Just Like You

I got to the stage and I performed. I knew everyone could see something was wrong. I knew that Oli was waiting side stage for me. Every time my eyes strayed over to him, I could see him intently watching me, like a beast watching its prey. He’s cornering me and I had no where to go.

“Thank you all for this awesome night. I’m going to miss you, so be sure to see me next time I come around, okay?” I plaster on a fake smile and hold still as what feels like a million flashes go off in my face. I turn to walk off stage and Oli’s there.

Sucking down a deep breath, I turn back to the crowd and jump. I sail over the security guards and into the crowd, who catch me thankfully. I get passed along for a couple of yards until the random gropes piss me off. I drop down and hurry out of the back of the crowd, a few fans clinging to me and screaming.

I stay a little while to make them happy, but I’m soon making an excuse to get away. I know Oli’s going to be looking for me, if the vibration from my phone is any indicator.

“We love you Quinn!” Two overly excited girls scream as I walk away, forcing me to awkwardly turn and wave goodbye. I dart into a merch tent to avoid being waylaid again.
I say a quick hello to the band’s tent I’ve invaded before disappearing through the back, between the aisles of tents. Heading out with no real direction, I end up near the edge of the venue, just a grassy space where a few tired out parents are hanging out.

When I lay down, I know some of them recognize me, but they’re nothing like their kids. They treat me like a person, not an object or a mannequin to grin and sign mechanically.

A few lazy clouds try to make their way across the vast expanse of the sky as I watch, isolated on the ground. I don’t know what to think. I don’t want to think about anything at all. I just want to be with Oli. No complications, no strings, no expectations.

I liked us better in the beginning, where nothing else mattered besides being together.

I’m startled out of my thoughts when I hear Oli shout my name across the grass. My heart jumps and not in a bad way. And that’s when I realize just exactly how stupid I am.

I sit up, watching him make his way quickly over to me. He gets on his knees next to me. He just looks at me for a second, so many conflicting emotions crossing his face in the span of ten seconds. Pulling me into his arms, he mumbles sweet words into my hair. Holding him just as tightly back, I understand what I have to do.

“Oli…Oli…” I get his attention as I pull away a little, desperate to look into those eyes of his. “Let’s just not talk about it, okay? There’s no reason to waste time with that stuff. All I know is that I want to be with you. I don’t know where that leads, but if it does turn out to be a summer fling, I know I won’t regret it.” He tries to speak, but I stop him with my lips. I can feel his hesitation, but I don’t stop until he responds.

“You’re drivin’ me crazy, I hope you know.” There’s such tenderness and true caring in his eyes that it makes my heart crack down the middle. He didn’t mean what he said earlier to Lee, he’s just scared. He doesn’t have to explain. He starts to talk again but I stop him again. He grumbles a little before kissing me forcefully, finally understanding that it’s the only way he’ll be able to express his feelings.

With an affectionate peck, I pull him to his feet and we walk away, heading somewhere a little more private.

--

“Is it safe?!” Nichols yells from the front of BMTH’s bus and Oli and I look at each other. We both smirk a little before telling him that it’s not. He groans loudly before saying something about wanting to watch something.

“You could come join us!” I yell back, giving Oli a lewd wink. He looks disgusted by the thought until I lean over to kiss him quickly.

The door opens and a tentative head pokes out. “Hey! You guys aren’t naked!”

“Did we say we were?” Oli raises an eyebrow at his band mate and Nichols looks embarrassed.

“Well why’d you say it wasn’t safe then if it is?”

“It’s actually not. Oli planted a bomb and it going to go off in…” I trail off, hamming it up, “five seconds. Goodbye, nice knowing ya.”

“Oh very funny.” Nichols shoves my feet off the couch to make room for his big butt. He grabs the clicker and switches on MTV. “Man, I love American TV…”

His eyes glaze over in bliss as the opening to Jersey Shore 2.0 begins. Oli and I exchange looks before I settle back down on him, using him as a pillow. One of his arms is loosely thrown around my hips while the other is focused on his phone. He’s been texting someone since a little after we came back here. It kind of irks me, but it’d be of no use to make an issue out of it.

I stretch out my legs onto Nichols lap and he looks away from his precious show long enough to notice my bored expression. He looks back at his show, smiling a little.

“Dude, not cool. You’ve got this gorgeous girl here to entertain and you’re busy with your phone. If you don’t want her, I’ll take her.” He holds out his arms for a hug and I move away from Oli to hug my new friend.

“Oy, mate, that’s my girl. Get your own.” Oli pulls me away from Nichols to hold me possessively in his arms, this time tightly wrapped around me with his phone abandoned on the ground. Nichols sticks his tongue out at Oli before returning to the show.

I look up at Oli, smiling a little. “I’m your girl, huh?”

“Damn straight. And don’t even think about changing it cause I’m not going to let that happen.” His face reverts into a little pouty expression and it doesn’t go away until I kiss him. After that he’s content to just hold me as we talk in whispers.

Nichols leaves after the show ends, but we remain. We don’t even bother changing the channel, just happy to be with each other. Slowly, Oli’s words get slower and his breathing evens out. As he falls into a light sleep, his arms around me tighten ever so slightly.

Looking at his innocent face, I’m confronted by the truth I realized earlier. I truly am stupid. Probably the stupidest girl I’ve met in a long time. Because who goes off to a summer tour to fall in love?

I have. I did. It’s done. And there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m in love with Oliver Scott Sykes. And I wouldn’t do a thing to change it.