Four Corners and Two Sides

"Squidgy! Squidgy! Squidgy!" A line of us chanted, could be heard from a mile away, as Austin Carlile held up the plush stuffed animal in the air. It was like a scene from The Lion King. I stifled a laugh as I realized how perfect the role of Mufasa would be for him.
"Oh my god, Squidgy is the god of Warped!" Austin yelled over us, and we all pounded our fists to the sky, in unison. Of Mice & Men, The Story Of How, Four Year Strong, and Memphis May Fire. It was quite a site to see, I bet. But I also knew that being on the inside, surrounded by fans and the best bands, was better than being on the outside. I was back in, where I was supposed to be. Conversing with different people instead of attaching myself to... to an onlooker.
I noticed Kellin out of my peripheral, shifting awkwardly to my left, as he watched on. He wasn't smiling, but sort of hiding underneath his Anthemmade baseball cap. I wondered if he was trying to be inconspicuous, but I realized I shouldn't even care whether he was near us or not. Whether he was bumming or just being socially awkward. I certainly wasn't going to let it get to me.
"A toast to Squidgy, yeah?" Phil Manansala, also from OMAM, asked the excited crowd as he held up a bottle of champagne. It sparkled in the bright lights, which hyped us all up even more. We weren't supposed to "advertise" alcohol before 9pm, but Jeff couldn't give a shit anymore. We had two more days left of Warped, and then we were done. I wasn't sure if we'd be back next year, so making the most of the time I had left with these guys, was crucial.
Phil and Austin quickly left and came back with small plastic cups, pouring and urging people to pass down the line.
"Jeff, you cool with this?" I overheard Phil ask as Jeff casually walked up, swiping his hand around a cup before it was released to us people.
Jeff drank the contents, crushed the plastic and said, "I can keep a secret if everybody else can."
"Dude, you're awful. We're gonna get so busted," Phil laughed, as if it were a really great joke.
Jeff shrugged and carried on his way, smiling and laughing like he was in one of his own bands. I smiled too, as he got to The Story Of How, just because it was nice to see him not stressing out for once. He was living it up along with the rest of us. I hugged Sanders to me, and cheered along with my boys.
Festivities became a little more intense as the night went on, involving jello shots, the slip-n-slide, Squidgy and his own "lair", and Vic going around with scissors, wasted, telling people he'd cut their hair for free. Pretty sure no one took him up on the offer, but it was a kind offering.
Eleven pm was closing in on Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I only had that one cup of champagne. I wasn't big on getting slobbered tonight, so I sat by myself, once again, on the bus, trying my hardest with lyrics. But I literally couldn't get anything worthy down on the lined pieces of paper. I gripped my hair in agony, looking over at Eddie who randomly appeared out of the bunks.
"Nothing?" He asked. He grabbed a can of beer from his own mini fridge, and I watched him walk over, my eyes feeling heavy, drooping.
"I don't understand why this is so hard for me," I said quietly, staring down at the pen in my hand. "Eddie, you know this isn't a normal thing."
He nodded, smirking. "Oh, I do know. By now, you'd be running to one of us, four or five papers in your hands that make up the next four or five songs off of our new record."
I grinned, instantly feeling a tickle in my gut, brightening my mood. "I think I'm just trying too hard."
"I think you should wait until Warped Tour is officially over and we're back in California."
I sat up straight. "But aren't we supposed to have something written down by the time we get back?"
"Don't worry about it, kid. We'll take apart what you've written so far when we're home. If you're embarrassed, we can look at it together without the other guys. You've been through quite a bit so far, and I'll understand if what I read is crap."
I gave him a hard, playful shove as he tried to steady his arm with the beer. "Hey, hey now. Although I've loved this bus since the beginning, wasted beer is much worse than a stained carpet."
"Yeah," I heaved a heavy sigh. "This bus has been so good to us. I was a little--"
A knock interrupted the rest of my sentence, and Eddie gave me a questioning glance.
"Don't look at me," I snorted. With air conditioning, my notebook, and a blanket strewn over my lap, I was too comfy to move.
Eddie groaned as it took him some time to get up from the couch, his bones achy and old. What a grandpa.
He clicked open the door, but he was blocking my view of whoever it was. I didn't actually need to see though, as I heard the last voice I wanted to hear unless it was on the radio back home.
"Just for a second," Kellin told Eddie as Eddie stepped aside to let him in. Kellin's dark waves were now covered by an Anthemmade beanie (which happened to look great on him). I mentally swooned as he stood in front of me, hands in his jeans, eyes facing downward. I slowly followed the permanent brands on his right arm, the ink making him appear more like a tainted human than just a singer. I wasn't going to scold myself for thinking he was still attractive. It wasn't like he lost his looks over the past month. In fact, if anything, he became even better looking since we stopped talking. If that was possible, I mean.
"What's up?" I said, trying to maintain a very business-like atmosphere.
"Sorry if I interrupted your creative flow," he said softly, looking up at my face, but pointing at my lap, where the yellow notebook slept.
I shrugged. "Nah, Eddie and I were just talking anyway."
And Eddie stood near Kellin, eyeing him after every time he took a sip out of his can. I glared at Eddie, wishing I could scold him for acting like an overprotective dad.
"Ahem," I coughed, urging Eddie to get a move on as subtle as I could, but Kellin took notice.
"No, no," he started, rubbing the back of his neck, "you don't have to leave. I just wanted Eliza, you, to know that... Katelynne, she's meeting up with me tomorrow, in Washington."
My body temperature rose as we enjoyed an extremely tense silence. Eddie crushed his can, and tossed it in front of Kellin, who stepped back in surprise at the object suddenly in front of him. It landed in the crash can with a loud thud, snapping me out of my daze.
"Thank you? For letting me know? I guess," I mumbled, crossing my arms as a sign of defense.
"I didn't tell you to make you upset. I told you just in case you wanted to say something to her." Kellin leaned against the kitchen counter, his eyes shifting from Eddie back to me. "I'm going to say something to her anyways, whether you do or not."
"Why does it matter? You guys aren't actually together." I air quoted 'together', much to Kellin's disapproval.
"See you tomorrow," he nodded and I heard his own annoyed sigh leave his mouth as he stalked off of our bus. Eddie slammed the door behind him and then he gave me a look.
"What did I do now?" I closed my eyes and lied down on the couch, awaiting his lecture.
"You definitely checked him out and he definitely noticed. I just don't know how you girls do that after the things that happened."
"Appearances are physical, not emotional, Edwardo. No one can resist a handsome face, no matter how hard they try."
"That is your biggest weakness. Every time he talks to you, I'll make sure to place a paper bag over his head, in your honor."
A laugh erupted out of my throat as I pictured Eddie walking around with paper bags, waiting for the prime opportunity. I was thankful to have him around after all.