Page 9 of Feral Touch
My thoughts were interrupted when the door to my bedroom swung open and hit the opposite wall with a thud. Jen and Natalie stood in the doorframe, arms crossed over their chests.
The three of us rented a small apartment together on the outskirts of the city. It took two buses to reach the subway line and wasn’t the safest area, which is exactly why we could afford a three bedroom apartment. If we’d tried to get a place downtown near our music academy, we would have had to bunk together, crammed three to a bedroom.
I had been silent on our trip home the night before. The girls had been bursting with questions, but I was too overwhelmed by my discovery to answer any of them.
Ren was alive. He was safe, living in the same city as me, healthy and well.
He was also the bassist of a mega-famous rock band.
I’d gone straight to my room while my friends exchanged worried glances. They had left me alone all night. It was already noon the next day. It looked like they’d run out of patience. I hoisted myself up into a sitting position and let my legs dangle off the bed.
“Time for twenty questions?”
“Ivy, you can’t just tell us you used to know one of the members of Feral Silence and not tell us the whole story.” Jen's words were exasperated.
“I’m not sure it’s my story to tell.” Ren had left everything he’d ever known behind for a reason. Should I really be telling my friends about his personal life? “I told you, we used to go to the same music school back when we were kids.” I didn’t tell them we’d continued that friendship into our teenaged years.
“What did you mean, Ren disappeared?”
I shrugged. “He turned eighteen and took off.”
“And you haven’t been in touch since?”
“No. I had no idea what he’s been doing since then.”
“This is too crazy.” Natalie flopped down on the bed next to me and nudged my shoulder. “So, your childhood sweetheart just happens to be a famous rock star, huh?”
“Childhood— What— I didn’t—!” I sputtered the words as Natalie and Jen laughed. I felt even more embarrassed considering what I’d done to thoughts of Ren with the two of them just across the hall.
“So, you gonna meet up with him again now that you’ve run into each other?”
I had been wondering that myself. Would Ren want to be in contact with someone from the life he’d run away from? Although he had been shocked to see me, he had also seemed pleased. Would he want to see me again?
“He probably barely even remembers me. The last time we saw each other was five years ago. He must have forgotten all about me.”
Natalie snorted. “From the way he acted after that concert? Yeah, I’d say he remembers you.”
Even so, did I want to see him? I was attracted to him, yes, but what kind of crazy celebrity life would someone like him have? Fangirls and entourages and paparazzi—I had no interest in any of that. Besides…
“Even if I wanted to, I would have no idea how. He’s famous. Tons of girls would die for a chance to meet him. It would be impossible.”
Jen sat down on my other side and thrust a piece of paper in my face. I took it from her and examined it. It was a flyer with a photo of Feral Silence in concert with lines of text along the bottom.
“This just went up on their website. There’s going to be a VIP fan meeting,” Jen explained. “You have to make a short video about why you love Feral Silence and deserve to meet them in person. The guys are the ones who actually choose the winners. The prize is an invitation to a special meet and greet event next month. Natalie and I are entering.”
I read the requirements on the flyer. It was just as Jen said.
Film a short one to two minute video about why you’re the biggest fan of Feral Silence. Winners will be chosen personally by the band members.
“I don’t think I can do this,” I said. “I’m not their fan. I don’t know anything about the band.”
“You don’t have to do a video about that,” Natalie said. “All you have to do is get yourself on camera and give Ren a way to contact you.”
“Do you really think he would?” I looked down at my lap and lowered the flyer. I didn’t like the beseeching tone my voice had taken on.
“From the way he was looking at you last night?” Jen shared a grin with Natalie. “He’ll definitely want to.”
"How would I even do it? I don’t have a video camera.”
