I'm Holding Every Look
Chapter 1.
My eyes scanned the expanse of people in front of me.
"HELLO DENVER!"
If I wasn't deathly afraid of people, stuff like this would be okay with me. I would be able to get out in front of crowds of teenagers and play my heart out.
So I guess that's why I'm the merchandise girl.
It was Warped Tour 2009, and I was, once again, touring with Panic at the Disco as their merchandise girl. I had been with the band for about a year and a half, and I was definitely the little sister they all wished they had.
It was almost scary how protective of me they tended to be. I remember one instance in which I was selling some shirts to a girl, and this really tall guy came up and stood behind her. Brendon was talking to someone from Hey Monday's table, and he practically hurdled the table and ran to me as the guy left, claiming he had seen him "practically molesting a girl" earlier.
All he had wanted was a button.
So, I found myself laying on the all-too-familiar bus that May, reading a novel and eating an apple that i had bought at Wal-Mart the previous night. The first day of Warped started in about an hour, and the doors were not open yet, so I honestly had no reason to go in.
"Julian! Are you going to come meet some new bands?" Spencer asked, sticking his head in the doorway.
I shrugged, looking over at him.
"If Ry is."
Ryan Ross had been my best friend since we graduated high school. We went to the same school, but somehow never talked to each other until graduation day. I had chosen Radiohead lyrics as my senior quote, and Ryan told me just how much he liked them. Since then, we just sort of stuck together.
"Yes, Julian, we are going to meet some bands." Ryan towered over my figure, lying on the ground.
"Fine!" I stuck my tongue out at him and hoisted myself up from the position.
"Pull your shirt up," Ryan whined, looking at me from the corner of his eye. Apparently, my tank top had slid down in my attempt to sit up.
See, overprotective.
I did as I was told and snatched my crew pass from my bunk, bounding ahead of Ryan and off of the bus into the fresh air. Inhaling, I followed Ryan to the merch tents.
"No, Ryan!! I have to spend all day here, I don't want to -"
"Someone I want you to meet is in here, though."
"Do I look like I care??" I pouted, jutting out my bottom lip and crossing my thin, pale arms.
"You are an excellent pouter, now come on!" He grabbed my arm and pulled me over to a table. I zoned out, looking around, as he said greetings to the people behind the table. "-lian. Julian!"
I snapped out of it.
"What?"
"This is Hayley, Josh, and Zac of Paramore." My eyes lit up as I shook each of their hands, but that's not the only thing that lit up. My cheeks also turned a lovely shade of pink.
I'm embarrassed easily.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Julian, the Panic merch girl." Hayley laughed softly and asked me to come backstage for their show. I looked to Ryan, who said he would find a replacement.
I love my best friend.
Sometimes. Especially when he knows Paramore is one of my favorite up and coming bands.
"Hell, the doors are opening." I looked over my shoulder. "I should go to the booth.." I said goodbye to Paramore, and walked with Ryan to the Panic at the Disco booth.
"I miss the exclamation."
Ryan sighed.
"Yes, Julian, I know, you tell me every show."
"Just thought I'd let you know again!" I grinned, walking around the side of the booth. "Now, you, famous rock star, better get where no fan girls can molest you." Ryan rolled his eyes and I tapped my cheek, leaning across the table. He knew his part and planted a smooch on my cheek before bounding off in the direction of the buses.
No, Ryan and I are not dating. Don't believe Buzznet. We have a strictly platonic relationship, and it always has been that way. Sure, yes, I will admit that he is attractive, and he won't hesitate to tell me how beautiful he thinks I am. But beyond that - nothing. It would ruin too much.
I let my gaze fall on the gates of the grounds, and saw a flood of teenagers flow through them.
Inhaling, I braced myself for everything from creepers to crazed fan girls to people who despised the boys.
"HELLO DENVER!"
If I wasn't deathly afraid of people, stuff like this would be okay with me. I would be able to get out in front of crowds of teenagers and play my heart out.
So I guess that's why I'm the merchandise girl.
It was Warped Tour 2009, and I was, once again, touring with Panic at the Disco as their merchandise girl. I had been with the band for about a year and a half, and I was definitely the little sister they all wished they had.
It was almost scary how protective of me they tended to be. I remember one instance in which I was selling some shirts to a girl, and this really tall guy came up and stood behind her. Brendon was talking to someone from Hey Monday's table, and he practically hurdled the table and ran to me as the guy left, claiming he had seen him "practically molesting a girl" earlier.
All he had wanted was a button.
So, I found myself laying on the all-too-familiar bus that May, reading a novel and eating an apple that i had bought at Wal-Mart the previous night. The first day of Warped started in about an hour, and the doors were not open yet, so I honestly had no reason to go in.
"Julian! Are you going to come meet some new bands?" Spencer asked, sticking his head in the doorway.
I shrugged, looking over at him.
"If Ry is."
Ryan Ross had been my best friend since we graduated high school. We went to the same school, but somehow never talked to each other until graduation day. I had chosen Radiohead lyrics as my senior quote, and Ryan told me just how much he liked them. Since then, we just sort of stuck together.
"Yes, Julian, we are going to meet some bands." Ryan towered over my figure, lying on the ground.
"Fine!" I stuck my tongue out at him and hoisted myself up from the position.
"Pull your shirt up," Ryan whined, looking at me from the corner of his eye. Apparently, my tank top had slid down in my attempt to sit up.
See, overprotective.
I did as I was told and snatched my crew pass from my bunk, bounding ahead of Ryan and off of the bus into the fresh air. Inhaling, I followed Ryan to the merch tents.
"No, Ryan!! I have to spend all day here, I don't want to -"
"Someone I want you to meet is in here, though."
"Do I look like I care??" I pouted, jutting out my bottom lip and crossing my thin, pale arms.
"You are an excellent pouter, now come on!" He grabbed my arm and pulled me over to a table. I zoned out, looking around, as he said greetings to the people behind the table. "-lian. Julian!"
I snapped out of it.
"What?"
"This is Hayley, Josh, and Zac of Paramore." My eyes lit up as I shook each of their hands, but that's not the only thing that lit up. My cheeks also turned a lovely shade of pink.
I'm embarrassed easily.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Julian, the Panic merch girl." Hayley laughed softly and asked me to come backstage for their show. I looked to Ryan, who said he would find a replacement.
I love my best friend.
Sometimes. Especially when he knows Paramore is one of my favorite up and coming bands.
"Hell, the doors are opening." I looked over my shoulder. "I should go to the booth.." I said goodbye to Paramore, and walked with Ryan to the Panic at the Disco booth.
"I miss the exclamation."
Ryan sighed.
"Yes, Julian, I know, you tell me every show."
"Just thought I'd let you know again!" I grinned, walking around the side of the booth. "Now, you, famous rock star, better get where no fan girls can molest you." Ryan rolled his eyes and I tapped my cheek, leaning across the table. He knew his part and planted a smooch on my cheek before bounding off in the direction of the buses.
No, Ryan and I are not dating. Don't believe Buzznet. We have a strictly platonic relationship, and it always has been that way. Sure, yes, I will admit that he is attractive, and he won't hesitate to tell me how beautiful he thinks I am. But beyond that - nothing. It would ruin too much.
I let my gaze fall on the gates of the grounds, and saw a flood of teenagers flow through them.
Inhaling, I braced myself for everything from creepers to crazed fan girls to people who despised the boys.
♠ ♠ ♠
short. yuck. but it's a beginning??