5. Vertically Challenged
5
VERTICALLY CHALLENGED
MAGGIE
Young Blood By The Naked and Famous
“W hat the fuck were you doing up there?” Felix’s amused voice carries over the hum of the crowd, maybe even a hint of admiration in his tone as I pass him my camera. In my attempt to jump down, I stumble and Felix catches me, my body flush with his as he sets me down with ease. I’m so hyper-aware of the closeness and how much I like it that I step back, smoothing down my shirt even though his hand remains on my waist in a protective yet gentle grip, as if he’s afraid I might still fall.
“What? I’m vertically challenged. Plus, the view from up there was perfect.”
“I’m sure it was.” He lets go of me, his wink accompanied by a crooked smile that makes something flutter in my stomach. I make an exaggerated face of disgust and snatch my camera back, trying to ignore how his fingers brush mine.
We weave through the backstage area, equipment cases a maze around us as crew members hustle back and forth.
“Don’t you have equipment for that?” he asks, easily keeping pace with his long legs beside me despite my quick steps. His presence feels larger than life in the narrow space.
“I’m a one-woman show.” I lift my chin.
“That you are.” The warmth in his voice catches me off guard.
We reach the VIP gate and I turn to face him, raising an eyebrow. “Besides, I can’t carry all that equipment around with me.”
“It looks like you can barely carry the equipment you have.” His eyes flick to where my camera bag is definitely not pulling at my shoulder uncomfortably.
I hoist it higher, refusing to show weakness. “I do just fine,” I assure him, as I nearly trip under the weight and Felix has to right me before I fall flat on my face. Why did I pack so many extra batteries?
“Surely a record company like Stonewall can afford to pay another person to help you?” It’s oddly touching that he’s worried about my wellbeing, even if he’s being annoying about it.
“Ha! Dylan doesn’t even pay me . You think he’s gonna pay another person?”
Felix’s brow furrows, genuine confusion replacing his usual cocky expression. “You’re not getting paid?”
“No, I’m doing this for the love of music,” I say with enough sarcasm to fill an arena. Felix purses his lips, a gesture I’m starting to recognize as his ‘thinking face.’ “I need the experience.”
“Oh,” he says, falling into step beside me as we navigate past the VIP area. His shoulder occasionally brushes mine, sending little sparks of awareness down my arm.
“Where are we going anyway?”
“ I’m going to get something to eat.” I lift my nose to the air. “Do you smell that?” The mouth-watering aroma of grilled meat and onions makes my stomach growl.
Felix glances down at me, amusement dancing in his dark eyes. “What am I supposed to be smelling?”
“A burger. I’m starving.”
I make a beeline for one of the burger trucks with Felix hot on my heels, when we pass a colorful tent that catches my eye. It’s full of handmade crafts and jewelry, and I can’t help stopping to take a look at their bracelets. I pick up a rainbow colored one made with string, placing it against my wrist to admire it. “How much is this?” I ask.
“Ten for one, fifteen for two,” the girl says.
Felix hands her a ten and a five. “Hey, what are you doing?” I protest, watching him pick up a teal and black bracelet for himself. The colors suit him annoyingly well.
“You need to save your money if you’re buying yourself a burger.” His wink is infuriating, mainly because he’s right. My bank account is not loving this tour.
He takes my wrist, his touch unexpectedly gentle. I try to ignore how my pulse jumps under his fingers as he concentrates on tying the bracelet, his dark hair falling forward to hide his expression. The warmth of his hands lingers after he’s done.
“Here,” I say, taking his bracelet with what I hope appears to be reluctance rather than eagerness. I tie it around his wrist, hyper-aware of how close we’re standing. “Oh look, now we’re bracelet besties,” I tease, and he doesn’t seem to have any snarky comeback. Just a half-dimpled smile.
In the distance, Paper Skies’ music pulses through the evening air. “You’re missing the show,” Felix reminds me, but he makes no move to leave. They’re the reason everyone’s here and why the line at the food truck isn’t crazy long.
“I’m not missing anything.” I shake my head.
“Yeah, I suppose you saw all you needed to,” Felix says with a self-satisfied grin.
