Chapter 1: Death Valley.

Autumn's POV

I hung up the phone in disbelief, still hard to believe what had just happened. I stood there, idle for a moment or two, almost as if I'd forgotten how to breathe. Maybe I did, felt a bit lightheaded. I closed my eyes and smiled a little.

It's really happening, I said to myself. You're getting your big break. No more smokey pubs or dirty stages. You're hitting the big leagues now.

Immediately I wanted to tell my flat-mate (which, by the way, still sounded weird to me), Janine. I'd known her since highschool. I knew she was at the theatre by Baker Street, working her ass off as usual, and I knew she wouldn't want me barging in.

But this was a special occasion. Fuck me if I was staying home to wait!

I flew threw London's busy streets, how I never hit anyone is a mystery to Janine, but I'm well trained. My skateboard became my main mode of travel when I got here, because the 'tube' (again, weird) cost money, something a starving artist like myself couldn't do. I'd even taken it to gigs, meeting my band at the venue and surprising people by flying right past them.

The Globe Theatre, where a brand spanking new production of Hamlet was in its last days of preparation before it went live. Janine's 'baby,' she called it. I rolled my eyes a little. I love her, I really do, but she has a major problem when it comes to her job. The girl's a workaholic. I know stage and production management can be time-consuming, but come on. A drink once in a while wouldn't kill her.

True to character, I found her by the main stage, off to the right, chatting with one of the costume folks. It looked like she'd just settled an argument, which was normal of her. Janine, being in charge, always had a lot on her plate. People were giving me weird looks, which I either ignored or secretly relished. Purple hair, even today, isn't the most normal looking.

"Hey, Janine!" I shouted, making her jump. She turned, adjusting her headset.

"Autumn," she sighed, "Look, now's not a good time-"

"Yeah, I know, but seriously, I couldn't wait to tell you," I said excitedly, pushing my fox beanie back a little, "I just got a phone call."

Janine frowned, "Yes, it's in her dressing room, and she should know that by now. All the blocking was done yesterday…" She was talking into that blasted headset.


"JANINE!" I shook her, "This is serious business!"

"Well I don't have time-"

"PETE WENTZ PUT ME ON THE FBR TOUR."

She stopped in her tracks.

"…what?"

"THE Pete Wentz, the tattooed bass player and producer extrordinarre of all the bands we used to listen to!" I continued, "He called my agent, and he told him he loved the demo and wanted to throw me onto the stage next week!"

Janine swallowed visibly.

"WELL?" I asked impatiently, "Are you fucking happy for me or what?"

"This has got to be the WEIRDEST coincidence," Janine said slowly, taking me aside, "Because I got a call two hours ago from the FBR office, and they want me to be their production manager."

My eyes grew wide, "Wait, what? For how long?"

"The European tour." She smiled a little, "The entire European tour. The UK, Scandinavia, Germany, and if all goes well….North America." She paused. "They loved the work I did on the modern version of Pygmalion, and when they saw the custom designs I had for the-"

"You are shitting me. You are SHITTING ME. You're telling me we both got offered jobs, our fucking DREAM jobs, on the same damn tour?" Now I was sure I was gonna wake up from a dream, because there was no way in hell this was going to be true.

Janine nodded slowly, "We sure did…"

"Then come for a DRINK with me!" I grabbed her and she pulled back, "No, not until next week, when I'm done with all this!"

"Come onnnnnn," I said, whining a little, "You can't just keep working like the best thing ever hasn't happened!"

"IF you haven't noticed, Autumn, we have bills to pay," she pointed towards the door, "I'll have to see you tomorrow."

"Where's your date book? Can I schedule it in?" I joked.

Janine sighed, "I have a blackberry for that."

"Oh yeah, one of three."

"FOUR. Now, seriously, I'm super busy, I have to go!"

--

I was called over to the practice stage the next day to do a basic rehearsal. I'll admit I was nervous, but I was too stoked to let myself get scared. Skinny jeans and boots, I was ready. I walked over to the venue, my band there already, and was met by my drummer, Blake, with bad news.

