When we arrive to the venue, the backstage halls are still flooded with people rushing about to make sure everything is perfect for tomorrow. Alex, Chris, and I make our way through the crowd to the dressing room where there is a woman already in there setting various products on a large vanity.

"Shay!" Alex calls out, his face breaking into a smile.

The curvy woman is most likely in her thirties, sporting silver, purplish hair. She also has a few tattoos littering her arms and a face full of makeup done to perfection.

She looks up from her products to look at Alex through the mirror, grinning herself.

"Hey there, boss," she teases, fully turning around to face us, walking over to give Alex a tight hug.

When they pull apart she runs her hand through his hair, grasping the loose, chocolaty waves. "Ready to buzz it all off?" she asks, a smirk on her face and a glint in her eye.

"Totally," Alex responds sarcastically.

"Don't you dare even think about it," Chris practically seethes.

"Calm down, killer. It was just a joke," Shay says, rolling her eyes. "I have a reputation to uphold and I know shaving his head and having every teenage girl in the world want to kill me is not going to do the trick."

"I knew there was a reason we decided to keep you around," Chris now jokes, typing away at his phone before dismissing himself, going to take care of business elsewhere.

"Oh, Joslyn, this is Shay. Shay, Joslyn." Alex gestures between the both of us.

"Nice to meet you," I say, sticking out my hand to which she swats away. To say I'm offended is an understatement, until she flings her arms around me and gives me a tight hug. I barley register what's going on before I awkwardly return her hug, still in a shock.

"Sorry, I'm a hugger." She giggles, releasing me.

"Oh, no, its fine. I just... wasn't expecting it," I admit with a light chuckle.

"Eh, most people don't." She dismissively waves her hand and goes back to placing more products on the vanity.

"So, Joslyn, what are you doing on this tour?" she asks, looking up to gaze at me through the mirror.

"I'm the new personal assistant."

"Really?" she asks with excitement in her voice, turning to look at Alex for confirmation. "No more Gloria?"

"No more Gloria," he confirms, a smile spreading across his face.

"Thank God!" she yells, throwing her hands in the air. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't stand that woman. She was always so stiff, and quite frankly, she was pretty rude."

"And she smelled like cigarettes and mildew, right?" Alex asks expectantly.

"Now that you mention it... yeah, actually, she kind of did." Shay giggles, nodding her head with her brows pulled together, remembering the woman.

"See!" Alex yells, pointing a finger at me. "I told you!"

"Ok, ok. I believe you." I giggle, pulling my hands up in surrender.

"So, Shay, what are you doing on this tour?" I can only guess that she's his stylist, but I still ask to be polite.

"Oh, you know, I'm just Chris' side chick."

"Shay," Alex warns.

"Sorry, that was a joke! I have to warn you, I'm a strong personality. But, no, I'm just his stylist," she confirms my first guess.

"Gottcha." I giggle, taking a seat on the couch.

"Alright, dude." Shay whips out a haircutting cape, letting it fly through the air with a snap. "Let's get this show on the road." She ushers him to the chair in front of the vanity. He sits and she drapes the cape over him, grabbing her scissors and getting to work.

"What time did you get in?" he asks her.

"My flight landed at 7:15 this morning and I got here around 8:30." She glances at the watch on her wrist.

A mindless, but friendly, conversation, hair trim, numerous hair products, and some light makeup later, she's done with her job of making sure he looks perfect for the last set of rehearsals.

"All done," she informs, removing the cape and shaking it to rid some of the cut off hairs.

"Thanks, Shay," he says, going to run a hand through his hair to which she swats away before he even has the chance to.

"Do not touch my masterpiece!" she yells, pointing a threatening finger at him.

"Ow, ok!" He rubs the back of his swatted hand.

"Let's get you dressed," Shay says, grabbing his tour outfit and helping him out of his current t-shirt, making sure he doesn't ruin his hair, before helping him slip on the button up shirt.

"Um, I should go," I stammer as soon as he starts to toe off his shoes and work on the button of his jeans.

"You can stay. I mean you've already seen me in just my boxers before." Alex playfully chuckles.

"Really? You two..." Shay's eyes go wide as they flicker between the both of us, a grin starting to form on her face.

"No, no, she has to come to my room and make sure I get up in the morning," Alex clears up.

"Ohhh." Shay drags out, still a teasing smirk on her face.

I can feel all the heat rise to my cheeks during this conversation and even more so when he freely changes in front of me, not giving a care in the world if I see him in boxers even though we just met.

Once he's fully dressed, Shay smooths out his shirt before giving him one final look over and nod of approval. We walk to the back of the stage where Alex is swarmed by people, prepping him for rehearsals. One of those people happens to be Chris giving him instructions on how to avoid previous mistakes that have been made at the first rehearsal yesterday.

