Chance Collisions [DISCONTINUED]

9 // Carry On

Chapter 9

The sun was high and vibrant the day of the B-Tracks Valley Festival. The crowds were jumping in synchronization, the music blaring from the million speakers that lined the stage, and Juliette and I were blissfully drowning in the midst of it all. An alternative indie girl was currently shredding an electric guitar with her counterpart killing it on keyboard. If I thought the audience couldn't get any louder, I was proven wrong when the duo finished off with a banging finale.

"We've been Colliding Colors!! Thank you so much for being the best crowd we've ever performed to! Keep that insane energy up for the next act, Fenced In! They're up in ten! On deck is Chasing Pavement." The boy shouted into the microphone as the girl tossed an entire box of picks into the sea of enthusiastic teenagers. With one more roaring applause and a bow, the stage was vacated. Taking that as a cue, people began dispersing and a new set of eager fans rushed to get a better vantage point to see the heartthrob band. Juliette's hand was within mine in seconds as she pushed her way towards the nearest exit.

We found ourselves at the VIP area in a matter of minutes and as we waited for someone to help us across the velvet ropes, I took the moment to scan the heavily populated GA pit we were previously engulfed in. It was a lot more crowded this go around than past years, probably credited to the major headliner the sponsors managed to pull for this year. A nudge on my shoulder broke me from the current trance I was in and I turned back my attention to the now present man on the other side of the rope. We flashed our passes and gave him our names to be searched for in the slightly daunting (in length) list he held in hand. Once located and highlighted off, he gave us a thumbs up and allowed us to enter.

"Have a nice day ladies." We nodded back with a rushed thank you and a you too! before we hurried towards another check in line for backstage artists and company, antsy in anticipation. After getting stamped, we were ushered in the direction of a red tent and if I was excited then, I was ten times as electrified with the feeling. There was a burst of laughter followed by loud friendly chatter as I pulled open the flap and entered the buzzing atmosphere.

There was a brief second of surveying before my eyes fell upon clashing blonde and blue shades hyped over the beat blasting from the television displaying Fenced In on stage, a trio pumping everyone up with an infectious rock number. Next to them was the rest of the quartet, bopping along on a couch facing against the entrance. A smile spread across my face at the sight of the band and then my feet were off, weaving themselves through the packed tent until I ended up at the heels of the sofa. I crouched down, hands shielding the vision of the brunette in front of me.

"If you're going to kill me, can it be after our performance? I've been looking forward to it for the past month. Please, have a heart." He spoke, hands up in surrender before they overlapped mine.

"Unfortunately for you, I lack such a vital organ." I laughed back as he took both pairs of hands off of his face. I interlocked my fingers into the formation of a gun, resting it against his temple the moment he cranked his head upside down to see his assassin. "Pew pew." At the sound of artificial gunfire, Wesley dramatically acted out his final breath: tongue out, hand on heart, the whole shabang.

"Damn, is it too late to get Everett from Apocalyptic to learn everything in thirty minutes?" Elliot who was situated beside him teased, knowing very well how much the bassist despised the competition.

"Guess what, I miraculously survived the head wound." Wes announced, reviving himself to shoot a glare at his fellow bandmate and then proceeded to tug on my arms hard enough for me to dive head first into the navy cushions.

"Nice to meet you couch, my name is Charlotte." I greeted, voice muffled by the suede before kicking my feet forward and completing the somersault, landing ungracefully on the floor by the foot of the furniture. I finished the routine with a giant "tada" and a pair of jazz hands as I moved my body until it leaned against the legs of Wes.