Waiting
~Ellie~
I walked to the PTV bus after being harassed on Twitter. I had Austin with me and we wanted to know if Tony was coming with us to Starbucks. I knock on the door and lean against it.
*BAM*
“Que comían todos los bocadillos?!?!?!” Vic’s voice rang throughout the bus. I look at Austin, but he’s too busy trying to peek through the windows.
“Man I don’t know! Probably Jaime since he was the last one in the kitchen.” Mike reassures.
*BANG*
“Jaime! Conseguir su culo de aquí!!!!” Vic screams.
“I swear I aint do shit this time! Tony de mentir! He lost your beanie!”
“It wasn’t even Tony! It was Mike-my beanie? I’m talking about the last bag of chips Jaime!!!! ¿por qué se come Jaime!!!” Mike opened the door when we heard another noise.
*BAM*
“Hey guys. Tony can’t come. We’re in a bit of a situation.” Mike rolls his eyes before running off to the back. Jaime then bursts through the door, pushing me to the side.
“Sorry Ellie!” he begins to run to who knows where. Vic jumps off the bus, his eyes scanning the venue. He spots me and smiles.
“Hey Ellie. Where’s Jaime?” I shrug my shoulders as he sticks his hand out to help me.
“I dunno. He took off that way-”
“Thanks!” he takes off running where I pointed, knocking me over again. My shades plop off my face.
“So, Starbucks?” Austin asks. I get up for the second time, brushing any and all dirt from my pants, putting my sunglasses back on. Checking the time to make sure we have enough time, we walk outside the venue for a second time, heading the opposite way.
“So, are you excited?” Austin asks.
“About what?”
“Getting singed!” I mean, duh, I was excited. I can work more closely with Kellin and Austin. I mean, Kellin is amazing and since I’m doing unclean and clean vocals, working with both of them could be really amazing. And working close with Kellin means I get to meet his fiancé and daughter, which I am so excited about. And I get to spend more time with Alan and the guys, so duh. I’m excited. And I can meet matty again, because he seems like an awesome guy.
“But what if I don’t get signed?” I ask.
“What!” he voice booms, scaring me. He glances at me. “Sorry.” He mutters. “But of course you will get signed. You are an amazing singer and your band is awesome. Well, I wouldn’t know. I haven’t talked to any of them, but they seem amazing on stage.” I let out a snort. “Plus they are gonna have to sign you.” He says as we enter Starbucks.
Have to?
“Why?” I tug on his shirt as he orders two caramel Frappuccino’s. we take a window booth and he begins to talk.
“Whether they notice it or not, you will be the first female band signed to Rise Records who has a variety of vocal range. Most bands have a clean and unclean vocalist.”
“Kellin doesn’t.” I point out.
“That’s because Jesse, the backing vocalist is doing the screaming. Let’s face it. You’re gonna be the first band. You’re the only vocal for the band and then once you find you a keyboardist and make a music video, there’s gonna be lots of record companies wanting to sign you.”
“Wow.” That’s a lot to take in. it’s like, we’re a secret weapon against everyone else.
“Any other record labels you would want signed to?” actually there is some I’ve been looking up. I already feel bad for basically getting David kicked out of his contract with Rise Records, I have backup labels in case something happens and we lose our contract. As my dad would say;
If David got kicked out something, you will too. Have a backup plan.
My dad could not have been anymore right.
“Yes. Sumerian Records. I See Stars are signed there. There’s a couple more I have my eye out for.” Austin sends me a toothy grin and I die on the inside. I feel the blood rushing into my cheeks.
No, no here.
The lady calls for our order and I sigh in relief. Austin comes back and sets our drinks down.
“So, you never told me what your tattoo sleeve means.” I choke on my drink, nearly dying in the progress. I check the time again, only one.
Damn it.
“Uh, oh look at the time, I should be-”
“Ellie. Sit.” And my stupid self sits down. He sighs. “Just tell me.” I take more sips of my coffee.
“Nothing.” I say. Through my sunglasses and through his, I can see him rolling his eyes.
“So, you got a tattoo that meant nothing?” I nod. “Ellie, that’s not like you.” He’s right. I would never get a tattoo that means nothing to me. Each skull, each charm, each rose and quote means something and they’re all tied to Austin.
“Erm, nothing important Austin.” I whisper.
“Ellie……” He places his hands on top of mine.
Don’t blush, don’t blush.
“Austin…….I-”
“Austin!!!” fans begin to crowd our table. I’m used to hanging out with the guys to know that when fans come, I’m automatically not as famous and not as important as them. I quietly slip from the booth as a fake Barbie slides into my seat. I take my coffee as I walk out of Starbucks. Then I remember.
I have absolutely no idea where I am.
Groaning, I dial David’s number and walk a few feet away from the café.
“Hello?” his deep voice shouts into my ear.
“David,”
“Ellie?”
“Yea. I was wondering, if you could come get me from Starbucks. I have no clue where I am.”
“Uh, I thought you were with Austin.” I could feel the annoyance start to rise in my voice.
“Well, there was a change of plans. So can you come get me or not?” there was a shuffle in the background and the sound of a door being closed.
“Yea. I’ll be her in a few.”
“K.”
“Bye.” The line clicks. I slid down the brick wall and sit between the newspaper stand and a horse. The one where you put money in it and you sit on it. The door flies open and I hear Austin.
“Ellie? Ellie where are you? I’m sorry!” I’m actually glad I wore all black today. I blend in real good. Turning my head so only my hair shows, since it cover my complete shoulder, and I listen to Austin footsteps. Soon, his shouts become fainter and fainter until……
“Gotcha you!” I scream.
~Austin~
Great move Austin. You’re supposed to be hanging with your best friend and you let a couple fans ruin that. Who knows where she ran off too.
