Escaping Grace

This was it!
I took a deep breath as we walked into Gardencenter Arena. It was only 3:00 and the show didn't start till 7, but already I had jitters. The venue manager was giving us a tour, and he showed us the dressing room and the stage area. "This is your room," he said, and I stepped into the dressing room. It was almost as large as my livingroom, mirrors and bright lights everywhere. It was perfect.
Nate whistled as he strolled inside. "This is a nice place. Better then Clarkes garage."
"Anything is better then the garage," Vale sighed, tossing her bag down. Clarke walked to one of the dressing tables and plopped into one of the chairs. "There was a café across the street," he said, propping his boots on the table. "Who wants to go get coffee?"
"I'll go," Nate volunteered, and we all looked at him. "I need to scope out the potential ... Landscape."
Of course. I rolled my eyes. "Would you grab me a hot chocolate?" I yawned. "I need a boost."
"Sure, babe," Nate high fived me as he left the room. I yawned again and rubbed at my eyes as they watered. I had hardly been able to sleep last night. The anxiety of seeing Andy again and the excitement from the show left me already exhausted.
"So when's Coma getting here?" Clarke asked, gazing at his sister as she primped in one of the mirrors. "
Christain and the rest should be here any minute," she replied.
"Ohhh, it's Christian now is it?" I smirked at her. "Next will it be Daddy C?"
"Leah!" Vale tossed her makeup brush at me, and I laughed, catching it. I grinned as she mutteted hatefully at me.
I stretched my arms, and then started unpacking some of our clothes. I was never sure what I was going to wear to a show, so I brought as many options as could fit in my duffle.
"Why not show off some skin, huh?" Vale asked, pulling her hair up in a quick bun. "Set some guys on fire, eh?"
I snorted, and shook my head.
"Nah," I glanced at my phone. Romochka kept texting me, and I was beyond annoyed. I couldn't find an app that would block texts as well as phone calls; I would probably just have to change my number again.
I glanced at my bandmates. These guys were the only family I needed. I didn't meed anyone else as long as I had them.
I rifled through my bag and pulled out my makeup. For shows, we went all out, either intense designs or bright colors. Normally mascara and eyeliner was enough for me, and beyond that my experience was limited. Vales cousin Vera always came to be our "official" makeup artist, though I think her kid was doing something today so she couldn't make it.
I started with my eyeliner.
There was suddenly a screech, and I jerked involuntarily, managing to stab myself. "Fuck!" I muttered; now I was probably blinded for life.
I held my eye shut and turned around. Vale had her arms around CCs neck as he stood in the doorway, her lips glued to his.
"Vale, you saw him two days ago," Clarke said, looking annoyed. "Not two years."
Vale reluctantly pulled her face from his, and I sighed, grabbing a tissue and pressing against my wounded eye. Now I would have to wait for it to stop watering and being puffy before could continue.
"I missed you," I heard Vale murmur."You said you'd be here earlier."
I rolled my eyes, then grimaced. "We would've been but we couldn't get Jake away from his woman long enough to get on the bus," CC apologized. "And you guys still haven't had a chance to meet him. We're unloading our stuff now but I'll have him stop by."
Vale just smiled at him. I almost rolled my eyes again.
I leaned forward in the mirror, and removed the tissue, seeing my eye surrounded with black and still watering. I sighed, dabbing at it. CC and Vale took their love fest outside, leaving me and Clarke to ourselves.
"So do you think that's going to last?" Clarke asked, and I looked over at him. "Or is she going to come home in a few weeks balling her eyes out and not getting out of her sweatpants for two weeks again?"
I frowned. "CC is really nice," I said after a moment, staring at myself in the mirror as I thought about it. "He might actually be good for her."
"I just wish she wouldn't throw her whole heart into every relationship and then get it broken," he responded gloomily, and I turned to smile at him. "There's nothing wrong with that. She's probably closer to falling in love with someone more than the rest of us."
"Says the girl whl doesn't date anyone," he clucked, and I shook my head. "I bet you ten bucks it'll last through our whole job with them," I said, and he thought a moment. "Deal," he said.
I chuckled, and started back on my makeup.
Vale eventually came back, her lipstick completely gone and her hair disheveled. She was absently humming one of our songs as she started to get ready, and Clarke and I exchanged a grin.
Crash and burn, he mouthed at me, amd I smacked his leg, trying to hold in my laughter.
I finished my makeup, and Vale added the finishing flourishes for me. I wasn't allowed tl wear makeup when I lived at home, and Vale was actually the first person to teach me. So my expertise in the area was severely lacking. If it wasn't for her, I probably would be floundering by myself looking like a clown.
