Time For A Change – Chapter 6

Stacey woke up to a crash in the front of the bus, Sid and Clown were playing a video game and apparently, Sid knocked over the small food tray holding Craig’s soda. Stacey rolled out of her bunk and walked through the bus to where the noise came from to see Sid laughing and Craig cursing at him.

“Good morning sunshine!” Mick chimed in as Stacey walked into the small space. She just smirked at him and rubbed her eyes.

“Where are we?” she questioned

“Well darling, you’re on a bus headed to hell, we will be there in about 30 minutes” Corey winked as he responded.

Stacey laughed as she took a bottle of water from the refrigerator on the bus and headed back to her bunk to get some clothes to change into. She picked out some jeans, converse shoes, and a motley crue tee shirt to change into and went into the closet of a bathroom the bus had.

“Stacey! Were here….” Joey said pounding on the door.

“Okay, I’m almost finished,” she responded as she finished tying her hair into a ponytail.

She opened the door smacking Chris in the head with the door on accident. Stacey looked out him in shock as he held his head in his hands.

“SHIT!” Chris shouted

“Oh my god,” Stacey exclaimed “I’m so sorry Chris,” she kneeled down beside him and placed her hand on his forehead.

Their eyes met each other’s as she removed her hand from his forehead quickly as she stood up her back coming in contact with Mick’s chest. Stacey blushed as she turned around and looked up at Mick and grinned slightly and scooted passed him.

“Stacey are you ready to check this place out and get started on running the cables”? Shawn asked her.

“Yup! “ Stacey responded as she grabbed her bottle of water from the table.

Stacey followed Shawn, Corey, and Joey off the bus and into the venue. Her eyes roamed around the backstage area taking in all the equipment boxes and storage cases that was piled around them.

The afternoon rolled on, the stage was set up, and the sound checks had been done. It was time to eat and get ready for a kick ass show. Stacey was tired and she was ready to sit down and eat and relax for a few minutes. This was more work then she had imagined but it was not anything she could not handle. The only thing she noticed was that she barely seen the guys all day except for the sound check and when Chris or one of the guys would occasionally bring her some water while she was running cables on the stage.

“Stacey …”Joey whispered in her ear

Stacey jumped not expecting someone to be that close to her.

“Joey?” She responded

“You hungry?” he asked her

Stacey nodded as Joey took her hand and helped her up off the stage floor from where she was working. When he pulled her, up to him, their bodies touched and they were almost nose-to-nose. Joey’s eyes met Stacey’s and he leaned in and kissed her lips softly. His hand found its way to her cheek as he embraced her face as their kissed deepened a little.

“FOOOOOD” someone yelled

Stacey and Joey backed away from each other, grinned, and walked towards the side of the stage where other people were rushing too for the food line. Joey placed his hand on the small of Stacey’s back pushing her slowly in front of him.Stacey grinned back at him and slowly slid in front of him in line with the rest of the road crew.

The show went off without a hitch, all the sound levels and pyrotechnics where on queue and the band sounded great. Stacey smiled to herself as the crowd roared with excitement and the band said their goodbyes after their closing song. She began to pack up the extra cables and sound equipment on her end as the band filed off stage taking their water bottles from the open cooler on the side of the stage. Stacey’s eyes caught a shadowy figure creeping up behind her and then there was a pair of sweaty arms wrapped around her midsection.

“How did you like the show?” a whisper came into her ear.

Stacey giggled, “It was GREAT.” She replied as she continued to stuff bundles of cables into a tote.

The hands attached to the arms then turned her around to face their owner. It was Joey still in his mask and his suit. Stacey closed her eyes and Joey removed his mask and smiled at her sheepishly. His fingertips brushed her cheek as he brought her face to meet his … He kissed her softly and then pulled away.

“I’m gladded you enjoyed it Stacey.” He said softly

He continued, “When you’re done packing the sound equipment up would you care to join me for a drink?”

“I would love too,” she replied

Joey smiled kissed her lips once more and turned to go to the interviews that were set up for the post show time slots. Stacey quickly went back to packing the totes and powering down the computers and sound equipment so that she could pack it in to the cases they belonged in.

Stacey finished packing up the equipment and she went to the green room to see if the guys were still conducting interviews with the press that had been waiting during the show. She walked into the room to find all the guys finishing up interviews and saying their goodbyes to the media representatives.

“Stacey, got all your gear packed up?” Chris said

“Yes Sir!” She remarked to him casually

Joey walked over to her, took her hand slowly, and pulled her to the couch where Shawn and Corey were sitting.

“Corey and Shawn feel that you should be hazed a little since you are new to the crew and you are quickly becoming a part of the family.” Joey said.

Stacey sighed as she smiled a little at them.

“Why does this seem to scare me?” She questioned aloud.

Mick entered the room carrying a cooler full of juices and various small shots of liquors. He looked at Stacey and smiled at her. Stacey shivered with curiosity as she scooted closer to Joey and tried to hide in his shoulder.

“No reason to hide little one,” Mick said to her. “This will happen at some point so you might as well let it happen when you have tomorrow off” he continued.

Joey laughed as he grabbed a juice bottle from the cooler and tossed it to Corey and then took one for Stacey and himself. Chris reentered the room carrying a bottle of vodka and some plastic cups.

“Someone told us you like Vodka Stacey,” Chris said casually

“Yeah but ….” She started to say when Chris handed her a cup and started to pour some Vodka into it.

“The juice is to mix it with,” Joey whispered into her ear.

Stacey smiled as she took the top off her juice bottle and poured some juice into it and swished the liquid around in the cup to mix it together.

They continued to drink a little at a time and soon enough Stacey was giggling at every joke Chris, Shawn, and Joey told. Before they knew it, it was time to load the bus and head to the next city, where they would spend their day off and have their next show in.

Joey took Stacey hand and helped her onto the bus as Chris followed her on to the bus. The other guys made their way to their buses and all filed onto them and got arranged and the buses then started to roll. Stacey made herself comfortable in the back lounge of the bus as Joey made his way back to her and sat down with her and pulled her closer to him.

“Joey,” Stacey started

“Yes?” he replied

“Do you remember when you were opening your cymbals up that day at the practice location?” She questioned.

“Yes,” he replied

“Where you really talking to your cymbals when you told them they were beautiful?” She questioned drunkenly

“No,” he remarked shyly as he fumbled with his hair

“I was talking to you, when I made that statement, but was unsure how you would react about me telling you what I thought.” He continued

Stacey smiled and looked at him taking his face into her hand and making him look at her … She kissed his lips softly as his hands found their way to her waist pulling her closer deepening their kiss. As their kiss, ended Stacey moved back slowly and smiled.

“Thank you,” She remarked

Chapter 7