“I cannot believe you guys are fucking here,” I say for what may be the tenth time in the last two hours. I’ve got my arm looped around Kenny’s neck, but my gaze flips to Frank and then to Rick. My very good buddies from my UNC days. Back when playing in a band was a hobby and not a real dream, and I was still taking school semi-seriously.
That didn’t last long admittedly, but as I became more serious about music, I never lost these particular college friends. They came to all my local shows and they’re actually three dudes I trust. They don’t want anything from me but friendship, and they’re genuinely happy in my success. Apparently, Tyler had arranged weeks ago to fly Kenny and Rick to Chicago for the show. Frank already lives here as he came this way after graduating, following his college sweetheart who was from this area. They sadly didn’t last, but Frank loves Chicago and established roots.
Rick laughs, waves his beer in my direction, and says, “That look on your face, man, was priceless when you looked down into the front row and saw us there.”
“You assholes,” I say affectionately as I take my arm from around Kenny’s neck because it happens to be holding my beer. “I totally forgot a line to my song I was so fucking shocked to see you.”
Rick snickers but holds his beer out, and I tap mine against it. Before I chug it back though, I look briefly at each one of them. “Seriously, dudes… this is the highlight of this tour so far.”
“I’m going to fucking cry.” Frank harasses me for being overly sentimental, and I don’t respond because I suck my beer back. Tonight, I’m going to get drunk with my buds and celebrate our impromptu reunion. I haven’t seen these guys in years as everyone scattered to normal lives after graduating from college, but we never lost contact. There are plenty of calls, emails, and Facebook posts, but it doesn’t beat sitting down with your buds, drinking beers, and reminiscing about good times.
The only down side is I wish Emma were here. She’d love these guys, and I know they’d love her, although Rick is an absolute flirt and he’d lay it on thick with her. He’s single and she’s absolutely his type as he’s always been attracted to the smart chicks.
So maybe I’m glad Emma isn’t here. Not sure I’d like watching my friends flirt with her and make her laugh and blush. That’s my job and I take it seriously.
And Christ… I must already be on my way to getting drunk because there’s no other way to explain these emotional thoughts.
Snickering to myself, I polish my beer off and I’m not in the least surprised when a waitress nudges her way into our group with a tray loaded with shots of bourbon.
“Christ,” Kenny mutters. “I’m going to be puking tomorrow.”
“This is from Tyler,” the waitress says, making doe eyes at me as we all reach out and grab a shot glass.
I look around the club briefly and can’t locate Tyler. After the concert, we did a short meet and greet, and then Tyler had arranged for a limo to take all of us out on the town. He’d even arranged for VIP seating in the club where we’re currently hanging so we have some privacy. I’d last seen him about twenty minutes ago, talking up some chick who was loitering around the roped-off section to the VIP lounge. If I know Tyler, he’s probably working his pick-up lines, which he’s quite good at admittedly, and he’ll probably be banging her in the limo before long. I make a mental note to check the seats before I get back in tonight.
“To friends,” Kenny says as he raises a shot glass.
“And to the best damn indie rock star in the mother fucking universe,” Rick yells out as he holds up his shot.
“Hear, hear,” Frank agrees.
“Drink up, motherfuckers,” is all I say, and we toss the liquor back. My head swims the minute it hits my stomach, and I have a brief moment where I already regret doing this because I’m going to feel like shit tomorrow.
Oh, well… you only live once and I see these fuckers only once in a blue moon, so I can’t regret it really.
And it’s probably a very good thing Emma isn’t here because she’d probably end up holding a garbage can under my head all night. I might be a rock star, but I’m not that big of a drinker. At least not with liquor.
Yeah… tomorrow’s going to suck.
But then, the day after that, Emma will be here to watch the second Chicago show, and that thought causes a rush of euphoria to rise within me.
A second waitress comes up and nudges her way into our group, and I see Tyler right behind her. Now she’s got a tray loaded with several beers and we all reach out to grab one, replacing them with our empties. Tyler has two drinks in his hands, each holding about three fingers of an amber liquid on the rocks, and he’s holding one out in front of my face.
I eye it dubiously.