Burr - Story:

Catticus sits at the table near the concert hall doors, signing autographs with Aminal. She is in high spirits, for the concert has gone well. She signs pictures of herself, her friends, and CDs with a happy smile and big flourishes. Aminal smiles too, and taps out an echo of his fantastic drum solo from earlier that evening. Not one to be talkative, he still interacts with the fans enthusiastically.

A boy, seeming about the same age as Catti, walks up to the  table, squishing in behind the other fans. One or two people at a time squeeze by the rope around the table and bodyguards. He catches her eye because of his blush. She swears he's as red as The Mic's lipstick, and looking awfully cute about it too. He won't be in for some time, Catti sees. She wonders why he's blushing - she has many boy-fans, being a girl bassist and all. It's not like he's the only one.

Finally, he comes to her side of the table, still red.

"Hey!" Catti grins broadly, "Did you enjoy yourself tonight?" She doesn't reach for the paper in his hand, not wanting to be rude.

He lays the paper in front of her, and nods. "I did. I love your shows."

"What did you like best tonight?"

"Well, I loved your solo during 'Conformity', and I've loved 'A Matter of Hats' since I bought your third CD." His rant goes on a bit more,  Catti sees how he lights up, and knows he must play as well.

"Do you play?" She checks.

"Well, yea, but I can't be really good or anything, not as good as you," his blush returns.

"How about you show me how well you play later?" Catti grins.

The boy-fan stutters, "B-but, how? Where?"

"If you wait about ten minutes or so, you can meet me by the Pepsi machine over there. The one blocked off, mind." She points to where she means.

"Ok!" his joy shows rather obviously on his face.

"Good. Now, you'll have to excuse me, but talking with you has angered some of the lads back there. I'd suggest beating it for now."

"Right. No reason to perform with a black eye!" He high-tails it out the other end of the enclosure, and Catti signals one of the bodyguards to keep an eye out for jealous fans.

"And how are you?" Catti greets the next fans, two girls no more than fourteen, with mirrored hairstyles. She feels the bit of paper underneath her fingers, the one from the boy-fan. As the little girls gush about how much they loved her, she slips it into her pocket, still smiling.

---

Having safely made it to the Pepsi machine, Catticus leads her new friend to the bus. Everyone is there, lounging or sleeping. Emo is still awake, and raises an eyebrow at Catti's guest.

"Who's your friend?"

"This is..." Catti starts excitedly, only to trail off. She hadn't thought of that.

"Burr," the boy supplied.

"Burr. Right. He can play bass, and I want to hear him."

"Oh. Did you want me to get my guitar out?"

"Sure!" Catti exclaims. She turns to Burr, "I'll just get my bass."

Emo and Catticus come back with their instruments and patch cables. The amplifiers still sit near the front of the bus. Catti plugs in and hands the neon green bass to her new friend, who stares down at it only slightly awestricken.

"Do you know how to play 'M <3 P'?" she inquires.

Before he can answer, a voice floats down from the second layer of the bus. "Oi! I'll have none of that! Leave it be for now!" It is Georgetta, a friend and fellow guitarist for Photog and Campus Ministry.

Catticus laughs inside as she says "Ok, how about 'A Matter of Hats', since you mentioned it?"

"I know it a bit." Burr shrugs and slings the strap of the bass 'round his neck.

"I'll get you started." Emo plucks out the opening chords.

Burr's fingers take off with a fury, keeping time with Emo's part, smoothly going from chorus to verse to bridge and back. His gold and fluffy hair flies back and forth as he headbangs. Catti's mouth drops, The Mic and Georgetta peer over the rail, and Aminal nudges Veronica out of sleep.

Emo takes off into 'Ravioli' without skipping a beat, and with only one missed note, Burr is right behind him. As the last note dies, Catticus claps wildly.

"That was amazing! How long have you been playing?"

"Since your first album came out." Burr turns red once again.

"Catti, I think you're out of a job," Veronica jokes from the back of the bus. Aminal snickers a bit, but walks to put a reassuring arm around Catti.

"Name?" Aminal asks, having not heard it before.

"Burr," he sticks out a hand to shake.

Aminal examines the proffered hand a bit, gives it a good sniff, and promptly leaps on Burr, hugging with all four limbs.

"It seems Aminal approves," The Mic comments.

"Oi. No comments from the peanut gallery," Catticus shakes a mock-fist at her.

After more jokes and exchanged names, Burr prepares to go.

"I'll be sure to be at your next concert," he assures Catticus.

"Great." She smiles. He turns away to leave as she goes back in the bus.

"You know, I rather like him," The Mic says.

"So? You 'rather liked' Patches too, till he screwed up." Catti points out.

"Yes, but I like him too," Emo chimes in.

"And me," Veronica interrupts.

"Me too!" Georgetta adds.

Catti looks at Aminal, who smiles.

Darting to the door, she makes it out in time to see Burr at the door to the hall.

"Burr!" she calls.

He turns around, listening.

"Want to be my prom date?"

He gives a raised 'thumbs-up', and disappears into the hall.