Sequel: A Cherry Sunset ›
A Dawn I Thought We'd Never See
Parties + Knockouts
Victoria and I had just finished packing up the merch and tent, mostly thanks to the Norma Jean guys, and were about to head to the hotel. I was crashing with Cobra Starship and she had teased her way into Cory's bed, crashing with Norma Jean.
“We are such bums.” She giggled and pulled into a Holiday Inn parking lot.
“But we are hot bums.” I clarified and made her giggle harder.
“That we are.” She agreed as we got out of the car and started heading for the main lobby.
“Weren’t we banned from Holiday Inn back in Washington?” I questioned as she held the door for me.
“Only in that state.” She shrugged and then went to running to jump on Cory's back. “Take me to my bed slave!” I laughed hysterically as he almost fell backwards from the surprise. “Bye Emily!” She yelled and waved while I waved back before she disappeared in the elevator.
“Ready to dance, my lovely lady?” Gabe’s voice purred in my ear as his arms wrapped around my waist from behind.
“Ready to sleep.” I corrected and patted his arms. He let me go and grabbed my hand, pulling me into another elevator.
“Too bad, my girl. Party is in our room tonight.” He smirked and hit the number seven button. I groaned as he chuckled. The music was already thumping when the elevator doors opened. No complaints yet, but then most of the people here were from Warped and used to the crazy, loud parties till three in the morning.
Walking into the already open door to Cobra’s room made me regret Gabe and I’s deal immediately. The loud music, the strong alcohol smell, and of course the smoke, were all fun the first night on tour, but after the third it all got old.
“You will so pay for this Saporta.” I glared at him briefly while he kept his smile.
“Let me get you a drink.” I opened my mouth to loudly refuse when he lifted his hands in defense. “I meant a bottle of water, chica.” I rolled my eyes and watched him wink before merging into the mass crowd. Most of the faces were familiar to me, most being band members, but there were a few strange ones to let me know someone had invited groupies.
“Emily!” A chorus rose up from where I spotted a couch and quite a few dazed faces. I smiled and walked over, sitting in between Alex and Jack.
“How’s my Emily doin’?” Alex slurred with a sloppy grin and threw his arm around my neck, pulling me into him.
“Hey! She’s my Emily!” Jack argued and handed his green cup to Zack so he could grab my waist and pull me over to him.
“Nuh-uh!” Alex spilt his drink on both his and my lap as he tried to pull me back over. I felt like a toy between two three year olds.
“Stop it!” I yelled as I felt Jack’s arms tensing around me, about to pull me over again. Both boys’ eyes widened.
“Emily, don’t be mad.” Alex snuggled into my side once he set his cup down on the table in front of us, as if there was anything left in it. “You’re never mad.” I sighed as Jack, too, snuggled into my other side.
“Are you still upset about that Oliver thing?” Now I felt like a mom as both boys looked up at me with puppy eyes.
“No, Jack.” I patted his cheek since it was the only thing I could reach now that he had my arms pinned to my sides. “Oliver was a jerk, but maybe he was just having a bad day.” Everyone around the couch that had heard me cracked up laughing.
“Maybe he had a bad day!” Alex mocked me and started new laughter. He sobered up a bit at my scowl. “Aw, babe,” he placed his hand on my cheek and locked his hazy eyes with mine. “Every day is Oliver’s bad day.”
”When it hasn’t been your day, week, month, or even your year!” Somebody started up the Friends theme song and I politely excused myself as they continued screaming the lyrics.
“Muy cuarto chica!” Gabe attacked me from the side, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my cheek.
“Gabe, I’m tired.” I whined, noticing he didn’t have my water, but had a little daze to his gaze. “I’m gonna bunk with somebody else.” I hugged him briefly and then managed to squirm out of his arms while he tried to protest.
“Night everybody!” I screamed over my shoulder to no one in particular and figured no one probably heard me anyway. I pulled my phone from my back pocket and started to scroll through the contacts, trying to find somebody that (a) would be at the hotel and (b) wouldn’t be at the party.
I finally decided on Kyle, not because the FTSK boys weren’t partiers, but they had looked as exhausted as I felt earlier today. He picked up after the first ring.
”And what do I owe for this late night call, my dear?” I chocked back my giggles and hit the elevator button.