"Joslyn," Chris calls after speaking to Alex. "Come with me." He gestures for me to follow him down the hall to the floor of the arena in front of the stage.

We both take seats behind the soundboard and I make sure to tell Bob hello.

"I need you to run to the store today to pick up a few things. Let me make you a list," he trails off, looking for something to write on and I quickly take out my notebook and a pen to hand to him. "Thanks," he says, just as the music blares and the show begins to start.

He takes longer than need be to make the list, frequently glancing up from it to watch and make sure the show is going flawlessly.

Fifteen minutes later, I'm handed a long list of toiletries and food requests. I take the list and gather up my things before calling a cab to come pick me up. When I exit the back of the venue there are still numerous girls waiting around for a glimpse of Alex.

While waiting for the car, I can hear them whispering about me, trying to figure out who I am and what I'm doing here. Before I can hear more of their questions and assumptions, I see a taxi pull up and security escorts me past the barricades to it.

In the beverage isle of the closest grocery store, I make my way to the water, spotting the brand Chris wrote down and requested that I get four cases of. I bend down, making the mistake of trying to pick up two cases at one time. I struggle to pick up both cases, using all my strength only to not be able to lift them an inch off the ground.

"Need some help there?" someone asks right beside me, startling me.

I lose my grip on the cases and go stumbling backwards, falling on my butt on the hard linoleum floor.

"Are you ok?" A concerned voice asks.

I'm met with a familiar face, outstretching his hand to help me up from the floor. It takes me a second to realize it's the guy that spilled coffee on me yesterday.

"Yeah." I accept his hand and he pulls me up from the floor.

"We have to stop meeting like this." He chuckles, letting go of my hand to bend down and pick up the two cases for me with ease, placing them in my cart.

"Actually... I need two more of those," I shyly state, hoping he'll be willing to add two more to my cart.

He complies, muscles flexing as he picks up another set of cases.

"Thank you."

"No problem." He wipes his palms over his jeans. "Hey," he states, pointing at my chest. At first I'm appalled that he's pointing at my chest until he goes on. "You're on this tour too?" he asks, now clearly staring at my lanyard, pulling a backstage pass from his pocket as well.

"Yeah. Wait, you're on this tour?" I'm thoroughly surprised.

"I'm a roadie. I just help build and take down the stage every show. You?"

"Personal assistant."

"Whoa, so you're like a big wig, huh?" He chuckles.

"No." I scoff, laughing.

I begin to push my cart down the aisle in search of more items on the list and he follows.

"I'm really sorry by the way... for spilling coffee on you the other day." He awkwardly stuffs his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, it's ok," I lie again, except I'm not as bitter about it as yesterday.

As I spot the baking aisle an idea pops into my head and I turn down it.

"I'm Derek, again, by the way." He reminds me of his name, which I did end up forgetting in the midst of the coffee spilling event.

"Joslyn."

"Nice to meet you, Joslyn. That's a beautiful name, very fitting." He smirks.

"Um... thanks." I can't help but blush at his bold, yet somewhat cheesy, statement.

We end up holding a nice, casual conversation as we both finish our grocery shopping, sharing a cab back to the venue together.

On the ride back my phone dings with a new email.

Where are you?

On my way back from the grocery store. Why, do you need something?

No, just wondering where you were since its lunch time and I saw you leave during the first rehearsal.

Yeah, Chris sent me on a grocery run. I should be back in a few minutes.

You know, this would be a lot easier if I had your number so we can text instead of email.

Oh, is THE Alex Walker asking for my number?

I decide to tease him.

It's a few minutes before my phone dings with a new text message from an unknown number.

I'm not asking.

How the...

Before I can even respond to or process the text, the can is pulling up to the venue.

I get security to let the cab in past the gates to pull up next to the bus. With Derek's help, all of the items on Chris's list are removed from the car and transferred into the bus.

I quickly, but neatly, place all of the items in the cabinets and fridge respectively before Derek and I make our way back inside the venue.

"Maybe would you want to grab dinner or daringly go out for coffee sometime?" Derek asks as we make our way inside.

Is he asking me on a date? He was pretty flirty and suggestive during our time at the store and in the cab.

"Um, maybe," I say, not wanting to be rude.

"Great, when would be best for you?" he presses.

"I'm not sure. Can I get back to you later? I know this first week is going to be crazy and I'm still adjusting to everything," I say, not wanting to promise anything, and in all honesty I don't really want to go.

It's not that I don't find him nice or attractive, because I do, but I've been down that road before and I don't intend on going back. On my brothers first tour I ended up dating a guitarist from a band that was touring with them. It was short lived, obviously, only lasting the length of the tour because we couldn't make the long distance work. I made a promise to myself to not let it happen again, wanting to avoid the inevitable heartbreak.

"Sure," he says, not pressing any further, to which I'm grateful. Hopefully he forgets about it as we head our separate ways.