"Quinn, you're late!" yelled my employer, Stanley - who was a tall, meaty man, like the majority of my colleagues.
"I was stuck in the rush hour traffic..." I grumbled as I shrugged off my yellow hoodie and hung it on my hook.
I tugged my thick black "SECURITY" jacket on and looked back at Stanley expectantly, waiting for my instructions.
"Go on the back door for now, but I expect that you'll be required inside once the band, Fall Out Boy, gets onstage - it's one of those bands with a load of fans that will stop at nothing to invade the stage and grope the band. I've got a feeling it's going to be mayhem tonight."
I chuckled and zipped up my coat.
"Come and get me if I'm needed."
I walked back outside and around the venue until I reached the side door that led to the backstage area. I stood in the doorway and folded my arms, leaning slightly against the wall.
-
A lot of friends had ridiculed me when they heard that I'd got a security job at one of the big venues of the city that we lived in. They'd asked me how a weedy guy like me had managed to get a job where all my colleagues could have passed as wrestlers.
But I did my job as well as any of them. Within the first week of my employment, I'd been moved from checking tickets to removing crowd surfers that had made their way to the barrier. Everybody had been surprised at how well I managed, since I didn't exactly look intimidating with my blonde longish hair and innocent smile.
-
"Excuse me, can I get backstage?" asked a voice, and I span around to face the owner of the voice.
A man with dark brown hair stood in front of me, his brown eyes fixed on me and a friendly grin across his face.
"If your name's on the list, or you have a pass, then fine." I stated. "Otherwise, you're not getting in."
"Haha, you're even cuter when you speak to me in that tone!" he laughed, reaching forwards and pinching my cheeks.
"Speak like what?" I asked curiously, staring at the grinning man stood in front of me.
"If your name's not on the list, then you're not coming in!" he said, adopting a similar tone to the way I had just spoken to him. He paused, his eyes scanning over me before adopting his previous tone again. "I've lost my pass."
"I've heard that excuse from many a fan wishing to go backstage! You've not been the first to ask, and you certainly won't be the last!" I sighed. "Now are you going to join the queue at the front of the building, or will I have to remove you from the premises?"
"My name's on the list!" he yelled frantically. "I'm called Jeph Wentz!"
"Please, don't change your story. What's your real name?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
He emitted a sigh. "Dan Whitesides. I won't be on the list, I just thought I'd try and be cheeky, and worm my way backstage."
"You've not been the first person to have tried that!" I laughed. "Now why don't you go and queue up? You'll end up pretty near the front if you go and wait now."
Dan nodded.
"Okay. Thanks cutie!" he retorted, the last two words in a girly voice, and ran off.
"Enjoy the show..." I murmured, but he was long gone as soon as the words had left my lips.
I wondered what to think of that meeting...Dan had certainly proved himself to be an interesting character. He'd definitely been somebody with a sense of humour, and I half-wished that we could have spoken for longer.
I shook my head, plunging my hands into my pockets and wondering why Dan was still playing on my mind. He was only another hapless fan who'd wanted to get backstage...so why was I still thinking about him?
♥
As soon as I heard the screams, and then a thumping beat, I knew that the gig had started, and barely five minutes had passed before a harassed-looking Stanley appeared at the backstage door.
"It's complete chaos in there!" he panted. "We're going to have to lock this door and leave it unmanned...we need you in there. We need all the help we can get, it's complete madness."
I nodded, and dashed inside after Stanley, joining the rest of my beefy workmates at the barrier. I was instructed to stand at the very end, making sure that the crowd surfers were rejoining the crowd again.
Dan suddenly emerged from the mass of security behind the barrier, gave me a wink, and dived back into the crowd again, only to crowd-surf his way down to the barrier again. I grabbed him roughly and pinned him against the wall as he reached me, so that I could give him a warning.
"If you come over the barrier again, I'm going to eject you!" I bellowed over the loud music. He nodded, gave me the thumbs up, and ploughed his way back into the crowd.
Within 5 minutes, he was back again. I took a firm grip of his arm, then wrestled him out of the main area of the concert room and into the entrance & exit section of the venue. It was completely deserted.