“Don’t go getting ahead of yourself there rockstar.” I gesture toward the distant roar of the main stage crowd. “When you pull in a crowd like that, then come back to me.”
“Don’t worry, Sass, I will.”
“Forget my real name already?” I challenge.
“You don’t like it? I think it’s very fitting.” His eyes catch mine, holding them for a beat too long as the surrounding festival lights paint his face in shifting colors.
I cross my arms and turn toward the sunset, needing a moment to collect myself. The mountains cut a jagged silhouette against the sky, which blazes with oranges and reds like someone set the horizon on fire. Around us, the field darkens and vendor tents spring to life with twinkling lights, creating a magical dome of illumination.
Felix shifts beside me, watching the crowd surge like a neon wave in the distance. Every few seconds, the back of his hand brushes against mine. Annoyingly, each touch sends an electric current up my arm, and I’m pretty sure he knows exactly what he’s doing.
When I dare to glance his way, I catch him studying me with an intensity that makes my breath catch. He looks like he’s about to say something, working through the words in his head, when?—
“What can I get you?” The food truck vendor’s voice breaks the moment.
I jump in before Felix can speak, ordering for both of us. “We’ll take two fully loaded cheeseburgers please.”
Felix doesn’t protest. He just smiles at me, and we move to the side to wait for our order.
“Hey!” A high-pitched voice cuts through our comfortable silence as a girl in a hot-pink tank top approaches, her long painted nails matching her outfit perfectly. “I think I just saw you play.” She points at Felix.
Felix responds with polite restraint, though I notice his posture stiffen slightly.
“Never heard of you before, but now I’m a fan.” Her eyes trail over him appreciatively, lingering on the way his black ripped jeans hug his slim waist. Something hot and uncomfortable coils in my stomach at her blatant appraisal.
“Thanks.” Felix runs a hand through his already perfectly messy hair.
“Do you mind if I get a picture?”
Felix agrees, looking surprised and slightly uncomfortable.
“Do you mind?” She thrusts her phone at me without waiting for a response. I briefly consider the satisfying splash it would make in the nearby ketchup dispenser but force myself to smile instead.
I raise the phone and snap quickly before she can pose, capturing her mid-blink with her mouth awkwardly open.
“Wait-,” she starts to protest.
“Order up!” The vendor’s timing couldn’t be more perfect.
“Oops, that’s us,” I interrupt cheerfully, tossing her phone back perhaps a bit harder than necessary.
Felix shakes his head at me as I collect our order, his eyes dancing. “I like a possessive woman, but isn’t it a bit much for our first date?”
“Gag. Trying to eat here,” I counter, though my cheeks warm traitorously. “And for your information, this isn’t a date.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” he shrugs, following me to a nearby picnic table.
“It’s not,” I protest, dropping my tray on the table.
“Would it be so bad if it was?”
I set my burger down.
“Yeah, it would.”
“Wow.” He leans forward, elbows on the worn wood picnic table.
“Oh, is this the first time you’ve been shot down?” I tease, shifting forward a little.
His smirk falters, shaking his head at me, and now I feel like an asshole.
“I’m here for one reason and that’s to get experience,” I explain. “Plus, we work together, and that’s just… a no.” I shake my head at my own babbling.
“I see,” he says with an air of something I seem to be missing.
“Wait. What do you see?”
“Just if we didn’t work together… ya know.” He shrugs in an irritatingly casual way.
I realize how close my face is to his. I can practically count the rings around his eyes.
I clear my throat and sit back. “You think you’re cute.”
“You have to stop hitting on me. Geez, Maggie, we work together.”
I pick up an onion ring and throw it at him. “Shut up.”
The burgers are massive—melted cheese cascading down the sides like lava, a tower of crispy onion rings stacked between perfectly charred patties. It looks almost too good to eat. Almost.
“These things are bigger than your head,” Felix remarks.
“Ha!” I laugh, rubbing my palms together in anticipation. “Just the way I like it.”
Felix watches me with undisguised interest, one eyebrow raised. “Please, there’s no way you’re finishing that in one sitting.”
“Challenge accepted.” I meet his gaze defiantly.
“This I gotta see.”
I compress the towering burger with both hands and take an ambitious first bite. A trickle of sauce escapes down my chin.
