Starstruck

Contest entry: VIP

By K_Finn64, 7/26/12

(This is a work of fiction. The usual disclaimers apply)

---*---

I gripped the seat with excitement as the driver turned off of Thomas and into the crowded parking lot of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in downtown Phoenix Arizona. It was a warm August night in 1982, and the spotlights from the arena caught the flinty dust in the air, creating a sparkling light show above the gravel parking lot as the sleek white limousine headed up to the main entrance. I glanced at Andrea, who was sitting beside me grinning madly. We squealed in unison and squeezed each other's hands as the limousine glided across the parking lot, drawing stares from the concertgoers who were slowly making their way to the venue doors. As the limo pulled up to the main entrance I could see the main marquee which read "Jay Miles Band", with "The Pranksters" in smaller type beneath the headliners. Everyone knew the Jay Miles Band, whose single "Billboard Queen" was ruling the airwaves, but Andrea and I were much more interested in the opening act.

The Pranksters were a local group, a teen sensation with a loyal following in Arizona. They had started out in the local punk rock scene, but their sound had matured and they now had a very wide appeal. I had been a fan since I first saw them perform at the state fair last fall; I had followed the band when I could, seeing them perform at gigs in local high schools, lodge clubs and independent music venues in the Phoenix area. I last saw them perform at the old Mormon Church on 3rd Street in May, just before the band headed off for a tour of Southern California. I had heard on the radio that they had got signed by a major label at the end of their West Coast campaign, and immediately departed on a nationwide tour through July and August as the opening act for the Jay Miles Band. The Pranksters were now making their triumphant return to Arizona, playing at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum -- the biggest indoor concert venue in the state with seating for over 14,000 fans. And we were there as VIP guests!

"I can't believe it's actually happening! Oh my God, we're actually going to meet them!" I said breathlessly.

"Jeff Carr!" Andrea grinned.

"Mark de Valle!" I said, a dreamy look coming over my face.

"Shane Ware!" Andrea chimed.

"Backstage Passes! I squealed.

"I'll give Jeff a backstage pass any time Susie!" Andrea said as she arched her eyebrow, causing the two of us to fall into a fit of giggling.

Andrea has been my best friend since grade school; a year older than me, she was about to start her senior year in high school and looked after me as if I were her little sister. When I won the radio contest for two backstage passes to the show there was never any question who I was taking with me. It promised to be a stylish evening for us: a limousine, a private meet and greet with the bands, gift bags filled with autographed items, photos and of course the chance to watch the show from backstage. I had never been behind the scenes during a concert and was buzzing with excitement. Andrea, on the other hand, had been backstage at several shows and knew the drill.

"It is absolutely vital that we get invited to the after party." Andrea said with a smile. "That's where the real action takes place. We will never get a better chance to score with them." She continued. "They just got signed 2 months ago, so the full weight of stardom hasn't yet hit them. They probably have not attracted the attention of the big time groupies and might be up for meeting some nice local girls!"

I had a total crush on Mark de Valle, the lead singer and songwriter of the band. Almost every square inch of my room was covered with posters, pictures and newspaper clippings featuring his piercing eyes and dark wavy hair. Andrea knew about my obsession, and tried to warn me about setting my sights too high. She pointed out that Mark was rumored to be seeing the band's bass player, Kathy O'Connor. Shane, the drummer, and Jeff, the rhythm guitarist, would be easier pickings she argued. Andrea made good sense, but I refuse to be dissuaded; this chance would never come again. And besides, I had read every press clipping and interview about the band over the last 3 months, and there was no mention of Mark and Kathy dating. Perhaps the stress of touring had broken them up?

---*---

The limo glided to a stop, and the driver quickly got out to open the door for us. After thanking the driver we were introduced to Jill, a nice young PR intern who worked for the radio station. We followed her to the Coliseum main entrance and headed for the security gate where we were to pick up our backstage passes. Andrea and I were familiar with the Coliseum, having seen Journey, Van Halen and more recently Rush perform here. The hubbub of the crowd was magnified by the concrete walls and pillars that surrounded us, giving the whole environment a surreal quality. I was so excited I thought that was going to burst!

