Chapter 5

FIVE

“So is this trip sponsored by Jon Bon Jovi or what is this? We should change our name to the Bon Jovi Ballet as well…” Georgia mumbled bitterly as she sat down next to Yasmin on the bus.

“If that means we can go on tour with them, I’m in,” Yasmin said. Georgia could tell she was excited and it wasn’t so much the concert she was dreading herself either. It was the fact that she had to be in a room with him again for two hours at least. Even though there were going to be 30.000 people with them. And what annoyed her the most was the fact that he had known all this time that she would be there tonight.

Yasmin looked at her friend. When she found the invitation on her own bed that afternoon she immediately thought about Georgia. And so far she was behaving exactly like she expected. Still though, she could see that Georgia made an effort tonight. She looked perfect in an army green maxi dress that hugged her figure and with a simple black leather jacket and a pair of flat strappy sandals she was dressed perfectly for a rock show. The other girls, including herself, looked as if they tried a little too hard compared to her. But then, people always did next to Georgia. She was so naturally beautiful. If Georgia wouldn’t have been her friend she would have probably hated her.  Yasmin once tried to explain to Georgia how she could make people feel, but that turned in to the worst fight they ever had. She just didn’t see it, and since then Yasmin decided it was for the better to leave it that way.

A short drive later the bus dropped them off in front of the United Center. Georgia vaguely remembered driving by it when they were taken from the airport to the hotel but she had never been there before. But it looked like any other stadium, oval and a lot of grey concrete, and there was always something about these places that made her feel excited. She thought it was magical to see concerts in big venues where everybody came together for the same reasons, one common interest. Tonight though she also felt something else. A feeling she didn’t want to give in to, she felt nervous. So far she had only seen one side of him, tonight she was going to see that side that made so many people love him.

The bus doors opened and Lodinski and ‘ballet mistress’ Bachman, who were on their bus, were welcomed by someone from Bon Jovi’s management. When the group was complete they walked in to the stadium and the staff inside guided them to their seats. She was relieved and glad to discover they had floor seats at the very back of the arena. Safely tucked away in the crowd, far, far away from the front man of the band they all came to see. She sat down with Yasmin on one side and a male dancer called Kristoff on her other side. While she vaguely listened to Yasmin who was talking non-stop, she looked as people started to arrive for the show. She saw really old fans, young fans, families, excited women that were happy to finally have a reason to leave their kids and husband at home for a night, young couples and old couples. She also saw a lot of beautiful women who all dressed up for the occasion and this was the first time she really realised that he could literally have every woman he wanted.

A little after eight the houselights suddenly went out and were changed for the spotlights on stage. She could feel the excitement in the air. The black screens went on and showed a tension building clip that climaxed when the band took the stage. They played an intro that, she had to admit it, made it impossible for her to remain seated. She stood up and Yasmin gave her a meaningful glance, which she ignored. Then Jon appeared as well, guitar in hand, dressed in a sleeveless leather shirt and waxed black jeans. She had to look to the screen to really see him, but even from so far away she could tell he looked great.  She didn’t immediately recognise the first song but after a while she was actually able to sing along to the chorus. She felt better knowing that he couldn’t see her and decided to stop being stubborn and make the best of it. Together with Yasmin she was dancing  along, and singing whenever they knew the words. It was quite a nice gesture from the company to organise something like this and it was definitely more exciting than all other trips they had been on together. Every now and then Yasmin would look at her with the biggest smile on her face and she could literally see Yasmin fall in love with Jon Bon Jovi even more with every second that passed.

All the way through the show though, Georgia kept looking at Jon as well. She could tell that he was having a great time and she suddenly understood why all the women in the room went crazy for him. He was very aware of what he brought up in them and took advantage of that. He smiled widely and danced around the stage. He pointed at women, flirted with them and knew exactly what to say. It was the man she met but then a hundred times bigger. But while looking at him Georgia also felt like she had seen a side of him that most other people in the crowd hadn’t. And she was almost ashamed to admit to herself that it gave her a good feeling.

Beside that he was also an amazing singer and a born bandleader. He was professional and she could imagine that he fans loved to see how he still took the band they loved so much as seriously as they did. The band was also great and she loved the part where their guitarist, she knew was called Richie, stepped forward to sing a verse during Wanted Dead Or Alive. His voice was extraordinary. Her favourite part though, was when the two of them were out on the catwalk, suddenly a lot closer to her, to play  a beautiful version of their hit I’ll Be There For You. She knew at least half of the songs they played that night, which surprised her. And all in all she had a great time and she hated to admit that the man who was also the reason she didn’t want to be there, played a big part in that.

**

After the concert there was an after party for the company back at the hotel’s club.

