Just Like You

Another week passed. Everyone was talking about Oli and I, completely confused and baffled. Everyone thought we hated each other. So when various people saw how much we couldn't keep our hands off each other, they were dumb struck.

Oli enjoys it more than me. Every time he's able to shock someone, he gets this cocky smile on his face and it makes me pull him to me again. Everything about him makes me only want him more. I can't remember anything about the last week that doesn't have Oli wrapped up in it.

Emily and Kayla are annoyed that they still don't see me as much, but they both agree that this is better than seeing me with David. They say they don't really care as long as I'm happy.

And I am. I can't believe it. Maybe it's the tour, or maybe it is Oli, but all my past fears and hesitation about my music are gone. I'm confident and I know the crowd loves me. my performances are hectic and fun, making the crowd roar. Every day, the crowd to see me gets bigger and bigger.

I feel like I'm on cloud nine and everything is just getting better.

My phone rings at eight, just as I'm waking up. I roll out of the bunk as my friends grumpily yell at me before rolling back over to sleep. I take my cell with me to the back and close the door. Answering as I sit down into the soft couch, I squeal when a deep voice answers me.

"Nate!" He chuckles at me, deep and throaty. Nate's my cousin from Colorado. I don't see him much, but he's my favourite. We get alone so well. Sometimes we even read each others mind.

"Hey cousin, how're you?"

"Well, actually you just woke me up... So I guess I'm sleepy?" I bite my lower lip while smiling. It's been five months since we've been able to hang out and we've only talked a couple of times in those months.

"What city are you in?" He sounds like he has something on his mind and I start to get a little confused.

"We're heading into Toronto right now...?"

"Good! We're in the city for an interview with some MTV show, but that's tomorrow. So are you of need of two handsome devils with awesome pipes/" I chuckle and grin, getting excited for this date already.

"Yeah, those dues who sing in one of my songs aren't on tour with me, like they promised they would be back when we were recording and Jon can't sing for crap. Think you can help me out?" I smirk into the cell phone as Nate laughs.

"I think we can work something out," he replies offhandedly and I roll my eyes. "What time are you going to get here?" I look out the window and see the venue coming up right now. I relay the information to him and he tells me he'll see me at noon, when the doors open.

We hang up and I smile, excited. I can't wait to see the big giant. I pull on a light purple tank top and some shorts. not really caring what I look like because I've learned it's easier just to put on my performance clothes right before my set and take if off afterward. The days are starting to get hotter and I can't stay in those skin tight clothing all day anymore. I slip my feet into some no-name shoes and some jewelry.

Grumbling as I start to tear through my suitcase, my friends start to get up. Everyone grunts at each other, too tired for words. I continue to turn the bus upside down and my friends don’t make any comment. Mark’s the first to crack.

“What the hell are you looking for?!” I stick my tongue out at him. He grumps and stomps off the bus, in search of a decent cup of coffee probably.

Kayla looks at me, rubbing her eyes. “So what are you looking for?”

“My purple beanie!” My voice is high with desperation and defeat. Kayla rolls her eyes at me and walks away, not interested because it’s not something important. There’s a knock on the front door, but I ignore it as someone lets the person in.

I’m digging around in my suitcase, most of its contents now on the floor. I hear someone walk up behind me and stop. The person crouches down and looks at me.

“What’re you lookin’ for, luv?” Oli’s accent is more pronounced in the morning, when he’s the most tired. I giggle, momentarily distracted.

“My purple beanie… I really wanted to wear it today…” I mumble, feeling pathetic and lame. His eyebrows scrunch together in thought until he chuckles.

“You mean the one you were wearing the day you pulled me on stage?” He’s still chuckling as I moan in sadness.

“It fell off when you attacked me! And then I forgot it because I was gonna be late!” I whine and lean into Oli’s shoulder, banging my head against the bone. He stops me while he’s still laughing at me before inquiring why it’s so important.

“Nate got it for me…” I mumble, sad now. He looks a little confused, but doesn’t go into it. He just takes my hand and leads me off the bus. When the morning light hits my eyes, I quickly stumble back up the stairs and grab the first pair of sunglasses I can find. Tommy protests, but I just blow him a kiss and head back out.

Oli’s waiting for me and he extends his hand. His larger hand covers mine and I suppress the shivers trying to go up my spine. I really shouldn’t still have this strong reaction to his touch, considering how much he likes to touch me, but I can’t help it. This guy drives me stupid crazy.