"Aren't we on Stage 2?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"Looks like they overbooked," he said, adjusting his leather jacket, "We have one of the main acts taking our space right now." Bass playing Jack nodded in his direction, "Sorry, AppleJack."

I crossed my arms, "That is NOT in the contract I signed this morning," I walked past them, "Who the hell took our space?"

As I pushed the doors open, I saw exactly who. One of the main acts, Panic! At The Disco, a teenage favourite of mine, were doing a full set list, right in my block! I ripped said set list off the wall and stormed over to the tech area, pulling out every plug I could find.

"What gives?!" I heard someone shout. I emerged in front of them, keeping the same face.

"Hi, I'm Autumn, and I'd like to know why you took my space," I said, making eye contact with the drummer. Funny, I'd forgotten his name. Then again, I wasn't 15 anymore.

"Uh…" he glanced over to the lead singer, who set down his guitar and approached me.

"Look, you weren't here on time, so we borrowed the space." he said calmly, pushing dark hair out of his gigantic brown eyes.

I was immediately offended. "Borrowed"?! Who did they think they were?

"I was perfectly on time," I informed him, "I was told 1 o'clock sharp."

He shrugged, "Well, we've been here since 11, and since you didn't show-"

"Look, you took my space, I'm here now, as I was told to be," I said smartly, making the drummer raise his eyebrows, "So, scoot, please?"

The singer laughed, "Hey, I'm sorry but we've already started….Amber, was it?"

Now I was really mad.

"It's AUTUMN, as in Rainy Day Girl," I said, my eyes filled with fire, "I don't care who you think you are, but I'm entitled-"

"Well, according to our contract, YOU'RE an opening act," the singer continued, starting to smirk, "And you're late."

"Brendon…" the drummer got up and left his set, "Easy. This is obviously a misunderstanding."

"Spence, I have no idea who this girl even is." Brendon glanced at me, "How'd you get in here."

"I was offered the spot by Pete Wentz' rep, asshole," I snapped, feeling my face grow hot with fury, "Get the fuck off my stage." I'd been treated like this before, by bartenders that had offered to pay me in ulterior ways. I'd dealt with band guys that had laughed at me, called me 'princess' and told me to go try out for American Idol. I had seen it all, and in the grasp of my dream, I was not letting this guy take it all away from me.

"Ok, LISTEN," Spencer cut in between the two of us, "Hi, Spencer Smith. I've heard of you, I liked your EP. But seriously, we can work this out."

"Thanks, and yeah, if you guys give me my place back."

Brendon raised his eyebrows, "After you've been this rude? Not a chance."

Spencer locked eyes with him. Brendon shook his head.

"I'm not a fan of her attitude, who does she think she is?" he said.

"I can hear you," I growled.

"Good," Brendon said, "Because we're continuing our set. You're our opening act."

My stomach jumped into my throat, "I don't think so!"

"Autumn, according to the contract, you are the opening act," Spencer scratched the back of his head, "I'm sorry." Brendon got this smug look on his face that I wanted to peel off with a razor.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I said, glancing over and seeing my band mates cowering away outside, "This is a joke, right? I mean…" I looked them up and down, "You're hardly a tier above me!"

Spencer sighed, "That might be, but that's how this tour is set up. I think you should have a word with management-"

No, I thought. FUCK this. I am NOT opening for that duo of douchebags. Fistfull of assholes. Fuck knows I've got some pride left in me.

"Oh believe me, I will," I snapped, storming away. I LIVED with management, and she was getting an earful when I got home.

Brendon looked at Spencer, "What a nightmare."

"I can see why she's upset, though," Spencer said quietly, "I mean…you remember when we first broke into the scene, it was everything."

"Yeah, I remember," Brendon picked up his guitar, "But it's not like that anymore. And if she wants to pick a fight, she chose the wrong band to fight with."

Spencer felt nervous. This was not the start to the tour he wanted at all.