Ruthless blood

When we finally got to the first show in Leeds, our blood was pumping and our hearts were racing. We could see the crowds rolling in from out bus window, and though I knew no one in that crowd had intentions of seeing us, i knew we were still going to spit our music in their faces.

“Food time kiddies” Rob called, we only knew him for the short 6 hour drive, but he was like our mother hen.

“Sweet” Jeremy rubbed his belly and left the bus in his dinosaur pyjamas.

“He’s already acting like a rock star” I sighed.

We all left, walking as a little huddle, we didn’t know what to do and what to expect. But we did fit in, bands walked in their groups, with excitement in their eyes, just like us. We ate with the other local gigs and waited in line for the catering vans.

“Food food food” the guy infront of me sang.

I chuckled and he turned smiling “Why are you laughing at me?” he joked.

I just shrugged and he placed himself beside me.

“I really hope the food doesn’t suck” he mumbled.

“What band are you in?”

“The stinky armpits” he said casually.

“Oh” I tried not to laugh “sweet”

“You really think I’m that much of a moron to belong to a band called that?”

I then laughed.

“Well I am, unfortunately that’s our name” he sighed. He just talked nonstop, and he made me laugh.

“What are you having?” the lady in the van asked.

“Cookie and a juice” I said.

“What are you ten?” he retorted “I’ll have one of those too darl, make it quick I have a set to play” he joked; she obviously didn’t understand the joke, but luckily I did.

“You’re a diva aren’t you?” I joked along.

“I’m a Trent actually” he said as he took a bite of his cookie.

“Amelia” I said chuckling.

“Dude, now I know where you’re from, that chick who yells and shit, you opened for Blessthefall the other night” he realised.

The fact that I was recognised made me just stop and look at him, he’s facial expression turned to confusion when I just stood there.

“Um, yeah, we met you guys, didn’t we?”

He nodded animatedly and in a moment two guys took him and lifted him onto their shoulders, saying loudly that he has a show to play and that he shouldn’t be picking up cute girls.

I blushed at this exclamation and he mimed ‘call me’ jokingly, I winked back and sat with the rest of the band as he was carried away.

“He just recognised me” I was still surprised.

Jeremy smiled “Guys” he huddled us under his arms “we made it”. Hannah and Tom were less than enthusiastic as Tom left afterwards and Hannah would sigh and roll her eyes.
“You guys broke up didn’t you?” Jeremy said with a full mouth, completely insensitive to the situation. Hannah’s face showed about 5 different expressions before she finally put her head on my shoulder and teared up.

“Dude” I put my arm around her “Don’t date within the band” i stated.

“New rule” she agreed.

“Sodding hell its Gunk!” someone exclaimed, we all turned to see our new fans and just saw Bring me the horizon laughing at our hopeful reply.

“They’re still dipshits” I reported to Hannah and Jeremy. They smirked in reply and waved politely.

I heard them approaching and their footfall was making my heart beat faster, I felt like Hannah was taking her drum stick and hitting it. I felt really sick, like I could have literally turned green. I turned around and Oli was there, smiling like he always did one hand in his pocket and one hand attached to a beautiful redhead. She smiled sweetly and I suddenly felt an enormous amount of self loathe, I was a stupid person to leave Oli like I did in Sheffield.

“I’m going to kill myself” I said through my teeth as I turned around and gulped half my juice box down.

They talked excitedly and animatedly and without the competition looming over us, the two bands suddenly got along and to my surprise Oli was just Oli. He looked the same, he smiled the same, he did everything the same, except look at me. That, he did differently. He looked at me with nervousness, anger and disappointment. I smiled until my cheeks hurt and when our bands time was soon we left smiling to head to our stage.

“Tech tech tech” Jeremy sang.

“Jeremy we don’t have tech, no one knows who we are yet” I reminded him, he sighed and we entered the stage, a few people cheered, but mostly people stood there, with a look that screamed “impress us”.

I screamed at first piercing the silence, Hannah’s drums kicked in and like a body of water shaken the crowd moved forward and I felt them feel the music. I sang to them and the sun beat down on us as we did.

By the end of the set they were all yelling our name, a name I devised in the basement of our school in Sheffield. A name that didn’t mean anything to us, but hopefully now means something to them.

After a day of walking around and occasionally getting recognised we thought we had it all. We returned to the bus without Tom, but the small note he left explained his absence.

“Can’t do it anymore, nothing to do with you Hannah, I’m just not happy, and I don’t want to bring the whole band down”