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The last song was their most popular. It was called Sweet Pain:
Sweet, sweet pain
You caught me dancing in your rain
Soft, sweet lies
You know I'll always compromise
The music lingered, stretching until it disappeared into wild cheers; a seismic enthusiasm that shook the clubs wooden floor. The house lights went out again and the band members cleared the stage. The lights came up once more so crews could break down the instruments. Band Chick was helping. She waved in my direction. Avery and I waved back.
"What's she like?"
"Kinda bitchy. Kinda cool. She smells good, too. Like Lilacs or some shit. You might like her if she wasn't so fucking perfect. Come on, the merch booth is opening." We cut across the sticky floor, kicking empty bottles and trash out of the way-people were such pigs-and squeezing between couples to get to the growing line.
My heart was getting heavy again, thinking about what Jake said. He had no reason to be mad at me. Did he? I had decided at some point without realizing, that whatever it was, I would apologize. I would do whatever I had to do to smooth things over with him.
There were t-shirts and wrist bands with the bands' newest logo. It was the silhouette of a winged figure colored in red set against a black shirt and white lettering. White tour tees with the same logo. There were also a few black ones at the far side of the table, old band tees with the banned logo. It was a thick, red plus sign surrounded by a circle of stars. But the Red Cross, who had an ass-load of lawyers, sent the band a strongly worded letter about the similarities of the emblems. So they had to get new shirts.
Avery and I were stocking up on the old ones which no one seemed to want even though they were cheaper. But we each bought one for this tour, another hard copy of the album we already owned, and one wrist band.
Band Chick was suddenly behind the table, shoving the tweaker-looking stand-ins-a guitar tech-slash-whatever-you-need guy-out of the way. Band Chick started taking orders. Avery and me were already holding our merchandise, waiting to pay.
Band Chick looked at me. "Avery, right?"
"Angel." I corrected, wondering if she got my name wrong on purpose. And if she did, what did that mean?
"Angelica." She nodded. "Let me see what you got."
I handed her my stack. She looked through it, checked the shirts. "The old logo . . . in small. Half-off-we have trouble moving that size."
I almost gagged on her use of 'we.'
Once we thanked her, we took our change and made for the car. All our stuff was going in the trunk. Except the CD. The fan girl in me wanted to get it signed and add it to my collection. It must have seemed silly to some people that I acted like such a fan, but at the end of the day, that's what I was. It didn't matter that I knew them or that I was going to marry the singer. I loved the band. Their music saved me on a daily basis.
Avery double-checked she had the marker before we headed back inside.
Once the next band started playing, most of the crowd rushed to the front. Only a small group of people hung back, near the bar. I counted eleven. Mostly dudes drinking. Until Jake and Max appeared, freshly showered. Then, the barrage began. Men and women, young and old were clamoring, pressing passed Avery and me to get to them.
"Where did they come from?" Avery was laughing, getting jostled around.
A man shoved me aside; I bounced off a womans chest as she moved around me. The womans' eyes shrank, chastising me-which set Avery off. I begged her not to make a scene and get us kicked out.
She sighed and stepped to her right until she came face to face with Max. The two exchanged a few words. The only voice I heard belonged to Max. As he watched, Avery turned and walked away.
"But, we'll see you back at the motel. Right?"
Avery grinned at the comment and I knew then and there what she was up to. Max saw none of it when she turned back to give her answer. It was a limp stare. "Whatever."
We took our time strolling to the door. As I scanned the room for Jake who had been swallowed by the crowd, Avery stuck me in the ribs.
"Don't."
"Don't what?"
"You shouldn't always be the one waiting. You have to make him wait sometimes, too."
"Hey!" Band Chick appeared alongside us. "Jake wanted me tell you it'll be about thirty minutes before he can head out." She smiled. "In rock-speak, I think that equals two solid hours. Laters, Chicky." She patted Avery's back and disappeared into the crowd.
