A Mean Tongue and Codeine

Chapter 12

Maia entered the green room of the Florida theater Hozier was set to perform in the next night and splashed some water on her face, sweaty from the run she'd just completed. The muffled sound of Andrew's singing floated through all the walls separating the stage from the backstage area. They'd gotten lucky and were able to get into the space a day earlier to practice and get the lighting and sound perfect, a luxury they weren't afforded all that often. Maia was given the choice to either sit in the bus, or sit at the venue. Deciding to stretch her legs from the never-ending shuffle from plane to car to bus, she donned her running gear and took off.

She caught Andrew's eye and gave him a quick smile before settling into the first row and listening to the end of "Angel of Small Death."

"Take 5 guys?" Alex asked and the band broke into various side conversations.

Maia raised her eyebrows at Kristen who stood in the corner, gesturing wildly for her to come up on stage. Sighing, she obliged and pushed herself up.

"So you'll come up here when she asks?" Andrew smiled as she passed by him.

"Hush it, you," She playfully nudged him.

"Maia! You've got to meet Natalie! She's going to be joining us for the next few shows! We've known each other forever!" Kristen ushered a tall, almost freakishly tall, tattooed woman with bleach blonde hair and dark eyes in front of her. "You'll love Maia, she's been filling in for David while he's been away." She turned to Natalie.

"Nice to meet you," Maia murmured, extending her hand.

"You too," Natalie smirked and took her hand.

"I'm just here until New Orleans. Then back to reality I go," Maia tried to laugh, pulling her braid over one shoulder.

"Although..." Kristen taunted. "I hear there's a permanent position opening up. From David himself." She laughed at Maia's dumbfounded face. "He's been keeping up with the tour and is very impressed by your work. Said he needs an assistant."

Maia couldn't pick her jaw up from the floor. To take that position would be everything she dreamed of, but it also meant extending this for...she didn't even know how long. She turned to Andrew. His shoulders fell as they met eyes, like he was able to read her mind.

"How long have you known about this offer, Kristen?" Maia asked, not turning away from Andrew.

"Andrew told us yesterday!" She squealed. "I'm so excited you'll be staying!"

Maia could only nod as she stepped off the riser the backup singers stood on and stormed towards the man, trying to act small with his hands in his pockets, in the middle of the stage.

"So you just weren't going to tell me?" She hissed.

"Let me explain-"

"Explain that you've been sitting on a job offer for me for 2 days? What? Did you just not have time?" She pretended to pout. "So hard to find time when we've been on a God-damn bus together!"

"I wanted to-"

"Make sure I never got it?" She refused to let him finish a sentence, heat flooding her chest and eyes seeing red. "Don't worry, I'll be out of here when we planned. Not a moment longer." She tried to shove past him, but his hand took hold of her wrist.

"I was trying to figure out a way to tell you so you wouldn't freak out and immediately say no!" He rushed out, clearly not wanting to be interrupted again.