I stood up and looked around.
“They’re at a signing.” Casey appeared at my side.
“I know. I wasn’t looking for them.” I replied, sitting back down.
“Then who were you looking for?” He asked, folding a T-shirt.
“I was supposed to talk to Kellin about something.” I muttered.
He laughed, “Yeah right, you were looking for Vic.”
I turned around, “Was not!”
“Was not what?”
We both turned around, and Casey smiled.
Vic was holding a water bottle in one hand, and a sharpie in the other.
“N-nothing.” I stuttered, turning back to folding shirts.
He shrugged, “Okay.”
“Love-sick fan girl.” Casey mumbled, smiling.
I frogged him in the shoulder, and glared.
“Hey Caveman!” Mike called slinging his arm around both of us.
“Hey, how’d the signing go?”
“Great. The usual.” He sat down behind us.
“Nice view from here.” He commented, winking at me.
I spun around, facing him, back against the table.
“Stop terrorizing the merch girl, Mike. You’re the reason we have to get a new one every tour.” Vic said.
I gulped and turned around.
“Ignore him Michelle, he’s just an asshole.”
I smiled nervously, “I never pay any mind to him anyway.”
He put his arm around my shoulders, “He’s a manwhore. Don’t worry about him. If he messes with you, I’ll set him straight.”
“T-T-Th-th-thanks V-v-vic.” I tried not to stutter, but out of nervous habit, I did anyway.
Vic just grinned, “No problem.”
The people started swarming the merch tent, and the boys retreated to the bus for a little down-time, while Casey and I handled the crowd.
When the last few patrons walked away, I fell into my chair, “Sheesh, this was hard work.”
“It’s no walk in the park.” Casey laughed.
“I’m ready for a drink.”
“Me too, let’s go inside and hope to hell they haven’t drained the mini-bar.”
We closed up shop and went into the hotel.
Casey disappeared down the hallway when the elevator door opened, and I was left frantically searching for him.
“Casey?! Oh damn it!!” I sighed.
“Michelle?”
I froze.
That voice.
It wasn’t.
I slowly turned around, trying not to look terrified.
It was.
Vic smiled, “You okay?”
I shrugged, “Well, we came inside for a drink, and I lost Casey.”
“That sucks. Come on in here. We’ve got drinks, and you’ll be safe. Mike’s two doors down getting hammered with All Time Low.”
I stood there, biting my lip.
He smiled and waved me forward, “Come on Michelle.”
I slowly followed him in, closing the door behind me.
Tony and Jaime were standing on the balcony, drinks in hand.
“There’s the pretty girl.” Tony smiled, pouring me a scotch.
I looked over my shoulder, but he shook his head, “I’m talking to you, Michelle.”
I tucked my hair behind my ear and smiled, “Thanks.”
“You do drink hard liquor, don’t you?” Jaime asked.
I nodded, “Of course, all the time in college.” I mumbled.
I downed the whole drink.
The burn in my throat in chest caused my face to contort into an awful pucker.
“You okay Cherry Pie?” Jaime asked.
I nodded, “Yeah. Fantastic. Pour me another.” I slammed my glass down on the table.
“Wow. Take it easy Cherry.”
“It gets easier with each drink. Pour.” I replied.
“Why do you call her Cherry?” Tony asked.
“My first name is Sherri. Sherri Michelle Gill.”
“Sherri? I like that.” Vic smiled.
“Please don’t call me that. I prefer Michelle.” I grabbed my drink.
“Why not? Sherri is a pretty name.” Vic smiled, putting his arm around my shoulders.
I looked over at him, “Really?”
He nodded, pouring me another drink, “Yeah, Sherri.”
I took a drink, “Alright. Call me Sherri.”
That night was a blur.
The next morning, I woke up in a lounge chair on the balcony wearing someone else’s t-shirt and my panties.
I shoved my hand through my tangled red hair.
I looked out across the ocean, and stood up.
“You’re awake.”
I turned around and saw Vic standing against the doorway, holding a mug of coffee.
“Um, yeah, what the hell happened last night?”
He chuckled and walked out, leaning against the railing, “Good question. I don’t remember. None of us do, I’m sure.”
I looked down at the shirt, “Whose shirt am I wearing?”
He turned around, “That’s mine.” He nodded, turning back around.
I fell into the chair with a deep sigh, “Did we sleep together?”
He shook his head, “No. You threw up on your clothes, so I gave you a shirt.”
I sighed in relief, “Oh. Good.” I nodded.
He stood upright, “We all could’ve taken advantage of you last night, because we were all drunk. But we’re all good people. Good men. We aren’t those kind of people.”
I sighed, “Now I feel bad for assuming.” I whispered.
He shook his head, “Don’t. We’re a bunch of musicians who got drunk in their hotel rooms. It’s natural to assume if there’s a woman in the mix, there’s going to be sex, but we’re not like most musicians. We have respect for women.”
