I Will Lick My Wounds, Because They Taste of You

Libby hadn’t been on a plane since she was about 3 years old. That was 15 years ago. But today there she was, sat in the airport waiting to her flight to be called. Well that what she imagined came next anyway. Libby was on her own and so far had just been following the crowd.

Her flight was then called and she walked the monstrous walk to the gate she’d been told to. Once there she had to wait for another half an hour before they started loading passengers.

Thankfully uncle ted had paid for the flight and her seat so she was sat in first class. Once on the plane and directed to her seat she found she was sat next to the window. With a smile she set her bag under the seat in front of her and began to get settled.

First class gradually began to fill and about 10 minutes later Libby could hear a group of lads file on. The seat next to her was empty and she was praying that some boring old business man who would completely ignore her would occupy the seat, but no luck.

“Guy’s I think were here” a guy with shaggy black hair called to the rest of the boys he was with. Just looking at them, Libby had no idea how they had managed to get first class tickets, but she wasn’t going to judge.

“Right, Chris you’re next to me right?” the boy who called the rest of them over said to another guy and they sat down two rows in front of her. Two other guys then sat in front of her, but there was one guy left.

“You sure you’re alright on your own, mate?” one of the boy’s in front asked him and he just smiled.

“I’m not five josh” he replied and then his eyes landed on Libby before a small smile tugged at his lips. “Besides, I’m not alone” he said silkily and the sat next to her. “Hey plane buddy. I’m max” he smiled and held his hand out to her.

“Libby” she replied and put her hand in his, shaking it lightly. He wasn’t a bad looking kid, but that was the thing. He looked like a kid. He had such an adorable baby face, his hair was not too dissimilar from her own coppery brown shade, though his was browner for sure. His eyes were deep brown and sparkling with humour.

“Lovely to make you’re acquaintance” he said and a woman came by to remind them to put their seatbelts on. Once they had he turned to look at her again. “So what’s a pretty girl like you on her way to America for?”

She blushed at his words and dipped her head before looking back up at him. Libby had always been shy and awkward around new people but max made her feel slightly more at ease. She could tell he wasn’t a bad guy and that made her relax a bit and able to speak to him properly.

“My uncle asked me to come and work for him for the summer. What about you?”

“Same, I’m going over there for work”

“Really?” she asked surprised and he nodded. She wanted to press him and ask what his job was, but she didn’t wanna freak him out by asking his life story. I mean they were going to be sitting on a plane together for about 10 hours and that was it. They would never see each other again.

The plane began to move and she clutched the arm rest subconsciously. Max looked over at the girl who’s knuckles were turning white and placed his hand gently over hers.

“You not a fan of flying?” he asked and she shrugged.

“I don’t know. I haven’t been on a plane since I was three. I’m just taking precautions encase I don’t” she told him and he took her hand in his.

“Don’t worry, if you don’t like it you can squeeze the life out of my hand” he smiled and then the plane began to make it’s way down the runway. Libby felt her heart hammering in her chest, wanting to break free from her rib cage, and then the nose of the plane tipped up and they were off the ground.

Libby let out a small squeak and when Max looked over at her eyes were scrunched up and she was almost curling into herself, whilst her grip on Max’s hand got tighter. much was scrunching his eyes himself but that was due to the fact Libby was causing him so much pain.

The plane levelled out after a while but Libby was still in the same position. Max leaved over and placed his other hand on her knee, rubbing it softly.

“Libby honey, open you’re eyes, it’s alright now”

She opened one eye first and saw they were fully in the air now so she opened the other and sat up fully.

“Thanks Max” she smiled and he just nodded before looking down and their hands which she was still squeezing the life out of. “Oh sorry!” she said letting go and he just chuckled before flexing his fingers.

“No harm done. Everything still works. Now I’m gonna take it by your reaction that you don’t like flying”

“Well I’m fine now we’re up here, but take off was no fun” she said with a light chuckle but max could tell she was starting to relax again.

The pair spoke none stop for hours, and then the subject turned back to why they were going to America for. Max asked what her uncle did for a living and what she would be doing all summer and she decided to just tell him.

“He work’s for warped tour. He needs a new assistant this year and I just got out of college so I figured why not? I mean I would only be sitting on my bum for months on end. Plus I’ve never been to America before so I couldn’t really pass it up.”

