My head spun furiously as the sweet nectar of the rum danced down my neck. I drank a lot now, the pressure of the holidays and the tour on me greately. And it seemed to calm me, to allow my brain to relax before I would go on stage....
Deep breaths, take the guitar, you are living your dream...
Damien came on stage first, to a chorus which could collapse the place. 200 students and it was full, sold out, no more could fit in there. The screams for Damien continued as he sat in front of his drums, his silky blonde curls falling over his face and bare chest. I smiled a little. He hadn't always been so hot. As I'd often told him that I knew him when he was a plump little thing that spent his weeknights watching reruns of the Simpsons and eating nachos.
Nothing changed much. He still spent most of his evenings eating nachos and watching reruns of the simpsons, except for now he was much more confident. He shed his puppy fat by the age of 17, and hadn't allowed it to return for two years now. And he knew he looked good.
I felt Tom's hand put firm pressure on my ass, pushing me forward, onto the stage, into an unexpected chorus of students, most wearing large amounts of eye liner and fishnet. This made me smile tremendously as Tom and Damien returned their screams, before we all jumped into the air, synchronised with the students, and began to play. To me, this felt like the ultimate high.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When your bands trying to get big, you have to take up every opportunity, and when you get offered a chance to play at one of the biggest festivals in the year, you just never say no!
Christmas was coming up, so the theme became just a little bit fucked. We would be on in about 10 minutes, causing great nerves to rise in me. How the hell are we meant to follow S.O.A.D.?
I brought the lit marijuana cigarette to my lips, cursing the ash which landed on my 'gothic' Christmas outfit. I never felt comfortable wearing stuff like this. A tight leather skirt just past my upper thighs, fishnets and knee length boots. My top half wasn't too bad, except for the Santa styled fluff around the edges of the jacket. And the hat. We all dreaded the hats.
I put out the cigarette, feeling like the vomit would rise to my mouth any minute, especially as Tom came from the bathroom, dressed in his shin length old boots and green stockings. I laughed. And Damien laughed. And anyone who walked past laughed. Oh, where would we be without Tom!
We embraced each other finally. The wait had ended.
The next half an hour were a blur. All I could understand that was when we came off the stage, it had apparently been 'great.' Apparently.
~~~~~~~~~~~
In less than three hours later, all the 'performers' had been whisked off to a private location, a five star hotel in which we could all drink, poison our bodies with drugs, and have great group orgies.
Well, two out of three isn't bad.
I sat, with my trusted friend, cannabis resin, and a vodka and coke by my side. Who needed anything else?
Smiling a little, I turned to face the dozens of idols who drank themselves senseless. I wondered where Tom and Damien for a moment, then instantly forced myself to forget. I suddenly remembered Damien waving buy to me, and giving me the thumbs up as he and Tom left with a couple of 32DD blondes. Ah, if I was given the opportunity, I'd screw them.
I turned my attention back to my half made cigarette, bringing out my lighter and after a few seconds crumbling off the sweet smelling resin into it's rightful place. now it could freely mingle with the tobacco as I licked the skin, adding the finishing touches to my joint.
"There!" I said outloud, almost proud of my creation. I blushed for a second, then realised that no one in their right mind would pay attention to me, rolling up alone, drinking alone, and talking to myself...
Smiling, I placed the joint between my lips and lit it, only to jump back, startled by the sound of a male voice.
"Very nice," said the voice from behind, the owner of which I was reluctant to face, almost expecting to be far too disappointed by what I would see. Despite my arrogance, he went on.
"I've never been able to roll that well, my joints always turn out like rabbit shit." I laughed, although unsure whether it was because of the sincerity in his voice or his actual words.
As I begun to turn my head, he clasped his hands over my eyes, the softness of the skin and the light pressure taking me by surprise and annoying me at the same time. "Don't be a dick," I whispered, placing the marijuana cigarette on the table and bringing my own hands to his, eager to peel them away.
"Sorry, it's just your friends told me your a fan of my music and that meeting me would be a great Christmas present for you." I laughed. I laughed, while still trying to get his hands off.
"You know that the only person who could really make my Christmas a dream come true is Axl Rose. Now you're gong to tell me your Axl, aren't you?"
He laughed, an almost familiar laughter, and released his grip, almost inviting me to turn and face him, which I did. And at that exactly moment, my jaw literally dropped. His green eyes were level with my own, and his red hair fell around his dark crimson jacket. He smiled. He smiled!
I brought my hand to my mouth and burst out in an unexpected fit of laughter, which stopped as suddenly as it began.
"Oh, shit," I whispered, almost tempted to reach out and touch him, to feel his jacket, his hair, his flesh, to see if this wasn't another one of my fantasies. I opened my mouth to speak, only to close it again.
"I....Oh, you....shit," I smiled, burring my head in my hands as he chuckled softly. Never, ever in my life had I ever appreciated a person so much. And how I have dreamt of this moment! And how I ruined this dream!
I trembled as he took my hand and kissed it slightly, causing a tingling sensation throughout my whole body.
"Nice to meet you, Catherine." His smile.... God, he was even more stunning in person.
"Ditto," I finally managed to whisper, reaching for the vodka and downing it in one go. "This is amazing," I whispered, nervously picking up the cigarette, which was lying on the table, burning away. I couldn't drag my eyes from him. His jacked, which was opened a few inches below his nipples to reveal his bare chest, his hair, him. I sat looking up at my idol, the man who had been a part of nearly all my fantasies.
"W. Axl Rose," I whispered with a smile. "This is amazing! Please sit down!" Oh, how I loved his laugh instantly! And he sat, he pulled a stool so close that our knees almost touched.
"Good to know that you have more words in your vocabulary other than shit and wonderful." I merely watched him for a moment, as he ordered his drink and mine, which I thanked him for.
"Sorry about the dick thing," I said, delighted to see him smile.
"Oh, no big deal. Not the first time I've been called that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I never wanted the night to end.
It was a dream, a real dream come true. And in this dream we spoke like we'd known each other for years, and I felt so comfortable with him. We drank and drank, and he seemed so sober, and the more we smoked, the closer we got. But perhaps I was more to blame for that, sliding nearer and nearer to him, but he did not push me away. Not once. And perhaps that was why when he invited me back to his room, just to talk, because after all, they would close soon, I said yes.
My heart beat furiously as I stood beside him in the elevator, wondering if he could hear the intensity of my heartbeat. His voice broke the silence, it's softness exciting me.
"They've put mistletoe in the lift," he smiled, taking my hand and pointing at the mistletoe.
"Pretty clever," he whispered now, coming a little closer so my slowly hardening nipples pressing against his bare chest.
"Yeah," I whispered, moving my face closer to his.