Jill said we were early, so we headed to the ladies room for a last minute primping before meeting our idols. I was determined to catch Mark's eye, so I dressed in my best rocker chick outfit; fashionably torn jeans, black boots, black belt studded with nickel spikes, and my oldest and most beloved Pranksters concert shirt -- proof that I was an authentic fan. As I stood before the bathroom mirror I appraised myself critically; at 5'2" I was hardly statuesque, but I had a nice figure, well shaped C--cup breasts, a pretty face and thick auburn hair that came down just past my shoulders. I was sure Mark had seen me at some of his other shows, and desperately hoped he would remember. Andrea looked great, as usual. Three inches taller than me, she had a willowy figure with gorgeous long legs and curly dark hair that fell to the middle of her back. We both applied a last touch of cosmetics before giving each other a hug and heading back out to the concourse.

Returning to the security checkpoint we waited nervously as the stony-faced guards check their list and make calls into their radios. Before long a large man sporting an enormous mustache appeared behind the checkpoint, walking briskly and smiling warmly at us. Dressed in a leather biker jacket, jeans and black boots. I thought he was a roadie, but as soon as he spoke we knew exactly who he was.

"You must be Susie and Andrea!" He boomed in a deep voice that we had heard a thousand times over the radio.

It was Danny McDoon, KZKB's most famous disc jockey. After quickly posing with us for a couple of photos, Danny produced two laminate cards from his pocket and handed them to us. He then asked us to follow him as he set a brisk pace through the concourse headed toward backstage.

"So are you big fans of the Jay Miles Band?" Danny asked, as he led us down the concourse.

"Actually we're more interested in meeting with the Pranksters." Andrea said, as we struggled to keep up with his brisk stride.

Danny stopped in his tracks then turned on his heel, facing us. I stopped suddenly, afraid Andrea had insulted the DJ, but I was relieved to see a big grin crossing his face.

"Are you serious? You want to see the opening act instead of the headliners?" He asked.

"Oh yes, very sure." I said, following Andrea's lead. "We're big fans!"

"That's the best news I've heard all night!" Danny beamed, "Just between you and I," He said lowering his voice, "The Jay Miles Band are bunch of ass holes! I'm so glad I won't have to deal with them! I'll see to it you get extra time with the Pranksters." He said as he led us down a nearby hallway. "I've known them since they started out, and they are good friends of mine."

"Really? That's so cool!" Andrea said.

"Yeah, I help them get some of their first gigs. I like to support local bands, especially when they have as much potential as they do. They call me their Obi-wan Kenobi!" Danny chuckled, a paternal smile crossing his face. "This way!" He said as he headed towards a side corridor, then down a stairwell into the bowels of the Coliseum.

After a few twists and turns we came to the Pranksters green room, which was crowded with guests, friends and family of the band. Danny guided us to a corner out of the way of the hustle and bustle as he conferred with various people about the change in plan.

My heart jumped into my throat; Mark de Valle was there, right across the room! He was speaking to a rather scrawny man with a big nose and long dark hair gathered into an unkempt ponytail. The strange man was wearing an ill-fitting beige jacket and what looked like golf slacks, but there was something very familiar about him. Then it suddenly hit me!

"Oh my God!" I whispered to Andrea as I grabbed her arm. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Holy shit - It is!" Andrea whispered back, a note of reverence in her voice.

"Wow, he looks a lot different without the make up." I noted.

"Or the snake." Andrea added.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Danny's deep voice boomed out, jolting us from our reverie. "I would like to introduce you all to Susie and Andrea, the winners of the KZKB backstage pass contests! By their own request they have asked to meet the Pranksters rather than the headliners." Danny said with obvious satisfaction. "So let's make them feel welcome!"

There was a scattering of applause and a few cheers from the crowd as all eyes in the room suddenly turned to us as we grinned nervously and waved. I swallowed hard, fighting off a dizzy sensation as Shane and Jeff rose from their seats by the buffet and came over to meet with us. Both boys were tall and lanky, over 6 feet tall at least. Shane had long straight blonde hair that partially hid his face, although his piercing blue eyes could easily be seen. He was dressed in worn jeans and a dark blue muscle shirt, which showed, off his toned arms. Jeff had dark hair cut short and spiky, and steel gray eyes. Slightly shorter than Shane, he was more muscular and had the reputation as the "bad boy" of the band. He was wearing black leather boots, worn jeans and a black Ramones T-shirt. Andrea began flirting with him shamelessly, pulling out all the stops as she batted her eyelashes, twirled a lock of her raven hair in her finger and pulled her shoulders back to accentuate her breasts.

