100: Aubrey

            Attached to the Mercado Benito Juarez in Matamoros, Mexico was a large outdoor arena where Rafe and the guys were to perform. It wasn't secure, and only had three sides, and a large field of dirt for people to stand in. A stage was being set up, but it didn't look very well planned. Rafe had been on TV and at Radio stations all day promoting this activity, and we'd all gone around handing out flyers all over town. Not sure why this venue slipped through the advance agent's fingers, but he had dropped the ball as far as venue and promotion, and we couldn't cancel yet another concert.

            There had been no time for sightseeing today at all, but now at almost eight in the evening, I was very happy with the enthusiastic turn out of paying concert goers. I noted that many of the people were wearing T-shirts from the other locations, so we had some band followers. I wore my t-shirt as well and fit in.

            The stage was not real stable, but the crew had rigged the screens up and made it professional looking. Gunn and Conger had already played and King Ruff was heading out. I noticed Aiden close by me and hurried over to him, having not seen him since that day at the waterfall.

            "Aiden?" I went right up to him, even though he looked all professional, scanning the area and stuff.

            "Hello, Miss Mann." He was surprised that I'd talk to him I think.

            "I was wondering how you like the tour."

            "It's fine." He smiled, still scanning. "I've done Mexico a couple of times already. This has been pretty tame."

            "Yeah, having to talk to a band member, what could be more tame?" My eyebrows rose.

            "Have you had any more trouble, Aubrey?" His tone was pointed, businesslike.

            "No. I haven't. How did it go when you talked to him? What did you say?"

            Now there was a slight quirky smile. "I told him to keep his hands and attention to himself."

            "That's it?"

            "His type, it doesn't take much."

            "Did you see Rafe talk to him too?"

            "I heard that he threatened to fire him."

            "Oh. That's big." I'd known that was his intention, but I wasn't sure he would really do it.

            "No, there are plenty of drummers here. If he bothers you again, you just let me know and his one chance will be up."

            I nodded, as he turned and walked off, letting Jake attend me personally as was his wont. I started to walk to the front of the stage area, in preparation for watching the show, but I saw my phone light up.

            Thinking it might be Rafe, I rushed to the back of the crowd away from the loudest portion of the music, and was surprised to hear Brianna's voice.

            I had to hurry even farther away to hear her. "Bree?"

            "Aubrey what are you doing? I can't believe this! You scandalous hussy! You're touring with Axis? You're not even industry!"

            "Hello to you too, sis."

            "I was checking Lynnea's Facebook page and what do you suppose I saw?"

            "Cute boyfriends?" Why would her twelve year old daughter have a Facebook page?

            "You! You on a mountain top with Rafe, and a waterfall, and are you kidding, I know it's you, don't try and deny it. I looked up more stuff and there's YouTube videos of you two on stage doing the nasty. I saw it Aubrey, from about five different vantage points. Mom will be fit to be tied."

            "Mom knows I'm here, Bree, and guess what? I didn't post those videos, but I'm down here having the time of my life. I'm engaged too, and I'm the happiest I've ever been in my whole life!"

            "Engaged?" She shrieked and then a number of cosmic threats to one or more of her seven under twelve kids.

            I laughed, glad for her call, even though it seemed like she was ribbing me some, I expected it, was happy for it. I wanted to tell the whole family that I was engaged, even with the weird talks we had to have to get to the point of marriage, I thought I knew, hoped I knew --- it was going to happen.

            "Is he hot?" Bree wanted to know-- and like the girl I had never let myself be I covered my other ear with my hand and spoke quickly into the phone.

            "He is so hot. He's like Kell ten years ago."

            "No, I think he's hotter than Kell, don't tell him I said so. Honestly, I think they're the same age. How can you be marrying a guy that's Kell's age?"

            "Whatever, who are you to talk? You're married to a guy that's Kell's age."

            "I know. Older guys are hot. I'm glad you're breaking out of that shell you've been in sis. I am so glad. I hope it all works out. I'm calling everyone."

            I didn't wait to hear what else she might have said because right then the strains of my song came on and I turned to run back to the front, if that were possible.

            Rafe was on stage, he'd introduced the song as a new one, written so recently it barely had time to be on the radio. He was wearing a light blue and white plaid-ish button down, open over a white t-shirt and his eyes were searching the crowd. Lights were on him, and I knew he couldn't see very much. He held the microphone with both hands and sort of closed his eyes, doing that sexy sway and move thing I couldn't describe any other way.

            I couldn't push through the group, and I looked behind me and realized I had lost my bodyguard by slipping through the crowds. But it was our song! I wanted to be where I could see him.

