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CHAPTER 47 For the second time that night, Chatha vaulted herself at Xavier. He bumped back into the wall, where he stayed for a prolonged kiss and an ample amount of groping. When the pink grrl pulled back, she was able to gasp out “Ah’m a performer nah!” before she actually inhaled. “Yeh, you are.” He grinned at her, playing with the wilting mess of spikes that were now her hair. “If this whole Sextet project ever falls through, me an’ you should start a band.” “Really?” She practically jumped on him again. “Uh huh. A bassist, a sax player, and two singer/songwriters if it’s just us in the band.” “Y’ sing?” She was beaming, bouncing on her feet. “Yeh. Not goth enough, so says Elvyn, which is why Elvyn’s the one always behind the mic.” “Kim doe’n’t like Elf-boy ahl tha’ much... Didja’ ‘ear ‘er on stage t’night? Was tha’ all ‘cause o’ Elf-boy? Sh’s ne’er ranted like tha’ afore...” “Well, it was more because of Elf-boy and Aqua-man than just Elf-boy. Or else she wouldn’t have mentioned sophisti-goths.” “Oh.” Chatha nodded. “Awright. Tha’ sounds good. Let’s drink to a good show! Where’s a drink?” She wandered away, taking Xavier’s hand so he was forced to follow. Kim smiled at the receding figures. She turned to congratulate Jessie on their first American performance. They hugged, kissed each other’s cheeks. Kim sighed deeply. “Maybe the States aren’t that bad. I mean, standing ovations, encores... They have manners, if nothing else.” “I find it delightful that they were out there chanting ‘Kim’ over and over when they really needed the whole band for an encore.” Jessie smiled. “Hey, is it my fault that they call for the front? I’d change it if I could. How’d you feel if there were people out there trying to be you?” “I think it’s probably easier being me than you.” Kim shrugged. “Eh. So I take a lot of up keeping. Don’t know why you haven’t told me to fuck myself yet.” She grinned. “After all, you’re not that kinky.” “Well, I didn’t know it was an option. Can I watch?” Kim shoved Jessie. “Calm, grrl. We’re in public.” “Nah, we’re backstage. And everyone else is already in the booze.” “True enough.” Someone who should have probably left with his keyboardist an hour or so ago crept up to them, nodding his greeting. Kim rolled her eyes at Jessie and turned to face Elvyn. “So... Uh, y’ did a good show tonight. All... Gothic and stuff.” “Oh, don’t even speak of my show. Kimberly... You amaze me. There are so many levels to your performances, even more than I had known there would be... Everything you do takes my breath away. If you would give me one more chance...” Kim closed her eyes, took a breath, then shook her head. “Look, don’t bloody well talk to me. I’ve just been sweating like a pig for two bloody hours on stage, I bloody well need some fresh air.” Then without a word to Elvyn or Jessie, she stalked away, grabbing a pair of sunglasses on the way, and wandered out of the dressing room and through the halls until she found a door outside. There was some American boy standing a little bit away from the door, smoking. Not very successfully, considering he seemed to choke after every other drag. Kim looked him over before approaching. He was about average height, had dark blonde hair, and the body of a worker. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans, and a dark green-based plaid shirt hanging open over a white undershirt. She decided he looked harmless enough, but pushed her sunglasses up her nose and hung her hair in front of her face before approaching. She gestured at the cigarette. “Now, I understand that people smoke those things through, oh say ... addiction.” She took another step toward him. “But trying unsuccessfully to start just seems silly to me.” He pushed away from the wall, actually dropping the cigarette in the process. He looked down at it, grimacing. “Well...” He kicked the still-burning cigarette away, where it landed in a pile of gravel. “See, I heard Kim Kissably likes smokers, so...” She took a breath, held it, then let it out slowly. “Uh... Kim Kissably likes smokers?” She tried her best to talk in an American accent. “Well, y’know. Eldritch. Fucking smoke stack.” She bit her lip, nodding. “Though I can’t see the appeal of a smoker... A smoker who wears leather? Well, that about says it all. Cigarette smoke is sickening, unless accompanied by the smell of leather. Then it’s intoxicating.” “Well, good thing you’re not Kim.” He sort of smiled. “I’ve got no leather.” “Yeh, but you lost th’ fag.” “Huh?” “Fag. Cigarette.” “Oh. You... Are you American?” “Oh... I...” She shrugged, caught somewhere in her own lie. “You pick up words. You know.” “Yeah, I guess.” He wasn’t sure whether or not she had answered his question. “So, you’ve got nice hair. Seen a few girls with that. Must be expensive, but I guess everyone’s got to follow a trend.” “It’s not professionally done. No expense aside from the dye, and maybe a few days of having odd coloured skin.” “Getting back to the orignal thought, huh?” “Excuse me?” “Oh, you know, doing it the way Kim has hers done.” Nodding slowly, Kim held back a smile. “Yeah, I suppose.” The boy sighed and leaned into the wall