I never thought that giving Oli Sykes a plastic rose at my first BMTH show would lead to this...
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Two friends; Willow & Cassidy, travel cross-country following their favourite band, Bring Me The Horizon on to...
We slept in the next morning because we hadn't arrived home until after midnight – and, well, we'd stayed up until 3am on our post-concert high.
At 6pm, we headed to the airport for our flight down to Los Angeles. It was a short flight, and even though the concert wasn't until the following day, we wanted to make sure we could line up early and get barrier again. We stayed at some cheap hotel near the airport and picked up our rental car the next day before heading to the venue to queue. In LA there was about 10 people in front of us, but it didn't matter. We would still be near the middle of the stage.
I took another one of my crappy plastic roses, hoping that maybe Oli would remember me from the San Francisco show if I could throw another one to him, or even better, give it to him again. Cassidy had a different sign for tonight's show that said 'Nichols for President'. It was so lame, but she didn't care.
I snapped a cute photo of myself with the rose while we were waiting in line and posted it on instagram. I made it my profile photo everywhere - I loved my new pink hair and had to show it off.
The night went the same as the night of the San Francisco show; 6pm for doors, run for the barrier, support acts and then 9:30pm for Bring Me The Horizon. We ended up just right of the center of the stage, but still up the front and with uninterrupted views of the band. Perfect. The guys came on 10 minutes late, which felt like an eternity, but just made the suspense even better.
The show was again amazing, and I think Oli might have remembered us from San Francisco because he smiled at us during the quiet parts of 'Doomed'. I was so happy he'd recognized us, but then maybe it was just a coincidence. I guess the rainbow hair colours helped though. The set list was the same but this time, Oli jumped down from the stage during 'Can You Feel My Heart'. As he came over near us, I held the new rose out in front of me and smiled. He smiled and took it, then starting to sing right in front of me. I thought he was about to climb up on the barrier like he did last time, but he just stood there singing. "I'm scared to get close, I hate being alone..." he was singing right in front of me and I was getting squashed by people trying to get closer to him, but I just sang along. It's my favourite lyric of all of their songs, and it was so amazing having him singing it right there! When it reached the musical part of the song when he didn't have to sing, he smiled at me then ran back up to the stage. I couldn't believe he had been so close to me and that I'd been able to give him a second rose! It was unbelievable.
Once again, Mat threw a drumstick to Cassidy as the show came to an end and he gave her a thumbs up as he laughed at her sign. We hugged and squealed and even though it wasn't our first show this time, this one had been even better. Oli had been so close, so much so that it kind of felt like he was singing just for me. I felt like I could die happy. He was so fucking beautiful.
What the fuck is with this girl who keeps giving me plastic roses? I guess it's kind of funny... maybe I'll post a photo and see if she comments so I can stalk her. She seemed kind of cute, though it was pretty dark.
When we got back to our hotel, I was on a high again and I posted some videos and photos to social media. We only had a 2 hour drive to our next destination, so weren't too worried about being up late. Cassidy came barging into the bathroom while I was in the shower. She was saying 'Oh my God' over and over. "Whoa?! Privacy?!?!?!?!" I squealed, pushing my face around the shower curtain to see what was going on. "What are you doing?" I asked. "OLI JUST POSTED A PHOTO OF THE ROSES YOU GAVE HIM!" she screamed shoving her phone into my face. "What?!" I asked, a sudden rush of adrenaline flooding my body. Surely she didn't just say what I thought she said.
As she flipped her phone around, there it was, on her screen – a photo on instagram from Oli of the 2 roses I'd given him at the 2 shows.
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I just looked at Cassidy with my mouth open in shock as I let it sink in. "Oh my god!!!!" I exhaled. I quickly finished up in the shower, wrapped a towel around myself and ran to my phone. I had to reply quickly; before he went to sleep!
'Glad you like them! Maybe I'll give you another one soon 😉'
I sat looking at my notifications, just staring at my screen for a couple of minutes in a state of disbelief... and then it came through.
'olobersykes liked your comment'.
I squealed and told Cassidy before someone banged on the wall yelling at us to 'keep it down'. We laughed hard into our pillows to muffle the noise.
My phone vibrated a moment later on the bedside table and I quickly looked at my notifications.
'olobersykes liked your photo'.
Oli had now liked my photo; the selfie that I'd taken that day while waiting in line, the one of me holding the rose I took to the show. I fell back on the bed and pulled the pillow over my face and screamed. "What?!" Cassidy squealed, pleading to know what I'd just seen. "HE'S ON MY INSTA!" I said trying to contain myself. "HE JUST LIKED MY SELFIE!!!" I added, covering my mouth. She grabbed my phone and looked at the notification. "Oh my fucking God!" she said seriously. "I know!" I replied.
We just sat there looking at each other wide-eyed for a minute in disbelief. Oli Sykes just liked my photo – and not any photo, a photo of me! How was I going to sleep now?! 'Ok Willow,' I thought to myself. 'Now is not the time to go into fan girl mode'. I needed to remain calm.
I got into bed and tried to think about something else, anything else... but it was impossible. My ears were still ringing from the show and I just couldn't get to sleep. I kept thinking about Oli singing in front of me, and up on the stage and now potentially looking through my instagram profile. What would he think of me?! What would he make of my life? I was too excited and in a way, anxious. I couldn't believe he had liked my photo and now, I really couldn't wait for the next show to see him again!
I can't believe she hasn't message requested me or anything... that's so weird. I mean, come on... I liked your fucking photo. Oh well, who else is sliding into my DM's?
