These Dog Days Are Over
It’s been three hours. They’ve been calling my name nonstop. But the image is burned into my brain. Austin standing in the middle of my show, sucking faces with a brunette. That brunette who happened to be our merch girl. I cried so much, I’m even paler than usual. I’m always gonna care about Austin. But I’d hope he would tell me about dating again. Especially with our merch girl.
“I knew I would find you up here.” Alan sat next to me and stared down at the people running around frantically.
“I take that you found out about Austin’s little, uh, toy.” He said nervously.
“Yea.” Is all I say.
“He wanted to tell you, honestly.” This brings out more tears. Where have they been? I’ve been wanting to cry them out for hours now.
“Oh yea?” I snap. “How is kissing her in front of my show a way of telling me? I know I’m with Vic, but I can’t shake these feelings away from Austin.” I slump back down to my knees. Alan wraps his arms around me and rocks me.
“I know. I’m sorry. Believe me when I say I tried to stop him.” He’s hiding something.
“How long?” Alan begins to fidget with his fingers which are tangled in my hair. “How long Alan?” I spat.
“Since the beginning of Warped.” He mumbles. A whole week and a half. I stand up and begin to pace. Pacing turns to sobbing, sobbing turns to mental break down, mental break lands me on the ground. Me being on the ground attracts the attention of some people. I didn’t get hurt or anything. I landed on somebody.
Who turned out to be Austin.
“Ellie, wait.” I didn’t want to hear it. I just gave him the fakest smile ever. And instead of running away in tears, I walked away with a smile. “Ellie!” he called. I continued to walk. I saw Miley running towards me. She hugged me so tight.
“Oh my gosh. I heard what happened. Are you okay?” I nodded. She smiled and jumped. She was walking towards the stage. “So, last night I had the strangest dream.” I give her a questioning look.
“What was it about?” I put my hands in my pockets.
“Sex. I heard moans and groans. I could’ve sworn I heard it coming from your bunk.” She said. I looked at her.
“No. I was up all night.” I state. That part was true. I was up all night.
“Doing what?” she looks at me.
“Playing Temple Run. Max and Ryan were snoring next door.” she shrugs.
“I must be sex crazed.” Ha. If only. “Oh. So I wanted to know when we get to California, if you would come with me to get a tan and my hair done.” She asks.
“Why?”
“I’m tired of being pale. And I’m tired of this blue.” She takes a lock of her hair and tugs it. “I want black and pink or black and purple. Still undecided.” I smiled. Maybe some girl time is what I needed. To relieve the stress of being the rookie band and the fact that I’m a cheating whore. “Oh! Vic wants to see you.” This made my chest flutter. In a good/bad way. She pointed straight ahead. Before I could turn around to thank her, she was walking away. I take a breath before making my way to Vic. He was laughing at something Tony or Jaime, still not sure yet, said. I walk up to him and Tony/Jaime left.
“Hey.” I put my hand up, but quickly put it down. He smiles and hugs me tightly.
“So I was thinking, in California, you and I hit the beach.” He said while we walked to a merch tent.
“Uh, I can’t actually. I promised Miley I would go with her to do some shopping. I’m even thinking of getting another tattoo.” He squirmed a little.
“You have tattoos? As in the one with the needles?” he wrapped an arm around my neck and laced our fingers.
“Yea, see,” I showed him the music notes, the birds, and the ones on my foot. “I might get a dream catcher on my leg or thigh.” Because I was gonna need it. We arrived at a tent and began going through things to buy. I hold up an OM& shirt. He shakes his head and hands me a PTV shirt. I shake my head and grab a beanie. I slip in on and turn around. He laughs but pays for the two shirts and the beanie. In return I buy him a new snapback and a couple of PTV picks. We walk to another tent and that is when he decides to tell a joke.
“Come on, answer it!” I shake my head and buy a sweatshirt. “Fine. If you don’t answer it, I’m gonna have to kiss you.” He says taking a step forward.
“You have to catch me.” I run away from him, but I hear him on my trail. I’m squealing like a little girl as I run in between fans and band members. He grabs my wrists and pulls me into him and he crashes his lips on mine. I smile into the kiss as he pulls me tighter. He makes me forget about Austin, Ryan, and all the worries. All that matters is his lips on mine. He tugs on my bottom lip as he pulls away. Someone clears their throat behind us and we turn to see Austin and Alan looking at us. Alan is secretly giving me a thumb up behind his back. We smile and Vic wraps his arm around me and we walk away.
~Austin~
Did she really have to do that in front of my face? I mean it’s not like she saw me. Even if she did, she probably would’ve did it anyway. The merch girl, Hannah, was a distraction. We weren’t really dating. We weren’t even hooking up. It was just kissing. But after Ellie saw me, I told Hannah it wouldn’t work out. She didn’t seem fazed. I walk outside our bus and stand next to Alan who is smoking. And honestly, that tie-dye shirt isn’t working on my ginger princess. He blew a roll of smoke out before he notices my presence.
“What’s wrong now?” he knows me too well. “Let me re-phrase that. What is Ellie doing now?” even better. I tug at my hair. This is eating me alive.
“It’s just, I don’t know. She’s driving me crazy.” He tosses his cigarette on the ground and smashes it. “It’s like whenever I see a girl, I find myself comparing her to Ellie. I was doing fine til she came on this damn tour!” I lean my head back and slam it against the bus. I do this process three more times until I’m sure I have an earsplitting headache, literally. Sometimes I think about ruining their relationship. To see them fail, but if she even does come to me, I will be left of the burden of knowing she’s not really supposed to be with me.
“Well, getting over her-” I glared at him. “You didn’t let me finish.” He said while searching for the right words. “Getting over her isn’t going to happen anytime soon. You guys are already friends, what more do you want Austin? Any more than that would require a relationship. Which you don’t have.”
“I know that Alan, but-”
“Cut the crap Austin.” He snaps at me. “You had your chance and you blew it. She’s fucking happy with Vic. If you really fucking love her you’ll leave her the fuck alone with Vic and be a fucking. Man!” he yells in my face. His face is so red, I swear it matches the redness in my face. I just look at him. “Man, fuck it Austin. Whatever you choice is, you do it. I’m just done. Just-whatever.” He slams the door shut. I have never seen Alan so angry before. He is beyond pissed. I walk over to the last place I thought I need advice from. He treats her like his own sister. I knock on the door and I hear a thump and groan. But the door soon opens and his face is twisted in surprise.
“What do you want Carlile?”