My Father Is Who!?

Joy

All the guys sit down at their long white table and I stand awkwardly over to the side watching the massive line of girls and some grown men wait impatiently for the signing to begin,

"Alex, don't stand there like a stunned mullet, grab a chair and sit with us," says Tino pointing at the stack of chairs, so I take a chair and sit at the end next to Alan.

"I feel professional," I say perking up in the chair and pulling a straight and serious face making the girls at the front of the line chuckle,

"So, why are you with them?" Asks a boy about my age with blue hair from the line, and the girl next to him punches him in the arm and says "don't be rude! That's Austin's daughter that he recently found!" She says smiling at me sweetly and the blue haired boy apologises and continues to ask the girl questions about me.

"Seems you're quite popular Alex," says Austin from the other end of the table smiling at me,

"For the first time ever" I say smiling back at him and I hear someone say "story of my life" in the crowd and laughter.

"Come forward girls," says Austin to the two teenage girls at the front of the line holding om&m shirts. "How are you two? Would you like me to sign these?"

The hours go by and I see fans of all sorts, including that goth couple we saw on the way to the hospital which the guys talk to as if they're good friends, and the emotional ones which make you cry.

A cute girl with short brown hair walks up to Austin, her face already stained with tears, "sweety why have you been crying?" He asks looking concerned at the girl who would have to be 15-16.
"I've been listening to your music for so long," she says before she starts crying and telling us her life story  "you've inspired me so much, I used to be bullied severely and moved schools 4 times before I did online studies, I used to self harm so bad that I was put in hospital on suicide watch, I spent 2 weeks in there and all I had was my dad by my side, because I had lost my mum from cancer, and I'm just so glad to meet the guys who've kept me living," she says and Austin gets up and hugs her and says kind words to her.

What she said hit home, I was bullied and also lost my mum. I understand this girl.

She gets to my end of the table and before she smiles at me through her tears and turns away I ask for her name,

"My name is Ashley," she says,

I stand up and walk around the table to her and pull her into a hug, "I know how you feel, my mum died in a car accident a short while ago," I say "you're not alone, stay strong."

"T-thank you," she says wiping the tears from her eyes and walking back into the crowd where they assist and give her hugs. The of mice and men family are such a tight knitted one, we look out for each other.

"That was nice of you Alex," says Alan,

"Sweety I'm so proud of you." Says Austin smiling at me making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Finally, I've done some good in this world.

5 hours later the lineup is cut short as the guys play at 6:30 and it's 5:15.

"Thank you all for coming, make sure to see us play at 6:30!" Says Aaron and the guys say their goodbyes and apologies for cutting the meet up short and I follow them to the main stages guided by the security guards.

"Dad," I say accidentally, and Austin jerks at my call, I've never called him dad before. "Did you just call me dad?" Says Austin turning and facing me, his mouth wide open.

"We don't have time to dordle," says one of the security the guards and the rest of the band turn and see what the commotion is,

"She called me dad!" Says Austin running up and hugging me,

"I was just asking where we're going," I say giggling,

"Austin you're going to squeeze her to death," says Phil smiling with the rest of the guys and I give them a thumbs up and they chuckle.

"Well, are you a fan of Slipknot?" He asks still smiling with joy,

"Yes!" I practically yell and we continue on our way to the stages,

"Well you see, we play after them, and they're going to go on stage soon, so I thought we'd give them a little visit," says Austin with his arm around my shoulder,

"I think I'm going to faint," I say making the guard next to me chuckle and say "you're lucky kid, I've been doing this job here at Warped for 3 years and I still haven't met them."