Lost In The Stereo Sound

Natalie's POV:
"Natty," my mom said walking into my room on an early Sunday morning. She walked over to my windows and pulled my curtains back so that the light flooded my room. Shielding my eyes, I pulled the comforter over my head.

"Go away," I mumbled trying to fall back asleep.

"The boys are going to be here in a half hour, sweetie," my mom said sitting next to my limp body.

"You can shoot me now," I replied.

"Natalie, you know you're excited for this," my mom said pulling the comforter off my face and stroking my hair.

"I know," I admitted. "But it's 7:30 AM and I'm too tired."

"You better pray you don't have an 8 AM class," she laughed.

"I know," I said sitting up with a massive sigh. I rubbed my eyes and sighed again.

"Get in the shower," my mom said getting up from my bed. "I'll make you some pancakes."

"Thanks, mom!" I said walking over to my bathroom, shedding my clothes on the way.

"Your flight leaves at ten, Nat," my mother said warningly.

"I know!" I called from the shower.

I stepped into the shower and let the warm water wake me up from my deep slumber. Fifteen minutes later, I stepped out and wrapped a towel around my head and around my body. I walked into my closet and picked out a white sundress with brown cowboy inspired boots. I grabbed my suitcase and purse and headed downstairs.

"You look cute," my mother said as she set a plate down at the island in my kitchen.

"Thanks," I said scrunching my hair. "My hair got curlier."

"I noticed," my mother said. "And more blonde. I'm jealous."

"Your hair is just as blonde," I said rolling my eyes and sitting down at a stool.

"Natalie, just stop," she said flipping another pancake on my plate. "You know-" my mother started as the doorbell cut her off. With a smile at me she went over to the front door and opened it.

"Hi, Mrs. Laurent!" Alex said walking in giving my mom a giant hug before she could even say anything

"Hi, Alexander," she said with a laugh. "Come on in. I'm making pancakes."

"Hell yes!" Jack said rushing past Alex and sitting down next to me.

"Your mom is such a MILF," Jack whispered. "Why did you not say so?"

"Of course my mom is hot," I said with a laugh. "Duh."

"Hey, Nat!" Zack said walking in behind Jack. "Are you excited?"

"You have no idea," I said with a giant smile.

"Well, get ready for some fun," Rian said. "We're sharing a bus, by the way."

"Interesting," I said narrowing my eyes at Alex. "I was told we were taking a van."

"Alex doesn't know anything," Zack laughed. "You should know that."

"True," I said with a laugh.

"Are any of you hungry?" my mother asked as the boys sat down next to me.

"No, but those pancakes look delicious so I think I need to have at least one," Alex said with a wink.

"Will everybody please stop hitting on my mom?" I asked getting up from stool and walking over to sink to place my dirty dishes in.

"Natalie," my mom said with a sigh, "cut it out."

"Our limo will be at Alex's in ten minutes so we should probably go," Rian said cutting the awkward silence.

"Definitely," I said heading over to the door where my suitcase was standing. Everyone followed.

"I'm going to miss you, Nat," my mom said walking over to where I was standing. "Call me when you get to Chicago."

"I will," I said giving her a hug. Alex took my suitcase and the boys stepped outside. "See you in a week and a half!"

"Bye sweetie!" she said as I walked to Alex's car.

"So," I said sitting down in the passengers seat of Alex's car, "who are we sharing this bus with?"

"This girl band," Alex said as we pulled out of the drive way. "They're small like us, but they were invited on the whole tour."

"Gotcha," I said.

Within a few minutes we arrived at Alex's to find the limo pulling up behind our car. The boys rushed inside the house and gathered their suitcases. We all piled into the limo and were off to the BWI airport. Naturally, we arrived with a half hour to spare. After checking our bags and going though TSA, we barely made it to the gate on time. We boarded the plane and were off to Chicago.

"I'm so glad you came with us, Nat," Alex said leaning over to kiss my cheek.

"Me too," I said with a smile. "Now let me use you as a pillow. I'm so tired."

"Gladly," Alex said leaning against the window and opening his arms so that I could lay against his chest. "I love you," he whispered as he stoked my hair.

"I love you too," I replied feeling my eyelids grow heavier.

"Babe," Alex said kissing my forehead, "wake up."

"Are we there yet?" I mumbled rubbing my eyes.

"Yeah we just landed," Alex laughed. "You could probably sleep through a canon going off in your room."