“I got tricked into the party room and I need a place to crash.” I said in my most innocent and pleading voice.
”Only if you bring earphones!” Austin yelled in the background and I wondered how he could hear me.
”You know my pillow is always open for you.” Though Kyle had lowered his voice there was still a loud chorus of ‘awwww’ in the background. “We’re on the ninth floor, room number eight-thirty-seven.” Of course they have to be on the top floor when I’m petrified of heights.
“Mkay, be there in a few.” I clicked the phone shut and, with a deep breath, hit the number nine button. A minute and a half later I was standing in front of the door marked ‘837’ and groaning. The room across the hall was also emitting loud music with their door closed. I ignored it the best I could and knocked.
“Emily! Baby!” Jonathan opened the door and enveloped me into a hug before pulling me inside the room. There were two full beds, a pull out couch, and three make-shift beds on the ground.
“Well, somebody’s cheap.” I smirked and stepped over a sleeping Mark on the ground.
“We are not cheap, missy!” Caleb defended and got up from the couch to come hug me. “We’re just consolidating.”
“Right,” I remarked sarcastically and spotted Kyle relaxing on the far bed. “Is this one mine?” I dove for the empty pillow next to him and immediately felt that relief of tense body muscles relaxing on the comfy bed. “Oh my god.” As soon as the muttered words left my mouth, the bathroom door banged open and Austin Bello screamed.
“Emmm-a-leeey!” He shrieked and before I could open my eyes, there was heavy weight on my back.
“Eh, Austin please get off.” I groaned and tried shifting a bit.
“Dog pile on Emily!” Kent yelled from somewhere and more weight added to my back. I silently suffered for a few more minutes until Jonathan fell off the bed and banged his head on the nightstand.
Then things settled pretty quickly and the lights were out. There was still the thumping music that was slowly getting more on my nerves that kept me from sleeping. I apparently faked it well though as a few more minutes later Kyle slid over and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. The warmth was nice since the room was so unbelievably freezing due to Austin not being able to sleep in a room hotter than 70 degrees.
I was just about to drift off when there was a loud crash and yells from the music room. With the day I’d had, and the thought of good sleep, I got frustrated with whoever was over there. In my slightly angry frenzy, I pulled out of Kyle’s arms, threw the blanket off, and stalked across the hall to bang loudly on the door all the noise was emitting from.
“This ‘s a closed parteh, love. Find someplace else to screw ‘round.” The voice wasn’t quite familiar, but the face was. It was the same gorgeous boy from this afternoon, the one who’d knocked me down. Oliver. He went to shut the door in my face but I pushed it back open.
“Can you turn the music down, please? I’m trying to sleep.” I pointed over my shoulder at the door and smiled sweetly at him. Oliver cocked one eyebrow and looked over my shoulder. Then he started laughing.
“Turn the music down?” He was laughing so hard that his hand started to cradle his stomach. “Please?” I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at the boy that was now mocking me. “’Ere love, yeh need this more than I.” He chuckled and extended his beer bottle toward me. In a split decision, the anger taking over my actions, I knocked the bottle out of his hand and sent it to the door frame where it shattered and spilt beer all over the carpet. “Oi! That there was good ale, bitch!” The curse word sounded funny in his thick accent.
“Bitch?” I laughed and felt the exhilaration of my tempter boiling over. I was usually level headed and laid back, but the angst coming from him for no particular reason just quirked me. Before I thought about consequences, or even realized what I was doing, my hand pulled back and went forward with full force. Oliver obviously wasn’t expecting it, and he fell backwards on his ass.
“Turn. The fucking. Music. Down.” I glared at him with all the anger I could posses, though his shocked and innocent gaze melted all of it in seconds. I quickly turned and stalked back to the room before I ended up apologizing to him.
Back in the room, it was so dark I stumbled into either Mark or Kent on the ground and finally made it to the bed. I snuggled under the covers and immediately felt his arms pulling me toward him.
“Who was that yelling?” Kyle’s whisper hit just below my ear and made me shiver more than the cold air.
“Me,” I muttered guiltily and felt him shake with his quiet chuckle.
“Fine, don’t tell me.” He squeezed me. “Just don’t leave again.” Why did everyone find it so hard for me to be mean?
