While most of the night has been about me, which has been cathartic and nice to release some built-up tension, I’ve learned a little about her too. About her family, about her lifestyle. Charlie’s an up-and-coming writer, and she pens columns for an independent LA paper. That’s how she knew who I was. She’d seen articles about the band in the papers, plus, obviously, she’s heard our music. She is excited that I am who I am, but it doesn’t seem to affect the course of the relationship, which is good.
It’s been a few hours, and it is starting to get late. Charlie came here by cab, so I’ve suggested I drive her home.
Now, we’re walking back to my car, and we’re in the back ally, where it’s dimly lit with hardly anyone around. We’re laughing about the size of the foot-long hot dogs, and one kid is trying to eat it in one go, when a bunch of teenagers run down the street toward us. I tense up as they move around us, laughing and pushing between Charlie and me.
My hood falls from my head in the chaos as someone bumps into me, abruptly making me fall forward. My sunglasses fall off and onto the ground. My body tenses, and I turn just in time for my eyes to lock with one of the teenage girls. She focuses on me,her eyes widening as her fits of giggles stop, and she stands stock still, staring at me. My muscles clench, and I shake my head, knowing that look.
It’s an awed look of recognition.
Fuck!Why didn’t I bring Scott?
“Holy shit!” she yells, making her friends halt their fast pace, and they all turn to stare at me as I quickly try to pull my hood back over my head and around my face, but she yanks it back down and lets out an almighty scream. “It’s one of the twins from Recoil!” Her ear-piercing tenor makes me squint as I glance at Charlie, who’s gnawing on her bottom lip, standing back from me as I’m now suddenly swarmed by teenage fangirls.
Fuck! This is not how this was supposed to go.
“Oh my God, are you Matt or Nate?” she shrieks, pulling at my top, which slides down, revealing my tattoos. “Oh my God, it’s Matt! Fuck it’s Matt!” She lunges at me, her friends scream, and I grimace, trying to calm her and the others down.
“Yeah. Look, I’m here with someone, and we’re just leaving, so I’ll take pictures and sign some autographs, but I can’t stay too long, okay?” I suggest, and they all scream again, which makes more people look down the street.
Fuck my life!
I wince as I glance at Charlie, who’s standing back, wrapping her arms around herself and taking this all in.
“Okay, pics first? Phones, everyone?” I ask, and they all yank out their cells, including Charlie, who giggles while taking snaps of me with my fans. I smile and shake my head, rolling my eyes at Charlie making fun of me. But I take a picture with every girl, plus a couple more that magically appear.
“Can you sign my iPhone?” one girl asks.
“Ah, sure, but I um… don’t have a Sharpie,” I reply.
Charlie throws her hand up, gesturing ‘one minute’ as she rifles around in her handbag, pulling out a sharpie. Smiling, Inod as the girls turn toward her while I wait to sign the random shit they pull out of their backpacks.
“So you’re here with Matt, right?” one girl asks Charlie.
Charlie nods. “I am.”
They all giggle and cheer off an immature “ooh.”
“Are you his girlfriend?” one girl asks, and I tense up, stopping mid-signature to look at her.
She looks at me with a smirk and lets out a bemused laugh. “I’m his advisor and friend,” she replies.
I wink at her as I continue to sign shit, including someone’s arm.
“Speaking of advising, I think you’re a little too open out here, Matt. Time to finish up,” she says in a very authoritarian tone, and I chuckle with a nod.
“Sorry, girls, the boss has spoken. You don’t want to get me in trouble, do you?”
They all groan but nod.
“No, but it was sure good to meet you. Thanks for hanging with us,” one of the girls says.
“My pleasure, ladies. Have a good night.” I lean in and hug them before I throw my hoodie back over my head and pick up my shades. I quickly grab Charlie, and we head back to my car.
She exhales and looks at me with a smirk as we slide in. “Well, that was relatively calm for your type of fans.”
Nodding, I let out a small groan. “I know, they were great. I was an idiot tonight, coming out without security. If they had gone ballistic and a huge crowd had swarmed, it could’ve been a whole different ball game. I’m a fucking dickhead. I’m not thinking clearly lately.”
She rests her hand on mine on the gearstick and sighs. “Matt, look… I think you’re going through some obvious shit right now, and as much as I was trying to throw the kids off by saying I was your advisor, I am actually really good at listening. So if youwanna get some stuff off your chest, then please, go for it. You can talk to me with no worries of judgment or criticism.”
