Matt
Muting this chat if Ben even thinks about it
Ben
I’m just saying, I’ve had no complaints
Wes
When were you going to give me your sister’s number again?
Ben
Fuck off
I sighed, closing the chat. Yeah, hoping for a bit of a distraction courtesy of my bandmates probably wasn’t the best idea. But I was missing them; we usually spent our downtime between shows all relaxing together. Instead, Derek had us all running around on the so-called penance tour.
I leaned out against the railing by the river and tried not to think about whatever it was that Jessy wanted to talk about.
‘Excuse me?’
I opened my eyes – only for my heart to sink.
Two girls, probably only about fourteen, stood in front of me. One of them was tugging her friend’s arm, clearly uncomfortable, yet she hadn’t walked away.
Of course she hadn’t. Both of them were wearing merch T-shirts from our last UK tour.
The hat I’d pulled low across my brow hadn’t worked, then.
‘I just – oh my God, it’s actually you – hello,’ the braver one said breathlessly.
I forced myself to smile. I’d been trained for this – we all had been. The moment These Exiles had taken off, it had been the first thing Derek had made us prepare for.
Fan engagement.
‘Hello,’ I said brightly, as though it was about to make my day that two girls had accosted me in public. ‘Do you want a photo?’
They didn’t reply. At least, they didn’t use words – but their squeals of delight were already making heads turn.
Stomach sinking, I carefully moved myself between them, ensuring my hands were clasped before me.
Always be perfect.
Always be charming.
And never, ever let a fan walk away from you with a bad experience …
It took the girls a few goes to get the selfie they wanted, and by the time they scampered away, my heart was sinking. People were staring, a guy over there was taking what he thought was a surreptitious photo, and if I was unlucky those girls were going to tag both me and my location online within five minutes.
Where was she?
Patrick
I thought you said 1pm by the Thirsty Bear?
Jessy
I’m running late