“Too comfortable,” I mumbled into his chest and noticed the music wasn’t quite as loud as it had been. Maybe moody boy learned something from his new black eye. I closed my eyes and drifted off to Kyle’s breathing.
“We are such bums.” She giggled and pulled into a Holiday Inn parking lot.
“But we are hot bums.” I clarified and made her giggle harder.
“That we are.” She agreed as we got out of the car and started heading for the main lobby.
“Weren’t we banned from Holiday Inn back in Washington?” I questioned as she held the door for me.
“Only in that state.” She shrugged and then went to running to jump on Cory's back. “Take me to my bed slave!” I laughed hysterically as he almost fell backwards from the surprise. “Bye Emily!” She yelled and waved while I waved back before she disappeared in the elevator.
“Ready to dance, my lovely lady?” Gabe’s voice purred in my ear as his arms wrapped around my waist from behind.
“Ready to sleep.” I corrected and patted his arms. He let me go and grabbed my hand, pulling me into another elevator.
“Too bad, my girl. Party is in our room tonight.” He smirked and hit the number seven button. I groaned as he chuckled. The music was already thumping when the elevator doors opened. No complaints yet, but then most of the people here were from Warped and used to the crazy, loud parties till three in the morning.
Walking into the already open door to Cobra’s room made me regret Gabe and I’s deal immediately. The loud music, the strong alcohol smell, and of course the smoke, were all fun the first night on tour, but after the third it all got old.
“You will so pay for this Saporta.” I glared at him briefly while he kept his smile.
“Let me get you a drink.” I opened my mouth to loudly refuse when he lifted his hands in defense. “I meant a bottle of water, chica.” I rolled my eyes and watched him wink before merging into the mass crowd. Most of the faces were familiar to me, most being band members, but there were a few strange ones to let me know someone had invited groupies.
“Emily!” A chorus rose up from where I spotted a couch and quite a few dazed faces. I smiled and walked over, sitting in between Alex and Jack.
“How’s my Emily doin’?” Alex slurred with a sloppy grin and threw his arm around my neck, pulling me into him.
“Hey! She’s my Emily!” Jack argued and handed his green cup to Zack so he could grab my waist and pull me over to him.
“Nuh-uh!” Alex spilt his drink on both his and my lap as he tried to pull me back over. I felt like a toy between two three year olds.
“Stop it!” I yelled as I felt Jack’s arms tensing around me, about to pull me over again. Both boys’ eyes widened.
“Emily, don’t be mad.” Alex snuggled into my side once he set his cup down on the table in front of us, as if there was anything left in it. “You’re never mad.” I sighed as Jack, too, snuggled into my other side.
“Are you still upset about that Oliver thing?” Now I felt like a mom as both boys looked up at me with puppy eyes.
“No, Jack.” I patted his cheek since it was the only thing I could reach now that he had my arms pinned to my sides. “Oliver was a jerk, but maybe he was just having a bad day.” Everyone around the couch that had heard me cracked up laughing.
“Maybe he had a bad day!” Alex mocked me and started new laughter. He sobered up a bit at my scowl. “Aw, babe,” he placed his hand on my cheek and locked his hazy eyes with mine. “Every day is Oliver’s bad day.”
”When it hasn’t been your day, week, month, or even your year!” Somebody started up the Friends theme song and I politely excused myself as they continued screaming the lyrics.
“Muy cuarto chica!” Gabe attacked me from the side, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my cheek.
“Gabe, I’m tired.” I whined, noticing he didn’t have my water, but had a little daze to his gaze. “I’m gonna bunk with somebody else.” I hugged him briefly and then managed to squirm out of his arms while he tried to protest.
“Night everybody!” I screamed over my shoulder to no one in particular and figured no one probably heard me anyway. I pulled my phone from my back pocket and started to scroll through the contacts, trying to find somebody that (a) would be at the hotel and (b) wouldn’t be at the party.
I finally decided on Kyle, not because the FTSK boys weren’t partiers, but they had looked as exhausted as I felt earlier today. He picked up after the first ring.
”And what do I owe for this late night call, my dear?” I chocked back my giggles and hit the elevator button.
“I got tricked into the party room and I need a place to crash.” I said in my most innocent and pleading voice.
”Only if you bring earphones!” Austin yelled in the background and I wondered how he could hear me.
