Alice Cinderella Pt. 02

"That will mean a lot more time out of our work budget though. I'll need to discuss this with Cincinnati."

'Discussing things with Cincinnati' was his final resort, it was effectively running to mum when things didn't go his way, I was interested to see where this went as it might give a hint as to who was most likely to replace the UK MD when he retired, which was rumoured to be soon.

Vera and I were asked to leave while they discussed my idea, John stamped his mark of approval by asking Vera to run through the initial lists with me to get some answers for the customers. Malcolm looked furious but wasn't about to tell me not to sort things out so fumed silently.

My suspicions were well founded, Vera had been deliberately delaying things, I mean she had some legitimate concerns about INCO terms and VAT regulations. Between us we were able to clear the backlog and I got on the phone to tell the clients what was happening.

Vera and I were called back in around 3pm, the Directors had finished their pissing contest and it looked to my surprise as if my leader was the one with the biggest bladder.

"Alice, we've discussed this with Cincinnati, and it won't fly. There's no budget for you and Coral to cover shipping, Vera's going to have to clear things herself. You and Coral have more than enough to be getting on with. I doubt whether Vera's going to be back as a consultant either. I've a good mind to give you a disciplinary for that, it was way outside your job description to go offering that sort of thing."

I glanced across to Vera, I don't much like the woman, but I felt real sympathy at the anguish and pain in her eyes when he said that. OK. Time for the Nuclear button. I just hope Dean and Colin come through with the band offer.

"In that case, can you wait here a moment, I need to go and grab something from my desk."

I was out of the meeting room and back in a moment, stopping by the photocopier to run off a couple of extras.

I handed each of them a letter. In it I detailed the breakdown in trust and my disappointment at the way they'd managed the issues causing delivery problems and as a result I was giving notice.

I was pleasantly surprised at the results, flapping, bluster and denial in that order. Apparently I was being unprofessional, disloyal and melodramatic. I couldn't go, where would that leave the company? I took a great delight in telling them that was not my problem.

"Debbie, I've got three weeks annual leave still outstanding I believe? I'll be taking them in lieu of notice." Which triggered them even more, I couldn't take time off as well as leaving, who did I think I was blah blah.

I referred them to a second letter where I'd detailed the failings of management and their efforts to cover up their poor practices. I also pointed out where I'd CCd the US head office board of directors, by email. I'd even helpfully included copies of documents that showed how there appeared to have been collusion to cover up failings that had cost us over a hundred grand in emergency shipping charges and late delivery fees.

As their careers flowed before their eyes I confessed I hadn't actually sent the emails to the US and wouldn't if we were all grown up about things, but that I had got them all in my personal Gmail account ready to go and didn't Vera at least deserve a consultancy.

Of course, at that point it got really messy, to the extent that I insisted my independent witness join us again. It didn't go entirely well, but I got three months' severance pay transferred into my account while I watched and then I deleted the emails to America while they watched, although I did have a second copy in a different account as a backup, after which I was walked off site and told not to come back. Vera got her consultancy, for which she seemed ridiculously grateful, and Coral got the good news she was now the senior account manager.

I had a few top clients numbers committed to memory so I made some calls on my mobile to announce my departure, one of the first was to Carl and Mike who asked if I could go down to see them straight away. I had nothing better to do for the afternoon so found myself sitting in their meeting room twenty minutes later.

Mike it seemed was a bigger cheese than he'd let on. The gist of the conversation was can I sign this non-disclosure agreement first, then that they were not happy at the delivery performance from our, sorry, my previous factory and were looking at buying one of the main competitors. I would be a welcome part of their senior sales team, ready for the anticipated acquisition. He mentioned a salary that was considerably higher than I'd been on up until that afternoon.

I was genuinely tempted; I didn't expect my burgeoning music career to be much more than a sidenote in my life story, but it was a sidenote I wanted to explore. I hesitated long enough that Carl prompted me to tell them what I was really worried about, as far as he could see they were making a good offer, prospects, holiday yada yada yada.

With a slight reluctance I opened up about the offer from the band, I pulled up the tour schedule from the Internet and showed them, where we were performing. The two Americans exchanged a whispered conversation and excused themselves for a few minutes.

