You Have My Attention

Soon enough, I fell into a routine on tour. I would wake up early - not shockingly early, but early enough that I was up an hour before any of the boys – and start on breakfast. Then I would clean whatever I was required to and generally tidy up. Apart from that, I would just help whoever needed it on the crew and try and make myself useful; I didn’t want the management to kick me out because I was useless.

Today, I decided that sausage and bacon would be sufficient for breakfast. After I’d gotten dressed and done my hair and makeup I’d gone straight to the kitchen, seeing no reason to procrastinate. One of the things I was pleased about was that I was now in my own clothes again. After the meeting Andy had with the management (and after I’d made Ashley breakfast) I headed out towards my house – possibly for the last time. I’d tried to keep my visit brief; there was no knowing when my dad would come home. Three scruffy backpacks where procured from my old wardrobe and filled with some clothes and a few other bits and pieces. My makeup, hair straighteners, and some notebooks went in the bags along with the various jeans, tops, hoodie and a couple of pairs of converse and sunglasses. Once I’d gathered what I considered my essentials, I left, making sure to leave my old key on the kitchen counter before I exited. It felt like a closure, like an official sign that I was leaving that place behind. It felt good. I’d hurried back to the bus and threw the bags on the bunk I’d been designated by Andy, my bunk now.

While the recent memories ran through my head, I found myself sub consciously gathering pans from the cramped cupboards; routine really was settling in.

I heard footsteps behind me, signalling that someone else had entered the kitchen, most likely looking for their breakfast.

“Foods just coming, it won’t be long” I told whoever it was without turning round.

“That’s cool, I’m in no rush. I got up a bit earlier than usual today so I could talk to you” a voice I recognized to belong to CC said. I turned around at his words and smiled, it always made me happy to be around CC, the guy radiated happiness; it was practically contagious.

“Really? What about?” I asked, wondering he just wanted to chat or if it was about something it particular. It was most probably the second option; after all, I was staff, not a friend of theirs that just happened to pop by.

“Anything really, you seem like a cool guy worth talking to” he smiled and it made me buzz a little inside. He’d taken an interest in me despite the fact that I’m just staff.

“Well, you guys doing anything interesting before the show today?” I asked, deciding it was a good topic to start the conversation on. He looked like he was thinking for a moment before a smile spread across his face, like he’d remembered something.

“Oh yeah! We’re going to go out for a pre-show meet up with some friends of Andy’s from Asking Alexandria. Should be fun, those guys know how to party! Though, there probably won’t be much partying considering it’s like ten am and we have a show later…” I smiled and laughed lightly oat his response, I loved talking to CC. “What sort of stuff have you gotta do today? Nothing to sucky I hope” he asked.

“Um… not really, I think the set up crew need some help moving amps and shit though, so I’ll probably give them a hand” I answered, remembering how I guy I’d met yesterday – Alex – was complaining about how they were understaffed to move so much equipment.

“Fun, fun, fun then” he said sympathetically. “Hey, maybe you could-” before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by yet another person entering the kitchen area. It wasn’t very big in there, any more people and I would’ve ended up rammed up against a counter.

“Can I smell bacon?” Ashley asked with a wolfish grin, eyeing up the pan I was holding on the grill.

“Yup” I replied simply, letting go of the pan briefly to reach up and retrieve six plates from an overhead cupboard.

“Awesome. Oh, and Lukass? CC may have mentioned it but if not, me and the guys are going out later. Could you possibly help me get ready once you’re done with breakfast?” he asked sweetly. It was definitely a weird question, but I saw no reason to say no, so I nodded in his direction.

“Cool, thanks” and with that he sashayed out of the kitchen area and back to the front of the bus.

As he left I raised an eyebrow at CC, hoping he could come up with an explanation for the strange request. He just shrugged his shoulders at me and smiled, un aware of any reasoning Ashley may have had. When the first two breakfasts were ready (there was not enough room in the pans or on the grill to make all six at once) I put them on the plates I had layed out on the side. Once I’d done that CC surprised me by hugging me.

“Thank you, Lukass!” he grinned as he took his and whoever he was feeling favourable towards’s breakfasts to the front of the bus.

*****

“So, what do you need help with?” I asked, looking up at Ashley from the sofa in the back end of the bus.

“I’m fine for the most of it, I was just wondering if you’d straighten my hair for me, I’ve got emails to reply to and I need my hands for me phone” His grin mad me slightly uneasy, like he was planning something. I shook the feeling and nodded, expecting him to pull a chair in front of the sofa or sit somewhere where I could stand behind him. What he actually chose to do surprised me though. He walked over to me and nudged my knees apart with his hand before sitting in between my legs like it was no big deal. Well, it really shouldn’t have been, but it was kind of awkward for me to be so close to someone like that. Either way, I sucked it up; I could almost tell he was waiting for my reaction. Maybe it was some kind of weird test?

Ashley reached out next to him and picket up a pair of black and pink straighteners off the seat. He flicked a switch on the side of the device before handing them over to me and settling back into the seat with his head tilted forward slightly.

Okay, I guess this really is happening…

I spent the next twenty five minutes straightening Ashley's long, dark hair. Weirdly enough, it was actually kind of enjoyable. His raven hair ran between my fingers like silk.

I like playing with hair, okay?

Once I was finished, he slid off the seat in a graceful movement, grazing his hand along my thigh as he went. I'm quite sure that it wasn't unintentional. I stood up after him, placing the now cooling straighteners on their heatproof mat nearby as I did. I started heading towards the door, intent on letting him finish getting ready; he beat me to it though.

He grabbed his iPhone off the side, shoved it into a pocket in his impossibly tight jeans and headed out of the back room.

"Thanks, Lukass. That was.. enjoyable" he winked at me flirtisiously as he moved past and surprised me by smacking my ass as he exited.

What the hell? Is he flirting with me? Great, cause that hasn't made me terribly confused or anything...