AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Come on, you can watch me do sound check.”
As we approached, Wes was leaving the venue. He doesn’t even look my way. He just keeps his head down low. I want tostop and ask him how he is doing, but I know I can’t do that. We are not friends anymore.
I watch Skylar go through his band’s sound check from the rail. He looks my way a lot and smiles. I watch as he goofs off with his bandmates on stage. He is a little wild and carefree, not like Wes, who is calm, cool, and collected. Skylar is self-destructive, like me.
Us being friends is probably a bad idea. He probably wouldn’t judge me for throwing my life away headfirst in a toilet. He probably wouldn’t even notice. I kind of liked that. He would be the perfect friend for when I got my freedom back.
I go back to my bus after watching his sound check.
“Where the hell have you been?” Sue asks as I sit on the couch.
“Hanging out with Skylar.” I shrug. “Isn’t that what the label wants?”
She just looks at me. I have her there. She can’t really be mad about me hanging out with him when it’s what the label wants.
“You need to eat lunch.”
“Okay.” I say. “I said I’d eat anything you put in front of me. That hasn’t changed.”
“Good. And you still need to get me if you need to use the bathroom.”
“Oh, come on. Aren’t we over that? I’m not throwing up.”
“No. We have rules for a reason.”
“Fine.”
I eat the lunch Sue makes for me, then head to my dressing room to get ready. Sue watches me in my dressing room as I get ready. She inspects my body before I change into a black, tight-fitting dress with tights on underneath and black boots. I do my hair in two braids and my makeup in my regular style.
Sue sits in the dressing room with me.
“I know it’s what the label wants.” She starts. “But I need you to be careful with Skylar.”
“I will. I’m going to go out and mingle now.”
“Okay. Be at side stage ten minutes before your set. Find me if you need to use the bathroom.”
“I know. I know.”
I walk out to the backstage area. I scan the room for Wes without really meaning to, but my eyes are desperate to see him. I see him sitting on a couch next to Nicolas and Aaron. There are no girls around and I’m thankful for that.
“Hey.” Skylar greets, walking up to me.
“Hey. I was just looking for you.” I lie.
“Well, here I am.” He smiles.
I stick to Skylar’s side as we make the rounds, talking to people. He is a very smooth talker and knows a lot of people. I barely remember the names of everyone he introduces me to, and I really don’t care.
He walks me to the rail before taking the stage. I watch his set there, pressed against the rail. I can feel the eyes on me. I know what the rumor is going to be. The same with Wes. We are going to be label a couple, and this time I wasn’t going to bother correcting them. The label wanted us to look like a couple, so I would do that, but we wouldn’t really be a couple.
Skylar comes bouncing up to me after his set.
“How did we do?” He asks, wiping sweat off his forehead.
“Great.” I force myself to smile at him.
“Your opinion is all that matters.” He smiles back at me. “Let’s go get a drink.” He grabs my hand and pulls me to the alcohol table.
