Page 119 of Sky Full of Stars

“Hey guys, are you all having a great time tonight or what?” The crowd roar. It’s one of the smaller venues on the tour, holding just 11,000 fans but it was a destination we all wanted to go to at one point, so we worked it in. “Good, I hope we can keep it up for you.”

Dex hit the drums to emphasise the pun and Arch’s laugh echoes through his mic.

“So, before we go on, I want to catch up with you guys about something, is that okay?”

They scream again and I glance behind me to the guys. Nick took a step closer, his head cocked and I could read him instantly. Are you doing this now? I nod and he holds out a hand as though giving me the floor.

“Have any of you guys ever been in love?”

“Oh no,” Arch says dramatically into his mic. “You saying the mighty Aidan has fallen?”

The crowd laugh and cheer. Everyone clearly saw the news.

“So I met this girl,” I say, pacing along the front of the stage. I don’t dare look to the side where Bianca is likely blowing a gasket. “And she is hot!” The crowd goes wild again. “She’s here with me tonight but she’s shy so I know she won’t come out on stage to meet you guys.” There are some boos mixed in with the cheers. “Now, now, it’s kind of a lot for her to take in.”

“Falling for an ego like yours?” Nick laughs.

“She loves my ego.”

Arch and even Dex laugh at that one.

“She ain’t shy!”

The sound of Jordan’s voice surprises me. I glance around but don’t see him. Then the giant screens behind us change to a shaky camera facing our drummers grinning mug. He howls with laughter as he moves around backstage. The camera finds Jenna, she holds her hand up to Jordan to hide her face.

Nick’s mouth hung open, but Archer grins as I dash to the side of the stage.

“Say hi!” Jordan puts his arm around her neck and holds the camera on them.

I hear Jenna say ‘hi’ as I move through the equipment and people to get to them. I grimace at Jenna in apology but she smiles and comes to me. Despite the sweat covering me, she pulls me into a hug and the cheering grows louder.

“Sorry,” I say into her ear.

“Well, I’m not sure mom would approve of these methods,” she pulls back, her eyes gleam with happiness. “But it’s okay.”

“Love’s young dream, you guys!” Jordan puts the camera in our faces. “I concur with our esteemed leader,” he flips the camera back to him and winks. “She is hot.”

I reach out and slap his head, which causes laughter to break out. It was sort of a trademark of the band. Jordan flips the camera back to me as I tug Jenna towards me.

“Might as well do it with a bang,” I grin before dropping my mouth to hers.

At first I think she’ll only let me get away with a peck, but her mouth opens and I gladly accept that invitation. I even go so far as to dip her backwards and she laughs against my lips. When we pull up she arches her brow, definitely feeling the hard bulge at her hip.

“Yeah, yeah we get it!” Nick’s voice fills the arena.

“Get back out here and leave the girl alone, you animal!” Arch shouts.

I kiss her again, noticing someone pull the camera off Jordan but he is in fits of laughter. I catch Bianca’s gaze as I’m about to turn, she tries stern but it doesn’t come off, she rolls her eyes instead.

After adjusting myself, I hustle back out onto the stage as Nick plucks a tune on the base.

“Okay, sorry about that,” I chuckle into the mic. “I’m sure some of you guys out there know what it’s like when you meet the girl of your dreams. So I just wanted you all to know what she means to me and to go easy on us, yeah?”

“There is something else you guys should know about her,” Nick steps up beside me. “Find the Warwick was all her idea.”

There are more cheers and I hook my arm around Nick’s neck and give him a grin. Even if Jenna did come up with the idea as a joke, it has become something of a legend and I appreciate Nick endearing her to the fans even more.

“You fuckers ready for more music?” Arch yells as he starts the opener to the next song on the set list.

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