”You know my pillow is always open for you.” Though Kyle had lowered his voice there was still a loud chorus of ‘awwww’ in the background. “We’re on the ninth floor, room number eight-thirty-seven.” Of course they have to be on the top floor when I’m petrified of heights.
“Mkay, be there in a few.” I clicked the phone shut and, with a deep breath, hit the number nine button. A minute and a half later I was standing in front of the door marked ‘837’ and groaning. The room across the hall was also emitting loud music with their door closed. I ignored it the best I could and knocked.
“Emily! Baby!” Jonathan opened the door and enveloped me into a hug before pulling me inside the room. There were two full beds, a pull out couch, and three make-shift beds on the ground.
“Well, somebody’s cheap.” I smirked and stepped over a sleeping Mark on the ground.
“We are not cheap, missy!” Caleb defended and got up from the couch to come hug me. “We’re just consolidating.”
“Right,” I remarked sarcastically and spotted Kyle relaxing on the far bed. “Is this one mine?” I dove for the empty pillow next to him and immediately felt that relief of tense body muscles relaxing on the comfy bed. “Oh my god.” As soon as the muttered words left my mouth, the bathroom door banged open and Austin Bello screamed.
“Emmm-a-leeey!” He shrieked and before I could open my eyes, there was heavy weight on my back.
“Eh, Austin please get off.” I groaned and tried shifting a bit.
“Dog pile on Emily!” Kent yelled from somewhere and more weight added to my back. I silently suffered for a few more minutes until Jonathan fell off the bed and banged his head on the nightstand.
Then things settled pretty quickly and the lights were out. There was still the thumping music that was slowly getting more on my nerves that kept me from sleeping. I apparently faked it well though as a few more minutes later Kyle slid over and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. The warmth was nice since the room was so unbelievably freezing due to Austin not being able to sleep in a room hotter than 70 degrees.
I was just about to drift off when there was a loud crash and yells from the music room. With the day I’d had, and the thought of good sleep, I got frustrated with whoever was over there. In my slightly angry frenzy, I pulled out of Kyle’s arms, threw the blanket off, and stalked across the hall to bang loudly on the door all the noise was emitting from.
“This ‘s a closed parteh, love. Find someplace else to screw ‘round.” The voice wasn’t quite familiar, but the face was. It was the same gorgeous boy from this afternoon, the one who’d knocked me down. Oliver. He went to shut the door in my face but I pushed it back open.
“Can you turn the music down, please? I’m trying to sleep.” I pointed over my shoulder at the door and smiled sweetly at him. Oliver cocked one eyebrow and looked over my shoulder. Then he started laughing.
“Turn the music down?” He was laughing so hard that his hand started to cradle his stomach. “Please?” I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at the boy that was now mocking me. “’Ere love, yeh need this more than I.” He chuckled and extended his beer bottle toward me. In a split decision, the anger taking over my actions, I knocked the bottle out of his hand and sent it to the door frame where it shattered and spilt beer all over the carpet. “Oi! That there was good ale, bitch!” The curse word sounded funny in his thick accent.
“Bitch?” I laughed and felt the exhilaration of my tempter boiling over. I was usually level headed and laid back, but the angst coming from him for no particular reason just quirked me. Before I thought about consequences, or even realized what I was doing, my hand pulled back and went forward with full force. Oliver obviously wasn’t expecting it, and he fell backwards on his ass.
“Turn. The fucking. Music. Down.” I glared at him with all the anger I could posses, though his shocked and innocent gaze melted all of it in seconds. I quickly turned and stalked back to the room before I ended up apologizing to him.
Back in the room, it was so dark I stumbled into either Mark or Kent on the ground and finally made it to the bed. I snuggled under the covers and immediately felt his arms pulling me toward him.
“Who was that yelling?” Kyle’s whisper hit just below my ear and made me shiver more than the cold air.
“Me,” I muttered guiltily and felt him shake with his quiet chuckle.
“Fine, don’t tell me.” He squeezed me. “Just don’t leave again.” Why did everyone find it so hard for me to be mean?
“Too comfortable,” I mumbled into his chest and noticed the music wasn’t quite as loud as it had been. Maybe moody boy learned something from his new black eye. I closed my eyes and drifted off to Kyle’s breathing.