All the Young Punks (New Boots and Contracts)

Punk Reunion

Joe and I spent the morning in Paris alone, crossing the Louvre off my list of places to visit before I die. It was a perfect morning in a perfect city with the perfect boy. The plans for this evening are different than usual, today The Clash and Angelfucks play at a "Riot Music" festival held on some field. Joe and I are headed there now, as are many in the metro, you can tell by how they're dressed.

You can feel the energy through the wind, hear guitars at a distance, and smell beer all around and in everyone's breath. A guy holding a list lets us into the backstage area where the usual funny business is done. Everyone playing tonight is scattered about the place, its a punk reunion, I instantly recognize old friends; The Sex Pistols, The Damned, and The Ramones.
That last one makes me nervous as you can imagine, tonight will be an interesting night.

"You see them anywhere?" says Joe looking around.
"Who?...oh right, no."
He shakes his head, "late as always, I'll go look for them at the back lot. Stay here yeah?"
"Alone?!" I ask anxiously
"No, Johnny's right there" he says pointing at Rotten.

I approach him cautiously, we had gotten along well before but John, like myself, has a crude temper and I know how people like us can be on bad days. As I get nearer I realize the guy he's smoking with is Ray, he dyed his hair white-ish blonde letting it grow below his ears, it suits him well.

"Hey, Johnny, Captain." I say sheepishly with a simper.
"Look at that, life of the party herself has come" says Johnny with a sardonic smile.
I roll my eyes, "nice to see you too Rotten."
"Hey you two look like twins now that Sensible's done that awful thing to his hair" he jokes looking back and forth between us.
"Do I look that pretty then?" He replies smiling wide placing himself next to me so Johnny can do a comparison.
"Absolutely, Joe has competition."
"ohh you're still with that bastard?"
"Still am, Raymond"
He laughs sticking his tongue down at me, "cheeky baby."
I laugh back slightly, "I like your new hair,"
"Do you really?"
I nod, then over my shoulder spot April, Lily and Piper walking into the place, "I'll see you guys later."
***
"Hey, did Joe find you guys?"
"No, we didn't know you two were here already" says Piper.
"Oh. Where are the others?"
She shrugs, "We came by ourselves" explains Lily.
"Hey, you're friend's with Johnny?!" Asks April excitedly.
"Yeah, something like it. Why?"
"She's been drooling for him forever."
"Shush Piper...but actually if you could introduce us that'd be neat."
I laugh, "Sure I can."
As we are walking towards them Piper spots Dee Dee and like a child after candy trails away from us into his direction.

"Back for more?" Asks Captain when he sees us.
"I came to introduce you to my bandmates, this is April and Lily"
"Nice to meet you" he smiles widely and adorably, Johnny looks up from his beer and smiles nodding, "You'll play tonight?" he asks.
"Yes, we're very nervous" replies April.
"Don't be, in festivals like these no one really comes to listen."
"What do they come for then?" Asks Lily
"to get high and off" he states.
"Johnny's a cynical boy"
I agree with Sensible saying "yeah, he's a real rotter." We laugh together.
"I think he's somethin else" says April flirtatiously.
His sardonic smile makes another appearance then he walks off bored.
Captain raises his eyebrows amused, "try again later when he's had a couple more beers."

During the twenty minutes it took for Joe and the rest of the gang to show up Lily and I stayed mostly by Captain's side since he's quite funny. He introduced us to other people playing tonight, amongst them "The Adverts" and "Generation X."