Thelma and Louise, chapter 6
"New city, new crowd, same old shit."
Frank was standing over my shoulder as I perched on the edge of a stool in his dressing room, a guitar in my lap. His guitar, in fact. Mind you, I was nervous about playing it, but Frank was so nice that he made me feel like I just wasn't a tagalong, that I was actually part of this punk-rock tour family. I sighed, ran a hand through my hair for the fifth time since I had started practicing 'Knowledge', and took the guitar pick I had in my mouth out.
"Show me how it goes again..."
Frank nodded, and motioned for me to hand the guitar over. He had finished applying the red Xs over his eyes, and had his bandana draped over one shoulder, and his skeleton gloves sitting on another stool next to me. Grabbing the guitar I held out to him, he pulled a pick out from his pocket and strummed a bit, then launched into the chords. "You see," he added, while still playing, "It's not that hard. You just need to be confident." I nodded, then took the guitar back and tried again. Frank nodded, then smiled, putting one hand on my shoulder when I was finished. "You'll be fine."
"How do you know?"
"I just do sometimes."
He gave me a small peck on the cheek, then turned back to the mirror hanging on the wall, slipping on his gloves and tying his black bandana. Threading his belt through his pants, he buckled it and then gave himself a quick look-over before turning to me. It was hard to believe he hadn't kissed me since that night on the bus. His lips were soft. It's because he wears lip balm. I've seen him put it on, as he was doing right now.
"How do I look? I trust your taste more than I do Frankie's."
God, I swear Frankie is psychic. As soon as he said that, Frankie stuck her head in the door and said, "Frank. You dudes are on in twenty. And you look ugly." Winking at Frank when he gave her a sad look, she left the room, the scent of flowers and mischief following behind her.
"Don't listen to her, Frank. You look great. As usual."
"You look good too, Nicole."
I loved how he said my name; he was the only person who called me by my whole name instead of 'Nic'. The two syllables just float off his tongue, with hints of tenderness and admiration tinged in them.
But I don't know why he said I looked good. All I was wearing was a pair of black tight pants, Billie Joe's creepers (he said that they would look 'fucking hot' while I was playing guitar) a white oxford with a black tie, and some bracelets. Frank had also let me borrow his MCR arm band, so I was wearing that too. I had some earrings in, just silver studs, and Frankie had insisted that I pierce something else on my body: my lip. It hurt like a bitch, but Frankie said I had to do it because she couldn't. But the night I met her, her lip was pierced...
"That's where you're wrong, Nikki darling," she drawled, showing me her lip. "It was a fakeo. My mom draws the line at facial piercing."
I turned to the mirror, Frank and the guitar forgotten, examining my silver lip ring, on the right side of my mouth. It tinged slightly when I touched it, but looked great, as far as I was concerned. I sneered into the mirror. God, it felt good to sneer.
"Haha, save your dirty looks for the stage, Nicole! Scare the shit out of some teenie for us, mmmkay?"
After slipping on his checkered Vans, Frank was looking at me, a look of impression on his face. "You really look like Billie Joe when you do that. A tiny bit like Tom Delonge, y'know, from Blink-182." I looked back at him appreciatingly. "Thanks," I said. "I was hoping for looking like the latter."
Before he left (he had to go get ready and talk with the band members), he turned around and asked, "Oh, by the way, what's your favorite My Chemical Romance song?"
I looked confused, and replied with, "'Cemetary Drive'. Why?"
He gave me a half-smile. "No reason." And then he vanished.
-----
It was crowded when I finally went out to the general admission to stand, but a roadie, panting and wheezing, had caught up with me, handing me a bag. "For you," he said, trying to catch his breath. I opened the bag to find a black blazer and a VIP pass, along with a note.
Nic,
Use this pass to stand on the side of the stage. I'll bring you out when it's time. And as for the jacket? Call it good luck. It's mine.
You'll do great, kid.
Billie Joe
I was stunned.
Holy shit!
Billie Joe's very own black blazer!
I wasted no time in slipping it on along with placing the pass around my neck. The jacket fit me perfectly, not too tight, not too loose. After walking around the general admission, attracting stares and whoops of approval, I jumped the gate and flashed my pass to a approaching guard who had seen me cross the gate. He immediately backed away and let me pass.