As I was exchanging introductions with Jeff and Shane, Mark said goodbye to his guest and walked over to join his band mates. My heart was in my throat as he gallantly kissed my hand in greeting and fixed me with his beautiful hazel eyes. Tall and lean, he looked every inch the young rock star; leather boots, tight leather pants and a stylish gold shirt. His thick wavy hair came down to just above his collar, reminding me of a young Jim Morrison.

"Wow, thanks so much for coming to see us!" Mark said, smiling. "This is a real ego boost -- just what we need right before a big show!"

"Uh, Thanks! I mean... you're welcome!" I babbled nervously.

"Wait a minute, you look familiar." Mark said thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "Were you at the gig in the old Mormon church on 3rd Street?"

"Yes! I was right up by the stage!" I said excitedly, thrilled that he had remembered me.

"I remember! I kept looking over to see if you were okay." He said laughing. "I thought you were going to get crushed by the stage divers."

Time seems to stop as he smiled at me, but soon I was brought back to reality as Danny started to organize us for our photo shoot with the band members. The photographer was busy giving us directions as Andrea and I posed with the boys, when suddenly the last member of the Pranksters, Kathy the bass player, stormed into the lounge from the ladies dressing room.

At 5'4", she was a full head shorter than all of her band mates, but what she lacked in stature she more than made up for with presence. Dressed in tall black high-heeled leather boots, a tight black miniskirt and a green Rush concert shirt she looked the part of a rock and roller, but what really commanded attention was her curly flame red hair which hung down to the middle of her back and her sparkling green eyes, which right now were flashing with anger.

"Where are my fucking Q-tips!?" Kathy demanded, her eyes narrowing on Shane and Jeff.

The two boys muttered unintelligibly and studied their shoes with guilty expressions.

"God damn it!" Kathy growled, "Man up and buy your own fucking cosmetics!"

Kathy grabbed the carton of Q-tips from the counter and stormed back into her dressing room. The band's manager gave us a sheepish grin before following Kathy into her room, only to emerge seconds later with a chagrined expression, seemingly propelled by a barrage of expletives.

Mark excused himself and disappeared into Kathy's dressing room as Shane and Jeff exchanged embarrassed looks before turning back to us.

"8 weeks on a tour bus with her..." Jeff whispered, rolling his eyes. "You have no idea."

"She's really not that bad most of the time." Shane said, trying to be the diplomat.

As we returned to the photo shoot, I kept one eye on Kathy's dressing room door. Eventually Kathy and Mark emerged, and through the crowd I saw them embrace before coming back into the lounge. Wearing a forced smile, Kathy came over and joined the others, introduced herself and posed for photos with us. After a final shoot with the whole band, we were ushered towards the stage, as the Pranksters got ready to perform.

The handlers showed us to the area off of stage right were we would be watching the show, and we were given earplugs because of the close proximity to the huge stacks of speakers. Andrea and I watched the hustle and bustle backstage with growing excitement, as everything was made ready. Finally, the house lights dimmed and Danny McDoon took the stage to a wave of applause to introduce the Pranksters and the show got underway. It was indescribably awesome to watch a rock concert from backstage; I could hardly believe it was actually happening!

The opening set seemed to go by in a blur of excitement and before we knew it the Pranksters finished their last song to thundering applause. We all headed back into the green room with them as the roadies sprang into action, preparing the stage for the main event. The band was clearly psyched by the audience reaction, as they were cheering and exchanging high fives in the green room.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay and watch the Jay Miles band?" Jeff asked us, as he wiped his face with a towel.

"Oh no, I hear those guys are ass holes." Andrea said, arching her eyebrow meaningfully.

"I ain't saying nothing, but I ain't disagreeing" Jeff said with a grin as he put an arm around Andrea's shoulder.

"Hey, how would you like to come to our after party?" Jeff asked Andrea. "You and your friend of course. We're heading to our hotel over on Grand Avenue. It'll be rocking."