"You were warned!" I began, but suddenly, Dan pinned me to the wall and pressed his lips to mine. I kissed back briefly, but then came to my senses and pulled away, staring at him with wide eyes. "What the hell was that supposed to be?"
"I'm sure you know perfectly well what a kiss is!" Dan smirked.
"I am a completely straight guy, I..."
"You liked it!" Dan yelled, pointing a finger at me animatedly. "Quinny liked it!"
He proceeded to bounce up and down, still pointing at me excitedly, whilst I stared curiously at him.
"How do you know my name?" I asked finally.
"You see, I'm actually a really creepy stalker who knows about the stack of gay porn videos under your bed."
"I do not have items like that underneath my bed!" I hissed angrily.
Dan burst into fits of laughter, unable to keep a straight face.
"I only said it as a joke!" he grinned, his eyes shining with laughter. "I know your name because it's on your jacket! But Quinn's a nice name...I like it. Quinny Quinny Quinn."
"My name's Quinn!" I grumbled, and then slipped back into work mode. "Now are you going to leave quietly, or am I going to have to kick you out?"
"Aww Quinny boy, don't be such a spoilsport!" Dan whined. "I thought we were having fun!"
"Your definition of fun is obviously very different to mine." I stated. "Now if you don't mind, I've got a job to do."
"Fine, I'm leaving..." Dan murmured. "Catch you later, Quinn!"
♥
The car park was almost deserted by the time that I'd finished my shift. It was freezing cold, so I tugged up the hood of my yellow hoodie and gripped the edges of my sleeves.
As I approached my car, I noticed somebody leaning against it. When I got closer, I realised exactly who it was, and groaned to myself.
"You don't give up, do you Dan?" I complained. "What do you want?"
"I figured that this car would be yours because it's pink." Dan said finally. "And I can't get a lift home, so I reckoned I'd ask my new friend Quinn if he could give me a lift home."
"My car is red!" I said, fuming. "It's just faded a little because of the bright sun we've been having. And anyway, I don't know where you got the impression that we are friends."
Dan pinned his lips to mine once more, pushing me against the car door. At first, I resisted, but then I crumbled, and kissed back.
"I'm not gay!" I yelled finally, pushing him away.
"You're in denial!" Dan sang as I unlocked my car.
I got onto the driver's seat, and Dan got in the other side, taking a seat and resting his feet on the dashboard.
"Who said you could come in?" I asked with a laugh.
"You could use some company," Dan explained, as if it was clear as day, "And I could use a lift home."
"Whereabouts do you live?" I sighed, turning the key in the ignition.
"On the outskirts of the city."
"Well I don't live there..." I murmured. "I live quite close to the city centre. I'm not going to go out of my way to take you home, but I doubt there will be any trains running at this time..." I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. "I can't just leave you here...so I guess you'll have to sleep on my sofa."
"Aww Quinn, it's going to be like an amazing sleepover!"
I pulled out of the car park and began to head home. It was about a ten minute drive from the venue to my house.
"So seriously..." Dan murmured. "Why are you letting me stop at your house...I mean, I don't mind getting a taxi home. I can tell that you don't really like me, so why?"
"Have you any idea how much taxis cost this late at night?" I asked with a slight laugh. "And I'm guessing your place probably isn't the quickest place to get to from here, is it?" I paused for a moment. "I don't hate you. To be perfectly honest, I think I might..."
"Might what?" Dan asked, after my voice had trailed away.
I inhaled deeply.
"I might be developing feelings for you. There...I said it! Happy?"
"I knew that it was a lie when you told me you were straight!" Dan responded.
"Sort of." I stated, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel again. "I'm bi, but I've never got closer than friends with a guy before."
"I like you." Dan admitted. "I'd like to be more than friends with you...if I'm being perfectly honest. I'm glad I met you today, even though it was through me being cheeky and trying to get backstage!"
I laughed, and pulled up outside my house.
"Well...here we are. This is my house."
We both got out of my car, and Dan followed me to my front door.
"Nice place!" he nodded.
I smiled, and then unlocked the door. We walked inside, and in less than a second, I found myself pinned against the wall, Dan's lips against mine.
I wasn't sure of many things, but I was sure of this: I wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight.