As soon as I situated myself in the sound booth, some roadies who were tuning guitars flashed grins at me. One even winked! Obviously, they knew why I was here. I grinnned back, trying to keep my heart from stopping. I was gonna play onstage!
As soon as the roadies had set up for My Chem, the lights went out and the crowd went wild. I did too, sitting in the soundbooth on a stool. Then, Gerard, Ray, Bob, Mikey and Frank took the stage, and ripped through their set.
Wow, I thought to myself, I am gonna be able to see this EVERY NIGHT OF THE TOUR. I started smiling, and Frank, who had looked my way, winked at me when I looked his way. I gave him a rock-on sign, and he laughed.
When it came time for the set to end, Gerard announced into the microphone, "Our rhythm guitarist (at this, Frank raised his hand in acknowledgment) would like to dedicate this song to someone...a very lucky girl tonight."
I didn't notice anything until Bob began the drums to 'Cemetary Drive', and my heart flew up to my throat.
So that's why Frank asked me!
I could barely hear Gerard say, "She's the girl waiting in the wings, and this one's for her...'This night/Walk the dead/ In the solitary style and crash the cemetary gates/ In the dress your husband hates...'"
I sang along to every word, and I felt like I was gonna cry. At the end of the set, Frank ran off the stage in my direction, handed off his guitar and swept me up in a kiss to end all kisses.
Oddly, at that time the lights came on.
So naturally, everyone saw our "smooch".
At least the crowd went "Awww......"
-----
Frank stayed by my side until the notorious pink bunny came out for Green Day, and at that time, he nudged me and whispered, "Go dance with him!" I looked at him as if he was crazy, but he just laughed and gave me a push.
Unfortunatley, he pushed me hard enough so that I was smackdab in the middle of the stage.
And everyone was looking at me.
Might as well play up the cameras.
I swear to God, I felt alive when I stepped out on that stage and everyone roared in approval. I slinked over to the bunny, who had both hands clasped to his face in suprise, and then placed one arm around him, grabbing the beer bottle he had placed on the ground for a second, and taking a swig. Just as I suspected: it was water. The bunny waggled a finger at me, then motioned for the bottle. I gave it to him, and got the crowd to chant, "CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!" and the bunny did so. Everyone cheered as we started grinding together, to the tune of the 'YMCA'. The crowd was cheering us on, and when the song finished, we grabbed hands and took a bow, sauntering off the stage together and taking refuge backstage.
I was laughing when all of a sudden, the bunny whipped off his costume face. Oh my God, I knew it! Tre was grinning back at me, sweat slightly forming on his face from being in the hot suit. "You did great!" he exclaimed, quickly stripping out of the costume to reveal his stagewear, which was a black blazer identical to mine, a black workshirt, his white tie, black pants and his pot Vans. He gave me a kiss on both cheeks (like they do in Europe), tipped an imaginary hat, then pulled a pair of drumsticks out of his backpocket and ran towards the stage just as the lights went out.
-----
Green Day's set was even better than the one (and supposed-to-be ONLY) night I had seen them play! But I knew that I was gonna have to go out there and do my thing soon. Taking off my pass for a minute, I placed it on the stool I had been sitting on just as Billie Joe came over to switch guitars. After he did, he grabbed my hand and dragged me out on stage with him. The crowd roared with excitement.
Billie Joe grabbed the microphone and said, "This girl right here is the very girl that you saw snog Frank from My Chemical Romance, and entertain you with the pink bunny! Her name's Nicole, and she's our special guest tonight because she's gonna play and sing 'Knowledge' with us tonight!" The crowd roared once more, and I did notice some disappointed faces from people who had been hoping that they could be asked to play guitar for Billie Joe. While the crowd was cheering, Billie Joe whispered in my ear. "Nice blazer," he murmured, giving me a roguish wink. Then, he gave me a kiss on the mouth.
What the hell?!
Billie Joe?!
My look was from shock, to realization, then to embarassment. How could I have forgotten! The guest guitarist gets a kiss from Billie Joe. He then handed the guitar to me, and told me the chords I already knew, and then a roadie brought out an extra microphone for me while Billie Joe pulled out a girl and a guy from the audience for bass and drums. I looked at the girl, who was to drum with Tre.