"Probably," I said sitting up, stretching. "So where are we meeting this girl band?" I asked as we exited the plane.

"When we get to the venue this afternoon. First, we need to get some lunch. I'm fucking starving," Alex huffed.

"Let's get some Panda Express!" Jack yelled as he ran down the hallway toward the food court of Midway Airport.

"We need to get our bag first," I yelled. Jack stopped running and turned around with a dismayed look on his face.

A half hour later, we retrieved our bags and headed back to the food court to get some Panda Express. It was nearing two in the afternoon when we decided to hail a cab to take us to the southern suburbs of Chicago where the venue for tomorrow was. The band we were meeting was traveling from Detroit and should already be there. The cab ride took about an hour.

"Here are the laminates we'll need to access the stages and backstage," Alex said handing all of us plastic covered cards with WARPED TOUR 2006 on them.

"We're here," the cabbie said as he put the van in park.

"Thanks," Alex said handing the man a fifty dollar bill.

We went around back and got our luggage. Jack went over to the intercom to let us on the grounds so we could meet up with the band. After verifying a few questions, the gate opened and we walked to the office.

"Glad to see you guys here," the woman said. "They've been expecting you."

"Perfect," Alex said.

"We'll take golf carts to where the buses are parked," the woman said as she motioned to her assistant to join us.

Alex, Jack and I were on the first cart and Zack and Rian followed behind us on the second cart. Finally, we reached the buses.

"According to this chart, your party should be the third bus in the second row. Enjoy," the assistant said before he sped off back to the offices.

"Well, let's go," Alex said leading the way with his suitcase. As we reached the third bus, Alex got out his cell phone and dialed a number. "Hey, we're outside," he said.

Not a second later, the bus door flew open and pair of boys hopped out who closely resembled each other.

"Hey, man!" the thinner one said as he embraced Alex. "Nice to see you again."

"Same," Alex said with a laugh. "This is my girlfriend, Natalie."

"Nice to meet you," he said with a slight southern accent. "I'm Josh and that's my little brother Zac."

"Yo," Zac said as he was greeting and meeting the other boys.

"Dude, she'll be so happy to see there's another girl," a lanky boy said walking down the stairs of the bus.

"What about me?" I heard a girl's voice say from up the stairs.

"Hayley!" Alex said running over to where she appeared from and grabbed her by the waist and swung her around as if she weighed nothing. When he put her down she laughed and put her hand on her hip, "Don't you dare do that to me again, Gaskarth."

"My bad," he said with a laugh. "This is my girlfriend, Natalie," he said gesturing me.

"I'm so glad. When Alex told me he was bringing a girl along, I was so happy," she said walking over to shake my hand. I was a few inches taller than her, but not by much. She had fiery hair and a warm smile. Her skin was pale and he body was very petite.

"Well, Alex told me we were going to be with a 'chick band'" I said with a laugh.

"He's an idiot," Hayley said rolling her eyes.

"So, what's your band's name again?" I asked hoping not to sound rude.

"Oh, we're called Paramore," she said with a wide smile. "You can put your stuff under the bus," she said as she opened the hatch on the side of the bus. "I hope you brought a lot of dry shampoo because it's rare to get a shower around here," she said with a laugh. The boys had migrated on to the bus so we headed up there as well. "The sleeping arrangements sort of suck," she began. "There are only 12 bunks and now there are fifteen of us. Would you and Alex mind having the back lounge to sleep?" she asked hesitantly.

"Not a problem," Alex said. "I mean, we're basically intruding on you."

"Don't even worry about it. I remember our first tour. If it weren't for a few bands like this taking us out, we wouldn't be where we are now," she said with a laugh.

"How old are you?" Jack asked skeptically.

"I'm seventeen," she responded quietly. "I know, I know. I'm a baby!"

"It's alright," I said, "I just turned eighteen a month ago."

"You are still the baby," Jack said. "Even though Zac is like twelve."

"Shut up! I'm 15," he said from where he was sitting.

"Anyway, that still leaves us a bunk short," Hayley observed. "Anyone want to take one for the team and sleep on that couch?" she asked pointing to where the boys were sitting. No one responded and she just smiled. "Alright, Zac it is," she said pointing at him.

"What?!" he objected.

"You're the youngest," Josh said with a laugh. "You can handle it."

"I can tell these few days will be a lot of fun," Hayley said walking over to where I was standing. "Get ready for the time of your life."