There he was again.
It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen the singer before, met him, hung out with the band and the like when we were together on Warped Tour. It wasn’t like I had never held a decent conversation or as though we weren’t acquaintances at least. No, I knew the guy pretty well actually, knew him inside and out practically. We shared a lot on the few tours our bands had done together and somehow I always found myself alone with him. This was different though, unlike any moment I had spent around him.
We weren’t on tour this time and still somehow he managed to find me…just like he said he would.
The sky was dark, stars dotting the heavens after a brilliant evening of screaming kids and mind blowing music. The sounds inside had faded to silence and we were outside, packing our gear so that we could make it to the next place in time to play the next show. Touring with Of Mice & Men had been a fantasy of mine since I had met them last year on the Warped Tour. They were awesome guys, fun to be around and a blast to listen to on stage. We were lucky to be with them.
I took a long drag on my cigarette, watching the shining embers slowly die out when I released the cylindrical paper wrapped tobacco from my lips. I held the smoke in for a minute, feeling the nicotine flood my system and relax my mind before allowing the smoke to leave my lungs.
The stress was enormous, but nothing was more worrisome to me than that infernal lead singer. I scratched the back of my head absentmindedly as I tried to get him out of my head. It was like he had dug a hole in the side of my skull so that he could cuddle up in the film surrounding my brain or perhaps he had dug straight into the cerebral cortex. I was just trying to get him out of there. He was out of my reach so he needed to get out of my head. I wasn’t going to fall for a lead singer especially when I knew better than to put my heart in anyone’s hands but my own.
I stretched my back a little, shaking my head.
“You alright there Marissa?” came a familiar voice that seemed to scratch on the inside of my skull. I wanted him to get out of my mind and yet he just kept showing up.
“Yeah fine,” I replied lackadaisically. He smiled.
Dammit. I couldn’t help allowing my mind to blank as I took in his full form, the white of his teeth behind pink lips, dark black sideswept locks and piercing brown eyes. His skin was pale, yet refined and stretched over his muscular build attractively, alluringly even. Tattoos painted his flesh, color spreading from beneath his clothes in a menagerie of color. I wanted to attack him right then and there but I knew I wasn’t good enough for him.
“Something seems off,” he asked, leaning against my tour van and giving me a sidelong look with one eyebrow raised. He looked so handsome.
“Yeah I’m just stressed out,” I replied aloofly. He chuckled.
“I’m not stupid you know, I’ve known you long enough to see when you’re more than stressed out,” he teased. I rolled my eyes.
“You haven’t known me that long Carlile,” I jested. He hip bumped me, his hands shoved in his pockets while he did so. I gave him a look of mock surprised before bumping him back. He laughed softly.
“There’s that smile,” he murmured, hand suddenly on my cheek. His thumb ran over the length of my lips. I blushed, blue eyes meeting his gaze in utter shock.
“Austin?” I murmured, “What are you doing?” He chuckled.
“Nothing,” he whispered, dropping his hand, “I just wanted to make sure you were okay, I’ll see you when we get to Dallas.” I blanched as he walked away, tucking a lock of my overly long black hair behind my ear.
