somewhere, a little after-show party.”
I had a mini heart attack. Did he just say that?? I looked at my friend in shock, and she was giving me that look that translated to “DON’T DO IT” “My friend and I live together, no curfew!” I replied eagerly. She glared at me. “Don’t worry,” Dj said to her, “I’ll bring her back safe and sound.” I smiled hugely. He then stood up and held out his hand to me. I carefully climbed over the barrier and took his hand, stepping lightly onto the stage. I turned around and looked. “Woah.” I breathed. He kept holding my hand, almost as a mentor guides a child, and he faced the club with me. “Amazing view isn’t it?” he asked. I nodded wordlessly. He squeezed my hand, “Let’s go.” He said softly. I followed him through the dark entrance at the back of the stage and was blinded by blackness and a few random lights. I stepped awkwardly. Dj laughed quietly. “Don’t worry,” He said, “I’ve got ya.” Within seconds the wormhole ended and we were embraced by lights and roadies. Equipment was being carried back and forth, cases were being shut, things were being loaded into a large truck out back, it was like watching a life size ant hill. I was watching every movement of every person and object, my head twirling in all directions. I felt like I was being watched and looked up at my guide. He smiled knowingly back at me and led me to a door. Once again I was engulfed by darkness, however this was the good kind. Amidst the trees and faint stars the sky was alit with the clashing colors of streetlamps and office buildings, clubs and headlights, and everything in between. He led me to a black Challenger and opened the passenger door for me. “The Death Ride.” I said quietly. “I thought you left this in Vegas?” He glanced at me incredulously. “Leave my baby in Vegas while I’m living it up in L.A. for half a week? Get real.” He then went to his side and got in, turning the ignition to make the engine purr.
I couldn’t believe he was just standing there, watching me. How long had he been there? I start to get nervous and almost drop the pick. He glances behind him, then comes out to the stage. He is looking around him, almost like he may get in trouble. He watches the bartenders in the back anxiously, but none seem too interested in him. Then he sits down with his legs dangling off the stage and looks directly into my eyes. “Hi” he said. He stuck out his hand to me. I stare dumbly for a moment, then weakly stretch out my hand to meet his. I shiver from his warm touch. He smiles at me. “I’m Dj...but I think you know that. May I ask your name?” “R..r..Raven” I stutter. I take a deep breath and try to stop my heart from running out of my chest.
The guitarist smiled at her. “I like that name, nice to meet you Raven. And your friend?” He looked at the girl beside her. “I’m nobody” was the reply, with an added smirk and a nudge to the shaking girl beside her. Raven seemed to snap out of whatever fog she was in. “That was an amazing show.” She said. Dj smiled. “Thank you, I did my best.” He glanced at her hands, which were still nervously twirling the pick around her fingers. “You play” he said suddenly, not really an intentional statement. She looked up at him with wide eyes. He glanced away quickly, then pointed to her hands. “I noticed you found a pick…and you hold it correctly, do you play?” She nodded sheepishly. “How long?”
I couldn’t believe that Dj Ashba was actually talking to me. I kept nervously twirling the pick around my sweaty fingers like an idiot in an attempt to appear calm. “About 5 years” I said quietly. He looked slightly shocked. “You must be great!” He said. My friend laughed and I elbowed her ribs. Dj looked at me questioningly. I sighed. “Well...I’m pretty good I guess, I just really suck at solos…” I looked away. He smiled. “Well, that’s not much of a problem. We can solve that pretty easy.” I looked up at him, confused. “We?”
Dj kept his composure as he thought about what he had just said. He can’t help her. That would be prejudiced to other fans. Besides, he has other shows to play and she can’t travel with him. Not to mention the press, they would be all over him hanging out with a minor. He stuck his tongue in his cheek and squinted slightly. Why did he have to feel an attraction to this girl? “What I meant was…I want to help you practice, I would love to in fact, but I have so many shows to play and you can’t come with me…” Raven looked up at him sadly. He hated sad fans. Now his offer hung in the air, like a stench of dead fish hanging over his head. Guilt. He mentally sighed and put on a smile and looked down at her. “How old are you Raven?” this caught her by surprise. “Um…19.” She replied, then, “Why?” “I was just thinking, if you don’t have a curfew or anything, we could go out somewhere, a little after-show party.”
I had a mini heart attack. Did he just say that?? I looked at my friend in shock, and she was giving me that look that translated to “DON’T DO IT” “My friend and I live together, no curfew!” I replied eagerly. She glared at me. “Don’t worry,” Dj said to her, “I’ll bring her back safe and sound.” I smiled hugely. He then stood up and held out his hand to me. I carefully climbed over the barrier and took his hand, stepping lightly onto the stage. I turned around and looked. “Woah.” I breathed. He kept holding my hand, almost as a mentor guides a child, and he faced the club with me. “Amazing view isn’t it?” he asked. I nodded wordlessly. He squeezed my hand, “Let’s go.” He said softly. I followed him through the dark entrance at the back of the stage and was blinded by blackness and a few random lights. I stepped awkwardly. Dj laughed quietly. “Don’t worry,” He said, “I’ve got ya.” Within seconds the wormhole ended and we were embraced by lights and roadies. Equipment was being carried back and forth, cases were being shut, things were being loaded into a large truck out back, it was like watching a life size ant hill. I was watching every movement of every person and object, my head twirling in all directions. I felt like I was being watched and looked up at my guide. He smiled knowingly back at me and led me to a door. Once again I was engulfed by darkness, however this was the good kind. Amidst the trees and faint stars the sky was alit with the clashing colors of streetlamps and office buildings, clubs and headlights, and everything in between. He led me to a black Challenger and opened the passenger door for me. “The Death Ride.” I said quietly. “I thought you left this in Vegas?” He glanced at me incredulously. “Leave my baby in Vegas while I’m living it up in L.A. for half a week? Get real.” He then went to his side and got in, turning the ignition to make the engine purr.