Madferit: The Novel

Chapter 11

                  

"Morning." Maggie said as I sat down across from her at the table on the bus.

            "Morning." I replied.

            "What's up?"

            "Not much. I kinda wish there was though."

            She looked up at me from the papers she was reading over. "What do you mean?" She asked.

            "Not that I don't appreciate everyone's hospitality for letting me come along on the tour," I began, "but I don't wanna get in people's way."

            Noel gave a sarcastic snort from behind me where he sat on the couch with his acoustic guitar.

            Maggie glanced at him then turned back to me. "You don't get in people's way." She assured. "Trust me."

            "Like hell she doesn't." He muttered.

            I rolled my eyes.

            "I'm just used to working I guess." I continued. "And now I feel kinda useless."

            "That's because you fuckin'-"

            "I have an idea!" Maggie cut him off. "You can help me keep an eye on the boys when they go out. You pretty much already do."

            "You what?!" Noel practically yelled. "I don't need a fuckin' baby-sitter and I sure as hell don't need her!"

            But for once, someone overruled him. Maggie assigned me the task of watching over the band when they partied and stuff. It was like being a chaperone on a school field trip. Sometimes they'd get so out of control we (Maggie and I) worried at least one of them might wander off and get lost. We took to doing a head count every time the bus was boarded because of it. You can't make this shit up.

            To our great relief, nothing happened though. And before I knew it the bus was back in Cleveland pulling up to let us off at the Odeon.

            I talked Maggie into arranging a ticket to the gig for Kelly. Noel objected to the idea of course but I explained how big of a fan she was and if it weren't for her, I would've never even heard of the band. Everyone else thought that was really cool and welcomed her backstage with open arms just like they'd done with me. No one aside from Liam remembered her from the last time but she quickly got reintroduced.

            "I'm so glad you and Liam are finally together!" Kelly exclaimed as we sat on the couch together watching the boys' antics before the show.

            "We're not together." I argued. "We just...I don't know, screw I guess."

            "He took you as his date to an awards show. I'm sure he wouldn't have done that if you're just a piece of ass."

            "True."

            She was right although I still didn't want to bank on it. Liam and I hadn't discussed the status of our relationship since before we left Manchester. And there were always girls at every show so I didn't want to get my hopes up. Still, it seemed like there was more to our situation than just sex. Liam held my hand when we'd be out places and always insisted we cuddle in bed. Surely that had to count for something.

            The house was packed as Oasis fans from all over Northeast Ohio crowded in to see the band. I heard a couple people say they came all the way from Cincinnati. Talk about devotion. The band played a similar set to the one they'd done the last time they were in town with the exception of a couple songs. They added in "(It's Good) To Be Free" which had become one of my favorites. It was a B-side and for some reason, Oasis' B-sides were sometimes even better than their A-sides.