I woke up the next morning in the van with a foggy recollection of the night before. I remember making out once or twice and I prayed that those were both with the same person, and I figured it was Alex.
"Fuck," I whispered, sitting up. Reaching for the sunglasses that Garrett lent me for the tour and putting them on my face before I had a chance to even open my eyes.
The sun was just rising, but I was still hung over.
"Morning," Tim smiled at me spitefully. His smile said "I know everything you did last night and I will taunt you about it all week long."
"Do you have a weird taste in your mouth?" He smiled.
Fuck you Tim. Fuck. You.
"What?" I asked, rummaging through my bag for my pain reliever.
"Oh, nothing. I just figured you'd still be able to taste arrogant lead singer on your tongue." He said laughing a little bit.
Everyone else who was awake in the band stayed silent.
John, Jared, Pat, Kennedy.
Garrett was still passed out, which was strange. As much as we've been around each other, he was always the first one up, he could never sleep.
I got a bunch of awkward looks as I let the pills slide down my throat.
Tim could be harsh. Everybody said he always had the "best intentions" but he was just being cruel and he knew it.
"Tim, shut the fuck up." I snapped, surprising everyone in the van.
It was an awkward silence that couldn't be cut with a knife.
"Kay, I'm joking." He said smiling to try to calm it all over.
"No, fuck you, Tim." I felt all of this anger and frustration building up inside of me and I knew that I should stop, but I wanted to make a few more remarks. "Listen, I love everybody in this fucking band, but if you can't stop being a fucking asshole 24/7, you can find a new fucking merch girl and I'll go home, because you're making this miserable for me and this is the second day."
"Guys, let's chill out a bit." Pat said trying to cool the situation down.
"Seriously." John said adding in. "Tim, stop ragging on Kay so hard, alright?"
I sat with my knees to my chest watching the highway pass by in the morning light.
"I'm sorry, Kay. I'll stop." Tim said calmly. He seemed like a child that just got in trouble for breaking a window with a baseball.
I couldn't stay mad at him. He was a brother. "It's okay."
We pulled into the venue area and started setting everything up. I sat in the van a few more minutes to do my hair for the day. I didn't have to worry about my make-up because of my ray-bans, but I did have to put on five hundred layers of sunscreen all over and be sure to take it along with me.
I searched for the van to find anything to wear. The guys knew I had a bad habit of stealing clothes, and I wouldn't make an exception for this tour.
I grabbed a tank-top that I remember Kennedy wearing not too long ago, smelled it to see if it wasn't terrible, and slipped it on over my camisole and got my converse on.
Today would be alright. I could feel my headache fading away and I had a few pills in my pockets in case it decided to come back again.
I lugged the totes over to the merch tent and was happier that they were slightly lighter thanks to all of the screaming girls.
"Hey, we have about an hour before gates open, so you guys can wander around or whatever. I'm gonna stay here." Tim said looking at his watch. He had his computer in his right hand, so I figured he'd be doing work and I wouldn't want to stay there anyway, especially with the awkwardness from the morning right.
I started walking around after getting a coffee.
"Kay!" I heard someone yell from the side of me. I turned my head to see Alex running towards me with a smile on his face.
Well this was kind of awkward.
"Hey!" I smiled as he reached me and wrapped his arms around me.
"How's your hangover?" He asked with the grin that I learned was a classic of his, and also quite dazzling.
"Actually, not that bad." I smiled. "You guys know how to throw parties."
"Yo, Alex! Sound check!" Someone else yelled.
"Fuck," Alex said looking defeated. "Hey, can I get your number?" He asked shyly.
It was kind of cute how he seemed nervous.
He handed me his iPhone and I put my number in and handed it back to him with a smile. "I'll see you around." I said walking away before it could get anymore awkward.
I sat at the merch table relentlessly all day before Tim came over around 3 and told me that the guys were gonna be doing a signing.
They all sat lined up at the table, and I got to sit back in one of the camping chairs and people watch.
Girls with their cameras, shirts, posters, sunglasses, smiles and cheesy conversations that they planned for weeks.
My phone buzzed and I grabbed it out of the cup holder and looked at it.
From: Unknown
you look bored. =p
I looked around me, knowing that it had to be Alex and that he had to be somewhere around. He peeked out of the side of his merch tent, which was almost out of sight and smiled and waved.
To: Alex
hey, it's the only break I'll have. I'm enjoying it.
From: Alex
come hang out with me. ;)
"Okay, the signing is over! The last few and then they've got to go get ready for their set!" Tim yelled as the last few fans tried to fight to the table.
"Fuck." Garrett said collapsing into the chair next to mine once he signed the last poster. His arm was leaning against mine and I found it awkward, so I shifted to make it seem like I was trying to get more comfortable.
I laughed. "What, you don't like girl after girl throwing herself at you?"
Garrett laughed a little and leaned his head back
From: Alex
I thought you said you two weren't dating...?
Things just got a lot more awkward...
