“Guess what I’ve got?” I wave the V.I.P. passes in front of my sister’s face.
“Rad, if you’d stop flailing around like a maniac, I might be able to see.”
“Just take a wild guess!”
“I’m not playing this game, Rad. Just spill it.”
“You might want to sit down for this.” I wait for Avery to plop down on the couch before I drop the bomb. “So, I was tuning into the radio.”
“Who even listens to the radio these days?” She interrupts.
“I do. Anyway, there was this contest. You had to be the twentieth caller to win. And if you were, you got V.I.P. passes for a concert tonight.
“V.I.P. passes mean killer seats and an extended meet and greet!” I can’t help but squeal with excitement.
“So, who’s performing tonight?”
“Are you kidding me right now? And here I was, thinking of taking you with me.”
“I’ll only go if you tell me who it is.”
“Steele’s Army!” I shriek.
She joins in my impromptu happy dance, complete with high-pitched squeals that would put a teenager to shame.
But can you blame me? The mere thought of meeting Zepp from Steele’s Army sends shivers down my spine.
“You’re taking me with you, right?”
“Who else would I take? That’s why I came over. I need to hit the store, grab a new outfit, shower, and then I’ll swing back here.
“I thought we could cab it there and back.”
“Yes! Yes! What time should I be ready?”
“V.I.P. doors open at six, concert starts at seven, and the extended meet and greet kicks off as soon as they leave the stage. So, be ready by five.”
I dump the bags I’ve collected from the store on the floor and unlock my door. I stumble over the bags to set my purse and keys down on the kitchen table.
Gathering all the bags, I kick my door shut and make my way to the couch. I drop all the bags down.
I empty each bag, the lazy way, by tipping everything out. By the time I’m done, my couch is buried.
I want tonight to be perfect. I’m a groupie, but only for Zepp.
I only found out that Steele’s Army was coming to town last week and by then, all the good tickets were long gone.
It was pure luck that I was listening to the local radio show. I usually just plug in my phone and listen to my own music.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to enjoy Zepp’s body in all its sinful glory, but not just once. I want him, well, forever.
I’m not crazy, I don’t need to be locked up or medicated. I know I don’t actually know him, but I’d love to.
All I know is that he’s a loner, the kind who prefers the shadows to the spotlight.
That’s what first drew me to him, his shyness. I was breathless the first time I saw him live on stage. Luck wasn’t on my side when I bought those tickets.
Back then, I couldn’t afford a ticket that would get me past the gate to meet Steele’s Army. I had to settle for orchestra seating, hundreds of feet away from the stage.
I was attracted to all the members at that point, a hormonal teenager with adolescent dreams. Until that night.
Seeing Zepp hammering away at a keyboard, and once on a piano, made my heart beat only for him.
Sometimes, he’d join Ryan on backup vocals, but I could tell that melody was his thing. Creating music that stirred emotions was his calling.
I wanted to feel that, to feel him, to feel his song through his words, the notes. I wanted him to play me.
Back then, I was young and desperate for his attention, attending any concert he was at that I could. But I never managed to catch his eye.
Tonight would be different. I’m not a desperate teenager anymore. I know how to get his attention, and I know exactly what I’ll do when I have it.
I am a woman, independent and determined.
Zepp, you have no idea what’s coming.
“There’s no parking.” Avery looks at me, questioning what she should do.
“There’s always parking. Look over there,” I say, pointing to a house a few blocks away from the venue.
“They’re using their yard as a parking lot. It can’t be more expensive than the parking garage down the road. I’ll cover it.”
“Just remember, you suggested parking here when we’re walking back to the car.”
“I don’t plan on walking back,” I say with a smirk.
She knows about my plans for Zepp.
“Bitch.”
Fifteen minutes later, we reach the venue. Tickets in hand, we join the V.I.P. line, where we get early entrance. We get in line just as the doors open.
Instead of security checking our bags and taking our tickets, three women walk out.
One of them I recognize from magazine articles. She’s Ryan’s wife, Natalie. The other two I’ve never seen before, but I’m sure they’re just as important.
There’s a good crowd in line, maybe a hundred of us, all waving our special tickets around, some getting a bit restless from the wait.
The women are inching their way down the line, murmuring something I can’t quite catch until they’re right in front of Avery and me.
Natalie, the head honcho of the group, locks eyes with me. I’m thrown off balance in an instant.
It’s as if she’s peering into my very soul, like she’s got me all figured out, knows what I’m after. It’s like she’s sizing me up and it’s unsettling.
Instead of calling me out on my intentions, she informs us of some changes.
“Regrettably, we’ll have to push the meet and greet to after the show.
“When the show wraps up, you’ll head to the door on the right of the stage and show security your ticket stub that grants you access to the meet and greet.
“Steele’s Army is sorry for the changes, but it was unavoidable. To make up for the delay, you guys will all be getting special gift bags with rare Steele’s Army merchandise at the dinner.
“There are going to be a few more changes with how things are run tonight, so if you’ve ever been to a meet and greet with the guys, expect it to be different.
“I’ll explain everything after the show. Thanks for your understanding.” She gives a tight smile, then looks straight into my eyes, “See you there.”
“What was that about? She singled you out in front of everyone.” Avery probes.
“No clue. It’s making me a bit jittery, though. Felt like she was prying into my soul with those eyes.”
“Yeah, she was definitely scrutinizing you. Wonder what was going through her mind.”
“Hopefully, she was thinking all positive things.”
“Let’s hope so.”
Eventually, we’re given the green light to go in, so we can find our seats before the rest of the crowd is let in.
Avery and I make a pit stop at a concession stand and grab drinks for the show before heading to our seats smack dab in the middle.
I’m not sure how I missed that we were in the front to start with, but being dead center of where they’ll be performing for the entire show is a stroke of pure luck.
I don’t recall the radio hosts mentioning anything about such prime seats. I’m certain if they had, I wouldn’t have won, because a lot more people would’ve dialed in.
Typically, when you win tickets, they’re seats way up in the nosebleeds where you need binoculars to even see the band, or a floating projection screen. Not exactly my idea of great seats.
But these seats are incredible.
It’s almost overwhelming that after so many years of concerts and being a fan, I finally hit the jackpot and not only get to meet them, but to experience a concert with such emotional depth and powerful songs, that’s more than just luck.
“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh
