Bright Angel
Chapter 23
Melissa: I tapped the rim of the steering wheel impatiently and blew the car horn once more. “Hold on! I’m coming,” a voice yelled as I saw Hillary emerge on the doorstep of the small brick house, camera and purse in hand. As she approached the car, I watched the wavering heat over the hood of the blue Volkswagen passat and felt the heat of another summer day in the Deep South. I thought of being in Europe with the chorus next week and the cool days in Germany, France and Italy. My train of thought was interrupted by the slamming of a car door, as Hillary plopped down into the passenger seat next to me. “Where to Chauffer,” she inquired. “The Fabulous Fox, where else,” I grinned, knowing that I would shortly be able to Taylor’s face again. I couldn’t believe he actually saw something in me or that he could actually stand to be near me one more minute. I felt like laughing, it seemed so surreal. “So, ya brought a camera,” I observed. “Gotta get a picture of you and your first Rock Star boyfriend. Ya gotta have proof or no one at school will believe you. They’ll just pass by you in the halls and say, ‘There goes that head case who thinks she’s Taylor Hanson’s bitch.’” I couldn’t help but laugh at that one. “Yea, that me alright.” “Well, if not for that, then just for fun. I don’t have many pictures of us, this way I can get some pretty goofy ones and what better place than at a concert.” “You’ve got a point my friend.” “That’s right, beotch,” I laughed as we neared the venue and searched for parking. We stumbled across a 10 dollar parking lot after a while and voted to split the cost. As we parked, I ejected my Lifehouse CD throwing it in my bag along with a few others, some money, lip gloss, my keys and my cell phone. “Ok, So…where’s the meeting place.” “Out front, I guess. He didn’t really say anything else,” I told her. “Ok, so lets go loiter.” Once outside the front of the Fox, I heard a voice behind me. “Melissa,” he said. Quickly whipping around, I finally saw who was addressing me. “Taylor. Hey,” I ran into his arms. I felt my feet leave the ground as he lifted me to give me a kiss. He laughed then taking me by the hand, he whispered, “Follow me.” Hillary latched on to Zac’s hand, who stood behind Taylor and the both of us followed them into the Fox. I loved that theatre and walking through the halls brought back many memories of Sunday matinees with my Grandparents came flooding back. It always seemed like a magical place to me. The walls were filled with intricate detail resembling a palace from ancient days and stars shone bright on the ceiling as if it was night in some exotic land far away without a cloud in the sky. “I love it here,” I said him, telling him of my childhood and the magical environment of the place. “Yea, it is beautiful.” We were led from the main Lobby to the theatre and soon both of the guys were forced to leave and go on stage for the sound check. Hillary and I opted to spend our time taking crazy picture of each other and running around the place like a bunch of hooligans. We discovered new rooms filled with the small magical air that was displayed throughout the building. We finally took some seats on the front row as the guys took center stage for their sound check. This stillness didn’t last too long and the sugar we had filled ourselves with at breakfast began to kick in. We spent the rest of the time running around taking pictures of the band from different angles and places in the theatre. We lunch break came, we suggested the Varsity. Isaac, Taylor and Zac all volunteered to help take orders from everyone in sight and bring all that food back. After our little journey, we ate lunch and explored some more. The palace that was the Fox seemed to hold limitless undiscovered treasures, all of which put me in sheer awe of the place. Five o’clock rolled around sooner than expected and as the doors opened the band was forced into hiding backstage as they prepared for the upcoming show. Our stay backstage, like our stillness on the front row earlier, was short lived and the restless excitement that comes with the thrill of the concert drove us out to our seats consequently on the front row, to mingle with other fans.
Chapter 24