A New Start.

I was sat on the small couch with my legs crossed, facing Gustav whose legs were extended forward and resting on the edge of the couch.

“Twenty questions? Alright then” I told him with a smile. I could feel the faint throbbing from where I hit my head on the floor. Gustav grinned back.

“What’s it like being the only girl in the band? Doesn’t it ever get awkward?” he questioned.
I couldn’t help but laugh, I used to get asked this so often back home. “At first, it was slightly awkward, but I got used to it. I’m now lucky enough to have gained four extra older brothers who I can travel with doing something that we’re all so passionate about” I smiled thinking about the boys and how far we had come. “I’m also blessed with a wonderful sense of humour and one hell of a punch, and they know this all too well!” I told him with a laugh. “Did you always want to be a singer?”

“At first no, I wanted to go to university and make something with my life and make my parents proud. But then I met the lads and things just took off. And I’m glad, I love the job I have now and I honestly couldn’t imagine being or doing anything else” he replied instantly. His eyes seem to light up even more, if that’s possible, when he talked about music and his job. We sat in silence for a moment taking in each other’s answers.

The door suddenly burst open and in stumbled Simon, Dean, Jay and Ben. I groaned at the volume of the suddenly busy room, only now realising that me and Gustav had been basically talking to each other in whispers.

“So, Lauren how you doing over there?” Dean asked mockingly. I shot him a dirty look before shutting my eyes, trying to forget about the throbbing in the back of my head. I could hear the laughter from the people around me. More people were filing into the room. I quickly realised that this was the members from the other band, POLAR.

“You can fuck right off before I throw a shoe at you, dork” I told him loudly. He shook with laugher along with many other people in the room. Now, I know it was stupid, but I didn’t want anyone thinking that my threats are something to be taken lightly, so I waited until the conversation between the young men had started flowing again, the topic had turned to football and I was definitively a rugby girl so this topic bored me to no end, when I was sure that no one was paying me any attention I quickly reached down and undid the lace on the side of my doc martin boots and removed it from my foot, I aimed at Dean and threw it at him. It hit him square in the face.

Everyone in the room was lost in laugher. He turned towards me, handed back my shoe and allowed me to slip it onto my foot. I raised my eye brow at him and he laughed.
“Day one and you’re already at the shoe throwing. I cannot wait to see you try and throw and amp at me, but please a PV if you will, they’re shit” he told me with a wink. I just knew from the look on his face that this would not be the end of this. “What are we doing for tea?” Dean asked the room. Looking around no one seemed to know an answer.

“Well, I don’t know about you fuckers but it’s been ages since we’ve been to the Weather spoons, so I will be making my way up there in about-“ I broke off, quickly pulling my phone out of my pocket and checking the time. I don’t know where the time had gone but it was now half three and lock down was in three hours and I still had a few bits to pick up in town “Twenty minutes seeing as I need to pick some shit up in town” I told the room. I gained a few curious glances. Being a local we knew more places than the bands that visit and Weather Spoons was an old friend’s pub that served the most amazing food, it was a little off the side of town and very underrated.

“Oh! I didn’t even think of Weather Spoons!” Jay shouted across the room.

“Inside voices loser” I shot back at him quickly; he rolled his eyes

“I’m going there with ‘ren, I could right do with some proper grub” he told the other lads. Harry nodded along in agreement.

“Well if you guys are so adamant about going there, it must be something special, I’m in” Simon told the room. A few people murmured agreement.

By the time everyone had decided that they wanted to join my band in visiting our local it was getting later and later. I grabbed my bag and pulled out my hoodie from inside, slipping it over my arms. I threw my bag over my shoulder and began to head towards the exit of the venue. More people had gathered outside, and I quickly recognised a few faces that I had seen before at local gig, some I had seen before at previous Young Guns gigs I had been to. I smiled at the people as I passed the line on my short journey into the town centre.

I was heading into town to pop into the local record store, it was somewhere I’ve spent a lot of time over my teen years, I had found the place one afternoon and was told about a signing for You Me At Six and I’ve basically lived in this shop since. I made the short walk through town; I knew this town like the back of my hand and it’s a little scary walking through here for one of the last times for a very long while. I made it to the Headrow within a couple of minutes and I soon found myself within the shop.

