Page 13 of Dark Room Junkie

“I thought I already was,” I answered, confused.

“Yeah! Welcome to Nightrain! And just to let you know upfront, we’ve got big plans!” Marco grabbed beers from the fridge and distributed them around. I declined gratefully.

“This is our second album,” Ramon continued. “Next year, we’ve got a three-month tour planned. We’re kicking off on February 18th with a gig in Zurich, then we’re touring all over Europe. The dates are already set. You need to get into the studio as soon as possible and re-record the vocal track, so we don’t have to cancel the planned release party. Everything’s already scheduled. Manuel dropping out caught us completely off guard. So I need to know from you now: How serious are you about this?”

“I make a living from music,” I replied. “What more proof do you need?”

“Good, we rehearse on Tuesday and Thursday. Sometimes Fridays too.”

“I can’t do Fridays. I’m playing with the Lighteners at Hyde. That’s how I make my money. I’m the bassist.”

“That’s right,” Chris said. “The warm-up party is on a Thursday. That’s already set. It’s a kind of dress rehearsal before the album release. That’s on a Saturday. So it all fits.”

“I have one more question,” I said hesitantly. “Um, what’s this going to cost me? I mean ... a tour means expenses. How much? I can only come if the job pays better than my Friday gigs at Hyde.”

“I understand,” Lukas said, raising his glass with a wink. “Luckily, we’re signed to a label. They’ve organized the whole tour. No costs fall on you. It’s all covered. And you’ll get a fee on top. I’ll call Robert first thing Monday and tell him to redraw the contract. He’ll be so happy to hear we’ve got an even better singer now.”

Three months. And even with a label.

Fuck ...

Am I ready for this?

I really need to talk to Tom.

5

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Alex

On Saturday, I paced through the apartment like a caged animal. It had been a while since I spent time at home, as I was usually occupied with Livio. I kept checking my phone, although I didn’t know why. Maybe I hoped Livio would call for a small party. That would have saved my day because I felt like I was just hanging in the air.

Grocery shopping, which most normal people do on this day, wasn’t necessary for me since the housekeeper Luzia took care of it during the week. And the apartment was already cleaned and spotless. When I accidentally spilled juice and wiped it up, it had a calming effect on me. It was good to know what to do in such situations. At least I could do something productive and serve a purpose.

I was even glad that Noé was already gone because if he had seen me in this state, completely out of sorts, it wouldn’t have left a good impression at all.

Wait, what?

Yet, of course, I was always careful to make a good impression and deliver high-quality work, which helped me land the big contracts. Even though the shoots for the architecture firms were not as significant compared to the prestigious brands and renowned magazines, I had them secured as long as construction was ongoing.

Yes, I was reliable, but it came with a pressure that I could only shed at Livio’s on weekends. And yesterday, Noé had stood in for that, so I should be indifferent to what he thought of me.

I let out a frustrated sigh and sat down on the couch.

Then why am I not indifferent?

It was a question my therapist often asked me.

It’s just fucking irrelevant.

But unfortunately, it wasn’t irrelevant to me. And I also knew why.

I liked Noé.

How pathetic. It was just a one-time fuck. Nothing more.

I didn’t even have his number. As long as I stayed away from Hyde on Fridays, we would never see each other again.

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