            Somebody stepped back and stepped on my ankle. I went down on a knee and winced, but hopped up and pushed against them. This made a few people mad, and since I was the lone white blonde in the crowd I wasn't getting super friendly stares from the ladies, and way too much interest from the guys. I felt bad, knowing I could damage anyone who wanted to grab me, and not wanting to hurt them.

            Rafe's voice was so tender. His eyes were semi-closed, as he concentrated on the words, and the emotions behind this particular music. So poignant, so meaningful to us both. I couldn't believe I was here to see the first time he performed it.

            And that was why, as I listened to the words I realized that something was very wrong. He wasn't even singing the real words at all. His body was tense with concentration, and his eyes were closed, his face had this incredible look of almost pain as he sang, both hands cupping the microphone.

            I tried to get up, past the pain in my ankle, and past the big dumb guys standing in front of me smoking weed.

            "It's really that feeling, that feeling we talked about, baby, the one that got us both on fire with concern, you remember, right? Aubrey, you remember right? That feeling that got me so worked up, worked up for you, Aubrey, worked up for you. I just want you to get back, back, back, on the bus, and stay where I know you are safe, love, safe, love, baby please. It's that same feeling, that feeling, baby, please."

            Instead of the correct hip hop, alternative rap version, he was singing to me, and warning me that something wasn't right. My heart literally felt frozen in my chest. Somebody pushed against me and I listened more, hoping to get more clues, but he had gone back to the real words:

            "Right about now, would you love me, the way I am, with nothing held back, give me what I need, Aubrey, find the bus, girl, is you gonna love me forever?"

            "Now tell me, is you gonna ride that bus, tell me, is you gonna be on that bus? Can you tell me right now? I don't wanna feel this pain, I don't wanna be in this pain, tell me right now."

            I turned around and looked for a way out. The crowd had closed in behind me. My way was completely blocked and they seemed to all be completely stoned. I looked up into the eyes of the guy closest to me, but didn't see anyone even closely resembling Jake. Second best would have been one of the other security guys, but in their absence, even Juan from our first gig. But was I in luck? No.

            I pushed against the big narrow eyed stoner and he grabbed me, laughing, maybe thinking I was wanting him, or something. He held me loosely, like a stoner, and still laughing tried to force his hand into my shirt. I didn't even have to think, I reacted with moves that disabled his whole arm, and then didn't wait to see him go down. I pushed him out of my way and ran about three steps.

            It was then that somebody else, maybe two somebody's, immobilized my arms. I felt a hand go over my mouth, a gross sweaty hand smelling like dirt and weed, and smoke and sugar. I felt instantly sick, and wanted to bite, and hesitated--- I used my legs, which are strong, and kicked, trying to free myself. I would have succeeded if it had just been one person, but it wasn't. I was pretty sure it was two.

            Why wasn't anybody helping me? The hand over my mouth tightened, and there were words in my ears, but I couldn't hear. I tried to see the stage, I tried to slip, to wiggle, to go limp, to arch, to fight. But these two guys were moving, moving out of the crowd, out of the front, moving against the grain, and the more I wiggled, the less patience they had for me.

            The song ended abruptly. Too abruptly, I knew it wasn't even over. I kept fighting, kept squirming. I had the strength, I had the moves. I could get loose if I could just get my arm free, or get this guy to turn a different direction. I used every ounce of my training, and like I said, I would have gotten free, really would have been free if not for the other set of hands, or was it three? I couldn't see. My hair was yanked, and a fist slammed into my cheekbone, causing extreme pain, more pain than I had ever felt in my face. I jerked, kicked, and felt the sticky cloy and coppery smell of blood in my eyes.

            How had I slipped Jake? How had I slipped them all? Where were my guys?

            I knew I was praying. I knew I was in trouble. This couldn't be happening. I am calm in calamity, I am always calm, and I still was. My brain does not freak out for sudden extreme intense circumstances. I was trained. I was trained...

            And for the first time in my life, I felt the weight of my actual stature. I was little. I might be strong, and hard to pin in a fair taekwondo fight with someone who also fought like me, but this was just three big strong guys carrying one slippery little girl.

            The crowd around me was yelling, slapping, screaming for Rafe. I registered their frenzy somewhere in my mind, but the guitars were still playing, and the words made no sense. I felt more blood in my eyes, and couldn't see. I felt dizzy, and sick, and angry, so angry....

            But never once did I feel panic. Never once did I stop analyzing the situation for possible weaknesses. I was a fighter. I am a fighter. I am-- I felt the fist again, this time on the other side of my face. I knew I couldn't handle another punch in the face. I tried to twist, tried to turn, and suddenly I was dropped. I was kicked, I tried to stand, to run, to grab somebody else, anybody, but my voice was gone, my eyes were blind, and everything was going black.

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