Bianca shut her eyes tightly, then pinched her arm skin. Even if it resulted in some mild pain, she couldn't focus on that. She just kept rereading the e-mail over and over again. It was Graham's private e-mail address, which meant he really wanted to personally talk to her. And the best part was, he wished to see her again.

But then, Bianca panicked. She thought it was too good to be true. Things were going way too smooth, and she feared that when he did see her again, he might turn the other way and run; fast.

Hallie had already read it with her, and Bianca was alone in her room. She was daunted by the idea of finding the perfect outfit and impeccable hairdo for the concert when she finally saw Graham Krause once more. Hallie ensured her that she would look great and that she needn't worry at all. But she did worry. She worried the entire five days leading up to the concert.

"I can't do this. I can't do this! What made me think I could be brave and do this? This is all your fault Hallie!" Bianca shouted at her as Hallie drove her car. The previous week it was being fixed by her brother. That evening, Hallie offered to do the drive. Thankfully, Bianca didn't have to. She was outrageously shaking and there was no way she'd trust herself not to get in a car accident on the way there. She kept seeing Graham's face. The way she remembered it, the way it looked now in videos and photos. His clothes were so unique, so different. She was so simple most of the time; wearing jeans with t-shirts. But on that day, she had a Hallie created outfit that screamed Ashlee Simpson as Pete Wentz's wife. 'Rocker chic' Hallie called it.

"Breathe Bianca. Breathe. He's just a guy. I mean, you look fab, delicious. Seriously. Your hair has never looked so awesome. And the outfit! Amazing! I never thought you would wear a fedora, but it looks so freaking cool!" Hallie said enthusiastically.

Bianca tried her breathing, but all she did was look over at her best friend with anxiety infused eyes. "I still…can't…do it. I just…can't."

"You're having a panic attack! Over nothing! It's just Graham!"

Bianca rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Just Graham? You mean the guy that could have his pick over any girl? Maybe you should drive back! I mean, I'm not ready."

"It's a good thing I drove. And, you may never have another chance to see him again."

"Oh, I could see him again. I know where his parents sleep," Bianca said breathlessly and pressed her hands firmly into the sides of the passenger seat. She was acting like a person scared to fly, as if the plane had just taken off and it was a bumpy ride. The ride had been bumpy with Graham in her life. It had been bumpy without him. And she kept thinking about that and the pressure to come off collected, poised, smart, happy, content. All the while trying not to fall on her ass due to her legs wobbling with the vision of him standing in front of her.

It may have seemed odd she was feeling nervous and scared when she had been his girlfriend in the past. She wasn't star struck. He was just Graham, after all. But something about him being in the public eye now, made him feel more like a stranger than an ex-boyfriend. She wondered how she would feel about him when they were close, in person. She e-mailed him after he had sent the initial note her way. Her letter was more simple, desperately trying not to come off desperate. If that was possible for her.

Then, he wrote another e-mail back. He told her to show up to the concert early, so he could give her and Hallie their backstage and VIP passes. Backstage! Bianca had only dreamt about being backstage, when her and Graham were dating and they talked about it at their frequent concert attending. She just couldn't believe it was Graham who was the star on stage, and finally, she could be standing on the side, silently cheering him on as he occasionally looked over at her with a big smile. Did her daydreaming ever stop? Not really.

Hallie quickly found a parking spot in a row of many cars. Bianca took in one last deep breath before exiting her door and meeting Hallie in the middle of the lot as they started to walk toward the venue. Hallie had to reassure Bianca a couple more times that not only did she look amazing in her short black dress with her hat, thick maryjanes and wavy brown locks, but that she also wouldn't say anything wrong.

"What would you possibly say that is wrong?" Hallie asked Bianca with her hands on her hips.

Bianca widened her eyes in doubt. "Please. I can ramble pretty badly. About lame things too. Like the weather. Remember that guy we met at that party and I kept saying how nice the weather was? Who does that?"

Hallie snickered. "You."

They talked as they got there, and Hallie tried to ease Bianca's mind. She slowly settled into hopeful, though her palms had been a bit clammy.

They passed the forming line of girls and guys ranging from teenaged to twenties to get to will call to retrieve their tickets. Hallie cleared her throat when she got to the window where a man worked behind it.