"Why thank you Jeff!" Andrea answered sweetly, "It should be an awesome party as it's your homecoming."

"Damn right it is!" Jeff said with a grin. "Hey, we're going to go down and meet the fans and sign autographs for about 20 minutes," he continued, "I'll have a roadie take you to our tour bus out back where you can wait."

As Jeff and the other members of the band headed upstairs to greet their fans, Andrea turned to me with a satisfied expression on her face.

"We're in!" She said.

---*---

Thirty minutes later the Pranksters crowded tour bus pulled into the Conestoga Motor Lodge on Grand Avenue. It was an old-fashioned sort of affair -- two stories, open walkways with the three wings of the hotel forming an open box around a central courtyard with a gated pool area. As the band members went to their respective rooms to freshen up, Andrea and I made our way to the pool area where the party looked to be starting and grabbed a table. Several fans and road crew were milling around while others set up a keg and a couple of ice chests full of beer and wine coolers.

More guests arrived soon, and as the band members came back from their hotel rooms the party got underway in earnest. Andrea's charms seem to be working on Jeff; he was the first back to the party, and made a beeline for us with an armload of beer. As Jeff regaled us with tales from the road, I could see Shane sitting at a nearby table chatting with two pretty young blondes. I could see no sign of Mark, so I sat with Andrea and listened to Jeff's stories, glancing around from time to time.

I had about given up waiting for Mark to come by our table and was preparing to make my excuses to Andrea and go look for him, when suddenly I felt two strong hands on my shoulders giving me a relaxing squeeze. I glanced up and saw Mark smiling down at me.

"Susie, there you are!" Mark said with a grin.

Mark said hello to Andrea as well, before pulling up a chair next to me and offering me a fresh wine cooler. He asked us how we liked the show and how we were enjoying the party, then engaged us in pleasant conversation. I was completely star-struck at first, but Mark was incredibly cool and treated me as if we were old friends, calming my frayed nerves. Before long we were having a very relaxed and even flirtatious conversation as Andrea turned her attention back toward Jeff.

I was having the time of my life, but as they say all good things must come to an end. Bernie, the band's manager, spotted Mark through the crowd and hurried over. Excusing himself for interrupting our conversation, he reminded Mark said it was time for him to put in an appearance at the Jay Miles Band's after party, since tonight had been their last gig together. Mark rolled his eyes and apologized to me for having to leave, but business was business. He leaned in and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek, saying that he would try to get back later before departing with the manager.

I stood to watch him leave, feeling heartbroken; things had been going so well! As he neared the gate to the pool area, he met Kathy. Not wanting to be seen staring at them, I used an old trick Andrea had taught me. Removing my compact from my purse I pretended to be touching up my lipstick while watching them in the mirror. They talked for a moment, then Mark pointed straight at me, causing my heart to jump. Kathy leaned close to Mark and whispered something in his ear. Whatever she said made him smile. She then gave him a grin, and nodded her head before looking back in my direction. They both then turned and headed to the parking lot where a waiting limousine took them off into the night. My heart broke a little; maybe they were still together after all.

---*---

An hour later I was sitting at my table alone, watching the parking lot in vain for signs of Marks return. The pool area where the after party had been was empty apart from soda cans, beer bottles and a couple of roadies trying to get lucky with some chain--smoking groupies. I went to Jeff's room quietly to see if Andrea was ready to go, but heard the unmistakable sounds of lovemaking. Well, at least my friend was getting some action, I thought morosely.

I returned to the pool, took off my boots and dangled my legs in the water. It was still quite warm outside, and the cool water felt nice against my legs. I sat there, gently splashing in the water and feeling sorry for myself, when suddenly I heard the gate to the pool area creak open. Startled from my reverie, I looked up and saw a slim redhead in denim cutoffs and a T-shirt walking in. It was Kathy!

I felt a chill, as I was sure she was going to confront me about Mark. Freezing like a deer in the headlights, I watched Kathy as she approached me.

"Hey. You're Suzy, right?" she asked nonchalantly. "The radio contest winner?"

"Yeah. Look, I'm sorry about... I mean... I wasn't sure if..." I said, stumbling over my words.

"Don't worry about it." Kathy said with a weary smile. "It's what chicks do."