My Warped Summer

Allison’s Point of View

After finishing up that interview with Vic, I packed up and hopped in the bus to head out to the Warped Tour venue. Once we made it there, we quickly changed and were ushered onto stage to play our set. The second time around, performing wasn’t so nerve-racking. I started getting into the rhythm of things and singing like I really meant it.

After we finished up, the band all gathered in the bus and started teaching Scarlet and I the rest of their original songs on the set. By the time we had to leave the venue, we had almost perfected all of it.

“Good job you guys!” said Emma in an excited voice. “By the time we’re through tomorrow, we should have all of the original set down.”

Scarlet fell facedown on the couch and gave a less than enthusiastic groan. I laughed and sat down on the floor by the couch.

“Come on, Scar. We still have the rest of their album to learn,” I say, patting her head. Scarlet groans again and rolls over on her side.

“Just be glad we haven’t started our next record,” Cassie says, sticking her tongue out.

“Okay,” Emma says, hopping up from her place behind the table. “We better be getting to bed now. We have to get up bright and early tomorrow. Rob wants us there for sound check. Apparently we sounded weird today.”

“So I’m not the only one who thought that!” I exclaimed, pushing myself up off the ground.

“Oh my God, Ally. We did not sound weird,” Scarlet says, launching a throw pillow at me. I swiftly ducked out of the way.

“You missed.” I told her, and grabbed her wrist to lead her down the aisle of bunks. We settled into our bunks as Rob slides into the front seat of the bus.

“Night you guys!” He calls from the front.

But by then, we were all fast asleep.

*#*

The next few days passed by in a crazy blur. Between the shows, interviews, and signings we barely had enough time to breathe. Before I could even blink, one week of Warped Tour had already passed me by.

“Can you believe it’s already been a week?” I ask Scarlet in dismay, walking back from a signing. “It seems like just yesterday we were sneaking out, headed to see the show.”

Scarlet gave a short laugh, and paused as if remembering all that has happened.

“That’s insane,” she tells me. “A whole week.”

“Seems like so much longer,” Genevieve huffed under her breath.

“Heard that,” Scar and I chimed together, looking back at her. She continues to sulk behind us, ignoring our existence.

“Still don’t know what her problem is,” I whisper to Scarlet as we continue to walk.

“Speaking of problems,” Scarlet says with a smile, nodding at Vic who was hastily approaching us from the side.

“Hey Allison!” He says when he spots us. Scarlet gives Vic one of her famous questioning glances, and he quickly adds, “And Scarlet.”

Scarlet shows a satisfied smirk and grabs my arm to steer me towards him.

“Hi there,” I say shyly, very aware of my best friend standing next to me.

“Hi,” Vic says, rocking up on his heels. After a moment’s pause, he finally breaks the silence. “So, we haven’t talked in a while.”

“Touring life,” I reply with a laugh, gesturing around me.
Vic laughs with me.

“I figured since it’s been so long, maybe you’d want to come by the bus sometime. You know, just hang out with me and the guys.” He glanced over at Scarlet standing beside me. “Of course, you can come too, Scarlet.”

Scarlet gave her head a shake.

“No thanks,” she said. “Kellin and I have plans.”

But before I could ask what these “plans” were, Scarlet gave my foot a kick.

“Ow,” I mutter, awkwardly rubbing my foot. “I could stop by around seven, I guess,” I turn to Vic and say.

“Great,” he says with a smile. “I gotta get going, we have our set pretty soon. Bye guys! See you tonight Allison!” And with that, he turns over his shoulder to leave.

Once he’s out of sight, I turn to ask what that foot beating was for.

“I knew you were going to ask,” Scarlet says before I even start. I laugh as we head back to the bus. She knows me so very well.

*#*

I wrap my black hoodie around me as the wind grows harder. Really? It’s mid-summer and it’s freezing cold. I look up at the dark clouds above me. Looks like it’s going to rain too. Quickly, I make my way across the black parking lot in search of the Pierce the Veil bus. Once I finally found it, I knock anxiously at the door.