"Two tickets on will call for Hallie Brock," Hallie told him. She showed her I.D. and waited for the tickets. Hallie scanned the tickets over and then looked at the guy, "Um, actually, Graham Krause, the-lead-singer-of-Shadow-Follower said that we have some VIP passes too," Hallie boasted, accentuating Graham's name and that whole lead singer of the band bit.

The man looked at the girls dubiously. "Sorry. I don't see any passes."

Bianca spoke up, "Well, they're probably under my name. Bianca Woods."

The man said they didn't have passes. Then Bianca started to panic profusely, the vein in her forehead about to burst with anger at Hallie for convincing her it would be a good idea to come to the concert. She knew what had happened. Graham changed his mind!

Hallie was more optimistic. "Let's just stand in line. Maybe we'll see Graham after the show or before and he can give us the passes," She said convincingly, but Bianca wasn't so sure.

"I don't know."

"Maybe it's because we arrived too late. After all, Graham said to come early. We're a little late. He probably thought you chickened out," Hallie teased her.

Bianca shook her head. "You're not helping me right now. I say we go home," Bianca crossed her arms, tapped her foot and tried to suppress her sadness. She couldn't believe how easy it was for Graham to make her upset.

"Let's go wait in the line. Before it gets too long," Hallie grabbed Bianca's hand and tried to pull her in the direction of the ever-growing line trailing to the entrance.

"No, you can't make me," Bianca cried, halting her feet to keep her body from moving.

Hallie pouted her lip. She always did that when she wanted her way. "Please let's just wait in line. I'm not going to give up this concert because you're frightened. Stop worrying or I will smack you!" Hallie suddenly burst out, her fists balled at her sides, staring at the girl in front of her indignantly.

Bianca took a second to take it all in. Was she being too much of a coward? Perhaps Hallie was right. Maybe they just missed him because they were late. So they got in line, and it moved slowly. There were security and employees in the front, checking purses and guys for weapons. While they waited in the line, the two girls tried to keep busy chatting, noticing the fans and the three loud girls behind them gossiping about all kinds of subjects. Bianca wanted to tell them to shut up. But then she heard one of them say something vital that caught her attention.

"O-M-G! There's Graham! He's heading our way!" One of the girls whispered.

Bianca felt her breath get caught in her throat. She grabbed Hallie's hand and squeezed it tightly for support when she saw him sauntering toward them. His nearly black hair was flat and straightened across his face, his ocean blue eyes zoomed in on her, gleaming. Though he didn't have a giant smile, she could see his eyes smiling. She remembered it, the familiar look he had when they saw each other across the crowded school hallways, when they met up after a long day. He wore pants like those in her daydreams, his tight, v-neck white shirt was under a black vest. He donned a black leather cuff on his left arm and those tattoos cascaded on his arms, as if they were sliding down playfully. He looked even better than she could ever imagine. He was sexy, real. A much, much, better version than her dreams.

"Bianca. You're here," Graham voluntarily pulled her into a nice embrace, his lean arms hugged her genuinely, not just a quick pat on the back. Bianca felt her hands becoming clammy again, but even more so. Then her heart beat quick. Just one touch of their bodies and she felt herself wanting more. So much more. Afterward, he hugged Hallie and turned to look back at Bianca.

"Um, thanks Graham. Um. Of course," Bianca stumbled over her words, like she knew she would. She wasn't making sense.

Thankfully, Hallie saved her. "Oh, yeah, thanks for taking the time to say hello."

Graham nodded his dreamy head. "You know, I forgot to get you these. I was so damn busy with sound check earlier, so, my bad," Graham said in his laidback, easy voice. He hand two items in his hand, that Bianca hadn't noticed before.

They were the VIP passes. "These will get you into the upstairs VIP section. It's where the family members and friends of the bands are," he told them as he peeled the back of the sticker and placed it on the middle of her tiny dress, gently patting it to stay in place on her stomach. Bianca sucked it in. Not to flatten her tummy furthermore, but because she was in shock that he came near her again like that. Her body tensed up. She wanted to beg him to do it again, but knew it would be crazy.

"I'll just take mine," Hallie said with a small laugh, accepting her own pass as she looked over at Bianca who stared at Graham in awe with a gaped mouth. Hallie would have burst in laughter over it, but refrained from doing so. She didn't want to embarrass her after all.

