Hungry Heart.

Chapter 32 - Woman.

"Wow"

"Are all the buildings this big?"

"You really need to get out kid."

Rach held her hand above her eyes as she looked up at the skyscrapers. New York, New York. Whisked away from all the drama by her new fairy godmother. Or so it felt anyway.

She followed sweet Caroline into a back alley, dingy, dirty. Not so fresh air surrounded New York that was for sure. Caroline knocked a few times on a door at the end of the alley. Rach swallowed as the door opened and Caroline disappeared into it. Clutching her bag, she gave herself a nod before following her inside.

A back alley hostel filled to the brim with hookers, runaways and groupies alike. But the atmosphere was something else. Girls laughing, playing music, having fun. Rach didn't expect glamour. Yesterday was the first time she had been on a plane. But as she went room to room, she eyed the young girls dancing upon the mattress on the floor. She smiled at her own memories, she could do this. She had done this.

"Here we are" Caroline smiled as they went into the empty room. Mattress on the floor, thin nets on the windows doing nothing to block out the sun. This would be home. Unless she was chosen.

"So what we got in here?" Caroline said taking the bag from Rach. She pulled out clothes, underwear, cigarettes, a couple of tabs. Her smile widened as she pulled out the records that lingered at the bottom.

"Did you think we'd have a record player?" She asked as she ran her hand over the front sleeves.

"No" Rach said sitting ontop of the mattress. She lay back on it and stared at the cracked ceiling above them with a sigh. "They are just important to me."

"Hmm" Caroline nodded as she looked at the records. She hummed in silence and pulled out a cigarette. "Not many women in this collection."

"I didn't know music, not really. Until Nikki showed me things" Rach murmured, trying to not let his name twinge her heart. Not anymore.

"Stevie. Suzie. Blondie. Heart." Caroline said with a smile. "Janis, Karen, Kiki...I could go on."

"I like learning" Rach nodded as she took a cigarette out of the pack. She lit it up and inhaled. Her guilt leaving the guys weighed heavy on her head. The memories of the records and discarded mattresses laid heavy on her heart. Caroline's eyes twinkled as she put a hand on Rach's shoulders.

"Heartbreak doesn't belong in New York with us" Caroline said with a smile. "You're gonna meet so many people, make so many friends. You're gonna experience so many things."

Rach looked up at her beaming smile. She was so sure of herself. She needed the adventure, she needed to live.

"I believe you."

-

"We have soundcheck" Tommy sighed hitting Nikki's bunk.

"I don't care" Nikki grumbled from behind the bunk curtain. "I play the same shit every night. It's all the same."

"You've sucked on the last two shows. You need to soundcheck" Tommy huffed as he pulled back the curtain. He eyed Nikki lying there with his head on his hands. His eyes so focused on the Polaroid picture taped above him. "You need to let Rach live her own life."

"I'm not exactly stopping her" Nikki scowled as he pushed himself up. He pulled himself out the bunk and Tommy grimaced.

"Dude you fucking stink. Go get a shower or something" Tommy looked on as Nikki pushed past him and walked off the bus. Not another word.

Nikki knew he had been given a choice and he had chosen heroin and women over the happiness he had with Rach. Part of him wanted to clean up, part of him wanted to spiral.

He walked into the venue and headed straight past the dressing room door. Their support was a familiar band, with a guitarist who had to keys to his happiness. Or so he thought.

He opened the door without knocking. He spotted Kelly sat there who looked at Nikki almost shocked. Only Tommy and Mick really spoke to them, Nikki was always stomping around and Vince was always with the women.

"You good Nikki?" Kelly asked as Nikki scanned the room. He watched as Nikki nodded slowly and sighed.

"Wheres Tracii?" Nikki asked. Kelly looked at the time and shrugged.

"He's probably at the local record store. He likes the check out the release. Maybe getting food before the show" Kelly mentioned. "He will be here soon."

"Tell him to find me as soon as he's back" Nikki said sternly before walking out the dressing room.

"Bye?" Kelly said to the now empty room, completely bewildered.

-

"So you've only toured with one band?"

Rach nodded as she squeezed in front of a mirror occupied by three other girls. They had been talking all day about their experiences. She soon realised how inexperienced she was.

"Yeah but Motley Crue are a lot" Another girl chimed in. "They are so funny, sometimes they want groupies, sometimes they are suddenly ultra serious about their relationships."

"Yeah..." Rach agreed quietly. "They are hypocrites."

"Well tonight we have gold dust don't we girls" Caroline said with a smile. Rach raised an eyebrow as Caroline beckoned her to the other side of the room. "Tonight is Def Leppard. You listened to them?"

"Maybe, I'm not sure" Rach shrugged. "They put on a good show?"

"Oh yes" Caroline said with a smile. "I'm pretty sure you will get picked tonight. Just play nice."

"I feel.." Rach trailed off and sighed. "I don't know."

"There's no pressure. It's just a fun party, whatever happens happens" Caroline said giving her Erm a squeeze. "Just like the millions of parties you've already been to. I've said you up a contact if you want to make some money."

"Okay..." Rach said with a nod. She could pedal some drugs at the party. That's what she was used to of course. N

-

Tracii pulled on his guitar as he stood at the side of the stage, ready to go on. He had been avoiding Nikki Sixx like the plague. He wasn't sure how their conversation would go, and he didn't want to risk the band being kicked off their first big opportunity.

"Kid, I asked you to come find me" Nikki growled pulling him away from the stage by the collar on his jacket. "I just want to know if she left you a number."

"What?" Tracii said fighting against his grasp. "I'm about to go play, what the fuck dude."

"I won't ask you again" Nikki snarled shoving him back against the wall. He watched as Tracii grinned at him with a chuckle.

"You're fucking insane" Tracii hissed as he barged past him and headed on stage just in time.