Getting Surreal

Becks woke the next morning with something of a hangover. She groaned and rolled over in her bunk, not entirely sure how she’d gotten there, but grateful that she wasn’t passed out on the couch after only her first time partying with the guys.

Not knowing what to expect, she opened up her curtain and checked to see where in relation to the ground her bunk was. Top bunk, she thought, cool. She leaned over the edge and dropped herself down, trying to figure out how the hell she’d managed to get up there last night. When no real memory past her conversation with Gerard came to her, she shrugged inwardly and slowly trudged to the front of the bus, praying there was coffee. She needed coffee.

“Coffee?” She croaked once she’d made it to the front, squinting from the way-too-bright sun.

“Next to the fridge,” someone responded. She didn’t care to find out who just yet, moving as quickly as she could to pour herself a cup before making her way to the table, sitting down.

“How ya feeling?” She could hear the smile in his voice and looked up, still squinting because, damn, it’s bright, and saw Gerard sitting there with an eyebrow quirked and his own coffee mug raised to his lips. She was taken back, for a second, to the moment she’d first met him the day before. Freaking whirlwind, being with these guys.

She let out a grunt and took a sip of her own coffee, sighing when she swallowed. “Coffee,” she whispered, eyes shut to enjoy the moment. When she heard a laugh to her right, though, she squinted open one eye and looked over to see that she’d sat next to Mikey. “What’re you laughing at?” She asked him, feigning tough. He saw right through her, though, and chuckled a little bit harder.

“What’s the last thing you remember from last night?” He asked.
“Mmmm,” she took another sip as she thought. “I kinda remember talking to Gerard,” she said, looking at the elder Way. “After that, it’s all a bit fuzzy. How the hell did I even get up in my bunk?”

At this, Gerard laughed. “Ray and me got you up there. He came and got me saying you really wanted to go to bed and you really wanted the top bunk.”

“Wouldn’t take no for an answer.” Mikey added. “It was great to watch. You, uh, kinda kicked Ray in the head.”

“Oh, shit, I did?” Becks asked with concern.

“Yeah, and it might have been the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.” Mikey said, throwing back the rest of his coffee.

“Oh my gosh,” Becks moaned, putting her face in her hands. “Please tell me I didn’t do anything else too stupid.”

“Nah, you were fine,” Gerard said with a wave of his hand. “You were probably cooler than all the other drunken idiots-fuck!” He glared at Mikey. “I did not deserve that kick to my shin.” At this, Becks chuckled.

“I think you did,” Mikey said plainly before asking Becks if he could get out real quick. She complied, standing up, and as he edged past her, he lightly grabbed her wrist and whispered in her ear, “You were fine, relax,” before heading down the hall.

Sighing, Becks sat back down at the table to nurse her coffee in silence with Gerard. After a while, she piped up. “So, how does this all work? Are we there?”

“Uh, yeah,” he said looking up from what he was doodling. “Got here maybe ten minutes ago?” Becks nodded, figuring that’s what had woken her up.

“Where’s everyone else? Is there something I should be doing?”

“Nah, you’re good, drink your coffee,” he smirked, “you kinda look like you need it.” She raised a challenging eyebrow at him, but sipped her coffee nonetheless, knowing he was right. “And everyone else is still passed out. Mikey and me just like to be up and ready and have our coffee.”

“Cool,” she muttered, shifting to lean her back against the wall of the bus, stretching her legs out against the seat. After she took another sip of coffee, she laid her head back and shut her eyes, listening as Gerard continued.

“You can probably just chill till Brian starts shouting.” He noticed Frank stumbling out of his bed, walking their way groggily. “Or until Frank starts whining. I hear he was very upset with you last night,” he said, his voice raising a little bit at the end so Frank could hear him. Becks’ eyes shot open and she shot the singer a very dirty look.

“Yeah!” Frank grumbled, shoving Becks’ legs off the bench so he could slide in. “She told fuckin’ Mikey her real name but won’t tell me.”

“You?” Becks pointed straight at Gerard. “You are an instigator.” Gerard just smiled cheekily.

“Why won’t you tell meee?” Frank whined with his head on the table. “I thought we were friends.” Becks broke off her narrow-eyed stare down with Gerard to look at Frank.

“Frank, I’m sorry,” her tone was placating and she rubbed his back lightly, causing him to pick up his head a little so he could look at her. She stole a quick glance to Gerard before looking back at the man next to her, her expression sympathetic. She leaned in a little to him. “Buuuut the more you whine, the more joy I get in you not knowing!” She practically shouted it in his ear before shoving him over and laying her legs over top his lap.

