"Party in our tour bus!!!!!!!!" Alex shouted.
"Party! Party! Party!" Jack yelled, running after him.
We had just finished the meet and greet. There was such a long line of fans. It pleased me to see that many of the fans that came up to meet All Time Low also came up to meet our band, too. They told us that they loved our songs and thought that I was really cool for being the only girl in the band. It was great and I only hoped that they would be loyal enough fans to buy our music when the album came out.
As we drove off to our next destination, which was Seattle, we drank and laughed and joked on ATL's tour bus. We stayed up late into the night, the adrenaline of our first show pumping through us. Throughout the night, I noticed that Ian's humor was a little dry and that he was sulking a bit. I wondered what was bothering him and made a mental note to ask him later when we were alone.
At about 5 in the morning, we got off ATL's tour bus and boarded our own, which was following behind. I felt drowsy, the alcohol swishing in my stomach, the beginnings of a hangover forming in my head. I clambered into the small space that was my bunk. I groaned as I shifted this way and that. I missed my bed.
When I woke up the next day, we were in Seattle. It was about 2 in the afternoon. The bus was stopped in front of the center where we were playing. As I rose out of my bunk, I bumped my head on the bunk on top of mine, which was Caleb's. I let out a stream of curse words and someone pulled aside the curtains. I saw Camron's grinning face.
"You hit your head, too?" he asked. I peered at him through watering eyes. "That makes all of us," he said, standing up. I climbed out of my bunk, a little more carefully this time.
"God damn. There's going to be a nasty bruise on my head," I said, rubbing the spot.
"They aren't as comfortable as our beds, but we're going to have to deal with them," Camron said. I sighed and followed him to the front of the bus, where everyone else was already awake.
"I'm the last one up?" I asked, opening the door to the small bathroom that had only a toilet and a sink. We had made a rule which we got from ATL: no pooping on the bus. It would keep the bathroom from getting too messy and the bus from getting too smelly.
"Yeah, Sleeping Beauty didn't feel like waking up. We were going to send Ian in to kiss you, but then we realized he wasn't much of a prince," Liam joked. I laughed and Ian narrowed his eyes.
"Haha. Hilarious," Ian said, throwing a Cheerio at him.
"Joking, bro. Chill," Liam replied, catching the Cheerio and eating it. I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth and washed my face. After changing uncomfortably in the small space, I stepped out.
"I hate that bathroom. It's too small," I said, sitting next to Ian, who put his arm around me.
"Why don't you change out here?" Ian suggested.
"We wouldn't mind that," Liam said cockily. I kicked him under the table and the others laughed.
"Just change in the back," Caleb said.
"Yeah, but overall, it's still too small," I said. "And it doesn't have a shower. I need to take a shower," I added.
"Yeah, you do," Camron teased.
"Your face needs to take a shower," I muttered.
"Good comeback," Camron said, laughing. I rolled my eyes at him and ate my bowl of cereal.
"What if there was such thing as a bowl made of cereal?" I asked after a few moments. Caleb shook his head.
"You're so weird," he said. I widened my eyes a little.
"No, seriously! Then you could just pour the milk in and eat the bowl," I said.
"Where would the milk go then?" Liam asked.
"You would drink it before you finished eating the bowl," I answered.
"That's such a dumb idea," Ian said.
"I guess the only good thing about that idea is that you wouldn't have to wash the bowl afterwards," Camron brought up.
"Exactly! And you can eat it!" I exclaimed.
"Still a stupid idea," Ian said.
"Well who asked you?!" I mumbled.
"You did! When you asked everyone the question in the first place!" Ian replied. I pursed my lips.
"This is true," I said and they laughed.
"Let's go see what the others are doing," Liam suggested when I finished my food. We all agreed and got off the bus. A couple bands were grouped together near ATL's bus. When we got closer, we realized it was Cobra Starship, Good Charlotte, and The Maine. We slowed our pace a little.
"Should we go up there?" I asked.
"Why not?" Camron questioned.
"Those are all bigger bands. We're not big-time like them, yet. It'll seem like we're trying too hard to fit in," I said.
"She's got a point," Caleb muttered.
"So what? We stop and turn around? How shady will that look?" Ian said.
"Let's just go. They're a cool group of people," Liam said. So we continued to walk towards them. As we got closer, Alex called out to us.
"It's the Velocity crew!" he yelled, gesturing us to come on over.
"And now we definitely can't turn back," Caleb said out of the corner of his mouth. We reached the group of people.
"Hey," I said.
"What's up, V?" Alex asked, smiling at me.
"Not much. Woke up like 30 minutes ago," I said.
"Same here," Gabe, of Cobra Starship, said. Alex gestured for me to come stand next to him. I leaned against his tour bus, quite shorter than he was.