“Come on, we had a great night right? And the drinks are free!” Yasmin said as she tried to pursue Georgia to come along to the party. They just got back to the hotel and walked through the hotel lobby. Georgia looked aside, still not convinced. “And who knows who might show up…”

Georgia couldn’t tell her that was exactly one of the reasons why she didn’t want to go and Yasmin didn’t look like she would give up. “The drinks are free, Georgia please,” she repeated as if that was the only thing that could make her change her mind.  “it’s not the same without you.”

Georgia chuckled. “No, you will have way more fun without me, but alright then, I can do one drink.” And that was exactly how long she stayed. One drink and then she left.

He saw her the minute she walked in to the quiet hotel bar. He vaguely heard the music coming from the club but he was enjoying the silence of the hotel bar. It was always weird to exchange a sold out stadium for a quiet hotel but it was a very welcome change. He didn’t expect to still see her wandering around the hotel. She looked beautiful in a long cotton dress that accentuated her curves and this was the first time he saw her with her hair down.  Long wavy honey blonde hair that covered half of her back and fell over her small shoulders. She wore a deep red color on her lips and he was sure he could see them smile when she saw him.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” she said and swallowed everything else she wanted to say.

“Did you have a good time at the show?”

To his surprise she actually nodded her head and smiled a little. “I did. I was glad you couldn’t see me because I might have danced a little to those big hits of yours.”

He chuckled. Again she managed to give him an answer that he did not see coming at all.

“Can I get you a drink?” he said and already lifted his hand to signal a waiter.

She shook her head. “I thought we already did this…” Jon understood that she was no longer talking about him offering her a drink.

Who was this girl? What was it that made her want to let him know that she wasn’t going to sleep with him.

He knew he was thinking about her too much. Way too much. And it started to control his mind. Because it wasn’t just that, he also wanted to know her. He wanted to know what it was about her that attracted him so much. Sure, she was gorgeous. She was beyond beautiful, but there was so much more to her that she refused to show him. It frustrated him. For a second he considered asking her about it but then she surprised him again as she put her clutch on the bar and sat down on the stool next to him.

Georgia looked at him. Nothing on him betrayed that he had just played a 2,5 hour show in front of 30.000 people. He wore black jeans and a black t-shirt and he had taken a shower. She could tell because his hair was still moist and messy.

“You seem to hang out by yourself a lot…” he said looking at her.

“You would do to, if you were in my position, trust me.”

“It can’t be that bad now can it?” he said and finished his drink. The waiter immediately appeared to refill his glass. He looked at her to check if she still didn’t want a drink and she shook her head.

“The part of the job where I can actually do what I love, which is dance, is alright. The pressure is a whole different thing though and the constant hate amongst the girls that I refuse to take part in, is worse. It’s like fucking high school sometimes…” She paused, but he didn’t answer hoping that she would try to keep the conversation going this time.

“So,” she said and pointed around the abandoned bar, “What happened to your company then?”

He smiled, as his trick worked. “Oh I love my band, they are my brothers, but I spent half my life with them so I can do without seeing them every once in a while.”

“Makes sense,” she said and realised how she could relate to his feelings. What her ballet company was to her was probably what his band mates were to him. Always around and always with him. Although she knew he liked his band a whole lot better than she liked the people in the company. She had seen that much at the show that night.  

He asked her about her plans for tomorrow and she told him they had a day off. She asked him about his and he subtly reminded her about the thirty-thousand people that were coming to see them once again. The fact that she managed to forget about that made him smile. It was new to him that someone genuinely couldn’t care less about what he did for a living. Then after a while she announced she better go to bed before the party would end and they would find them together in the hotel bar. And he had to admit she was right.

“I’ll walk you to your room, since you’re only a few doors away from mine,” he said as he followed her to the elevators, just like he had done that morning. This time thought she didn’t have the energy to take the stairs to escape him.

“As long as  you don’t get any ideas,” she said and caught his glance as she quickly looked at him. A smile played around his lips and he shook his head. Before he could say something, if he was going to, the elevator doors opened and they stepped in.

Georgia subtly walked to one of the corners  far away from him as he casually leaned against the mirrored wall. Right at that moment she could feel a tension building up in the small room that made her unable to speak. She needed all her strength to fight it and she refused to look at him. He didn’t say a word either.

When the doors opened after what seemed like a lifetime she was outside before him and she only stopped walking when she reached her door. And so did he. She looked up and he leaned with his shoulder against the wall next to it.

“I assume you are just going to stand there all night, to make sure you are here to pick up my stuff if I happen to drop it again tomorrow morning,” she said, looking at him while she unlocked the door.

He chuckled softly again. “Good night, Georgia,” he said and didn’t move while she over the doorstep.

When she closed the door on the other side he hadn't moved. She forced herself to wait ten seconds before she allowed herself to check if he was still there.

But he was gone.