‹ Prequel: Hello Fascination
Sequel: Lousy Truth ›
Status: G'night and goodbye.
Just Like You
Cinq.
At one thirty, I show up as the All-American Rejects are wrapping up their set. Ace and John exchange a look, but don’t say anything. Emily and Kayla look at me, confusion on their faces but I just start warming up. The Rejects file off stage at 1:45 and the bands make niceties. At two, more 3oh!3 starts but today we don’t gather together and jump up and down. I gently slap my face to get the right mentality for performing before going on stage. Today I start with a different song.
“Bored, stoned, sitting in your basement, all alone because your little conversations got around and lookie what we all found out,” I sing and move around the stage a little. “Now I know exactly what you’re all about, this is what you’re all about,” I look side stage to see Oli standing there and I glare at him. I continue the song with him in mind but I don’t look at him again.
“So who heard about what happened yesterday with that” I put on a fake British accent for the next part, “that wanker Oliver Sykes?” The crowd boos and hiss and I smile, grateful for my fans. “Well guess what that asshole did today! He fucking stole my merch, and then acted like he didn’t have anything to do with it.”
I look over at him and glare as the crowd seethes with anger on my behalf. “What a jealous little boy, huh?” Oli looks at me, his gaze unemotional.
“On a lighter note, this is about boys. And boots,” I smirk to the crowd before starting the song.
“Boots and boys. Oh, I think it’s time to mention I’ve got myself an obsession for the smell, for the touch.”
“Keep that scruff lookin’ rough,” Kayla sings backup for me and I start dancing around the stage to join her. We dance together during the song and when I check side stage again, Oli’s gone.
“You like that, huh?” I yell to the crowd when the song’s finished and it roars back at me. I smile and set up to center stage.
“Stephen, why won’t you call me?” I start and the girls in the crowd scream. Crowd surfers jump up and guys reach their hands for me when they get close. I reach out and grab as many hands as I can while I shake my hips to the beat of my song.
I continue with my set with a smile on my face, on a performing high. With it over, we quickly leave and I blow kisses to the crowd. Side stage, I feel Oli looking at me and I pointedly ignore him.
“Quinn, what’s that on your neck?” I look over at Jon as I reach up to touch my neck. The make up I had put on earlier had sweat off and I look quickly over at Oli. His eyes are on the bruise he put there. Jon notices and his eyebrows jump into his hairline.
“Are you serious?” Ace asks in disbelief. I breeze by my band, my high totally killed now. I head footsteps behind me and a hand grabs my elbow.
“Quinn,” Oli’s voice says, but I won’t look at him, “you have to know I didn’t have anything to do with my guys stealing your merch. They did it by themselves. I only found out about it when you were yelling at me,” he says and I scoff. “You gotta believe me. I don’t mean anything I say about it. It’s just… It’s just the rivalry between Paul Griffiths and me.”
I turn around and look at him. “That has nothing to do with you and me. Nothing at all,” I say. “We could have been something, me and you, but you had to go and be a total ass.”
He looks shamefaced and apologetic. “I want there to be something between you and me. I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“Then you shouldn’t have started shit,” I glare at him before walking away. He follows me and turns me around. He crushes me to him, his lips eager on mine.
I pull away and slap him. “Don’t touch me, don’t you dare touch me.” His brown eyes look into mine, so hurt and sad. I look away and head for the Smartpunk stage.
I get there just as Breathe Carolina starts. David looks over at me and I smile, completely shoving Oli out of my thoughts. All revenge plots and plans are forgotten and I just have fun watching David jump around the stage. I chuckle when Kyle jumps into the crowd with his mike, hardly able to scream during his parts.
When they finish, David comes over and is about to hug me when he stops. I look at him in confusion, afraid of rejection.
“I’m all sweaty…” he mutters and I laugh, relieved.
“So am I silly, I ran over from the main stage to catch this. I had no time to towel off,” I say and he grins before pulling me in for a hug. I breath in his sweaty smell for a second, just comfortable. I smile into his shoulder before leaning away a little. I angle my head a little and let my eyes half close. He looks surprised, but happy.
His lips touch mine, really soft and gentle. He holds me tenderly, like I’m something fragile and easily broken. I try to deepen the kiss, but he pulls away, smiling a little awkwardly.
“Hey, we’ve got plenty of time,” he smiles at me as he puts his arm around my shoulder. My arm goes around his waist, but I can’t help but feel a little disappointed. His lips press against my hair as we walk off for the buses.
