Never Is A Long Time

Chapter 7

NOT IN FRONT OF MY EYES

Another day, another show. Stage to stage and the tour is still going on. Irontom start to gain a big fanbase among Chili Peppers' fans. They're mutual, and they enjoy it. And this day as they can see, people already know them, they're calling out for them. Nothing makes them happier than this, period. But something indeed steals Deenah's attention. What she's thinking about on her way here, is all about Josh. His smile and gentleness. The way Josh staring at her on stage, there's something deep about it. And it feels weird, but genuine. She can feel a tickle inside her stomach that she doesn't even notice that it's the time for Zach and his band to get on stage. And unlike what she usually did, she doesn't scream or jumping around when they start to sing, which is really weird. She just blank stares to nowhere.

While Josh just came out from the left side of stage, he see her on the right side and about to take another turn behind the stage to get to her. But then he notices that she's kinda lost on her thoughts. "It's unusual to see her not screaming when Irontom on stage." He mumbled to himself. But right after he turned his eyes to Zach, he can see how Zach is staring at her, at a spesific line of their song.

"Shoot me if you wanna, I ain't gonna stop ya."

He doesn't even look away from her, he locked his eyes although she doesn't notices that. Josh is not the only one who see Zach's unusual act, the whole member of their band absolutely notice it. Each of them turn their eyes on Dee just to find her doing nothing. No smile, no scream. She's lost. From his side, Josh can see Dan and Dyl like talking but he can't hear anything from his spot. Her unnatural behavior triggers Josh to text her.

What are you doing? Stare at nothing? That's creepy.

He sends it and it only tooks seconds for him to know she received his text. Her face changes from flat to shocked in a second.

The fuck? You're looking here all the time? That's embarrassing.

He read it and then laugh at it. He quickly return the text to her.

I found that amusing. But they looked worry because you were pretty calm today.

He sends it and then point out to Irontom. She quickly turns her eyes to them and find that all of them looking at her. It embarrassed her a lot that she stands up, just to leaves the side stage and gone from his sight.

Damn it. They see that all the time?

He received another text and laugh.

Haha, yeah. And now after you leave, they become more confused than before.

He explains and then hit that send button again. After that, he leaves his spot to his dressing room and giggles all the time to think about her ridiculous expression. But on his way there, something once again crossed his mind. Especially after he see the way Zach looked at her. There's something odd, but he's not sure. And it drives him crazy just to think about it.

On her way to the backstage, she didn't expect that Zach will actually go down the stage that fast. "God! You scared me." She almost jumps up from her spot. "I'm just wondering.." he looks at her, confused. "Why you acted so weird today? I mean, you looked lost or something. Is there any problem?" He, then leads her to sit. "Ah, no, not a single problem. It's just, I'm tired." Besides that fact she actually tired, it's impossible for her to tell that she was thinking about Josh. "Uh, yeah, you looked pale." He touches her forehead and then gives her a drink. "You like milk, don't you?"
"Uh huh. Ths is good." She drinks it within some seconds. Zach looks down and talk to her, "So, you didn't pay attention on the show?"
"Yup."
"Didn't noticed anything?"
"Absolutely. Why you asked that?"
"No, umm, nothing." He looks away. He can tell he's quite glad she didn't see what he did there. He was scared that his act on that specific lyric will affects her.

But his answer gives her no satisfaction, "Come on, I can smell that there's something behind your question. Did you mocked me on stage?" She smirks. "No, of course not." He giggles, "Well....maybe."
"Oh, don't you dare." She points out to his nose and then pinch it. They both laugh at it until she feels a sleepy vibe on her. "You wanna sleep?" Zach see her sleepy eyes then offer his shoulder to her. "Yeah, but please wake me up when you need to go. I might hit my head." She says, sarcastically.

It's a hard chair and a windy hallway but she falls asleep quite fast. And the moment she put her head on his shoulder reminds him about their old times. The time when they're just a cumsy teenager on junior high school. She fell asleep on his shoulder at class that day because she did Zach's homework the night before. He forgot the homework and she's the one who got panic on it. So the morning she slept at class, he tried so hard to cover her  and also woke her up whenever their teacher turned her eyes on them. All was good until she lost her balance and hit her forehead on the table.

Zach is also about to sleep too when Josh suddenly shows up after the show. "Oh, hi Zach. Umm, I guess I come in the wrong time." Josh scratches his head and then about to go back. But something crossed his mind and he can't handle that. "I'm sorry, but... Umm.... Do you guys are... I mean, are you guys dating?" He strikes with one sharp question and it makes Zach loses his words. "Ah that...." There's a moment where he wants to say yes but he just can't because he knows they're not. "Absolutely not." He laughs nervously, "She's like my best friend so.... As you see, we got each other's back."
"Oh, well, if you say so...."
"Why you're asking?"
"Ah, nothing. Just curious. You know. Because both of you are really close. To be honest." He smiles, "Well, guess I have to meet Flea now. See you later Zach." He turns his back and walk away.

"He looked too happy for curiosity." Zach says to himself, a little bit worries. "Did I say a wrong thing?"