The flight to Dublin is horrid. I'm in the middle seat next to a man who thinks my shoulder is a pillow and a tone-deaf woman who is humming the songs playing from her headphones. I try to drown them out with music and fall asleep, but it's impossible.

When we land, I find Nicky waiting for me on the other side of the security checkpoint with a million-dollar smile. Of course, he got a good night's sleep and is ready to conquer the world.

"Hey little sis, you look like shit this morning." He rubs the top of my head with his knuckles and pulls me into a hug that I mildly fight against.

"I'm so tired. Just take me to the hotel so I can get some sleep, please."

"A.J., what type of attitude is that for your first day on a new job?" He takes my carry-on bag from my shoulder and places it on his. "We're headed down to the stadium right now. They start assembling the stage today, and you need to be on site." He flashes a smug smile, and I stifle the urge to smack it off his face.

I didn't expect to start my summer internship with no sleep and wearing the same clothes I spent the past fifteen hours traveling in. Rubbing my palms over my face, I say, "Whatever. Let's just get out of here."

The second I hit the passenger seat of Nicky's rental car, I drift off, and a second later, my brother shakes me awake. I open my mouth to rip into him only to spot a massive structure sitting outside the windshield. We're parked inside the chain-link fence at the back of the stadium. I swear I only shut my eyes for a minute.

We walk through the back hallways until we exit a tunnel leading out to the field. There are people everywhere, big rig trucks parked on the turf and huge piles of metal which assemble into the stage. It's an impressive sight, and I can't fathom how everyone knows where to start.

"A.J.!" Pete jogs over to us and pulls me into a hug. He's younger than my dad, slim, and wears horn-rim glasses. For as long as I've known him, a neatly trimmed beard has covered his face, and he's worn the same style of black Converses. Pete is super friendly and easy to get along with, but in my current state of fatigue, I find him just as annoying as I find Nicky.

"You're right on time. We've just started unloading the trucks." He motions us over to one of the big rigs. "We need to unload everything before lunch, and then we'll start working on the support beams for the stage. Jump in wherever you want; it all needs to be unloaded." He claps his hands and grins.

God, I wish it were acceptable to smack someone for being disgustingly cheery.

Even with countless people helping, it takes hours to unload the heavy materials from the trucks. When everything is sprawled across the field, the stage crew moves to piece it all together. Everyone seems very competent in what they're doing, and I'm very lost. It's like a jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the front of the box as a guide. This seems like an impossible task.

Nicky stands next to me with his hands on his waist. "Are you ready to get to work? We're starting with the stage's foundation and building from there. If someone cuts corners, the whole thing can collapse. It's going to go quick, and there's a lot to learn, so stay focused, all right?"

I stare at the field and slowly nod. "All right."

After a quick introduction to the rest of the crew, we get to work. I'm in constant motion—lifting, hammering, and screwing bolts. It's all one big blur.

My muscles jerk at what sounds to be the dropping of colossal metal sheets. One by one the lights in the stadium shine down on the field. Although the sun has set for the day, the crew forges on with as much energy and enthusiasm as they did this morning. I do my best to follow their lead.

I tighten the last screw on a beam and take a step back. The skeleton of the stage is erect, and it is massive. I can't believe we've accomplished so much in one day; and yet, there's still so much to do. The next two days will be just as busy as we rush to meet the deadline before the band arrives for soundcheck. We still need to rig the stage lights along with the big projection screens which act as the backdrop to the stage. An electrical test and the final safety check will wrap up the build.

The stadium lights power down, and I glance around to find only a few people are still here. Nicky stands at the opening to the backstage area watching me. "Do you want to stay here all night, or would you like to go take a shower and go to bed?" he yells.

"Is dinner included in all of that?"

"Just get your ass moving, I'm ready to go. We can talk about food in the car."

*****

I lift my heavy eyelids to the sound of Nicky banging things around in the bathroom. It would have been nice to have my own hotel room, but our budget does not allow it. And since the entire crew is male, I'm stuck with my brother.

"Seriously, butt-munch, what are you doing in there?" I yell, pulling my pillow out from under my head and covering my face.

Every muscle in my body is stiff and aches. For two days straight, I've lifted and squatted assembling the stage, and it's taken its toll on me. I think I could sleep for a week straight and my body would only feel a little better.

"The stupid counter around this sink is so small, and my toiletry bag keeps sliding off. You need to get your ass moving anyway. Breakfast is in twenty minutes, and then we roll out," Nicky says over the hiss of hairspray thickly layering his hair.

I stretch my arms over my head, working out the kinks in my joints.

Nicky steps out of the bathroom with a glass of water and two pills in his hand. "Take these. By the time you're done with breakfast, you'll feel like new."

I pop the capsules into my mouth, followed by a swig of water and choke. "Oh, those taste horrible! What are they?"

He laughs and says, "They're a herb that helps to relieve aching."

Of course, Nicky would only put natural stuff in his body. The only unhealthy thing he eats is Nonna's cooking, but even then, he justifies it by saying she makes everything from scratch.

"Your phone was buzzing earlier." He points to the nightstand.

I grab my cell and read the screen. I'm on my way out, will text you when we land in NYC.

It sucks that as soon as Asher and I are on the same continent; he has to leave. I brush it off like I'm used to it after two years, but I will never become accustomed to being away from him for months on end.

After getting ready for the day, Nicky and I walk down to the dining room and start piling food on our plates. I take a seat next to him and absorb every word him and Pete say. I hate not knowing what I'm doing, and I'm eager to learn as much as I can as quickly as possible.

Towards the end of breakfast, Nicky gives the crew a quick speech about finishing up the stage by noon and thanking them for their hard work. He's an outstanding speaker and very convincing. More than a few times I've been the unwilling pawn in his evil bidding. After a round of applause, everyone piles into vans, heading back to the job site.

Fifteen minutes to noon, we secure the last piece of the catwalk that protrudes from the center of the main stage. The stage is complete. I stand between my brother and Pete with my arms crossed, admiring our masterpiece. I feel accomplished.

"So now what?" I ask.

Nicky shrugs. "Now we hang around for the soundcheck and make sure there are no issues. The next three days will be easy; we'll conduct a safety check every afternoon and hang around for the concert just in case anything goes wrong."

I turn to face my brother. "So, we'll be here at the same time as the band?"

He looks me up and down like I've offended him. "What's your deal? I just spent the past month with them, and they're pretty cool. They make sure we always have what we need and treat us with respect. I've been out on tour with some assholes, and The Remnants are not like that."

"These are our clients, A.J. You're going to have to put aside any issues you have with them," Pete says.

"Who did you dirty anyway?" Nicky asks.

What a joke! Nicky isn't even crazy about pop-rock, yet here he is acting like they're the next best thing to unicorns and rainbows.

I shift from side to side and mumble under my breath, "Kade."

Pete's mouth drops open. "Did you say Kade?"

I nod and look away.

"Kade is the nicest guy; everyone loves him," he carries on.

My hands shake and I lose control over the volume of my voice. "Okay, I get it, you love Kade. You would drop to your knees for him, but I think he's an asshole, and I'm not looking forward to seeing him."

"Whoa, A.J., calm down." Pete throws his hands in the air. "He probably won't even recognize you since he sees thousands of girls each day."

He might have a point, but the mere idea of spending the next four months with Kade giving me dirty looks is not my idea of fun. I still don't know what exactly went down between him and Asher. It's uncomfortable to even think about being in the same stadium as him.

The sound of a microphone's feedback draws my attention back to the stage, and one by one, the members of The Remnants step upon it.