That Blue Gibson

CH 26

"Try not to get completely shit housed tonight, okay?" Liz yelled over the noise of the crowd.

Josie nodded and took a long drink of her beer before smiling brightly at Travis who was standing a few feet in front of them against the stage. They stood in the crowd just to the side of center stage, waiting for the opening band to come out. The small venue was at capacity, with the rumor that a secret show was happening that night. The crowd was festive and excited, and a deafening roar rang up as the house lights dropped and the stage illuminated for the opening band. Josie and Liz danced and sang with the band, laughing when Travis refilled their beers and beers of the people around them. When the opening band left the stage, Liz was feeling a heavy buzz and could tell Josie was as well. The short leather skirt and loose 7 Year Bitch tee shirt she was wearing felt far too warm and as soon as the house lights fell again, Liz felt a strong shove at her back. Looking over her shoulder, she could see a group of around eight rowdy, drunk men elbowing their way to the front, replacing the annoyed people behind them. She and Josie exchanged a look just as the Foo Fighters took the stage and started Run.
Liz couldn't tear her eyes from Dave, feeling a little giddy at the sight of him wearing the Mudhoney shirt she had on just hours earlier. Josie elbowed her lightly in the ribs, laughing loudly when Liz turned to her with a dreamy grin on her face.

"Quit eye fucking him, Elizabeth," she shouted and took a drink of her beer.

As their usual opening songs finished, a crowd control guy leaned across the barrier between Liz and Josie and pointed at one of the men in the group behind them. Some insults were exchanged before the drunk man backed down and the security stepped back. Liz made eye contact with Travis, who nodded in acknowledgement. She watched Dave adjust his Gibson and scan the packed crowd in front of him.

"You know," he started, grinning when the crowd screamed at the sound of his voice. "You know when you first meet someone and all you want to do is fuck...," he paused for a few moments as the crowd erupted, "...ing hang out with them all the time?"

Liz blushed and playfully tried to hide behind her beer cup when Dave turned and stared straight at her.

"Well this one is for her," he laughed into the mic and the band launched into Darling Nikki.

Josie slapped Liz on the arm and rolled her eyes back in her head in mock ecstasy. Liz laughed with her, but turned right back to Dave. He would glance at her during key parts of the song, quickly looking away with a slight smile. She felt her legs buckle when he screamed for Nikki to come back, bracing herself on the barrier in front of her.

When the song finished, Josie turned to Liz with wide eyes, "I don't care what any man does for the rest of your life, nothing will top that."

*

A few songs later, Liz handed her half full beer to Travis and shook her head. She was long past a buzz and into drunk territory now. She knew that if she had any more to drink, she'd be puking in the alley with Josie before the night ended. A man from the group behind her had noticed the surrender of her drink and leaned over her shoulder.

"You need a ride home, baby girl?" he yelled in her ear.

Liz forced a grin and shook her head, feeling relieved when he backed off. A few moments later, she felt a hand slide up the skin on the back of her thigh, just above where Dave had left a bruise. She whipped around to see the same guy giving her a creepy smile. She glared and shook her head at him, turning back to Travis who was now just on the other side of the barrier. He also shook his head at the man, who held his hands up as if he were innocent. Travis backed off, but kept his eyes firmly on the group behind Liz and Josie. As Sunday Rain ended, Liz and Josie had fallen back into their happy dancing and singing. Dave looked over at Liz and smiled while he picked up a drop tuned guitar and returned to the mic. As Monkey Wrench began, Liz noticed Josie jolt forward then turn around with a frown.

"Don't fucking touch me," she pointed directly in the face of the man behind her then turned back to the stage.

Liz wrapped her arm around her friend and glared over her shoulder at the group, every one of them sized her up and then laughed. Just moments later, Liz felt another hand, this time running up her spine underneath her loose shirt. Before she could turn around, she felt her bra unsnap and was ripped backwards into the chest of the man that grabbed her leg, who laughed even louder with his friends. The music blared on as Travis hurdled the barrier in one leap and pulled Liz out of the man's grasp before shoving him back through the crowd towards the exit. Liz steadied herself on the barrier and took a few deep breaths while Josie spewed insults at the remaining men behind them. Liz quickly fixed her bra and looked up to see Chris, still playing his guitar at the edge of the stage, staring down at her with a concerned look. She smiled and nodded at him, but she felt on edge, especially now with Travis gone. She was just focusing back on the song when she saw Dave point into the crowd behind her.

"Don't fucking touch her, man," he said without slowing down the song's outro.

She turned around to see another one of the men just behind her, staring hard at her over his beer cup and felt her senses heighten a little. Just as the song ended, she turned back to the stage and felt a sudden sharp blow between her shoulder blades. Dazed and with the wind knocked out of her, she felt herself being spun around and thrown into the barrier. A large sweaty hand wrapped around her neck and her eyes went wide when she realized how close her face was from the man. His friends behind him cheered loudly as he yanked her towards him by her neck.

"Fucking actress bitch," he snarled into her face and ran his tongue up the side of her cheek.

"Get the fuck off of me," her voice sounded strangled and Josie had gone silent, pinned against the metal fence by another man. She realized only a few short seconds had passed and everyone around them was still focused on the stage. The man squeezed her neck so tightly that her throat ached, causing a visceral reaction in Liz. She reared back as far as she could, connecting her fist with the man's temple. He appeared momentarily stunned allowing Liz to force another blow into his neck, just to the side of his throat. He stumbled backwards and the crowd parted as he fell to the floor, taking Liz with him. She pushed herself off of his chest and ripped his hand from her neck, straddling his waist she began to rain blows down onto his head and neck, remembering everything her Pops had told her about following through and how to hold her fist. She managed to connect a few more before the man stopped trying to defend himself and an arm wrapped around her waist, dragging her backwards. She fought against whoever was pulling her back until she heard Dave's voice above the crowd.

"Liz! Stop!" she looked up into his face as he gently pushed her towards a security guard, who lifted her over the barrier and stood her up. Standing next to Josie in a daze, she watched Dave climb back over the metal barrier and begin swearing at the group of men that Josie had been thrown into as they scooped their unconscious friend off the floor. Dave finished up his tirade and turned towards Liz, rushing up to her and holding her head still to look her over.

"I'm fine," Liz lied, completely embarrassed. "I'm good."

Dave searched her face for a split second before a woman in a yellow crowd control shirt interrupted them.

"This way," she barked at Liz, earning a glare from Dave.

"Go," Liz forced a smile at him and turned towards the woman. "I'll see you after."

He gave her a worried look as the crowd control woman pulled her away, but hurried back on stage to finish up his show. Just as Liz was pulled behind the stage riser, she caught a glimpse of Dave back at the mic. The crowd burst into cheers as he held up his hand, blood dripping from his knuckles.

"Don't be a fucking asshole at my show," he said before reaching for his guitar.