Team Colours’: Not Your Typical Fan Tale (Part Four)

Tues 18^th Oct:

 

Beep…beep…

“Ugh…” I reached out of my sheets and shut off my alarm.  Rubbing sleep from my eyes I wandered into my bathroom and leaning over the sink I turned the tap on and splashed water on my face to wake myself up.  When I walked back into my room I checked the clock:  6:30 AM.  I had an hour before I had to pick Cassie up.   Sarah, Carly and Megan were finding their own way to the Swamp.  As I got ready I hit play on my CD player and smiled slightly at the song that started to play.

 

This is who I am

And this is what I like

GC, Sum and Blink and MxPx

Are rocking my room…

 

As the song played in the background, I pulled on my black ¾ length pants and my black Chinese Zodiac T-shirt (I’m the Year of the Ox).  I quickly slipped my feet in my sneakers and as I was still tying the laces I grabbed my bag, which I had organized last night, and I dashed upstairs to have my coffee and toast.

 

Two Hours Later

The Entertainment Centre

 

[Pierre’s P.O.V.]

 

“What do you think the girls who’ll be hanging with us will be like?” David was badgering Chuck as we sat in one of the backstage dressing rooms at the venue we were playing.

“Probably just like any other fans,” I muttered bitterly.  All groupie chicks were the same, and for some odd reason, they always seemed attracted to David or me.  David I could understand; if I were a chick I would seriously dig him.  But me?  I didn’t consider myself that attractive.  Still, the girls were always screaming at the shows, ‘Pierre, we love you!’  The other thing is that most of the fans are underage…ten years younger often enough.  So, needless to say, I wasn’t enthusiastic about meeting the fans that would be spending time with us the whole time we were here.  Granted I would end up enjoying myself because I always managed to; but you get what I mean. 

“Come on, Pierre…they should have arrived by now…let’s go find them.”  Chuck grabbed my arm and tugged me to my feet.  I grumbled inaudibly at his back as he almost skipped from the room.  Why the hell does he have to be so cheerful all the time?

I followed after my best friend and we made our way to the entrance foyer.

“Well, where are they, Comeau?” I arched an eyebrow at him.  Before he could reply though a bespectacled Asian girl who looked to be around twenty waved to us.  She was speaking into a cell phone as she approached us and we couldn’t help to overhear her conversation. 

“What?  Are you serious…I get to hang with the team after the game?  Ben, you are the greatest!  What…Josh has a crush on me…do you really think you should be telling me that…haha…you’re not joking…God…” The girl went a nice shade of pink and held her hand up to us to hold on for a moment.  “I have to go…the guys from the band just appeared…yeah, Simple Plan…yes…my favourite band…no, don’t worry…I really ‘want’ Josh…haha…yes, see you at the game.” 

She switched her phone off and finally turned her attention to us.

“Sorry about that, I’m Marly.” She held a hand out to us.  Chuck grasped it and smiled.

“Chuck…and this is Pierre.”

Marly nodded slightly.  “The others are outside.  It’s warmer out there.”

I couldn’t resist asking what she was doing here…because I was still in a bad mood.

“Uh…are you one of the fans who are hanging with us?” 

She glanced curiously at me, obviously sensing my mood.

“Yes, I am…but I’m also one of your guides while you’re here in Townsville.”

Chuck nodded then said to me, “I’ll go get the others…go with her.”

I sighed and rolled my eyes.  Why do I have to be the one to…ah…f*** it.  I glanced at Marly and pasted on a fake smile.  She didn’t seem to notice; not that I cared.

“Lead the way,” I muttered unenthusiastically.   She blinked behind her glasses then turned to walk ahead of me.  As I walked behind her I couldn’t help but think there was something different about her.  And then I realized what it was.  She didn’t throw herself at me…or look like she was going to faint…or go all hyper…She appeared calm and as if she had all her wits about her.  Not like other fans at all.  Still it could be a delayed reaction…don’t get your hopes up, Bouvier…she’ll probably turn out like any other fan at the concerts.  I’d never known any fan that wouldn’t get star-struck over at least one of us…and that isn’t bigheadedness on my part; it’s just a fact. 

Marly glanced back at me and fell back in step with me.

“So, how are you liking Townsville so far?”

“We just got here this morning, on a really early flight…so, haven’t really seen much of it,” I replied with a shrug.  Her eyes narrowed in thought behind her glasses.

“You don’t really want to be here, do you?”

Very observant of you… “It’s not one of the big cities…”

Marly laughed.  “There’s this big unofficial battle going on between Cairns and here…because we both want to be the capital of North Queensland…oh and we North Queenslanders want to be a separate state as well…but that’ll never happen.  Still, just because this isn’t a big place…I like it like that.”

I snorted in derision.  “I guess you’ve never lived in a big city then.”

She glared at me and stopped walking.

“I live in Melbourne for eight years, Pierre.  Don’t assume anything, okay?  We Townsvillians are extremely proud of our city.” 

I’d offended her and that made me feel like crap.  I started mentally kicking myself.  Just because you don’t want to be doing this doesn’t mean you should take it out on other people, Bouvier…

“Sorry, I didn’t mean that.”

Marly chuckled and brushed my apology aside.  “No, you meant it…but don’t worry…I get that all the time.”

She looked over to a set of table and chairs where four people were sitting and talking.  She went over as I followed close behind.  I hung back slightly, as she spoke to them, and I studied each one thoughtfully.  The eldest one there was in a wheelchair and appeared to be in her early 30’s.  She had boyish sandy brown hair and sparkling blue eyes.  Then there was a girl with strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes.  The girl Marly was talking to had long mouse brown hair and the other one who was sitting by herself had shorter brown hair.  Those three looked to be about the same age as Marly.  They were all dressed similarly as well, obviously to stave off the heat.  T-shirts and shorts, or in Marly’s case, ¾ length pants. 

Just at that moment as Marly turned to motion to me, Chuck arrived with the others.  I knew then that chaos would ensue.

 

[End Pierre’s P.O.V.]