Nate finally came back, carrying an armful of coffees. I took my hot chocolate --- which I think he probably bought on his way back and not when he got there, thankfully --- and sipped it. It was just the right temperature.
"Did you get the landscape scoped?" Clarke asked, and Nate nodded. "Yep," he ran a hand through his spiky blonde hair, "I met plenty of fangirls. Mostly for Black Veil Brides, but they were stoked for us of course."
Of course.
I sighed, and let my hair out of its bun. It flowed down around my face, amd I started fixing it, forcing it to spike out around my face and shoulders. The reds and blues showed up well when I fixed my hair like this.
"What are we wearing?" I looked over, seeing Vale going through our bags. I hopped out of the chair and walked over to her. I grabbed my black sparkly skinny jeans before she tossed them on the floor like everyrhing else. She pulled out her clothes, matching them together with some of mine before she decided on one. She swept behind the flowered room divider to change.
I fumbled through the shirts, and found one of the crop tops I always brought but never wore. I pursed my lips. It had short black sleeves and the material was thin and a very dark red. If I wore it with my sparkly jeans it would show off the lyrics going across my hips.
When Vale stepped from behind the divider looking like she was dressed to beat down an entire biker bar, I hurried behind her and pulled on my clothes. I glanced at the mirror, hoping I didn't come off looking stupid. Actually, I twisted around, I didn't look half bad. Now all I needed was some of my heels and I would be ready.
I stepped from around the divider.
I was glad I wasn't blindingly white anymore, because otherwise this would've looked as awkward on me as I felt wearing it.
"Ooooh, little mama," Nate said when he saw me, "you might just make me start ignoring the landscape."
I smiled, and plopped down in the seat, grabbing my boots. I pulled them on, and they gave me another five inches to my five foot twoness.
"Hey guys."
We all looked back at the door, seeing Ashley standing there.
"Hey," I smiled, seeing he was decked out and ready for the show.
"Here's Jake," Ashley pulled him into our line of sight and he sent us a smile. "Hey."
"Jake, that's Vale, Leah, Clarke and Nate," Ashley introduced us. We all gave waves.
"Cool. Nice to meet you guys. Sorry I couldn't before."
"No biggie," Vale shrugged. "At least we're meeting you now. Are you excited for the show?"
"Yeah, always am." he smiled. "
Oh, Leah, can I talk to you a minute?" Ashley asked, glancing behind him.
"Sure," I hesitated, then stood up. Vale raised her brows and I shrugged; I didn't know what he wanted.
I stepped Into the hall, and Jake gave me a nervous smile before heading back into their dressing room across from us.
"What is it, Ashley?" I crossed my arms.
"Did you read the card?"
"Yes." I frowned.
"Okay," he looked sort of relieved. "Don't be mad at me, okay?"
"What? Why?" I asked, and then looked over as Andy stepped up beside us.
"I didn't know you had that tattoo," he said, glancing me over.
"You never made it that far down," I replied dryly, and Ashley laughed before he caught himself. He cleared his throat and quickly hurried back into the dressing room at Andys glare.
"What do you want?" I asked, frowning at him. "Well, I wanted to... Say sorry," he shrugged, and I stared up at him. He already had his war face on, and he looked so... I'm still furious at him.
I put my hands on my hips.
"I'm very sorry?"
I stared at him.
"Oh for God's sake what do you want from me?" he snapped.
"An actual apology that you mean," I said just as hateful. "You don't have to be so snarky all the time, y'know!"
He looked insulted. "I'm not snarky."
"Yes you are! You're very snarky. And you should never have punched Ashley!"
"What? Did he tell you that?"
"So you DID punch him! Why?"
Andy looked chagrined. "He was being an ass. He deserved it."
I glared at him, and turned to leave.
"Oh, fuck," he muttered, and grabbed my arm. "Wait a minute."
I winced, and he let me go immediately.
"Sorry. Look, can we start over? Forget all the rest of it?"
I glared at him. "Why?"
"Because it would make it so much easier to work with you if I wasn't worried about receiving death glares from you whenever you see me."
"I've never death glared at you!"
"You just did." Oh. I scowled at him and crossed my arms. I wasn't one to hold a grudge, and other then a few fits now and then, I didn't have much of a temper either. I was more of a cry about it and try to forget it kind of person.
I probably wouldn't have been so mad at him either if Romochka hadn't called me; I'd taken out all my frustration on Andy and he hadn't deserved a majority of it.
Dammit, I sighed. This was my bad not his.
"Fine," I said after a moment. "We'll start over. But you're an ass."
He smirked. "You don't have to tell me that."
I tried not to smile. "I'll see you after the show, Andy," I said, taking a few steps back.
"So do you have any other tattoos I don't know about?"
I grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Notes