I nodded, “That’s good.”
He stretched, “Let’s go get some breakfast before the others wake up.”
I pulled on a pair of his shorts, and pulled my hair up.
“Sorry you slept on the balcony.” He whispered in the elevator.
I shook my head, “It’s okay. It’s no big deal.”
“So, I thought you said you drank in college?”
I laughed a little, “I just said that to seem cool. I was a geek in college. I never did any of the fun stuff.”
He laughed, “I kinda figured.”
“I probably ruined the whole night for you guys.”
“Nah, we’re cool. We took care of you.”
“For which I’m eternally grateful.”
We grabbed breakfast at a Denny’s.
Over pancakes and orange juice, we talked.
“So you don’t think I’m the world’s biggest dork?” I asked.
Vic smiled, “Yes. Yes, I do.”
I stopped and stared at him.
“And that’s my favorite thing about you.”
I felt myself blushing, and my face felt like it was on fire.
“Sherri, are you embarrassed?” He asked.
I shook my head, “No.”
He laughed, “You’re blushing like crazy.”
I looked down at my plate.
He smiled, “You..like me, don’t you?”
I ducked further down, until I was almost nose deep in my pancakes.
“Sherri.” He whispered.
I looked up.
“You’re wearing my clothes. Now would be a good time to tell me.”
I sighed, “Yeah. I was terrible at hiding it.”
He smiled, “Yeah, kinda.”
I sipped my juice.
“Are you going to say anything?”
I shrugged, “Vic, I really don’t know what to say.”
He got up and walked around the table, sitting next to me, “Well, I’ll make it easier,” He started.
I looked up at him, and he smiled, “I like you too.”
Then he kissed me.
On the mouth.
“You’re older than me.” I breathed.
“By two years.” He whispered.
I sighed, “Are you sure this would even work?”
He nodded, “I’m positive it will work.”
“You’re three years older than me. I’m 27.”
He shrugged, “There’ve been bigger age differences.”
I smiled, “Alright, you talked me into it.”
He kissed me again, “Good.”
We went back to the hotel, where the rest of the guys were awake.
“Morning Sherri.” Jaime yawned.
“Morning Jaimito.” I ruffled his hair.
“Sleep well?” He asked.
I nodded, “Yeah.”
“You’re wearing Vic’s shirt. Did you guys do the nasty?” Tony asked.
I shook my head, “No. I puked on my clothes and he gave me something to cover up.”
“That’s cool. Vic’s a cool guy.”
I nodded, “Yeah, he is a cool guy.”
Vic walked in, “Breakfast for all. Get up, we have bus call.”
Slowly but surely, they all puttered to life, munching on breakfast, and throwing on clothes.
I walked two doors down and looked for my suitcase, so I could change clothes.
“Morning.” Mike smiled.
I rolled my eyes, “Morning.”
Jack handed my my suitcase, “By the way, Alex looks terrible in your panties.”
I wrinkled my nose, “You didn’t put them back in here, did you?”
He shook his head, “No, they got tossed off the balcony after he ripped them trying to pole dance.”
I stifled laughter, and unzipped my bag.
“So, where’d you get off too last night?”
“You mean to ask, “Why are you wearing Vic’s clothes?” and I stayed in the room with Vic, Jaime and Tony last night. We got drunk and I puked on myself, so Vic lent me some clothes.”
“Nice.”
“What’s the deal with you two?” He asked, sitting on the bed.
“Me and Vic?”
“Yeah.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know, what I mean.”
“Well, as of about an hour ago, we’re dating..I think.”
“You think?”
I shrugged, “He wasn’t really clear.”
He laughed, “Well, I think it’s pretty clear to me.”
“What do you mean?”
“He gave you clothes to wear, instead of letting you walk around in puke threads, or naked. He took you to breakfast, and he’s been mooning over you all tour. He talks about you a lot.”
I looked up, “He does?”
“Yeah.”
The door opened, “Sherri, you ready?” Vic asked.
I nodded, “Just about to change.”
“I’m ready too thanks bro.” Mike snapped.
“I don’t have to worry about you Mike, you can look after yourself.”
Then he closed the door.
I changed into a shirt and a pair of shorts and picked up my suitcase.
“See you guys out there.” I waved to them as I walked out the door.
“Sherri’s here. We’re almost ready to go.” Chris yelled.
“Who the fuck is Sherri?” Adam asked.
“That’s my first name. I decided to start using it again.”
“Cool. I’m calling you Cherri. Because your hair looks like a cherry.” Adam said.
I shrugged, “Whatever.”
Vic walked up, “Hey Sherri.”
“Hey.”
“How’s your head?”
I laughed, “It’s fine, thanks. The orange juice worked wonders.”
He kissed my cheek, “Good.”