Nice job dipshit.
I begin my journey to the stage when I spot a girl I think I may know.
“Miley!” The girl with the colorful hair turned my way. “Are you packed for tonight?” she nodded and ran off somewhere. Nothing’s gonna ruin my night. Tomorrow, my best friend is going to get singed to Rise Records and make a music video. They said that if they get singed, the date of the video would be on the first day of our Headline Tour: Beyond Reckless. One benefit of having your best friend a rising artist, you get to go on tours with her. Down set of your best friend being a rising artist, it’s harder to explain your feelings when they’re hooking up with people. Ugh! I take out my iPhone and prepare for a Tweet.
Austin Carlile: packing up and heading with ma bestie for a week. Hope you get signed to our family @EllieSNS
Kellin Quinn: @austincarlile she’s basically like family signed or not ;) @EllieSNS
He was right. Whether she does get signed to our record label, she’s basically like family to everyone else. The first friend she made was Vic, that lead to Alex and soon Kellin and everything fell into place. She was meant to be a part of the Warped family. She’s made it this far with her band and I will help her the rest of the way. Whether it’s as a best friend or a boyfriend (really hoping on the last part), she deserves this. She doesn’t deserve that rape. Or Andy breaking her heart.
And I’ll be damned to let it happen again.
I love Ellie way too much to let anything harm her. If it wasn’t for my dumbass breaking up with her, she could still be mine. I will always have this burden that I caused her to be depressed and sad. I’ve known her for eight years. We’ve been through hell and back. When my mother died, I shut everyone out. But the suborned Ellie who barely knew me at the time always came for me. I’ve soon grown to her and she was the only who ever saw me cry. Two years later, her dad passes away. It was so horrible.
18 year old Ellie and 19 year old David stand there with ash caked on their faces and arms, their mother on the ground crying her heart out. The fire in their eyes as they watch their father be burn alive inside the house fire. I remember that night so clear.
7 years ago
Walking back from chad’s house, I was nearly run over by a fire truck speeding down the street, making a left. That’s where Ellie and her brother stay at. Taking a deep breath, I began to chase after the truck, running as fast as I can. Please let her be okay, she’s the only person who stuck by me. I turned the corner as an explosion shook the ground and a flash of orange lit the sky up. I stopped for a moment, taking in the beauty as it lit up the sky. Then I continued to run. I stop at the end of the street as I take in the scene. Their house is engulfed in fire, a giant fire ball. Firemen are trying to put the fire out and people are standing there scared. I gasp as I realize it’s Ellie’s house.
“ELLIE!” I scream. I run to the house to see where they are. I stop as I see two figure run out the house.
David and his mother.
Their hair is singed at the ends and there are covered in smuck and grim. A few minutes later, it seems as if the fire is getting bigger and bigger and there is still no sign of Ellie. I fall on my knees. It seems as if I lost someone very important to me. Two someone’s in the past year. Then I hear the cries. I look up to see Ellie bursting out the house, the ends of her hair on fire, her face covered in ash. She ran to her mom and brother, all huddled together as they wait for the last member of the Schmitt family to emerge out. Minutes pass as the fire gets more out of control and then BOOM!!! The house literally explodes. Mrs. Schmitt collapses on the ground, the fire burning in her eyes. David and Ellie hold each other. I walked up to them and did the same thing she did to me when my mom died. I walked up to her and hugged both of them as they cried into each other’s arms and my shirt.
We sat there all night. All four of us. when morning came, we looked at all that remained of the house.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
It was all a pile of ash.
And there was no sign of her dad.
~Ellie~
“Shit, you scared me David!” I slapped his boney hands from my wrists. He chuckled, but yanked me up anyway.
“Who are you hiding from?” he asks.
“Austin because we were drinking coffee and-David! Are you even listening?” I turn around to see him putting money in the mechanical horse. I take my phone out and take a photo while laughing my butt off. The horse begins to rock forward while making weird grunts and horses noises.
“David……..what……are…….you…….doing?” I say in between breaths. I begin to record a video for Twitter. I place myself in front of the horse while David rides it. I hit the record button.
“Ladies and gentlemen, David Schmitt, my idiotic brother.” I post it on twitter and David hops out. He whips out his phone and takes a pic of the two of us and basically puts it on every social media he has an account for.
“So, when we get home, are we staying at mom’s?”
“Nooo. Mom won’t be back home until the last day. She’s on a business trip.” I love my mom to death, but sometimes, I just wish she would stop working and spend time with us. But, hey, she can do whatever. We begin to walk back to the venue, a smile plastered on my face. This is the first time in a while that my brother and I have spent time together, that isn’t drinking. And it feels amazing!
My phone begins to blare the I See Stars ringtone I changed it too. I looked at the caller I.D and it was an unknown number. David gives me a weird look and I just shrug my shoulders.
“Hello?”
“Yes, this is Devin from I See Stars, is this Ellie from Sorry Not Sorry.” I almost dropped my phone.
Shut. Up.
“Yes it is.”
“WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!!!!!!!!” he screams into the receiver. I pull the phone away from my ear for a moment to give my ear time to stop throbbing. Then I had to sink in what he said.
“OH MY GOD!!!! THEY WANT TO SIGN ME?!?!?!” I scream back.
“YES!!! WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE OR SCHEDULE A MEETING FOR YOU TO SIGN PAPERS!!!!!”
“OH MY GOD!” David shoots me another look as we enter the venue grounds. I’m too shocked to do anything but stand frozen in my spot.
“I KNOW!” he screams back.
“OH MY GOD!” I use my hands to fan myself. I was feeling hot and the ground was rushing up towards me. David’s face turned to concern as he studied me.
“OH MY GOD!”
The black splotches take over.
Then I blacked out.