Shutter >>josh dun<<

>>15<< Surprise, Surprise, Surprise, We Have a Surprise

I got out of the taxi and closed the door behind me. There was a few fans walking in, so I followed them inside. Mark had told me to meet him at the Hard Rock Cafe's merch booth, so I could get backstage and everything.
"You ready?" Mark asked with a high-five.
"Let's do it,"

>>><<<
After some mental preparation and a luggage drop off, Mark and I made our way to the dressing rooms. I was kind of glad that the boys had separate rooms. I curled my hand into a fist, ready to knock on Tyler's door, but Mark stopped me.
"What if Josh's in there? What's your plan, surprise him before or after the show?"
"Right..." My hand drifted back to my side. "I'm thinking like right before, right before they walk on. He'll get to see me, but then have to go out,"
"Ok, what are you going to do until then?" Mark was making me realize that I hadn't really thought this through yet. In response, I made the classic 'I don't know' sound.
"I could help set up?"
"Ok, sure, I'll grab you a shirt and a bandana to hide your face. Follow me," We walked out to the bus and I followed Mark to his bunk. He tossed me one of his extra 'crew' shirts, almost identical to the one he had on. It was a few sizes too big, but it would have to work. The two of us walked back towards the Hard Rock Cafe as I tied the bandana around my head, letting it hang on my neck.

>><<
"Bring the drums to left stage, I'll get'em set up," Adam instructed.
"On it," I pushed the case to the left side of the stage. While doing so I noticed that all the opening bands kept their kits on the left, but Josh's was always on the right. Weird.

Once the majority of the Chefs'pecial setup was done, I completed a few more tasks for whoever needed it. There was a small tent, just offstage, where I could hear the bands talking. Joshua, from Chef'Special, cracked a joke, causing everyone to laugh, which caused me to smile. Josh's voices rose above the laugher, announcing that he was going to grab something.
Crap
Without looking, I ran around the other side of the tent, bumping into someone in the process. I mumbled and apology and tried to hurry off, but they lightly grabbed my hand.
"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met. I'm Jenna, Tyler's wife," I immediately recognized her voice.
Jenna dropped my hand and I slowly turned around, "I'm Mae," right then I had to decide whether or not to let her in on the plan. "Josh's girlfriend, the photographer, I'm actually here to surprise him," I half whispered. Jenna noticeably remembered and nodded.
"I think I saw him over the-"
"Later, he can't know I'm here yet," My hushed tone still present, I felt kind of bad for cutting her off.
"Oh, Ok. That explains the shirt and why you aren't really setting up," Jenna laughed.
"Yeah, now if you'll excuse me, I have to go hide," I started down the hall, "It was nice meeting you!"
"You too, good luck!"
Boy am I gonna need it.
>>><<<
MUTEMATH was starting their last song, so I only had about a half hour left to avoid Josh. Which, by the way is a lot harder than I thought.
In case I couldn't catch him before the show, I scribbled a note and stuck it to his cymbal:
jishwa,
I'll see you after the show, play a good one for my hometown ok ;) <3
~mae

The band bid their farewells to the crowd, and came backstage. They were met with high fives and pats on the back while other crew members put up the curtain. With the help of the crew, the stage had been transformed to the same set up I had seen almost a year earlier.

"Sorry I'm late, there was a ton of traffic," I lied and pulled out my camera. Before long I had come face to face with someone who I had only seen from the stage, Joshua Dun.

What I didn't know was that this was the moment that changed my life.

"You're on in ten!" Adam called to the boys from several feet away. I would wait a few more minutes before revealing myself.
Without a second thought, I bolted to Josh's dressing room and grabbed his ski mask. I slipped out of the room and waited around the corner, removing my hat and bandana. Moments later he walked out, a panicked look settled on his features.
"Anyone seen my ski mask?" Josh asked no one in particular. A few voices answered that it was in his dressing room. Flustered, he headed back to the dressing room. I quickly pulled the mask over Josh's head, causing him to turn around. He took off the mask and stared at me in disbelief.
"Surprise," I smiled.
"Wh-What? How? How are you here right now? I thought you had a show in Dallas," Josh cupped my face in his hands to make sure I was actually there.
"Brendon got someone to cover for me," I beamed, a smile plastered on my face that matched Josh's. He pulled me close and took everything in.
"How long have you been here?"
"A couple hours,"
"I hate you for not telling me,"
"We both know that's not true,"
"You got me there," I was released from the hug, but stayed close. "You left something at the airport y'know,"
"What? I though I had everything. What was it?" I inquired.
"This," Before I could say another word, Josh swooped down and kissed me. It was one of those kisses that make everything around you disappear, where the world stops even for just a moment. Like standing in the eye of a hurricane, everything is still, but the world around you is in complete chaos. My hands played with the baby hairs on the back of Josh's neck, slowly moving to the rest of his hair. He held my face as if I was made of glass; gently and protectively.
All too soon we pulled away, both of us breathing harder than usual. That's when I noticed that Josh's hair was no longer the faded red I had come to love.
"When did this happen?" I tugged on a piece of pink hair in the front, still slightly out of breath.
"I dunno. How come you didn't notice earlier?" the drummer pouted.
I mimicked the answer he had given me moments earlier. "I dunno,"

"Curtain coming down!" a stage manager announced.
Josh and I exchanged glances, "Come on," He grabbed my hand and we made our way to the other side of the stage, where Josh was supposed to enter from. After catching up for a little bit, it was time for Tyler and Josh to take the stage. My pink-haired boyfriend pecked my lips before pulling the ski mask over his head one again.
"Ew, you taste like coffee," My face was scrunched up in disgust for the caffeinated drink.
Josh, being the jerk that he his, kissed me again, despite my protests. "That's not what you were saying earlier..." He smirked. With a small gasp, I half-heartedly pushed him backwards. The drummer barely even stumbled, but laughed in amusement.
"Get outta here! I'll see you later of you're lucky,"  Josh released my hand as he stepped on the platform,still grinning like a mad man.