Bucket Hat

Day 1

I opened my eyes slowly as I felt the sun and heat of the June morning hitting my face through the window. I looked around and saw my little sister still sound asleep in the adjacent bed. Damn, this bed is so comfortable. I don't want to get up. I raise my arms above my head and push them as far as I can to give them a stretch to wake up. I sit up and rub my face, then run my fingers through my wild locks while looking around the room, still groggy. Today is the concert! I'm in Chicago! So is BTS....somewhere! I need to get up and get moving! This revelation gives me an instant endorphin rush. I jump out of bed and as soon as my feet hit the floor, I jump again onto my little sisters sleeping form. "Kayla wake up! It's concert day one!!!" Kayla's eyes popped open and her clenched fist came flying through the air, aimed at my face. I dodged it and she sat up and glared at me. "Jesus Ella, don't wake me up like that! You almost got socked for it you bitch!" I hopped off the bed and leaned down to kiss her head while laughing. "Good morning to you too Satan. I'm not afraid of your fists, I learned to dodge them years ago." Kayla smiled and rolled her eyes, then spun her legs around to get off the bed.

Reality hit her of what today was...finally. "Bitch it's BTS day!!!! What time is it?" She started searching for her phone, running like a mad woman through the room. "Chill out Kay, it's only 11am. We have plenty of time" I laugh while she plops back onto the bed. "Ok, soundcheck starts at what time again?" She asks. "4:30pm, we have plenty of time to eat and get ready." I have always been the one who is more, how do you say it, put together. I am very rational and level headed, while Kayla has a free spirit. She loves adventure while I am a homebody and don't try anything new. Our mom calls her flighty, but I like to think she's just wanting to live her happiest life. I envy her a lot. "Ok Ella, keep me calm today and under control" she says while closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths. "I got you girl. Today is going to be unforgettable. Let's get dressed so we can go find some good food." Kayla jumps up, grabs my hands and drags me to the bathroom. "Deal! You promised to let me do your make-up though. So sit!" She pushed me down onto the toilet seat and I laugh as she proceeded to "make me pretty" as she said.

"That food was yuuuummmy!" Kayla says as she stretches back in her chair dabbing her mouth with a napkin. "It better be for what I just paid. $24 for a chicken breast and baked potato?? Ridiculous." Kayla just looked at me for a moment after my little rant, she always did that when I complained about the prices of things. Again, I'm just more reserved and frugal than her. "El live a little. This is supposed to be our little vacation. And I'll get our next meal." We both know good and well she's not paying for any meals at these prices, she can't afford it. But I'd never tell her that, I've always been supportive of her. "You're right Kay, no more bitching about money. And you can't bitch about.....well, everything you normally bitch about" I laugh. She smiles, reaches her pinky across the table to me and agrees, "deal." I grab her pinky with mine and the deal is made. I paid our bill and we both laugh as we get up from the table. "It's 1:30, I think we should try to get a cab to head to the stadium. You ready Kay?" I look at her with expecting eyes and am greeted with her sparkling ones and a huge smile. "Hell yeah I'm ready El! I'm beyond ready...and excited! Let's go!" She intertwines her arm with mine and we walk out of the restaurant chatting and laughing.

We pull up to the stadium at 2:20pm. "Man that took forever! Pay the stupid guy who got us lost in his own city so we can go in" Kayla said as we climbed from the cab. I smiled while I paid the driver and thanked him. "Kayla, you promised to not bitch, and honestly, you could have at least waited until we were out of the cab to insult the guy. That was just rude." In true Kayla form, she rolls her eyes while throwing her hands up in defeat, saying, "Ok ok. I'm sorry. Can we go in now?" I chuckle and just shake my head. "Yes, let's go. The entrance is over to the right." We walk a bit and finally see our destination. "Damn look at that line already! And those are just people who have tickets to soundcheck?" I say astonished at how many people there are. Kayla grabs my arm and pulls me faster. "I bet there's even more coming too, so let's get our spot in line." We get behind a group of ladies I would say to be ages ranging from early 20's to early 50's. They turned and smiled warmly and said, "Hey ARMY's! Today is going to be awesome! Is this your first BTS concert?" Kayla and I returned their smile while I said, "Yes, this is our first. We had tickets to the MOTS concert, but we all know how that ended." They all laughed and told us this was some of their first one and some have seen them before. They are a group that met online and they're all mothers. We chatted with them until it was their turn to show their tickets and get their badges. "Hopefully we'll see you again. Borahae!" one lady said as they all waved. We smiled and waved back, struck by how nice strangers could be. God I love this fandom.

Once we got our lanyards for soundcheck, we went to find our seats. It was now 3:45. "They'll be coming out in 45 minutes El. I can't believe this! Look, I have fucking goosebumps!!" Kayla showed me her arms with the biggest smile plastered on her face. She was in heaven. We both were. The small fortune I paid for these tickets were so worth it. The inside of the stadium was even bigger than we expected. And being down on the floor looking up.....I was left speechless. This place was massive and was about to be filled to the cusp with ARMY's in a few short hours. Finding our seats was easier than I thought it would be, the workers there were on top of everything to make this a smooth experience. "Oh my GOD Ella! We are literally in the very front row!! I didn't even process that until just now. I hope I make eye contact with at least one of the guys. I'd love to make eye contact with Yoongi, but any of them would make me cream in my panties." Kayla screamed a little louder than I expected, causing a few people to turn and look our way. "God Kayla! That's a bit graphic don't you think! I don't want to know about how wet your panties will get, and I doubt anyone around us does either" I say wide eyed and crimson faced as I notice a couple of ladies next to us looking at us. I'm certain they heard her. She gives her eye roll and crosses her arms across her chest saying, "I don't give a shit. If any grown woman walks out of this stadium tonight with dry panties, I'd question if they are really ARMY." I face palm and just drop it. I want this day to be perfect. Kayla making crude remarks....well, that's Kayla. The next thing we know I hear some music starting and hear some cheering coming from a section closest to the stage entrance. I look over and, I see them.....BTS is walking across the stage waving at us. I think my heart just stopped.