Deception (Michael Clifford)

Six

My breath comes in shallow gasps. Mouth hanging open as my lungs desperately scream out for air. I don't turn around, I just run, keep running. I can hear him gaining on me so I lengthen my stride. Sprinting as fast as my legs would allow me. My bare feet land with heavy thuds as I speed across the cold wood. My head spins as I plan out my escape route, throwing a quick glance I see a door on the far left. Rapidly I change course and dart off in a different direction, but he anticipates my move. I clutch onto the grey beanie as I pelt straight for the exit, leaning forward slightly to gain speed. I hear laughing behind me as he starts to catch up, and I'm thrown for a split second. Loosing focus I stumble but quickly regain my balance and remain on my feet. He's so close now, I can feel his feet thudding just behind my heels. "NO!" I scream, and I feel a pair of arms thrown around from behind, a heavy weight colliding with my back and bringing crashing me to the floor. We skid for a few seconds before I make another attempt to scramble to safety, but his weight holds me down. I let a laugh slip from my lips and he giggles at my feeble attempt to stand up. "Let go of me!" I laugh.
"Not until you give me back my beanie!" He cackles, grip tightening around my waist as we both lie in a tangled mess on the floor.
"Never!" I bellow, trying again to heave my self from his grip but it's useless. He starts tickling me, making me double over in a fit of laughter.
"NO KELLIN!" I gasp in between my desperate scrambling, "STOP!" I scream, laughing almost too hard to breathe. Yet he continues to torture me, "OKAY OKAY FINE!" I shout, "Have your dumb beanie!" Throwing the beanie at his head, he laughs and I open my eyes, trying to gasp for breath. He releases his grip and pants heavily as I roll off him, we let ourselves catch our breath and sprawl out on the floor of the venue. Staring straight up at the ceiling, studying the spider web of interlocking steel cables and the lights that hang from them, I can hear Kellin's laboured breathing falling in sync with mine as we both regain our composure. I look over at him, watching as he pulls the beanie back over his head and I laugh out loud at the silly grin on his face before collapsing back down and gazing at the ceiling again. "Would you two quit muckin' around and help us out over here?" A jovial voice echoes from the opposite side of the mosh pit. As if on command both me and Kellin lift our heads, "Aw come on Jesse we're just having a bit of fun!" Kellin laughs.
"Not without me!" A gleeful voice carries out, and another figure runs towards us, feet thundering across the floor boards.
"Shit!" Kellin squeals, quickly cut off as the man collapses on top of him and wrestles with him across the floor. I leap up out of the way as they come barreling towards me, they look like a couple of turtles, "Damn it Justin! Cut it out!" He wheezes beneath the mans weight, I could hear laughter coming from both of them. They tumble around for a few more seconds before Justin recieves a final poke in the ribs from Kellin then peels himself off the lead singer and stands up, breathing heavily and grinning at me. I stand and watch these two children. He looks so different without his long hair, last time I saw him it was past his shoulders, but now it's been cut into a not too short side parting. Looking back down at Kellin he sticks out an arm, which is promptly grabbed. "Man look what you did! My shirts all messed up now," Kellin complains as he's helped to his feet. He looks down at his black singlet and brushes it off with his hands. If it wasn't for all the tattoos, you wouldn't be able to tell that these two are in such a punk band.
"Aw stop being such a girl," Justin laughs, Kellin continues to pout but I could see a sparkle of laughter in his eyes.
"Hey!" I but in, and they both laugh.
"I'm kidding Scar," Justin laughs as he strolls over to where I'm stood. "Your one of the guys!" he swings his tattoo covered arm around my neck and puts me into a gentle head lock, knuckling my hair.
"Hey get off me!" I giggle, struggling to get out of his grip. I've missed this, just messing around with the guys, they treat me as an equal. I poke Justin in the ribs, his weak spot, and he releases his grip. Laughing, I push him lightly in the chest and he dramatically stumbles backwards.
"Now look who's the girl," Kellin smiles widely at him, as Justin pretends to be stabbed in the heart. I shake my head and laugh, before we all start to walk back over to the stage.