On their return Mike asked me if I was interested in the role, which I was. Then he asked if I would be happy to take the role in six to nine months when they had the new company in their group and would that allow me to take the chance to see what happened with the band, adding that he would have concerns about anyone not taking the chance to tour with a rock band over working in an office.

I was delighted with the suggestion, agreeing immediately, subject to blah di blah blah. I promised them a couple of tickets to one of the London gigs, hopped on the bike and went home, stopping at the nearest Tesco for a bottle of Champagne, well Prosecco. I called Dean as soon as I was home, he was as pleased as I was and arranged a meet the following day with the tour publicists.

Matt usually gets home around seven when he's in London, so I had time to rush back to Tesco for another purchase. The Prosecco was chilled, and I was in bed wearing nothing but a smile when he arrived.

A shout from the front door told me he'd seen my second purchase. "Ali, what is a Pumpkin doing on the doormat? Halloween isn't for ages yet."

"Pumpkin? No idea, I left my magical carriage outside though."

A puzzled looking man stuck his head through the bedroom door, the welcoming offer of my naked tits and a glass of Prosecco took his mind off it for a moment, then with a shake of his head "No, I mean yes, thanks, but what's going on?"

I pulled my elbows together to push my boobs forward in a big cleavage. "Cinderella's going to a party. Now come over here and help me celebrate."

He was naked and in the bed before I had time to sip my drink more than once, with a giggle I handed him his drink and in between sucks on his growing cock I told him the full story about walking out with three months' tax-free salary, and a job offer that dovetailed nicely with the tour.

I lay back and sipped from my glass as he reciprocated, his tongue dipping deep into my pussy, coming out to lap across my labia and clit. I gave a deeply satisfied groan of delight and pulled him up to kiss me, a salty sourness on his mouth where he'd been busy a moment before.

I reached down, wiggled my bum and rubbed his swollen head across my entrance then with a swing of the hips from us both he was in. Gently, slowly and sensitively he pushed into me, I savoured the delicacy of his touch, so different from the weekend where I'd been so desperate for explosive and aggressive action, this was lovemaking, not fucking. I put my arms around his neck and pulled him down for a sensual kiss, enjoying the mix of sensations from his penetrating cock to his soft salty tongue. One of his hands was gently squeezing my breast, flicking his thumb softly across the nipple.

"One thing," he murmured, "One thing does worry me. When you come off stage at the Sheffield Arena, desperately horny after a forty-minute set, what are you going to do for relief?"

I kissed him a bit harder, rubbing my recently shaved pussy hard into his groin.

I rolled to my left pushing him over and onto his back, with a struggle we maintained the connection allowing me to sit upright and grind on his cock. I rested my hands on his broad chest, rocking hard, pushing my clit down onto him.

"Are you not going to be my personal groupie then? If you're not there what am I going to do?"

As I finished saying 'do' I started flexing my hips up and down, sliding him in and out vigorously. I was pleased to get a moan of pleasure from him that I stifled with a kiss. The movement was lighting a fire inside me, I took my weight on my left arm and slipped my right down to rub on my rigid clit, once, twice ohhhh fuuuuucckkkkkkk.

I collapsed onto Matt's chest, gasping for breath, he held me as my orgasm wracked my body before deftly flipping me onto my back and ploughing hard down. "SO, gonna go and pick up a couple of groupies are you? They'd better be energetic; I know what you're like when you come off stage. You want this big cock. Don't you?"

"Average sized cock, don't flatter yourself" I told him, trying desperately to keep a straight face. He looked a bit crestfallen, so I reassured him that his average size cock was perfect for me, and I didn't want any other, ever. As a special treat I rolled out from under and pushed him onto his back.

"Let me show you how much I want this average size cock" I told him as I pushed my lips down the sticky length, tasting myself on him as I took the head right to the back of my mouth, pushing hard so I had almost the entire length inside me. I kept eye contact with him as I pulled up and pushed down again, supporting my weight on my arm I maintained a hands-free motion.