Libby noticed that when she said warped tour max’s eyes grew and he looked like he wanted to but in but waited until she’d finished before speaking.

“Sorry did you just say warped tour?”

“Yeah, you heard of it?”

“Heard of it? That where I’m going. Well not just me, me and my band. We’re playing this year”

“Are you kidding me?”

“no I’m being 100% serious” he said excitedly and then tapped the head of the boy who sat in front of us. He moaned a bit before kneeling on his chair, facing us. His eyes were droopy and his skin pale so max had clearly just woken his up.

“What is it?”

“Josh, this is Libby, Libby this is Josh”

Josh looked over Libby with what seemed like approval and then stuck his hand out to her which she shook.

“Lovely to meet you”

“You too” she replied shyly. Looking at josh, she noted he was a good looking guy with a baby face just like Max’s. The idea that they were in a band and playing warped tour baffled her because they didn’t look like they were old enough to by alcohol, let alone jump on a plane and tour America.

“Josh, will you please tell her that we are in a band and playing warped tour this year” max asked and josh raised an eye brow.

“Okay…” josh said and shrugged his shoulders. “Libby, max and myself are in a band and playing warped tour this year”

Libby didn’t believe him though. She imagined they were just saying it to humour them. She reached into her bag and pulled out a file that had all the names of the bands playing and little bio’s on them. Part of her job was to get to know all of the bands, or as many as she could. They both looked at her with wide eyes wondering what the hell was in the massive folder.

“Name?” she asked but they both looked blank. “Of the band…” she expanded and they both nodded with understanding.

“You Me At Six” max replied and she felt like she recognised that name. the folder was alphabetical so she went to the back and sure enough there was a page for the band.

There wall all they members names listed and yes, there was a josh and a max on the list. But that didn’t mean it was still them, they could just know the band and be pretending, so she flipped the page to where there was a picture of the band.

Her eyes went to the picture of max and then she looked back up at the real thing before doing the same thing to josh. Sure enough it was them.

“okay fine I believe you”

“Okay no offence intended here, but why the hell do you have a file on us?” josh asked, his eyebrows slightly bunched.

“oh right”, max interjected. “Libby’s uncle works for warped tour and she’s gonna work for him this summer”

“I see, that makes that much less creepy” josh said pointing to the file with a smile. “so I guess we’ll be seeing you a lot more this summer then yeah?”

“looks like it” she replied and josh smiled before turning back around.

“wait, it says here you’re 19” she said to max and he just nodded. “wow. You guys are so young. I mean I’m a year younger and you’ve accomplished more than I will in my whole life”

“you’re 18?” he asked she nodded. Max got a little smile on his face and she gave him a look that asked what was up but he just shook his head.

The rest of the ride was Libby asking lots of questions, and max telling lot’s of stories about show’s and tours that they guys had been on. Most of them leaving her crying with tears of laughter.

The final hour they spent asleep, and when max woke her up, Libby found that her head was resting on max’s shoulder. She apologised but he just laughed it off. She just hopped she hadn’t dribbled on him.

They landed, which Libby noted wasn’t as bad as taking off. At least she now knew she was on the ground. They all got off, and Libby lost max somewhere along the way, but it didn’t matter, she knew she would see him soon.

She collected her baggage and went in search of her uncle who had come to pick her up. Her eyes raked around the groups of people but Ted was no where to be found. She decided to call him and when she turned her phone on she had five missed calls from him. She called him back immediately and he picked up on the third ring.

“Hey libb’s, I’m really sorry, something’s happened down at the venue and I haven’t been able to leave yet”

“That’s alright, I’ll just hand around her for a bit”

“Okay, I’ll call you when I’m on my way”

“Alright, bye” she said and they ended the call.

She wheeled her bags over to an empty chair and sat twiddling her thumbs. She was there for about five minutes before she heard her name being called. When she looked up max was running over to her and when he got to her, he sat in the seat next to her.

“Hey, what you doing sitting here?”

“Oh my uncle is sorting something out at the venue and cant come get me yet, I’m just waiting for him”

“You wanna hitch a ride with us? I mean there’s plenty of room and we’re all going the same way. It would save him coming out here to go all the way back”

“That would be awesome. I mean if you’re sure”

“Yeah, come on. You can meet the rest of the guys” he said picking up one of her bags. She grabbed the other and they both made their way outside into the unusually warm night.