CHAPTER THREE
A DAY AFTER…
Penny thought my idea was great after I’d pitched it to her. Well, most of it, but I didn’t gripe. I was already packed for my trip, but a little something came up. Penny had said no to comping the money for new clothes because it was a work trip, and I was not able to make use of the second ticket. So I had sold it on eBay for a bit of extra money which I would use for incidentals. Penny did pay for my round-trip flight to New York, but she said the company couldn’t afford for me to fly first-class.
I was determined to please my boss and at the same time have a lot of fun in New York. I decided I would spend just two nights there; I had already done some researching. There was an economical hotel where I had booked a room. I could help out with the expense in any way that I could.
I decided I would make use of my solitary time to write something mind-blowing about the Trash Monkeys.
I felt elated and excited that Penny was offering me this opportunity to cover the headline. It meant the whole world to me, and I was determined to return with a hit story.
I packed several pairs of my undies, a nightgown, two changes of clothes, and my earpiece. I also carried with me my laptop, which could come in handy, and my notebook.
“New York here I come,” I spoke aloud, grabbed my handbag, luggage, and marched out of the door full of excitement and hopefulness. I psyched myself up that I would have nothing less than a successful trip. After all, success was my motto.
I slid into my ride, it was a blue convertible. I had bought it secondhand just six months back. I had not gone to work the other day with it because my gas gauge had been near empty and I didn’t want to be late for work. But now I am driving it to the airport to park it so I can catch the two-and-a-half-hour flight from Jacksonville, Florida, to New York. Rainbow City doesn’t have its own airline. I have to travel to JAX which will be a direct flight to JFK. There will be a rental car waiting for me on arrival, that will make it easier for me to get my job done.
I couldn’t stop thinking of what the concert would be like. The Trash Monkeys was the first rock band that I enjoyed; they were so unique, and the blend of their voices was magic.
“Illicit,” I murmured and started the car.
A lot of things played in my mind, like what sort of hit story was I going to get out of this rock band? They were quite decent, no shady past, and none had been involved in a scandal as far as I knew.
I always focused on celebrities this way, trying to see where their strengths and weaknesses would help me to understand they were real people behind the fame. The reality of life was that even professionals like myself could get wrapped up in all the hoopla every now and again. I needed to keep a level head and not become all fan-girlie.
“Aim for greatness, Kira!” This conversation with myself was a push before getting on the keyboard to type up my assignments.
Trash Monkeys. Their name sounded weird. Why would someone, even a band of their magnitude, want to be addressed as a monkey? Although monkeys were cute and scientifically proven to be as smart as man, I had a problem with the Trash title even if the band was the best thing since sliced bread was invented. I had to admit that I had listened to all twelve songs on their album, and there was nothing trashy about any of them.
I took a deep breath and focused on the road, ignoring the mild flashes of the midday roadworks that I ran into along the interstate toward JAX.
***
I was an hour into my flight and I still had no idea on what to write.
I felt I should call Edel or Tom and ask their opinion about the band but decided against it. My boss had entrusted me with this job. It was a personal assignment targeted at my promotion, so I had to prove to her that I deserved it.
A couple of hours later after I’d picked up my rental car, my tummy churned as I passed a signpost that read: Welcome to New York. I couldn’t describe the level of excitement I felt when I saw that. I was so damn hungry! I craved for burritos but knew I wasn’t getting any. I didn’t want to chance getting an upset stomach.
It was time to rest, stretch my legs a little bit before continuing on this journey.
I took a turn and rode into a gas station called Grub Mart. It was quite modern, but thank God the car lot wasn’t too full as I snagged a parking spot. I noticed they had a store, a mini supermarket full of goodies.
Yeah, right. I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t going to miss grabbing some unhealthy snacks to eat. I would just run some extra miles when I returned home.
“Good day, ma’am, welcome to Grub Mart.” A scrawny-looking girl welcomed me with a smile.
I liked the way her hair was dyed. She looked like someone with a healthy dose of confidence, because she was not afraid of showing off her pink hair color. The cashier’s bold personality drew me to her instantly.
“Hello.” I flashed my teeth into a friendly smile.
“Hello.”
“I need twenty-five in gas, among other things,” I said as I glanced around the parking lot.
From the way she gawked at me, I guessed she knew I was a traveler.
“Sorry, I know I’m staring.” She smiled before opening my tank and inserting the pump.
“Not a problem. People tell me I have a familiar face.” I laughed.
You see, I loved talking to random people. It always opened me up to a story because at the end I was going to learn something new, something different.
“Are you just passing through?” She asked.
“Yeah, I came here to attend a concert,” I replied curtly.
At the mention of a concert, her eyes grew wide, and her slim, oval face split apart as her lips curled into a smile.
“I bet you it’s the Trash Monkeys, right?”
I nodded.
“I love those guys, and they are awesome. We have their flyers everywhere.” She said this with a high degree of excitement. “I would kill for a date with the lead singer, Blade Benefield. He’s super-hot!”
“He is, isn’t he? Tell me what you like about them.” My curiousness was me trying to get some points for my writing.
“They are just cute, but I love Blade Benefield the most. Don’t all women want to kiss him? He is every woman’s wet dream. He’s got the body, the money, the voice, and—” She bit her lip before she spoke again. “From what I heard, he’s packing. If you know what I mean.”
“Oh wow.” I raised my brow knowing she was saying something that was personal. I wondered how many women were privy to Blade’s private parts. I flushed at the thought.
“I hear he is good in bed, too…”
Now that was a story. “How did you come by that bit of information?”
“I don’t know, I just heard it from a girlfriend who ushered at an event they performed. She just told me. Maybe they had a fling, who knows? Candice can be a wild one.” She shrugged.
I just knew by the tone in her voice that she was not sure of what she was saying. That was not what I wanted. I was not a gossip monger and I just wanted a big story that would encourage people and other celebrities or guard them against making any mistakes. I needed hard facts.
“Thanks.” I took out some money and gave it to her.
“Wow, you tipped me?” She looked excited.
“Of course. You’re good at what you do,” I replied and strolled into the Grub Mart. I loved giving tips whenever I had extra cash on me. People deserved that, especially those who enjoyed what they were doing. Especially those who welcomed customers with a huge smile and went out of their way to make them comfortable.
I grabbed a can of Pringles and a bottle of Coke. I took a chicken sandwich and a chocolate bar which I would nibble on while writing. I had a sweet tooth on occasion; I just loved stuff that would energize me.
“Thanks,” I said, paying for my purchases.
Leaving, I waved at the sales girl and slid into my ride. She gave me one last farewell wave back with a big smile attached to her thin lips.
“Phew.” I turned my drink up to my mouth and took a healthy swig as I drove away. I found comfort in the way the fizz burned the back of my throat to settle in my belly.
The conversation I had with the girl had just sparked my curiosity. I knew the names of the Trash Monkeys, but that was all there was to it. I didn’t know much about their private lives but I needed to find a way to get to know them on a deeper level.
I was going to start from somewhere…the sexiest of them all. I needed to get to know Blade Benefield on a personal level.