Matt gave a warning groan, I nodded that it was ok and pushed down hard, as the first jet hit my tonsils, I felt quite pleased with myself for not choking as two more shots followed the first. I maintained my grip until he stopped shaking then puled my head clear, making a 'plop' sound with his nob as it popped out of my lips.

"I couldn't do that with a giant porn star willy, so be thankful for what you've got matey" I told him as I swigged my prosecco to take away the residue.

We finished the prosecco, chatting over the job, the band and what it meant for us. I was excited, but Matt managed to undo all that.

"I wasn't totally joking Alice; you're going to be on tour for what ten weeks? I'll be able to make it to some of the UK gigs and maybe two or three of the closer European ones, but I've got to work, and I've only got so much holiday. What happens when you come off stage, hyped up hot to go and some dancer gives you a smile? I want you to know that I.."

I cut him off there, I had half a bottle of prosecco inside me, so I was a bit volatile but even so, I was annoyed that he hadn't been listening.

"I just told you I don't want anyone else, I thought we were an item, long term. We've done Christmas with my parents and holidayed with your brother. "

He should have shut up and apologised right there, but the idiot continued digging.

"All I was saying was that if you felt you needed some instant relief, then you know, I'd underst.."

I cut him off mid-sentence, furious.

"What, you mean I might be so fucking shallow or desperate for some cock that I just jump on the first hot dancer I see? Do you really trust me so little and think I put so little store in us? Fuck you Matt. FUCK. YOU."

He tried to back pedal, "No, no. What I meant was, you know, I'd understand.."

His back pedalling was not a success.

"What, you're giving me your blessing to shag around? One, I would hope for maybe something like commitment rather than a pass to fuck a performer, secondly without any commitment I don't need your or anyone else's blessing to fuck who I want. Now I see why we still have our own places, I'm just a convenient shag for you. I thought we were going somewhere together, I thought you'd be excited for me, but instead it turns out I'm...what? What am I to you?"

He'd clammed up, probably because he didn't know how to answer, maybe I'd hit too close to home for him, I didn't know and didn't care. In tears I got out of his bed, gathered my clothes together and stormed into the bathroom. I dressed and symbolically grabbed my toothbrush and makeup then walked back through the bedroom, downstairs and out of the front door.

My own flat was only a short walk away, which was just as well as I was no way able to drive. Before I arrived my mobile was buzzing, Matt was trying to call me. I swiped and answered.

"What?"

"I, er, I. Alice, I was only trying to.."

If he'd apologised profusely, told me he was stupid and clumsy and was scared then I might have turned round, but he didn't. The idiot tried to rationalise what he'd said which just made it worse.

"Matt, forget it. I'll call you when I get back from the tour. When there's no tempting dancers. Do you want me to keep score, or shall I just rate them all out of ten for you?"

He floundered a bit and hung up.

I spent most of the evening crying, I called Manjit who came right over and cried with me. Then I went to bed and cried some more.

Next morning, I waited until Matt was at work and went back to get my crash helmet and leathers and rode off to meet Dean.

The band were based a couple of hours away, so I found myself living in Dean and Natalie's spare room while we went through a whirlwind of photoshoots, interviews, outfit fittings and rehearsals. Lots of rehearsals, then when they were done some more rehearsals.

Matt stopped calling and texting after about a week and I stopped crying at night around the same time. I was still angry and upset, I heard from Manjit a few times who told me he'd gone into a bit of a slump but was angry with the way I'd flown off the handle at him. Well fuck him.

After three weeks with Dean and Nat we moved our base of operations to a small village in the Peak District where The Wanted were finishing their final rehearsals so we could get used to the set and rehearse with them. Our final night was a 'surprise' gig at Macclesfield Town football ground as a fundraiser for the local children's hospice.

As the support act we were in and out without much excitement, it all went comfortably without any massive technical glitches, the main act lost power to the lead singer's microphone at one point and I got a big cheer when I ran onstage with a spare.

The post gig party was a bit flat; I didn't have the same fire inside me as after the Nod fest performances. Colin took me aside and quizzed me.

"What's wrong. You were what I can only describe as an Alice Cinderella Tribute Act, where's the excitement from Nod fest, where's the joy? You were on fire the first time we did 'Dead Ringer' together, tonight you were a wet Thursday. Trust me, this is going to be a long old tour if you're not having fun. Are you missing Matt?"

