55. Chapter 55
Chapter 55
Sloane
B y the time the show is over, Tameka and I are exhausted. It's hot, it's humid, and while The Lemonheads aren't really music to mosh to, people were doing just that. We head back to our blanket and cooler which are untouched and gather them. "Do you want to go back and hang out by the lake?" I ask Tameka as I watch the crowd moving en masse to the exit.
"Sure," she says as we head toward the lake. "We can hang out until the crowd thins out and maybe we'll see Evan again."
I smile. "You're reading my mind."
We stash our cooler and blanket under a bush and climb on top of large rocks and face the small lake. "That was such a great show," I say to Tameka.
"It was. I'm so glad I could come with you."
"Me, too," I say and am reminded that I'm not going home with my boyfriend to get ready for prom but will be hanging out with her tonight. I try to look on the bright side. "Even though I'm not going to my prom, I've had a great day. Thanks for coming to town for me." I lean over and bump my shoulder against hers.
"You bet," Tameka says as she bumps me back. "I'm sorry you're not going to your prom tonight."
"It's okay—" I'm interrupted by seeing Evan and the girls walking across the lawn. "Let's go." I hop off the rocks, and we head toward them.
Evan sees us, and his eyes light up. "Hey!"
"Hi," I say, a little breathless from hustling over to them. "The show was amazing."
"Yeah, you liked it?" He asks as he looks at me, sincerely interested in what I have to say. As we're walking, other people I don't recognize join us. They all have backstage passes, so I assume they are with the band.
"Yeah, it was so great. I was supposed to go to my prom tonight but couldn't, and it totally made up for it."
Evan stops and looks at me, causing me to stop walking, too. "When's your prom?"
Either he didn't hear me, or he's making sure he heard me right. "Tonight."
"Really?" he asks and cocks his head.
I don't know what comes over me, but the way he's looking at me and the way he just asked me that causes me to be bold, like Kurt suggested so many months ago. "You wanna go?"
"That would be cool," he says, his voice slow and easy. He continues walking and so do the rest of us.
Did he just say yes? Did this gorgeous rock star just say he would go to my prom with me? My heart starts to flutter.
"I don't know, Ev," a young man with fair skin and dark brown hair says. "You're supposed to go see INXS tonight."
My eyes are wide as I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
"Yeah," Ashley says as she grabs his arm and rubs his bicep, "you don't want to miss INXS."
We approach a barricade, and I realize this is the end of the line for Tameka and me because this appears to be the backstage area. There are trailers set-up for all the bands, and we're the only people in the group without passes. As the group walks through, a heavyset man with a shiny and sweaty bald head holds up a hand stopping me.
"They're with us," Nikki says as she flashes her beautiful smile at him.
The man nods and my heart leaps for joy as Tameka and I follow the group to The Lemonheads' trailer. I swear I have a hop in my step!
Inside the trailer, we meet Nic and Dave, Evan's bandmates who are just as friendly as Evan. I can't believe we're sitting here right now. We chat for a while, and Tameka strikes up a conversation with one of the members of the Judy Bats, another band on the bill. As I'm talking with everyone, I notice Evan looking at me and I wonder if he really will go to my prom with me. I smile at him, and he returns it with a smile of his own.
"Alright, we've got to get going," the young guy from before says. I found out that his name is Tod, and he is from the record label.
I stand up, and Evan does the same. "It was great seeing you again," he says and pulls me into a hug.
"Do you really have to go see INXS tonight?" I ask as he releases his hug. "I'd love to take you to my prom." I smile, giving it one more shot, deciding to take this bold thing all the way to the end.
He looks behind him to where Tod is standing in the back of the RV. "Hang on." He walks down the narrow hallway and goes to talk to him.
As I wait, I catch Ashley giving me a disapproving look, but I ignore her and talk to Dave about INXS. "So, what's the deal with the INXS show?" I ask.
He waves a hand at me. "Oh, we're on the same label, and they want us to go see them tonight."
"That's cool," I say. "I love them. I think I wore out my copy of Kick."
"Yeah, that's such a great album," he says before taking a sip out of his beer bottle.
Evan walks up to me and is smiling. "It's cool, I can go with you."
I feel my eyes double in size. "Really?"
Evan's eyes mimic mine, and his eyebrows arch up. "Yeah!" he nods. "Can you pick me up at my hotel, though?"
"Of course!" I say. "I'll just run home, clean up, and get dressed." My whole body feels like it’s tingling with excited energy. My adrenaline is pumping.
"Cool. I'll try to find something nice to wear." He smiles. "Oh, here," he turns to the counter and grabs a pen and scrap of paper. "Write down your number so we have it just in case."
I scribble down my number and hand him the paper and pen then he tells me where to pick him up. "Okay, oh my gosh, this is amazing, thank you!" I give him a bear hug and wave goodbye to everyone as Tameka and I head out. I cannot believe this is happening. I'm about to go to prom after all, with a rock star on my arm!