"Guys, she is the sickest singer ever. Mad vocals," Alex said, draping an arm around my shoulders. I shot a confused look at Caleb, who shrugged. I glanced at Ian, whose expression turned stony.
"I'm all right," I said.
"More than all right," Alex said.
"And she's hot," Jack added.
"Oh God. You see what they do? Poor thing. They did that to me, too, when I was the only girl around," Victoria, of Cobra Starship, told me. "You guys are such pigs," she added to them.
"There aren't that many girls on tour. It's cool having a few around. Otherwise it would be a bro-party," John, of The Maine, said.
"I am not a bro," Alex said.
"Right," Jack muttered. Alex punched his arm and he punched him back.
"See what I mean?" John asked, looking at me.
"Hey, I'm sorry. Could you guys tell me your names again?" Joel Madden asked. He had been standing there looking slightly confused, watching our conversation. We went around and introduced ourselves. "Oh. Cool. Welcome to the pop-punk circle," Joel said.
We stood around chatting idly about random things, cracking jokes, and pulling pranks on each other. Afterwards we all went and got lunch together, taking up an entire small local restaraunt. After lunch we all split up before the concert began. Ian and I stole away from the rest of the band because I wanted to talk to him.
"What is your problem?" I hissed, under my breath.
"What are you talking about?" he asked aggravatedly.
"You're acting like a total downer! What's wrong with you?" I asked.
"No I'm not," he said, becoming visibly more annoyed and angry.
"Yes you are. They were all just joking around and you were standing there looking all serious. What's going on?" I asked.
"Yeah? That's all they were doing? Joking around?" Ian asked, taking the defensive. I narrowed my eyes. "Alex is totally hitting on you! He had his arm all around you and kept touching you. He was totally flirting!" he cried.
"I-what? No he wasn't," I defended.
"Yes he was! And you were doing it back," he said.
"Are you serious right now? You're really going to get jealous over me talking to another guy?" I brought up.
"Jealous? You're standing there mackinn' on another guy right in front of me! And you're letting him do the same to you!" he yelled in a low whisper.
"We were just talking, Ian! And he doesn't know we're dating. To him, I'm a single girl. And Alex has a girlfriend. He's just being friendly. He doesn't see me in that way," I said.
"You are taking way too much attention," Ian said.
"What the hell is your problem, Ian?! I'm trying to make friends with these guys so they can help us become a better band! I'm doing it so that our first album won't be a complete failure! I'm doing all of this for the band, not because I want attention! Not everyone is like you, always seeking fame everywhere they go," I hissed. He glared at me and I knew he knew I was right. he just wasn't going to admit it. I softened my expression and placed a hand lightly on his cheek. "Alex is a natural flirt. It's who he is. I see him as just a friend that can help our band out a little. Nothing else," I said softly. "You're my boyfriend. I'm with you," I added. He softened his expression, too.
"Fine. But tell him to stop touching you. It pisses me off," he said. I smiled and shook my head at him and leaned in to kiss his lips lightly.
"See? I would never do that with Alex. So lighten up and have fun," I said, once we pulled away. He looked down at me solemnly and then we went back to the bus to meet up with everyone else. Caleb was in the back, changing. I sat on my bunk, lying on my back.
"How're you and Ian doing?" he asked me. I sighed.
"Fine, I guess. He's a bit of work, but we have our moments," I replied. "Caleb?" I asked.
"Mmm?"
"If I ask you a question, will you answer truthfully?" I asked him.
"Uh-oh. Did I do something?" he asked me.
"No...it's just...are you and Mae..." I began.
"I think you've already asked me this question before," Caleb interrupted.
"I know, but...that was before you guys shared a room...and you two were acting all weird yesterday," I said.
"I told you before, we're not looking for anything right now. Maybe in the future. But for now, we're just sticking to being just friends," he told me. I bit my lip. "Did you talk to Mae already?" he asked. I shook my head.
"I haven't had a chance. She's loving having out with all these bands," I said.
"Yeah..." he said. He looked at me.
"It seems to me you want to say something," I said. He looked down at his hands and then kneeled so that his face was level with mine.
"You can't tell anyone..." he began.
"You know that I would never--" I started.
"We made out the night we shared a room," he told me, his voice a low whisper. I smiled, not able to help it.
"I knew something happened!" I whispered excitedly.
"Shhhh!! It just sort of happened. But seriously. Don't say anything," he told me.
"I promise," I said solemnly, a small smile still at my lips.
How great would it be if they started dating and Ian and I finally made our relationship public? I was tired of hiding from everyone.
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A/N: Sorry it's short! I haven't had enough time. I promise I'll update with a longer, better part when I come back from vacation. Until then, enjoy this part, comment/vote, and see you all in a week!!
XOXO