On Dean's advice I'd not told the rest of the band about my split, as he said 'They're a band, about to be successful. By definition they're all to a greater or lesser extent egocentric and self-absorbed, dropping someone else's problems into the mix will not go well.' However, I found myself blurting to Colin, who looked around for help. Dean spotted us and ran over.

Colin grabbed a runner, one of the seeming hundreds of backstage gophers and pointed him at me. "You, get her something to drink. What d'you want Ali? Beer? Wine? "

I sniffled, "Tea. I'd like tea please."

"Right, get her some tea. And some biscuits. Or cake, I don't care. Just get her whatever she wants. Dean, let's talk."

They disappeared round some equipment and continued an angry sounding conversation. Convinced I was about to be canned for being a moody cow I sat and sniffed into my plastic cup of weak earl grey and my pack of chocolate bourbons.

I'd just finished the last drop and was stuffing the plastic biscuit wrapper in the cup when Colin came back. "Right come on, let's go find the band."

The band were in the away team changing room, sitting around on the benches, nothing had been done to it which made me think probably it wasn't part of the original booking and they'd just taken it over to have somewhere private to give me the bad news.

Colin started, "Alice, when we met you at Nod fest you were a happy, excited joyful addition to our group. Something has happened to change that and we"

I interrupted "Don't worry. I'll go. You've got time to find someone to replace me. It could be the tour thing, tonight the guest vocalist is..."

Colin looked around, confused. "Er, No. I was trying to say, we just found out about Matt and you and wanted to say you shouldn't have to keep it bottled up. You're one of us. You're a Nutter, once a Nutter always a Nutter. I've given Dean a right old bollocking for keeping it from us. Now, let's go and party with the Wanted. OK?"

I didn't feel like partying, but I suddenly felt like hugging someone. Colin was nearest, then Perry and Jack joined in finally Gary and Will dived on top and we collapsed in a laughing pile, rolling over and sending one of the benches crashing down.

I slept a lot better that night, I was still angry with Matt, but I had friends around me. I called Manjit for the first time in a couple of weeks, bless her she offered to come up and join me, but I put her off. "We've got the opening night in ten days at Sheffield Arena. I'll ask Dean to get some VIP tickets for you and Gautham. Come up for the gig, we can party like biatches all night after."

I felt like a proper rock diva asking Dean for a couple of VIP tickets for my friends, but he didn't bat an eyelid, just asked me for Manjit's number so he could arrange a hotel room as well and cracked on with it.

The production team had identified a few points for improvement for us and the headliners, so it was back into the rehearsal rooms for another three days before we relocated to Sheffield. We had a three-day break before the opening that I thought I might take at home, but as I left Dean asked me if I was planning to see Matt. I hummed and hahed a bit and couldn't make eye contact which gave him the answer.

He made a load of really good points about exorcising demons and getting over a traumatic split followed by an even better one about not ruining the opportunity for myself and the band. "If you go after the tour you'll have a successful chapter in your life behind you, you will have a better idea on where you want to go in the future and the additional time will give you a perspective you won't have now. You've got fresh scar tissue on your wounds, seeing him now will just re-open those wounds. In ten weeks' time they will be healed, and you'll be better fixed to decide what you want to do."

Annoyingly he made sense, so I spent two days with my sister in Bristol, drinking wine and taking her three-year-old to the park. On the second day my mobile buzzed as I was pushing a swing, Dean was on the other end sounding excited.

"Alice, I need you back here in the morning. The story about you stepping up from Karaoke to lead singer has hit the local papers and I need you to go on the local TV and Radio stations. You and Colin are booked on Breakfast with Roland, Mid-Morning matters, the lunch time news and the early evening local news. Also, I need a photo session of you and Colin on stage in your performance gear. How soon can you be here?"

I told him I'd be there that evening ready for the breakfast show in the morning. I told my sister I was devastated to be leaving the joys of cheap Sauvignon Blanc and the swings but y'know. Rock 'n' Roll was a demanding mistress. She sort of believed me.