“You got a little…” Felix grabs a napkin and wipes my face while I protest, grabbing the napkin from him and finishing the job.
Felix takes a bite of his own burger, letting out an appreciative moan that draws my attention more than it should. “That’s good,” he says around the mouthful, and I nod in agreement.
“Told you.”
“So how were you lucky enough to land an unpaying job filming lil ol’ me?” The playful tone doesn’t quite mask his genuine curiosity.
“I drew the short straw,” I remind him.
He gives me a disbelieving look. “Is it that awful having to film a pampered rockstar?”
The guilt hits me unexpectedly. “Look, I’m sorry you overheard that.” I set my burger down, suddenly less hungry. “I was upset, that’s all.”
“Because you got stuck on this tour with a nobody?”
I wince. “No. I was supposed to do a film for my dad’s induction ceremony, but the board declined. They said I didn’t have enough experience.” The admission tastes bitter on my tongue.
His eyes widen with recognition. “Your dad is Cash Morgan.”
I roll my eyes. “Ah, so you’re a Mogo fan?” I tease.
“I’m a fan of all music.” His voice is low and smooth as he leans forward on the picnic table.
“Don’t look all starstruck,” I counter.
He scoffs with a casual shrug. “Hardly, but have you ever heard of six degrees of separation?”
“Not really,” I reply, lifting an eyebrow as I steal a glance at the growing crowds around us.
“It’s the idea that all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other,” he explains. “I’m just surprised we haven’t met each other before now.”
“Probably because my dad quit the band before I was even born.” I shrug. “He’s owned a record store for as long as I’ve been alive.”
“So you know your music then.”
I sit up straighter. “I don’t think you want to play ‘name that tune’ with me,” I challenge.
“I might take you up on that game another time.” He bites into the burger again and I do the same.
“So, you and Dylan…” he leaves the question hanging.
“Me and Dylan what?” I shake my head, feigning innocence as my heart picks up pace.
“I thought I overheard you saying something about sharing a bed…”
“Ew, gross. He’s like my brother.” I smack him in the arm, rolling my eyes dramatically. “Our parents are connected by an umbilical cord,” I joke.
“Ow.” He rubs his arm jokingly. “You’re surprisingly strong.”
I polish off the last of my burger and lean back with a satisfied smile. “I think you owe me a million dollars.”
“What? I don’t remember us agreeing to that,” he laughs.
“That’s funny, because I do,” I retort.
Felix shakes his head, conceding as he throws a napkin over his plate.
“Come on, rockstar.” I grab his hand and lead him through the pulsating crowd to catch the end of Paper Skies. Felix snatches a few neon necklaces, placing one over my head, and we return to the thrumming mass of people. I instinctively begin to veer toward the VIP area, but Felix tugs me back, shaking his head as he leans down close to my ear.
“This is the best way to see a band.” He holds me back, pointing to the stage. Before me lies a vivid kaleidoscope of lights; the crowd is a vibrant sea of motion, and I have a panoramic view of one of the hottest bands of the moment, Paper Skies. I can’t help but move to the music, singing the lyrics I know and even the ones I don’t, all while Felix stands close by.
We stay until the last chord of the encore reverberates in the night air, then weave our way back to the campground, my heart buzzing with an intoxicating mix of excitement and contentment.
“You don’t have to walk with me all the way to the bus, you know,” I glance up at him.
“You walking back alone is not an option,” he says, a mix of cheekiness and sincerity in his tone.
So he’s a gentleman. Interesting. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, pondering the contradiction that is Felix.
I stop in front of my bus and look at it with disdain.
“I had fun. Thanks for taking me on a date,” Felix says playfully.
“Okay, this was not a date.”
It might have been a date.
Shit.
“Whatever you say, Sass,” he quips, that annoyingly charming grin still on his face.
“I was just doing my job,” I counter.
“You didn’t film me once,” he points out, giving me a cocky smirk.
Fuck, I forgot to film him. “I was off duty!” I yell as he walks backward, his figure melding into the night, leaving me standing on the step of my bus.
“Admit it, you had fun,” he calls back, his voice a soft echo in the evening air. “Even if I didn’t put out.”