“Ooooh,” Gerard whooped, his expression of amusement and surprise meeting that of Becks’ smugness. “That was beautiful!” He said, ignoring Frank’s hungover pity party to high-five her.

“Thank you, thank you,” she said proudly, smiling.

“You’re evil,” Frank mumbled.

“Yeah, I might be,” she drawled, then took a large sip of coffee and sighed. “But I’m only here because you asked me specifically.”

“She’s right, dude,” Gerard added, nodding. “This is technically all your fault.” When Frank groaned, he snickered.

“Fuck you all,” Frank muttered, laying his head back down on the table and throwing up his middle finger for both of them to see.

“Ooh, what’s the bird for?” Mikey asked, edging into the seat next to Gerard with a fresh coffee in hand.

“As it happens, Becks, here,” Gerard explained while Becks just sat there, basking in her moment with her head tilted back against the wall and a smug smirk on her lips, “has a devious streak and just burned Frankie here something awful.”

“My tech’s a douche.” Frank said, finally lifting his head from the table, shaking his head in Becks’ direction and slumping back in his seat.

“Hey, man,” Mikey said, his eyes landing on the girl in question. “You asked for her.”

Frank scoffed and rolled his eyes. “That’s what she said.” He shot her a mock glare, but her attention was all on Mikey, staring back at the bass player, not being able to break the gaze they were sharing. “And what’s so special ‘bout you, anyways, Mikes, that you get to know her real name?” At Frank’s words, Becks gave Mikey a ghost of a smile and the corner of Mikey’s lips twitched a little.

“Alright, ladies!” Brian’s voice came booming in as he made his way to them. “Oh,” he said when his eyes landed on Becks, “and…lady.”

Becks nodded in greeting and smiled. Brian definitely looked like he’d just woken up, but he was all business. All business, all the time. He probably works in his sleep, Becks thought as she continued listening to him while sipping her coffee. Brian continued to explain the schedule for the day, something about how they were in Somewhere, Virginia, but would ‘unfortunately’ not have the chance to explore the town at all, and when the important times were that they needed to know. Like when they would be fed and when the show was.

Maybe it was the hangover, maybe was just too tired at the moment to care, or maybe it was how welcomed and accepted into the group she already felt, but Becks’ nerves from the first day on tour were completely dissipated. She was ready (or, would be, after another coffee) for whatever they had to throw at her.

---

Shortly after Brian was done giving his speech, Becks went off to get dressed and ten minutes later, found herself sipping on her second coffee of the day while checking out the venue with Ray.

“So I heard I kicked you in the head last night?” She asked him as they walked around where the crowd would be standing in just a few hours’ time. Ray gave a small chuckle, his own drink in hand
.
“Yeah, it’s cool, though,” he said.

“You sure? I feel bad. I was soo drunk,” she threw out her arms as if to gesture how drunk she’d been.

“Nah, it’s cool, really,” he took a sip of coffee, “we were all wasted. It doesn’t hurt or anything, so it’s totally fine. Was kinda funny, anyways.”

“Okay,” she chuckled. “You guys party like that every night?”

“Ehh, it depends, I guess,” he explained as they went around the stage to check out the gear. “Different tour, different people, different drinking habits.” Becks nodded. “And really,” he looked at her, “it pretty much breaks down to if the venue or somebody else supplies the booze.”

“Makes sense.”

“So, what about you?” Ray asked her, catching her off guard.

“What do you mean?”

“Frank said you were in a band before you came with us,” he explained. “He said you were really good. Is playing live something you wanna do?”

Becks smiled, both at the side compliment from Frank and the dream of playing live. Then, she frowned a little bit. “Yeah, for sure. It’s kinda what I’ve always wanted to do, you know? Just…” she kicked at the ground as they walked. “It’s a little harder than one might think,” she gave a dry laugh. “You guys are so lucky it’s worked for you. I’ve tried with a few different bands but, finding that chemistry is real hard, ya know?”

Ray nodded and hummed in agreement. “Yeah, I getcha. This?” He gestured around him to the venue, “is a dream come true for all of us. Right place, right sound, right time.” It was her time to nod and agree. “But, hey,” he stopped walking to give her a level look. “If what Frank told me about you is true, I really think you’ll make it someday, really.” He gave her a warm smile which she returned and then continued walking, her right in tow.

“Thanks, Ray,” she said quietly.

“No problem, Becks. Uh, till then,” he said, an amused grin on his face, “looks like your tech duty is calling.”

Looking up from her scuffed up and severely faded red Vans, Becks saw Frank trying to catch her attention by the stage and let out a little chuckle. “Yeah, I’ll see ya, man!” She said, jogging off to meet up with her employer, feeling very lucky for her opportunity to work for them, especially right after her dreams felt shattered with her band kicking her out.