“Allison!” Vic answers, and pulls me inside with a one-armed hug. I hug him back and hop inside the bus. With further inspection, I find Vic and I to be the only ones here.

“Hm,” I say with an eyebrow raise. “It seems like your band has ditched you.”

“Guilty,” Vic says, raising his hands. “I kicked them out earlier. Just wanted to finally catch you alone.”

“That’s fine by me,” I say, taking off my hoodie and folding it over a seat. “As long as you don’t attack me.”

Vic laughs as I continue.

“I’m warning you,” I say. “I’m armed.” I pretend to hold up a gun with my fingers.

“Armed, right?” Vic says with a smile playing across his face. He lunges for my waist, bringing me crashing down on the couch on top of him. I pretend to flail for a moment, but eventually sink into his embrace.

“I’ve missed you,” Vic says into my hair.

“I’ve missed you too,” I reply, turning my face upward at him. I really meant it. These past few days without Vic has just seemed boring.

“Okay, get up,” he says, tapping my back. I get up from the couch as he digs around in the back of the bus for something. He comes back around with a DVD in his hands.

“The guys shouldn’t get back until later tonight, so we’ll have time to watch this.”

“What movie is that?” I ask, sitting back on the couch. It was getting a bit cold in the bus, so I reached down and pulled myself under the white down comforter from the end of the seat.

“Scott Pilgrim,” Vic replies, popping the DVD into its player. “Only the best movie in the universe.”

“That’s one of my favorites,” I say as he slides under the comforter next to me. “That and Nacho Libre.”

Vic laughs softly beside me and slides his arms around me.

“Mine too,” he says.

I settle into his arms as the movie starts playing. We lay there watching the movie for a while until he kissed me again. I kissed him back, this time more steady than the last. He held me tighter as I pressed close into him.

“Shh, hold on!” He calls and abruptly stops. “This is my favorite part.”

I craned my neck around just to see the part of the movie in which Scott mixes up the word “love” with “lesbians.” I laugh and rest my head on Vic’s chest.

“I think I’m in lesbians with you,” he says with a smile.

“I’m in lesbians with you too,” I say, cuddling back into him.

We continue watching the movie, laughing and listening in sleepy silence until I somehow fell asleep in his arms.

*#*

I awoke in a start to hear thunder cracking outside the window. Remembering where I was, I looked around to find Vic asleep behind me. Oh God, I am so late. Silently, I crept out of the warm couch and braced myself to head back to the Girls In Skirts bus. I opened the bus door and a gust of rain hit me. I stepped out of the bus and slammed the door behind me. I could barely see anything in the pouring rain, but I knew I had to make it back before they left. I made a break for it. In the midst of all the rain, I slam into a muscular figure.

“Allison?” I hear Jaime say from above me.

I look up at him with rain sloshing in my face.

“Come on,” he says, putting an arm around my shoulder. “You have to get back inside.”

“But my bus is about to leave!” I say, desperately searching for the bus behind all the rain.

“Forget it, you’ll never make it there in time,” he says. “Just come with us.”

He motions for Tony and Mike behind him to continue trudging through the rain. Jaime grabs my arm and guides me back to the Pierce the Veil bus.

“Hey, what happened?” Vic jolts awake with a start as we climb onto the bus, sopping wet.

“We just found your girlfriend wandering outside in the storm,” Jaime says, retrieving a dry shirt and sweatpants from his luggage and tossing them to me. “Hope you don’t mind that we picked her up.”

Vic sat there, almost astounded as I cram myself into their bathroom to change into the clothes Jaime gave me. They were entirely too big and looked ridiculous on me, but dry clothes were better than the completely wet ones I had changed out of. Naturally, I fold and hang my wet clothes on the shower rack and step out into the open.

“You should just crash here for the night while you’re here,” Jaime says. “There’s no use in trying, your bus is probably already gone.”

The band bustles around as I make a makeshift bed for myself on the couch. Soon enough, I am asleep as I had been before.