Queen For A Day

None of the guys spoke about the record company for the rest of the day. They all managed to keep themselves busy and distracted, but there was an unavoidable gloom that hung over the whole bus. We all made our way into the venue for sound check at 1:30, after we’d been out for lunch. Cooper and I were asked to go up first. One of our crew members brought out a seat for me to sit on and sat me down, bringing my brand new electric guitar out to me. We were all plugged in and turned on in no time and we started playing. I was incredibly nervous, knowing that this was the first time Vic, or anyone other than my band had properly heard any of our songs. Everyone was standing down in front of the stage where there were going to be hundreds of moshing kids in only a few hours. Vic and Tony were talking to a venue employee and Mike and Jaime were standing and watching us intently. Our touring drummer Chris counted us in for one of our songs and we started. The music was so loud and blaring through the empty venue, bouncing off the walls and floor. It sounded so awesome. I suddenly felt so alive. This is what I was made to do. We played the whole song through without a single problem or mistake, I was pretty proud.
“Alright that’s great!” Spencer started clapping, a big grin on his face. “Pierce’s turn now!”
The crew members rushed around, one grabbing my guitar from me and helping me up.
Vic ran up to me with his green and white guitar around his body. “You guys are amazing!”
I blushed, “Thanks that was so awesome, I can’t wait until there’s actually people here to listen.”
“Ready for your debut then?” he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and guided me off stage to a seat.
“Yeah I think so, I just hope that everything goes well.”
“What could possibly go wrong?!” Vic kissed my cheek and ran back onto the stage to start playing.
“You did good Cali.” Cooper came and rested a hand on my shoulder.
“Thanks, so did you.” I hesitated, knowing I needed to say something else. “Look, I’m sorry for leading you on or whatever, and for breaking up with you. I wish things were easier.”
“No hard feelings, it was probably for the best anyways.” The dark haired man squeezed my shoulder. We both turned back to watch as Pierce the Veil started playing. They started the beginning of Bulls in the Bronx which is one of my favourites.
“Am I late!?” A voice cried down the hallway. I looked around to see a man running up, breathing heavily with his black hair covering his face. He stopped right on the edge of the stage and moved his hair.
“Kellin!” Vic yelled through the microphone, stopping his singing but continuing playing.
The man on the edge of the stage grinned over at Vic then turned back to the crew and us. Spencer walked over to him and they exchanged a few words before Kellin was handed a microphone.
“Since when was Kellin going to be here?” I whispered to Cooper. He just shrugged in return. The guys stopped playing and Kellin walked out to the microphone, saying hi to everyone and giving Vic a hug. They proceeded to play King For a Day. Every time I had heard it in the past six months this song had reminded me of my 23rd Birthday party, the night I had found out about PTV’s competition. I sung along softly to the song, whispering the screamed parts. I felt so happy. It was so far a pretty good day, and hopefully it was only going to get better.
The guys finished and came off stage, putting their guitars and equipment in their places ready to be picked up later that day. I stood up, walking over to Kellin and Vic who were laughing together.
“Hi guys,” I said sheepishly, waving awkwardly.
“Oh Kellin, this is Cali,” Vic smiled at me, “And Cali, I’m sure you know who this is.”
I nodded, “Nice to meet you Kellin. I’m a big fan,” I laughed.
“Oh thanks, Vic’s told me about you! I can’t believe we’re gonna have a little Vic running around in a few months! So great man.” Kellin was exactly how I expected him to be.
“Yeah, pretty scary huh.” I joked easily. “You have a daughter don’t you?”
Kellin nodded enthusiastically, “Yep, Copeland. She’s almost 3. And I have two step sons. They’re so great.”
“Aw sweet,” Vic ushered us forward and we all walked back to the busses as we chatted.
“So I didn’t know you were going to be at this concert..?” I queried as we walked.
“I happened to be passing through, I’m on my way back to my family at the moment. But I had a spare day and Vic mentioned they were playing. So I figured I could come make a guest appearance.” He explained.
“Oh nice. So what is it like touring away from your family so often?”
Vic looked at Kellin curiously as I asked.
“It’s kinda hard, I feel so bad doing it when I first leave. But I guess Cope knows I’ll always come home, and I Facetime her and all that. It’s kinda hard on my marriage to, but Kate and I talk all the time and I make it up to her when I come back by doing everything I can to make her happy.” He laughed lightly. “I gotta keep the wife happy. But yeah, when I’m home I just spend all my time with them.”
Vic nodded as he listened. “I guess Cali and I are a little worried about how we’ll deal with it.”
“If I can give you one bit of advice it’s this. Both be there for the first few months of the baby’s life. It’s going to need both of its parents in that time, it’s super important. And you’ll always regret it if you don’t.”
“We’ll try our best.” Vic wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

