Super Rich Kids

chapter seven

it was the next day and i was getting breakfast for the gang to bring back to the venue. they were doing a soundcheck and working out the show. i had downed an espresso to at least seem awake and it was paying off. yesterday had worn me out, not to mention last night...

i walked up to clancy seating on the side of the stage and handed him a coffee and a bagel. apparently bagel weren't as big out here but it was the only thing i could think of for this early. he didn't seem to mind.

"hey can i get one?" a familiar voice said behind me. i turned and my heart sank in an odd way.

"Hey, Frank!" Clancy said in his loud voice. they did that daps/hug thing guys do and her smiled at me.

"can i?" he gestured to the box of bagels.

"oh yeah, sure." i sputtered. somehow i was sure he could read mind just then. like he knew what had happened. i needed to get out of there.

"excuse me, i better pass these out." i said as i hurried away. i more or less stood in the aisle as the guys swarmed me and took everything so i had to find another excuse to get away from Frank. i resigned to going back stage and checking all the headsets, again.

a few moments later he followed me back there.

"hey, are you okay?" he said with an easy going laugh.

"oh im fine. why, whats up?" i was doing my best to not do anything stupid but i felt icky for him. i didn't regret what happened but that was his friend... and i did think he liked me.

"just checkin..." he trailed off, seeming unsure.

just as i thought i could handle the feeling in the pit of my stomach Sydney walked from onstage with the set list in hand.

"heres the finale copy for you guys." she said as she handed it to me. she gave Frank daps and shot me a smile.

god she was something. she very well could have given the list to clancy and it was patently obvious to me that she came back here to make a show for Frank.

"thanks." i said tightly. she strolled away.

Frank must have picked up on the tension cause when she was out of earshot he said in a low tone. "what's up kiddo?"

i looked him in the eye then. i didn't see the boyish look of infatuation or the cocky smile. i saw a friend wanting to talk to another friend. it was something i admired about him. so i decided we were all mature enough to not become jealous children. not to say there would be a fight over me.

"i may have made things awkward." i admitted with a sigh.

he frowned slightly and cocked his head to the side. "don't sweat it. if they can't handle you. leave it at that."

this threw me. Frank had a way of being oddly wise and in the know about things but i could tell he knew more then he let on. he wasn't dumb.

he went on in a lighter tone. "besides, you're allowed to do your thing. make it work."

i decided to take this advice to heart.

---

the next two shows went by like a dream. we had enough shirts to sell and the sound system worked and there wasn't one bitchy girl allowed back stage. even the hotel situation was nice. Syd and i were still close but i made it clear rubbing it in Franks face was unneeded. it was the last show where things got a bit... iffy.

Frank had done all the shows but the first and was about to go back on with Tyler when a women in a black BOY shirt walked up to me.

"sorry, i'm not sure where the Green room is." she said in that fake flustered way. ya know, like "oh aren't i so cute and confused where's the room that only perfect looking people like me get into? oh silly me"

"right over there." i smiled sweetly and she model walked over flipping her hair.

i wondered which one of the guys invited her but then pushed from my mind. i shouldn't really care.

everything was going smoothly with Frank and Tyler on stage. they segwayed from "She" into "Golden Girl" and the crowd went wild. i was caught up in it myself. Frank was a beautiful singer to say the least. some where in the mist of it all i found him looking at me. holding the mic with both hands and watching hard. he sang out clear, as if for me:

"If we build a house in paradise, will we get to heaven still?

If we don't have to live through hell just to get to heaven

I'mma stay right here with you

Til the hurricane comes, 'til the tsunami comes, I've found my girl"

he kept his eyes on me as Tyler came in for his verse. i wasn't sure what to do so i stood holding my clipboard with my mouth slightly open in shock. he nodded at me once and turned back to the crowd as the song ended. he bowed deep and them walked off downstage. he avoided me and went right for the Green room.

a few songs later he was out by the refreshments with the women in the BOY shirt.

he had made one thing clear tonight. he liked me but wasn't gonna let me lead him on. he was no fool and i feared i could have lost a friend in the process