She's Electric | Sam Fender

7 - Sam

As soon as I see him I can feel the sandwich I had on the train making its way back up my throat. Oasis was some of the first music I learned on guitar. They're what really got me started back when I was 10. A decade and a half later, I'm preforming alongside Liam Gallagher. It's like I'm on some strange sort of rollercoaster, that only seems to be climbing. I'm just waiting for the day it all plummets to the ground in a heap. Not that I'm not grateful for what I have now, it just doesn't seem deserved.

Liam walks over to us with a girl I recognise as his daughter. The band and I shake hands with the pair, in a tangled mess of arms. All the while, she doesn't make eye contact with anyone and looks as awkward as I feel.
"Nice to meet you," I say when her hand finds mine. Finally, she looks up at me. I smile a little, but it mustn't come across that way as she smirks to herself. "I'm Sam."

"Cass." She mumbles back.

There's an awkward silence between everyone, so I suggest getting drinks, "What does everyone fancy?"

Everyone replies with beer, except for Cass who wants water. "I'll help you carry everything," she says, walking with me to the bar.

"8 pints of lager please mate," I say to the barman, silently dreading how much it's going to cost. I turn to Cass, "Are you sure you just want water?"

She nods silently. For the daughter of a megastar, who has years of press under her belt, she's shy. I like that though. I like people who think. Fuck knows how I ended up with the bunch of radgies in the corner.
I appreciate her silence, because I wouldn't know what to say if she wanted to make conversation.

"And a glass of water."

He pulls the pints while Cass and I grab a tray each. "That'll be £42."

Honestly, I feel a little bit sick when he says that, but dig around in my pockets for my wallet and pay contactless. I wouldn't be surprised if I get a security alert after this. Over 40 quid on booze. That could've bought 10 2.5 litre bottles of Frosty Jacks. With change.

We carry the trays over, much to the relief of the lads.

"Cheers," says Dean, and everyone raises their glasses.

"To new friends," I propose, glancing back over at Cassia.

"I'll drink to that," Liam clinks his glass against mine.

"Shit, I haven't introduced everyone." I've suddenly realised that no one actually knows each other's names. "The long haired miserable bastard is Drew, wor drummer."

He scowls at me, probably still in a fettle about his ankle, "Alreet?"

"The lad in the hat's Deano, who's the lead guitarist and other lad in the hat's Johnny. He's wor saxophone player." Both give a little wave. Dean grins like a 7 year old at Cassia, who smiles back at him, "Him with the nice face is Tom, the bassist. The kid in the corner's Joe, he does a bit of everything, guitar, keyboards, synths. And finally, the grown up, Bramwell, who basically takes care of all of wor."

The rest of the lads grin, looking vaguely psychotic. If they balls this up for me, I don't think I'll ever forgive them. We've been in London less than a day and already had a trip to hospital. I would ask if it can get worse, but experience has taught me that that's the worst thing you can do. There's always another shower of shit waiting to fall and fuck up your day.

A/N: I have writer's block (and exam's to revise for but whatever), so I'm stopping this chapter here. Hopefully I'll have another chapter out sometime this week. Thanks for sticking around this long!