Half an hour before the concert we all made our way to the greenrooms. We were all nervously chatting around the room. I was sitting at a mirror putting on makeup with Mike and Tony sitting on the table near me.
“How exited are you? On a scale of 1 to 10?” Mike watched me in the mirror.
“Um 12.” I laughed, putting blush all over my cheeks.
“How about nerves?” Tony asked, “I was so nervous at my first real show. Then I stuffed up an entire song.”
“Thanks Tony, I really needed to hear that.” I groaned. “I’m so nervous.”
Mike hit Tony on the back of the head. Tony’s snapback fell off and landed on the ground. “Ugh I guess I deserved that.”
I laughed.
“Cali you’ll be fine. You play all the time, this time it’s just in front of a few people.” Mike soothed.
“A few?” I snorted back, “a few hundred.”
He rolled his eyes, “Whatever. Just don’t worry. You’ll do well.”
“I hope so.” I pulled out my eyeliner and drew a thick line across both my lids, flicking it off at the end. I painted my lower lash line in black as well. “You alright there?” I asked with a chuckle, seeing Mike watching me closely in the mirror.
“I don’t understand how you can do that without messing up.” He said, his voice filled with wonder.
“I guess I have a lot of practice.” I shrugged. I’d been doing this to my eyes almost every day for at least six years. I finished with mascara and then a plum coloured lipstick, matching my black and plum tartan dress. I had knee high socks on with a pair of black Vans. Nothing to exciting, just a simple outfit.
“Cali is this yours?” Jaime ran up holding my phone. “It’s ringing!”
I snatched the phone from him and answered.
“CARL!” Fay yelled, her voice causing the line to crackle.
“Hi Fay,” I winced. My ear now hurt.
“I’m here too!” Mariah’s voice was more distant than Fay’s. Probably because Fay just deafened me.
“Hi Mariah.”
“So I heard your first concert is tonight?” Fay inquired.
“Yep, we’re in the green room right now. I go on in about 15 minutes.”
“That’s so exciting! I’m sure you’ll do great Cali!” I smiled at Mariah’s compliment. I could hear noises in the background.
“Where are you guys right now?”
“Your house. Mariah wanted to tell you, that’s why we’re calling.” Hang on..
“What!?” My house?!
There was a cracking on the line and a few more voices then Mariah spoke up, “I’m so sorry Cali, Fay decided to have a party and I got tricked into letting her have it at your house. I only just found out, and Fay mentioned that it was your first concert tonight. I’m really sorry. Don’t worry we’ll leave it in good shape.”
I ran my hand through my unnaturally straight hair and sighed. “Ok, just make sure no one touches my bedroom or music room ok? And don’t break my crockery like last time.”
“Yeah of course, I’ve gotta go now.” Mariah rushed. Something was obviously going wrong as she spoke. “We love you, have a good concert, bye.” And the line went dead.
Why was I friends with these two?
“Everything ok?” Vic had wandered over at some stage during the call.
“My friends are having a party at my apartment right now.” I explained, shaking my head lightly.
“Fay? The crazy one?” Vic questioned. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yeah that’s the one.”
“Weird girl.”
“I agree. I just hope she doesn’t ruin any of my things. I bought a few baby things recently that I’m worried about.” I admitted. There were boxes of collapsed furniture all over my apartment when I left.
“Oh really? What did you buy? And when?!”
“I went with your Mother.” I raised my eyebrow at him.
“Ok then,” he shook his head, an amused smile on his face.
“I just got a crib and a few things, I even found some clothes that were really cute.”
“You gotta show me when we get back!”
“I will.”
Spencer’s voice suddenly echoed through the room. “Cooper and Cali, you’re on in like 7 minutes, let’s get out there.” I glanced at Vic, giving him a nervous smile and standing up.
He grasped onto my hand and led me out of the green room. The noise of the crowd got louder as we got closer to the stage, eventually it was almost deafening. Someone handed me my ear plugs and Vic helped me put them in.
Cooper walked over and gave me a tight hug, “I want to say good luck but I know you’ll do great,” he sounded so nervous.
“Thanks Coop, you’ll do well too.” I tried not to sound as nervous as I probably looked. Cooper turned to say a quick word to our bassist and drummer.
Vic grabbed my shoulders and turned me to him. “You’ll be fine ok Cali. But if anything isn’t going well and you don’t feel well I’ll be right here. I just don’t want anything to happen to you or the baby.”
“Thanks Vic, I’m sure I’ll be fine,” I told him gently. He hesitated, and for a second it looked like he was going to kiss me, but instead he just pulled me into his arms.
“Let’s go!” Cooper yelled out, making Vic and I step away from each other. We exchanged one more smile then I walked out on stage, sitting on my stool and picking up my guitar. This was it.

Notes

I just really wanted to include Kellin Quinn in this story aha..

Beth xx