*vicious*, eddie roundtree

xiv.

. . .

INTERVIEWER: What was your experience being on tour with the band?

CHRISTINE: In a word? Messy.

. . .

Christine debated moving to the other bus the minute Billy walked on board. She was thrilled that she would at least have Graham to keep her company, but she knew he'd still spend a good deal of his time in the Daisy bus.

Billy ceased walking once he saw Chris sitting there by herself. She hadn't mentioned that she was staying on his bus, so it was a shock to him.

"Christine, hi," he said slowly, soundly slightly skeptical.

"Hey," she replied casually, not bothering to meet his eyes.

"Why aren't you with the others?" Billy asked. "Not that I mind," he quickly added. "I'm honored you chose my bus. It's nice to know someone is on my side."

Chris laughed, "Oh no, don't get me wrong; I think you're a fuckin asshole," she smiled sarcastically. "I just can't be around Eddie right now."

Billy gave her a blank stare before walking past her toward the back of the bus. "Alright then."

. . .

In her life, Chris had only played in front of about two hundred people max. Now here she was, standing in front of a stadium packed with ten thousand people all staring directly at her.

Chris was shitting bricks.

She was stunned speechless once she walked on stage and saw just how many people were really there. The number in her head could not have prepared her for the sea of people in front of her. Once she gathered her thoughts, she spoke into the mic.

"Well hello there, Albuquerque," Chris greeted, giving them a sly smile. The crowd erupted into applause, something she wasn't expecting being the opening act.

"My name is Christine Hyde, and I have the immense pleasure of opening for the best band in the world, my very best friends, Daisy Jones and The Six." The crowd was somehow louder than before, and Chris jumped right into the first song of her set.

Miraculously, Chris performed better than she ever had before. She'd expected to choke the minute she walked on stage, but she thrived from the pressure. The energy and passion of the crowd helped enormously.

Christine was buzzing by the time she finished her set, practically skipping off stage. She spotted Daisy and Karen standing just to the side of the stage and ran to wrap her arms around the both of them.

"Chris, you were unbelievable," Daisy said as she embraced the girl.