The owner, Jason was sitting behind the counter typing away on his laptop. He was a large guy covered in tattoos, he was bald and the biggest teddy bear you could ever meet. I smiled at the familiar sight and quickly made my way towards the counter.
“Hey Jason” I said softy, capturing his attention. He turned from the computer and looked at me in surprise. He smiled at me

“Oh hey there kiddo! How you doing?” he asked as he rose from his seat, moving from behind the counter to wrap his large arms around me. I was pulled into a tight hug, one that over the coming months I was sure I would miss.

“I’m doing really really well, thank you. And yourself? How is Lucy?” I asked him. Lucy is his twelve year old daughter, he and her mum had split when she was younger and she had fled to America, so I often looked after Lucy, when she needed someone to talk to about girly things. He smiled at the mention of his daughter.

“I’m good, as is Lucy, she started upper school last week and she was really nervous. So what are you going here? I’m pretty sure you’ve got a gig at the well today” he questioned. I laughed, he would know this.

“I’m just stopping by to pick up a new hoodie, my old one is getting a bit worn now, holes around the cuffs and it’s annoying me” I told him with a smile, he laughed and motioned for me to look around.

“Well I’ll be over here when you’re done” he told me as he went back to work. I turned my attention to the many different hoodies and other pieces of merchandise that was littered across one side of the small shop. In the back of my mind I was aware that the bell had sounded letting me know that someone else had entered the shop.

I looked at the different hoodies. The one I had already at home was a Queen one and it had served me well for the past four years but with the departure from my home I realised that I could do with a new hoodie. There are so many different hoodies on the walls. Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, You Me At Six, Forever The Sickest Kids, Mayday Parade, Bring Me The Horizon and many more. I settled on a My Chemical Romance one and quickly grabbed a Mayday Parade tour tee, a You Me at Six One and a box of guitar picks that I could hand out around the venues to people that wanted one, and Dean and Harry are always loosing picks so it would be useful to have them around.

I returned to the counter and placed them on top. I realised that Jason was obviously down stairs where the guitars are kept with who ever had entered the shop earlier, I had obviously tuned them out very well. I didn’t have long left until the time I had agreed to meet everyone at the pub and I still had a few other bits I had to pick up from in town. I quickly went behind the counter and rung myself up, inserting my debit card into the machine that would remove the money from my card. As I was in the middle of putting my pin code in I heard footsteps coming up the stairs followed my Jason’s voice and then his very loud laughter, I looked up to see him looking at me, next to him stood Gustav and John who were looking at me as if I was breaking the law, I raised my eye brow.

“I’m on a time limit here love. And you weren’t around” I told him with a cheeky smile. I knew I was in no trouble; I had often worked here when he was short on staff or Lucy needed him. I removed my card when the machine had bleeped to let me know the transaction had been successful and grabbed a carrier bag from under the counter and quickly stuffed my new things into it. Jason had moved behind the counter and had started to run up the new guitar that the two had come to buy “Fancy seeing you lot here” I told them with a smile

“Says you!” John said to me, I laughed, I hadn’t told anyone where I was going when I left the venue so they had no clue that I would be here “It took us ages to find this place, Ale told us about it, if we knew you were coming here we’d of just followed you!” he exclaimed. I laughed and moved from behind the counter towards them.

“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t realise that you’d want to come here. I just needed to grab a few things. I’ve still got a bit to get so I’m going to have to get moving, but I’ll see you all up at the pub in a bit!” I told them with a smile “Jason! I’ll come see you next time I’m home and please tell Lucy that she can ring me when ever, seriously just because I’m moving and on tour she doesn’t need to think she can’t talk to me about things” I told him from across the counter. He smiled and nodded.

“Please Lauren, I know you think you’re ready for this, but be careful” he turned slightly towards Gustav and John. John had shouldered the guitar and was ready to leave “look after her lads, she acts like she’s fine when in reality she’ll be freaking out” I rolled my eyes. “I love you kiddo, come back safe” I nodded I could feel the tears welling in my eyes. I waved at him and left the store John and Gustav following behind me.