"Who is that? Is that his girlfriend?" They all heard the girls behind them whispering. Graham wasn't fazed, but Bianca would have loved to turn around and say yes.

"So, it's awesome to see you. You look…truly…incredible. Different, but definitely good," Graham said slowly. Then his words came out faster, "Okay. I'll stop talking and bothering you. After the concert is done, you're welcome to meet us backstage. Just see the security guard downstairs. He's a big man with bulging arms. It's ridiculous," he chuckled and it made Bianca giggle like a silly schoolgirl.

"Anyways," he rubbed his chin. "I wish I could chat longer. But go to the big guy downstairs by the stage. His name is Hank. He will let you in the back. I already told him Bianca and Hallie are free to come back after the concert is done. But other than that, enjoy babe," Graham said to her. Bianca wanted to clean her ears out to make sure she was hearing right. Did he just call her babe?

"Sounds fun! You big star! Crap, I remember those days in the garage," Hallie was free to speak her mind, no nerves getting the best of her.

Bianca, however, stood still, hardly moving, barely breathing as she managed to mutter, "Okay Graham. Thanks. You look good…um…too."

Graham gave her a delectable smile, before turning away and heading back to where he came from; the side of the venue that she assumed led toward the stage.

"Holy shit! Did that really just happen?" Hallie asked Bianca. "He called you babe! Aren't you happy?" She clutched Bianca's wrists with glee.

Bianca attempted to nod, an idiotic grin forming as she began to hop in place in her heels, doing a spastic dance to show her elated state.

"This night is going to be better than I thought. I'm sorry I doubted it," Bianca said, pressing a hand to her chest.

"You're forgiven. I can't wait to see the other guys," Hallie said coolly. She seriously was calm as ever. But Bianca eventually calmed down as the line moved. Still, her heart was racing and her hands shook. She reveled in the fact that Graham knew her, because the jealousy raging behind them from the sixteen year old girls was priceless. They were saying little remarks about how they wished Graham talked to them, but how totally awesome it was that he was inches away from him.

"Get ready to rock and roll my friend," Hallie spoke to Bianca as they entered the venue, arms linked, pumped to see the guys perform once more.

Graham stopped himself from walking back inside the building just yet. He was hidden from the line of fans, so in seclusion, he let his mind wander. He leaned against the beige stucco walls and grinned at the thought of her. The sight he had just seen was embedded into his brain wonderfully, and he couldn't resist telling her how amazing she looked. She was beautiful, perfect. So incredibly shy, when she was anything but! The Bianca he knew could talk his ear off. Had it been too long that she was no longer comfortable in front of him?

"Bro, you want a smoke?" Frankie asked Graham. He had just exited the side door.

Graham looked at his childhood friend and remembered the high school version of him. The one that was more quiet, subdued. In recent days, Frankie was a womanizer, a loudmouth, his shell really opened in the time they started touring with bands that were already on the scene. You had to be extroverted in the crazy life they all shared together. Frankie's wardrobe had also changed, and for the better. His hair changed styles; from funky to different colors. And though he was still Frankie, sometimes, Graham was looking at a new man. Could two years really have changed all of them? Yes, there was the inevitable: they were a signed band with a CD and a tour. But had Bianca changed at all? She had increased in beauty, but would she look at him with admiration like she used to? Did he want her as a girlfriend again? He wasn't sure yet. He was sure, though, that he wanted to talk to her some more. Yeah, there was nothing serious about talking.

"No man, I'm cool," Graham told Frankie, regarding his question.

"You okay?" Frankie inquired, staring at his best friend who looked like he was thinking too hard.

"I'm fine. I just ran into some old friends. Don't worry. You'll see them later."

"What? Who?" Frankie asked, his eyebrows raised with interest.

"Don't worry about it. Worry about playing a rad show."

Frankie grinned devilishly. "It will be the sweetest show ever. Near our hometown and the hotties in the line. They practically shrieked my way when I walked by to get a pretzel at that pretzel place. That never gets old dude," Frankie said beaming in his glory, rubbing his hands together. His ego had increased in size as well as his personality.

Graham smacked him in the chest with a chuckle. "Keep your pants on dude. Until the after party."