We pass BMTH’s tent and I can feel Oli looking at us. I turn my head and press it against David. His hand rubs my arm gently until we pass it. Sneaking a look back, I see Oli kick over his table.
“Bored, stoned, sitting in your basement, all alone because your little conversations got around and lookie what we all found out,” I sing and move around the stage a little. “Now I know exactly what you’re all about, this is what you’re all about,” I look side stage to see Oli standing there and I glare at him. I continue the song with him in mind but I don’t look at him again.
“So who heard about what happened yesterday with that” I put on a fake British accent for the next part, “that wanker Oliver Sykes?” The crowd boos and hiss and I smile, grateful for my fans. “Well guess what that asshole did today! He fucking stole my merch, and then acted like he didn’t have anything to do with it.”
I look over at him and glare as the crowd seethes with anger on my behalf. “What a jealous little boy, huh?” Oli looks at me, his gaze unemotional.
“On a lighter note, this is about boys. And boots,” I smirk to the crowd before starting the song.
“Boots and boys. Oh, I think it’s time to mention I’ve got myself an obsession for the smell, for the touch.”
“Keep that scruff lookin’ rough,” Kayla sings backup for me and I start dancing around the stage to join her. We dance together during the song and when I check side stage again, Oli’s gone.
“You like that, huh?” I yell to the crowd when the song’s finished and it roars back at me. I smile and set up to center stage.
“Stephen, why won’t you call me?” I start and the girls in the crowd scream. Crowd surfers jump up and guys reach their hands for me when they get close. I reach out and grab as many hands as I can while I shake my hips to the beat of my song.
I continue with my set with a smile on my face, on a performing high. With it over, we quickly leave and I blow kisses to the crowd. Side stage, I feel Oli looking at me and I pointedly ignore him.
“Quinn, what’s that on your neck?” I look over at Jon as I reach up to touch my neck. The make up I had put on earlier had sweat off and I look quickly over at Oli. His eyes are on the bruise he put there. Jon notices and his eyebrows jump into his hairline.
“Are you serious?” Ace asks in disbelief. I breeze by my band, my high totally killed now. I head footsteps behind me and a hand grabs my elbow.
“Quinn,” Oli’s voice says, but I won’t look at him, “you have to know I didn’t have anything to do with my guys stealing your merch. They did it by themselves. I only found out about it when you were yelling at me,” he says and I scoff. “You gotta believe me. I don’t mean anything I say about it. It’s just… It’s just the rivalry between Paul Griffiths and me.”
I turn around and look at him. “That has nothing to do with you and me. Nothing at all,” I say. “We could have been something, me and you, but you had to go and be a total ass.”
He looks shamefaced and apologetic. “I want there to be something between you and me. I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“Then you shouldn’t have started shit,” I glare at him before walking away. He follows me and turns me around. He crushes me to him, his lips eager on mine.
I pull away and slap him. “Don’t touch me, don’t you dare touch me.” His brown eyes look into mine, so hurt and sad. I look away and head for the Smartpunk stage.
I get there just as Breathe Carolina starts. David looks over at me and I smile, completely shoving Oli out of my thoughts. All revenge plots and plans are forgotten and I just have fun watching David jump around the stage. I chuckle when Kyle jumps into the crowd with his mike, hardly able to scream during his parts.
When they finish, David comes over and is about to hug me when he stops. I look at him in confusion, afraid of rejection.
“I’m all sweaty…” he mutters and I laugh, relieved.
“So am I silly, I ran over from the main stage to catch this. I had no time to towel off,” I say and he grins before pulling me in for a hug. I breath in his sweaty smell for a second, just comfortable. I smile into his shoulder before leaning away a little. I angle my head a little and let my eyes half close. He looks surprised, but happy.
His lips touch mine, really soft and gentle. He holds me tenderly, like I’m something fragile and easily broken. I try to deepen the kiss, but he pulls away, smiling a little awkwardly.
“Hey, we’ve got plenty of time,” he smiles at me as he puts his arm around my shoulder. My arm goes around his waist, but I can’t help but feel a little disappointed. His lips press against my hair as we walk off for the buses.
We pass BMTH’s tent and I can feel Oli looking at us. I turn my head and press it against David. His hand rubs my arm gently until we pass it. Sneaking a look back, I see Oli kick over his table.