“Where are you going now? I think that some guys have gone up to the pub now for a drink or two before we all eat” Gustav asked me. It’s not surprising that some had gone drinking; I could this tour turning into a full time piss up. We were walking up the Headrow back into town; the pub was straight up the Headrow and just off one of the side roads.

“I need to run to Topshop to grab some new skinnys and some new shoes, if you guys are wanting to join the lads, if you follow this road up to the traffic lights, turn left and Weather spoons is down there” I told them softly. I didn’t bother to wait for a reply, figuring that they’d both want to join the pre show drinking and I crossed the road and made my way down the high street.

“What’s your favourite season and why?” I heard from behind me, making me jump in surprise, I turned around to find that Gustav had followed me and John had left to join the rest. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you” he murmured. I shook my head, telling him silently that it was no problem.

“Probably winter. I’m always cold, even in summer, so it makes no difference to me. But I like the amazing scenery that comes with winter; I like the fact that it gives you an excuse not to leave the house for days at a time, that it’s the perfect time just to get lost in a book, or a movie. I like that it brings people closer together and allows for some of the most amazing memories because winter means Christmas and new year and that’s the best bit of the year” I told him slowly, thinking every word through. We were walking slowly through town, I looked up at the clock tower which told me it was half past four and we needed to be at the pub by half five. One hour I thought to myself. “What are you most scared of?” I asked him quietly.
We were walking side by side, quite close, weaving in and out of other people that were going about their days. He was quiet for a moment and I looked over to see that his vision was fixed forward and his forehead was creased slightly as he looked lost in thought

“I’m scared of letting people down” he said softly after a few seconds of silence “That I’ll upset one of our fans and that they will feel upset and betrayed. I’m scared that I won’t do my parents or my family proud” we never gave our opinions on each other’s answers, that wasn’t how this worked, we were learning things about each other not criticizing. We’d reached Topshop by now and we entered the store. I expected him to wait outside or head over to the man’s section but I was surprised to see him standing next to me as I looked at different jeans. He always seemed to surprise me.

“Excuse me” a timid voice asked from behind us, we both turned around to see a young girl stood there, she couldn’t have been anymore that fifteen. “Hi, do you mind if I have a picture with you? I love your band” she asked Gustav softly, nervously. Gus smiled and nodded
“Of Course! It’s no problem at all.” He replied to her. Her hands were shaking as she turned her phone to take a picture.

“Would you like me to take it for you?” I asked her politely. She smiled at me and nodded. I took the phone from her and quickly snapped a picture of the two. “Are you coming to the show tonight over at the Well?” I asked her

She shook her head and sighed. “No, none of my friends could come tonight, but we’re coming to the Manchester show next week!”She exclaimed excitedly. I left Gustav talking to her as I realised that we were on a time limit and I still had to buy my things. I quickly grabbed a pair of acid washed jeans and pair of plain black skinnys. I grabbed a tee that I saw on my way over to the shoes.

“I’m so sorry about that, it happens a lot more now a days” Gustav told me. I laughed and shook my head he shot me a confused look.

“Please, do not ever apologise for that. She will treasure that moment for a very long time to come and it comes with the job. You guys are becoming such a big band and more people are going to recognise you” I told him with a smile, I was so proud of how far they’d come from the times I had seen them. I spotted a beautiful pair of sparkly heels at the far side of the shoes and moved around to them, Gustav following close behind me.

I quickly grabbed a pair in my size and slipped them onto my feet and turned to Gustav, standing before him a lot taller than I had been just moments before. i smiled. I loved them. I took them off and moved towards the counter. I let the shop assistant run them up before paying, the whole time Gustav stood quietly behind me waiting.

“I’m done now, we can go and meet everyone else if you’d like” I told him as we left the shop, he turned towards me, smiled and then nodded. He gently took my bags off me. “You don’t have to do-“he cut me off.
“If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t have done it. Now come on. Lead the way!” he shouted loudly.