It was Frankie. She gave me a grin, then a wink, and took her seat behind the drums and started a beat without being told. She was wearing a black tank top with the jeans she had let me borrow the day before, and the pair of Vans as well.
The boy was good-looking, but not that I looked too hard. I had Frank, after all. After Mike had shown this boy in question how to play the bass line, Billie Joe said, "Let it rip, Nicole!" I nodded, and took the pick off the microphone stand and started to tear up the chords to 'Knowledge', looking at Billie Joe, whose look was one of pure admiration. I admit, the pace I had set was faster than normal, but Frankie had no problem keeping up. The dude did alright, but looked like he was struggling to keep up.
I sneered at the crowd and ran out on the catwalk, playing for the whole crowd, tapping my foot in time just like Billie Joe does. They all gave me looks of envy mixed with awe. Sticking my tongue out, I hadn't noticed that Billie Joe and Mike were running my way, Billie Joe wielding my microphone.
"ALL I KNOW IS THAT I DON'T KNOW/ALL I KNOW IS THAT I DON'T KNOW NOTHIN'!" The three of us screamed the lyrics into the mike (no pun intended) and after we reached the last few chords, I knew what to do. Running past Mike and Billie Joe, I ran up to the speakers next to the drums, me on one, the boy on the other, and held the last note until Billie Joe signalled for us to jump.
I ended up doing a kick in the air, then landing on my feet.
The crowd went wild.
After I took a bow, Billie Joe announced to the crowd that I could keep the guitar, then told me to, "go back into the soundcheck booth, you little Billie Joe wanna-be with your boy-hair!" I laughed at him, taking another bow, then left the stage, handing off the guitar to a roadie who mouthed, "Excellent job!"
Frank was waiting for me, and hugged me when I got off the stage. "You did great!" he said, barely audible over the next song, which was 'Minority'. I looked up into his eyes, and said, "Was Gerard serious when he said that I was your girl 'waiting in the wings'?"
Frank nodded, and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "I would never lie to you," he murmured, his hand stroking my face.
And I hoped that it would stay that way.
Frank was standing over my shoulder as I perched on the edge of a stool in his dressing room, a guitar in my lap. His guitar, in fact. Mind you, I was nervous about playing it, but Frank was so nice that he made me feel like I just wasn't a tagalong, that I was actually part of this punk-rock tour family. I sighed, ran a hand through my hair for the fifth time since I had started practicing 'Knowledge', and took the guitar pick I had in my mouth out.
"Show me how it goes again..."
Frank nodded, and motioned for me to hand the guitar over. He had finished applying the red Xs over his eyes, and had his bandana draped over one shoulder, and his skeleton gloves sitting on another stool next to me. Grabbing the guitar I held out to him, he pulled a pick out from his pocket and strummed a bit, then launched into the chords. "You see," he added, while still playing, "It's not that hard. You just need to be confident." I nodded, then took the guitar back and tried again. Frank nodded, then smiled, putting one hand on my shoulder when I was finished. "You'll be fine."
"How do you know?"
"I just do sometimes."
He gave me a small peck on the cheek, then turned back to the mirror hanging on the wall, slipping on his gloves and tying his black bandana. Threading his belt through his pants, he buckled it and then gave himself a quick look-over before turning to me. It was hard to believe he hadn't kissed me since that night on the bus. His lips were soft. It's because he wears lip balm. I've seen him put it on, as he was doing right now.
"How do I look? I trust your taste more than I do Frankie's."
God, I swear Frankie is psychic. As soon as he said that, Frankie stuck her head in the door and said, "Frank. You dudes are on in twenty. And you look ugly." Winking at Frank when he gave her a sad look, she left the room, the scent of flowers and mischief following behind her.
"Don't listen to her, Frank. You look great. As usual."
"You look good too, Nicole."
I loved how he said my name; he was the only person who called me by my whole name instead of 'Nic'. The two syllables just float off his tongue, with hints of tenderness and admiration tinged in them.