again. “I wonder when the rest of the crowd will come... I mean, not everyone could get a backstage pass.” “I hear Kim rarely gives out backstage passes.” She struggled with the smile some more. “Yeah, so I left before the final encore so I could get out here and maybe somehow sneak my way in. It’s crazy, but man... I just want to be able to say I fucked Kim Kissably, you know?” “Is that so?” It was now a giggle she was trying to hold back. “Yeah. She’s so hot, it hurts. I’ve seen all these wannabes around, with the blue streaks, but they’re nothing.” He coughed, suddenly realizing he’d commented on her hair earlier. “Oh, but I don’t mean... I mean, some people can... Well... I’m sorry, I’m just excited. I never thought she’d come to the States. I’m actually from Denver, I spent almost a month’s worth of wages just to get down here on such short notice, and god the hotels here are insane... So I’m kind of a bit tired. Excuse me.” “You think I’m a wannabe?” It was hard for her to say that without laughing again. “No offense. I mean, I didn’t say that. Not about you. It seems right on you, the hair. All messy and everything, even, like she’d have it after a show. Spend much time in the mosh pit?” “Sure.” He sighed, deciding to find a new topic, since he’d already offended his companion. “You have to wonder... A girl so forceful on stage, like her, what’s she going to be like in bed? She’s she vicious, out there. Wild. Perfect, I guess, in a dangerous way. She’s got to be worth dying for.” “She’s the kind who wouldn’t mind if you died for her.” “I know she said in the show that she was waiting for her last man... But I’ll hate myself if I don’t give it a shot, y’know?” He looked over at her again, noticing the backstage pass that she had with her; the only reason she had it with her is because she didn’t trust the Americans to recognize her, as this American boy was already proving. He motioned at the pass. “I notice you have a backstage pass. You goin’ in to see her? Or were you already there? If you were, would you mind letting me borrow it for a bit?” Kim rolled her eyes. “Do you want to know why I have a backstage pass?” “Well, I know Kim’s into girls sometimes, and it’s pretty clear that she’s not against someone out to fuck their idol. But that’s just my guess, ‘cause I can’t really know if you’re gay or straight or what.” “Bi, apparently. It keeps things interesting.” “Huh. No doubt.” “But I hope you know that Eldritch wasn’t Kim’s one true idol.” “He ... wasn’t?” “No. Siouxsie Sioux has always been, and Kim wouldn’t want to fuck Siouxsie; just bask in the glory of her perfection.” “So... You’re not here with a backstage pass to fuck Kim.” This time, she did laugh. “No. Most definitely not.” “Oh... Well, I guess I do have to ask why you have a backstage pass. Because, no offense, you don’t seem like the kind of girl--” “Grrl.” “Kind of grrl, right, who’d spend her time basking in anyone’s glory.” Kim smiled. “Th’ reason why I have this BS pass,” she said, slipping back into her natural accent, “is because at one of my shows, a guard wouldn’t let me backstage unless I sucked him off. He unzipped, I reached in, grabbed, twisted.” She took off the sunglasses. “That’s just so messy. It’s easier this way.” The American boy was bright red and gasping in air. He tried to stammer over her name, but barely even got the first K out. “Nice thought, luv. What’s your name, then?” He took a deep breath before even attempting. “My... I’m... Dave.” “Well, My Ime Dave, get your arse through the door before the crowd you were speaking of arrives.” *** The first night in Los Angeles had been a sold out performance. As a result, a second show had been lined up the night after. This messed with their plans to be in San Francisco in time to settle before the next show, but Kim didn’t mind. She had spent the entire day discovering Hollywood again with Dave by her side. He being from Denver and she being from London, they got lost quite a few times. Kim, of course, blamed it on Dave while he blamed it on her. Thye shoved each other, fought and bickered, but Kim still offered him free tickets and a backstage pass to that night’s show. He accepted. When Jessie found out that Kim had been out and about with an American fan all day, she fell silent. Her performance that night was very clinical, hitting all the right notes at all the right times, but it was lacking the soul she always brought to her music. When Dave appeared backstage, eager to mingle with the band again, Jessie went back to the hotel. Kim considered chasing after her, but decided against it. If Jessie wanted to talk, she would talk, not leave. Well aware that this was Kim’s last night in L.A., Dave begged her to stay. Not about to be told what to do by anything male, she asked him to come with her. “I can pay your way. If there’s no seats left in first class, you can be my carry-on baggage. I’m sure I can fit you into the overhead compartment with enough work.” He grinned. “I’ll go. But if first class is full, I vote that the whiny elf goth gets to be overhead.” “Huh, I like that idea.” “Great. So we’re going to Frisco.” |
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Talk to LL,
the author. |