Fluorescents

5

"I know an ambush where we won't be found
And so we went to the place, honey
Listening to the all-night-singing-sweet-melodies-fairy trees"

The music plays through the speakers as I make my way to the door. Once I open the door I am introduced to him once again. There he stands with his dark figure imitating a shadow under the moonlight.

" Hello, sweetheart." He gives me a devilish grin and I stand frozen under his gaze. " I was told the assistants were here. " he says before pushing me to the side with his body as he allows himself inside. Asshole. His eyes land on Shay and I see a smirk pull at his lips. "Shay, baby. How you been?" He asks and I'm almost pushed out of the bus by the tension in the atmosphere.

" What are you doing in here Alex?" She asks before crossing her arms, she's obviously used to his games and isn't going to play any of them. I can tell they have history and I don't want to intrude or even stay but this is my bus as well and I have no where else to go.

" Just stopped by to find our assistants, but it looks like I've stumbled upon something better." He says with a wide smirk as he inches his way closer towards her. " Hows Christo been treating you?" He asks, never allowing the smirk to leave his lips. He sits down besides her on the couch before mindlessly laying his hand down on the upper part of her thigh. I gasp in my spot but neither of them take notice of me standing by the doorway. Shay quickly reacts and lifts herself from her spot on the couch. He reaches for her wrists and she shakes him off rudely. Who does this man think he is? His hands find her calves as she stands in front of him and he trails his hands up her legs as he speaks. "Has he been keeping you......satisfied?" He asks in a deep, husky and seductive tone as his hands trail her legs, by now only inches away from her ass.

My eyes go wide as she stretches her hand out and plants her hand on his cheek. He is taken aback by her actions and removes his aviators but soon after laughs it off and shakes his head back and forth before putting them back on. She steps to the side and points him towards the door, surprisingly he obliges to her silent demand and lifts himself from the couch. I watch intently as he kisses her cheek and she flinches under his lips. Once he's by the door he gazes at me before speaking.

"Let's go sweetheart." He says once he's off the bus. What? "Come on." He says waving for me to get off. I shake my head and he shakes his back and forth and I can already picture him rolling his eyes under his glasses when I ignore his request. " Come on now,I need a lift." He says and I shake my head once again. I keep my mouth shut to avoid any rude remarks from escaping my lips. I'm trying to stay composed and calm but he's purposely pushing me to the edge with every thing he says and does. "The assistants aren't here and we aren't paying you to stand around, sweetheart." I gasp before rolling my eyes. I'm not standing around. Yes I didn't do much today but my job is very complicated. I didn't study this for years for him to simply expect me to drive him around like some type of chauffeur. " You wouldn't like me to call your boss and make a complaint, would you?" He threatens with a devilish grin. I finally decide to give in and hop off the bus. Going against him will only make matters worse and I don't doubt that he'll call to file a complaint.

Before closing the door behind me I gaze inside to see Shay pacing back and forth too engulfed and fueled by her anger to notice that I'm leaving with the man she told me to specifically stay away from. Should I tell her I'm leaving? What if she worries? I doubt so. I shut the door and decide to leave her isolated with her own mind and thoughts.

"Hurry up." He rushes and I roll my eyes but oblige and quicken my pace towards him. "Where's your ride?" He asks and I question my options but soon after point towards my car. I can't back out now. I don't want to get fired on my first day as an actual stage manager. So for now I'll give in to his requests. Once we get to my car I pull my keys out from my blazer pocket and unlock it. We both step in and I start the ignition.

" Where are we going?" I ask and he takes several seconds to scratch the back of his head and I quickly become impatient. I want to call him out and ask him rudely if he was going to answer me like he did when we first met but I push the frustration to the side and relax. I can't let him get to me. This is what he wants. He's childish and purposely acts rude because he thinks he'll always get what he wants.

" Just go to a petrol station or something of that sort." He says and I quickly drive out of the parking lot in order to get this over with as fast as possible. "Slow down, won't ya." He remarks and I roll my eyes but slowly lift my foot from the acceleration.

" Why do you need to go to a gas station anyway?" I ask as I make a turn and look around a small plaza that is full of tiny intertwined shops.

" I've been feeling grotty from last nights piss up." He says and I nod my head, completely oblivious about what he just said. I don't understand his slang but I'm just going to assume he's hungover. He gazes at me and I roll my eyes when I see him from the corner of my eye. Of course he's an alcoholic. He's probably a coke addict as well. Just your typical celebrity maniac. " It don't matter to you anyway." He huffs and I roll my eyes.

" Well if you're going to drag me out of my bus I'd at least like to know why." I state and he just nods as he gazes out the car window, obviously no longer paying attention to me. I finally find a gas station and pull up to it before parking. He steps out without a warning and as he shuts the door I question if I should drive off. I give the thought up and decide to wait. I'll simply just let him get whatever the hell he needs then I'll drive him back and that'll be it. I won't need to deal with him until we get to the venue. Hopefully by then he'll have his assistants to bother and taunt.

When he gets back he has a small plastic bag with him and as I begin to depart he rummages through the bag and pulls out an ice tea from inside of it and hands it to me. I stare at him dumbfoundly and he shoves it towards me.

" For your troubles." He says before laying the cold bottle on my lap. I want to be angry at him for letting it touch my skin when he knows I'm busy driving but I can't get over the fact that he took the effort to bring me something.

When we stop at a red light I take the bottle in my hands and gaze at it for a couple of seconds before pushing it to the side. He gazes at my disinterest towards the beverage and opens his mouth to say something but closes it shortly after. My curiosity grows from everything he does. He's been rude and cruel to me all day and he randomly provides me with something to drink without me even having to ask. What's his problem? Maybe he isn't that bad of a guy? It could be possible that he's simply stressed. Being famous can be deteriorating both physically and mentally. There has to be some side of him that isn't completely stuck up and cruel. I feel like I just got a taste of that side of him and my curiosity is already beginning to eat away at my mind. I want to know more. Shay warned me to stay away from him and I was sure that I would, but now I'm not even sure if I'll be able to.