But I don't know why he said I looked good. All I was wearing was a pair of black tight pants, Billie Joe's creepers (he said that they would look 'fucking hot' while I was playing guitar) a white oxford with a black tie, and some bracelets. Frank had also let me borrow his MCR arm band, so I was wearing that too. I had some earrings in, just silver studs, and Frankie had insisted that I pierce something else on my body: my lip. It hurt like a bitch, but Frankie said I had to do it because she couldn't. But the night I met her, her lip was pierced...
"That's where you're wrong, Nikki darling," she drawled, showing me her lip. "It was a fakeo. My mom draws the line at facial piercing."
I turned to the mirror, Frank and the guitar forgotten, examining my silver lip ring, on the right side of my mouth. It tinged slightly when I touched it, but looked great, as far as I was concerned. I sneered into the mirror. God, it felt good to sneer.
"Haha, save your dirty looks for the stage, Nicole! Scare the shit out of some teenie for us, mmmkay?"
After slipping on his checkered Vans, Frank was looking at me, a look of impression on his face. "You really look like Billie Joe when you do that. A tiny bit like Tom Delonge, y'know, from Blink-182." I looked back at him appreciatingly. "Thanks," I said. "I was hoping for looking like the latter."
Before he left (he had to go get ready and talk with the band members), he turned around and asked, "Oh, by the way, what's your favorite My Chemical Romance song?"
I looked confused, and replied with, "'Cemetary Drive'. Why?"
He gave me a half-smile. "No reason." And then he vanished.
-----
It was crowded when I finally went out to the general admission to stand, but a roadie, panting and wheezing, had caught up with me, handing me a bag. "For you," he said, trying to catch his breath. I opened the bag to find a black blazer and a VIP pass, along with a note.
Nic,
Use this pass to stand on the side of the stage. I'll bring you out when it's time. And as for the jacket? Call it good luck. It's mine.
You'll do great, kid.
Billie Joe
I was stunned.
Holy shit!
Billie Joe's very own black blazer!
I wasted no time in slipping it on along with placing the pass around my neck. The jacket fit me perfectly, not too tight, not too loose. After walking around the general admission, attracting stares and whoops of approval, I jumped the gate and flashed my pass to a approaching guard who had seen me cross the gate. He immediately backed away and let me pass.
As soon as I situated myself in the sound booth, some roadies who were tuning guitars flashed grins at me. One even winked! Obviously, they knew why I was here. I grinnned back, trying to keep my heart from stopping. I was gonna play onstage!
As soon as the roadies had set up for My Chem, the lights went out and the crowd went wild. I did too, sitting in the soundbooth on a stool. Then, Gerard, Ray, Bob, Mikey and Frank took the stage, and ripped through their set.
Wow, I thought to myself, I am gonna be able to see this EVERY NIGHT OF THE TOUR. I started smiling, and Frank, who had looked my way, winked at me when I looked his way. I gave him a rock-on sign, and he laughed.
When it came time for the set to end, Gerard announced into the microphone, "Our rhythm guitarist (at this, Frank raised his hand in acknowledgment) would like to dedicate this song to someone...a very lucky girl tonight."
I didn't notice anything until Bob began the drums to 'Cemetary Drive', and my heart flew up to my throat.
So that's why Frank asked me!
I could barely hear Gerard say, "She's the girl waiting in the wings, and this one's for her...'This night/Walk the dead/ In the solitary style and crash the cemetary gates/ In the dress your husband hates...'"
I sang along to every word, and I felt like I was gonna cry. At the end of the set, Frank ran off the stage in my direction, handed off his guitar and swept me up in a kiss to end all kisses.
Oddly, at that time the lights came on.
So naturally, everyone saw our "smooch".
At least the crowd went "Awww......"
-----
Frank stayed by my side until the notorious pink bunny came out for Green Day, and at that time, he nudged me and whispered, "Go dance with him!" I looked at him as if he was crazy, but he just laughed and gave me a push.
Unfortunatley, he pushed me hard enough so that I was smackdab in the middle of the stage.
And everyone was looking at me.
Might as well play up the cameras.