He leads me to the catering tent and fills two plates with healthy food that’ll help us keep going all day. I kiss his cheek, still not over how concerned he gets about health. I don’t miss the faint redness that spreads across his cheeks. For some reason, he’s completely embarrassed that he’s such a mother hen.

After sitting down and finding out when our sets out, we eat up. His bandmates come and join us. Despite his embarrassment, he still checks his bandmates plates for the right kind of food. He sends a glare to me when I can’t keep in my laughter.

My friends pull a table over and join us, chatting comfortably with his friends. It took a couple days before they could go from hating each other to accepting that they’re going to have to get along if they want to see Oli or I.

Tommy reaches across the table for his sunglasses but I hold them to my face, squealing as I dodge his hands. Our group laughs as I eventually get up and run away from Tommy. Oli stays behind because for once, I’ve finished eating before him. Plus, Bring Me the Horizon is up first on the Main Stage today so he’s got to get ready.

I end up wandering around the venue, waiting for a call from Nate or Sean to tell me that they’re here. I look up from my phone and see I’m across from the Bbycakes tent. Since Oli and I publicly announced our little thing we have, I haven’t really talked to Paul. In all honesty, I’ve been avoiding him because I’m afraid he’ll be mad at me.

I walk over hesitantly when I see him leaning against the table, covering a yawn. When he spots me, he grins and relief washes through me. I find myself smiling as I walk closer.

“Where’ve you been, you daft girl?” he asks me before he hugs me. I chuckle and shrug. “Maybe snogging Oli Sykes?” he teases as my cheeks go red. “The two of you seem joined at the lips lately. The only time I’ve seen you without him is when you’re singing,” he elbows my side, chuckling at how red I’m getting.

“Be nice! I haven’t talked to you all week! And now you’re going to tease me to death? Maybe I’ll have Drop Dead sponsor me,” I stick my tongue out at him as he looks outraged.

“Not bleeding likely!” He puts a hand over his heart, like I’ve physically hurt him. “I found you first!”

I giggle and he rolls his eyes. My cell phone goes off loud and Paul rolls his eyes.

“Nate?”

“How’d you know?” I smirk as the ringtone continues. He just rolls his eyes again and I walk off to answer my phone.

“Asian!” is all he greets me with.

“Whitey!”

“That’s not how you play, Quinn, you’re supposed to say the country of my origin,” he chastises me and I chuckle.

“But there’s too many! And European just doesn’t have the same effect…” He laughs at that before telling me he’s here. I squeal in delight while he winces. I faintly hear him complain about his eardrums until I get him to tell me where he is. I head over to Smartpunk and run to him.

He catches me in a hard hug and I hug him back just as tightly. I bury my face into his shirt, smiling. When we let go, we’re both grinning. He musses my hair and I pout a little before Sean gets offended and holds his arms out for a hug too. We hug tight, friends after I spent a summer on their tour last year.

I wave to Jess and John as they start getting ready for their set, apparently up first.

“So how come you’re over at this stage?” I ask Nate, turning my attention back on my favourite guy ever.

“We were looking for another friend,” Nate answers as Sean waves over a guy over my shoulder. I turn to look and get confused when I see David walking over.

He greets Nate and Sean, pointedly ignoring me. I’m looking at him, dumbfounded, because I’ve finally found my beanie. It’s sitting on David’s head like it has a right to be there and not on my own head. Nate’s also looking at the beanie with consideration before he plucks it off David’s head, which he can do easily because he’s like a foot taller than David.

Nate checks the inside for the note he wrote on the tag when he got me the hat. David’s watching him like he’s crazy until Nate looks at David with confusion.

“Why do you have Quinn’s hat?” For the first time since he came over, David looks at me. He’s annoyed and pissed that I’m ruining his little moment with his friends.

“I found it behind my merch tent, after some stupid couple pressed up against it to make out. So that was you and Oli?” My cheeks flame, completely embarrassed.

“Why the hell would you keep a hat you found on the ground at Warped Tour?” Sean asks, looking at David like he’s crazy.

“It’s a nice hat and it just fell on the ground!” David says defensively, holding his hands up. Nate gives him a weird look and hands the hat to me. I look at it for a second before taking it. If Nate hadn’t given it to me, I would have let David keep it. I stuff the offending hat that’s made this whole conversation awkward into my short’s back pockets.

David quickly exits after that and Nate starts to badger me with questions about that tension. I ignore it, trying to watch The Summer Set do their thing until I give in and tell Sean and Nate the whole sordid tale.