My Warped Summer

“Ooh dude, we look so badass,” Cassie said.

The whole band was huddling over Allison’s laptop watching our music video on YouTube. And Cassie was right; we did look badass.

There was a swoosh as the bus door opened.

“I bring you gifts!” Rob said as he emptied his arms of the boxes of all kinds of random items. “All from your beloved fans.” He dramatically swept his arm to have another box brought in.

“Holy crap,” Emma said. “We’ve never gotten this much stuff before.”

We all started pawing through the boxes, picking up letters and gifts.

“Aww look at this little stuffed Tigger,” Cassie cooed. She had a thing for Winnie the Pooh.

“Guys look at all these fan letters!” Katelynne said and we all started reading each one aloud.

Once we had finished opening everything, we went back to our phones and laptops. It was an exhausting day and we had a 4 hour trip to Baltimore.

I soon heard stifled giggles from Allison and Cassie. They were both covering their mouths, their eyes bulging at the laptop screen.

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

“Nothing!” Emma said. But obviously it was not nothing because Emma motioned Katelynne to come over and look. Soon everyone was in a fit of laughter.

“I wanna see!” I put my magazine down and headed over, but everyone covered the screen.

“Are you sure?” Emma asked, her eyes sparkling.

“Yes!” I threw my hands up.

Soon I regretted my decision because I was now looking at a picture of Jack Barakat holding up a sign. But this wasn’t just any sign. Oh hell no it wasn’t.

“I ship Alex and Scarlet 5ever!?” I yelled. “FREAKING CHRIST. HE IS SO GETTING HIS ASS KICKED.”

I started scrolling down the page to discover that it didn’t stop there. My jaw dropped at all the gif and photos sets of this so called “Scarlex” shipping.

“God no,” I fell back on the couch and covered my face. “NO!” I yelled through a pillow.

“Hey guys, I think we need to go take care of that thing,” Emma suddenly says.

I look up. Everyone is nodding as if “that thing” a universal fact.

“What is it?” I ask.

“You just stay here,” Allison grinned and they all rushed out leaving me lying on the couch.

I sat there for a minute trying to figure out what the hell was going on until I heard the door swoosh. I got up and froze when I saw who it was.

“Okay Rian, I know you’re in-” Alex started but immediately stopped when he spotted me.

We both just stood there staring at each other.

“What is going on?” I asked.

“Rian sent me a text saying he was in here for some reason and he wanted me to come,” he slowly looked down at his phone.

“All the girls just left saying that they needed to take care of something...” I trailed off.

“Damn it,” he said. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Oh God...” I narrowed my eyes.

All of a sudden a click came from the door. Alex turned around and tried to open the door.

“Oh my gosh, are you freaking serious?” I yelled.

“Is anyone there?” Alex shouted through the door.

Jack appeared in the small window of the door.

“We’re not letting you guys out until you two work out your problems,” he said with an evil grin on his face.

“Ugh, Jack!” I went over to the door and smacked it.

His face disappeared and Alex and I were left inside the bus all alone. I walked over to the couch.

“Well I’m not fucking working out any problems,” I crossed my arms.

“Well I guess I’m not either,” Alex crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

After a few minutes of silence, I came up with a plan.

“Hey, there’s a back lounge. One of us can go in there while the other stays out here,” I jumped up.

“That’s true!” Alex said. “I’ll just go in the back lounge then.”

“Um, I was kind of thinking that I would go in the back lounge,” I inched closer to the small hallway. We both paused.

We nearly broke into a sprint as both of us tried to get there first. Unfortunately we both burst through the entryway at the same time causing us to fall into the lounge.

“Ow,” I grabbed my elbow.

“Okay, this is stupid,” Alex stood up abruptly and walked to the door. “We are going to solve this problem.”

“What?” I look up at him as he locks the door. “Hell no.”

“No, Scarlet,” he stands firm in front of the now locked door. “This is getting ridiculous!”

“Alex, you can’t keep me back here,” I stand up, getting angrier.

“I can if I want to,” he says crossing his arms. “Just tell me why you hate me so much.”
“I don’t know I just do,” I walk closer to him. “Now let me past.”

“You know why, you just don’t want to tell me,” he still stands firm. “WHY, Scarlet?”

“Let me through the door!” I point aggressively at the door.

“I will when you tell me!” he shouts back.

I dive for the doorknob, but he obviously knew what I was going to do and grabs my wrist before I can make it. I take my other hand to try and reach, but he grabs that one as well and pushes me back.

“Alex!” I yell trying to get footing.

“Tell me why,” he says.

I manage to get free and lunge for the door. I almost get to the door when he grabs my hand causing me to spin around to face him. Before I can even register what’s happening, he presses his lips against mine with such force that I’m pushed against the door. After a few moments, he pulls back. We both stare at each other with wide eyes, pausing to realize what just happened. And it’s like it all clicked. Our lips crash and we pull each other closer. I wrap my arms around his neck as his hands find the small of my back. He gently pushed me back against the door and he ran his lips from my collarbone to under my jaw. I kissed him harder as he tugged at the waistband of my shorts, pulling us even closer together. Suddenly, we both stop and look up as the first notes of Let’s Get It On start playing through the bus’ speaker system.

“Oh. My. Gosh,” I look at Alex.

“Wow,” Alex said as we both started laughing.

“I guess they knew what they were doing,” I raise my eyebrows.

“Damn masterminds,” he smiled down at me.

We walk out of the bus, hands entwined, to see ATL, GIS, and PTV all standing outside applauding.

“Shut up guys!” I laugh which just makes Alex wrap both his arms around me and laugh with everyone else.