I swear to God, I felt alive when I stepped out on that stage and everyone roared in approval. I slinked over to the bunny, who had both hands clasped to his face in suprise, and then placed one arm around him, grabbing the beer bottle he had placed on the ground for a second, and taking a swig. Just as I suspected: it was water. The bunny waggled a finger at me, then motioned for the bottle. I gave it to him, and got the crowd to chant, "CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!" and the bunny did so. Everyone cheered as we started grinding together, to the tune of the 'YMCA'. The crowd was cheering us on, and when the song finished, we grabbed hands and took a bow, sauntering off the stage together and taking refuge backstage.
I was laughing when all of a sudden, the bunny whipped off his costume face. Oh my God, I knew it! Tre was grinning back at me, sweat slightly forming on his face from being in the hot suit. "You did great!" he exclaimed, quickly stripping out of the costume to reveal his stagewear, which was a black blazer identical to mine, a black workshirt, his white tie, black pants and his pot Vans. He gave me a kiss on both cheeks (like they do in Europe), tipped an imaginary hat, then pulled a pair of drumsticks out of his backpocket and ran towards the stage just as the lights went out.
-----
Green Day's set was even better than the one (and supposed-to-be ONLY) night I had seen them play! But I knew that I was gonna have to go out there and do my thing soon. Taking off my pass for a minute, I placed it on the stool I had been sitting on just as Billie Joe came over to switch guitars. After he did, he grabbed my hand and dragged me out on stage with him. The crowd roared with excitement.
Billie Joe grabbed the microphone and said, "This girl right here is the very girl that you saw snog Frank from My Chemical Romance, and entertain you with the pink bunny! Her name's Nicole, and she's our special guest tonight because she's gonna play and sing 'Knowledge' with us tonight!" The crowd roared once more, and I did notice some disappointed faces from people who had been hoping that they could be asked to play guitar for Billie Joe. While the crowd was cheering, Billie Joe whispered in my ear. "Nice blazer," he murmured, giving me a roguish wink. Then, he gave me a kiss on the mouth.
What the hell?!
Billie Joe?!
My look was from shock, to realization, then to embarassment. How could I have forgotten! The guest guitarist gets a kiss from Billie Joe. He then handed the guitar to me, and told me the chords I already knew, and then a roadie brought out an extra microphone for me while Billie Joe pulled out a girl and a guy from the audience for bass and drums. I looked at the girl, who was to drum with Tre.
It was Frankie. She gave me a grin, then a wink, and took her seat behind the drums and started a beat without being told. She was wearing a black tank top with the jeans she had let me borrow the day before, and the pair of Vans as well.
The boy was good-looking, but not that I looked too hard. I had Frank, after all. After Mike had shown this boy in question how to play the bass line, Billie Joe said, "Let it rip, Nicole!" I nodded, and took the pick off the microphone stand and started to tear up the chords to 'Knowledge', looking at Billie Joe, whose look was one of pure admiration. I admit, the pace I had set was faster than normal, but Frankie had no problem keeping up. The dude did alright, but looked like he was struggling to keep up.
I sneered at the crowd and ran out on the catwalk, playing for the whole crowd, tapping my foot in time just like Billie Joe does. They all gave me looks of envy mixed with awe. Sticking my tongue out, I hadn't noticed that Billie Joe and Mike were running my way, Billie Joe wielding my microphone.
"ALL I KNOW IS THAT I DON'T KNOW/ALL I KNOW IS THAT I DON'T KNOW NOTHIN'!" The three of us screamed the lyrics into the mike (no pun intended) and after we reached the last few chords, I knew what to do. Running past Mike and Billie Joe, I ran up to the speakers next to the drums, me on one, the boy on the other, and held the last note until Billie Joe signalled for us to jump.
I ended up doing a kick in the air, then landing on my feet.
The crowd went wild.
After I took a bow, Billie Joe announced to the crowd that I could keep the guitar, then told me to, "go back into the soundcheck booth, you little Billie Joe wanna-be with your boy-hair!" I laughed at him, taking another bow, then left the stage, handing off the guitar to a roadie who mouthed, "Excellent job!"
Frank was waiting for me, and hugged me when I got off the stage. "You did great!" he said, barely audible over the next song, which was 'Minority'. I looked up into his eyes, and said, "Was Gerard serious when he said that I was your girl 'waiting in the wings'?"
Frank nodded, and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "I would never lie to you," he murmured, his hand stroking my face.
And I hoped that it would stay that way.
