I'll Change Their Minds

*A FEW HOURS LATER*
*AT THE BONFIRE*
I walked down to where the bonfire was with the guys from Of Mice and Men and Sleeping with Sirens.
I had chosen to wear a light grey Aspire and Create tank with some light blue skinny jeans and a black hooded jacket.
I felt a strong arm drape itself over my shoulder as we neared the bonfire. I turned to see who it was and was faced with Alan's happy face and mop of messy ginger hair.
''Alright?'' He squeezed it gently, showing his support. I guessed he could tell that I was nervous about meeting all of the new bands.
''Yeah, just a little nervous I guess'' I laughed shyly, turning my head to face the ground as we slowed down.

''Guys!'' I heard Austin’s voice boom over the top of the crackling of the fire and some music that was being played. Everyone's heads snapped round to face him.
''Alright mate?'' Someone piped up from behind a pair of ray bans and a bottle of beer.
''Yeah thanks mate, you?''
''Good, and great cheers, who's this bird 'ey Alan?'' The man winked at us.
''I'm Austin’s sister'' I smiled warmly at him.
''Well it's nice to meet you; does your sister have a name Austin?'' He smirked at me, he seemed arrogant and I didn't really like him.
''Yeah, her names Amelia'' Someone to the left of me choked out.
Alans arm tightened around as I froze, instantly recognizing the voice.
''You alright?'' He leant down slightly and whispered in my ear.
''Yeah, I just wasn't expecting to have to see that guy so soon''
''Who?'' He looked over at the person who had told everyone my name.
''Ben'' I looked down, starting to regret making the band come here after all.
''You two know each other?'' He looked at me confused.
''Yeah, I guess you could say we have some history''
''Oh right okay, I'll leave it at that then? I'm going to go and get a drink, you want one?'' He removed his arm from my shoulder and stepped back slightly, heading towards the cooler.
''Yeah, please'' I smiled at him as he turned to get a drink; I scanned my eyes around in search of a similar face.
I ended up on Josh Franceschi, sat on his own with a bottle of beer in his hands; I made my way over to him and sat on the empty seat to his right.
He looked up and smiled as he saw me walking over, ''Alright?''
I nodded in response ''Where'd Alan go? Surely he aint left you on your own with a group of drunk, horny men?'' I giggled a little at this and shook my head.
''No, he's gone to get us both a drink,'' I pointed over to where he was talking to some guy dressed all in black, with a bottle of beer in each hand.
''Oh right, so what was up with you when Ben started talking earlier? You looked pretty tense. If you don't mind me asking....’’ He looked over at me, pushing his Ray Bans a little further up his nose.
''Erm. Well we go back a little while, high school to be precise'' I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
''Oh, I thought you went to the same school as Austin?''
''Oh no, I moved out to England in my early teens with some family, ended up at the same school as Ben fucking Bruce.'' I sighed and sat back in my seat.
''Oh right, not a good thing then by the sounds of it?''
''Not in the slightest, I mean, it's not as if he was one of the popular kids or anything...he was just a normal kid, you get what I mean?'' I looked over at him before turning my attention to Alan who was walking back over with our beers.

''Here you go’’ he handed me my beer and pulled up a seat opposite me and Josh.

I spent the next few hours meeting a bunch of new people, getting a little bit drunk and having a lot of fun.

When we decided it was time to go back to the bus it was about 2 in the morning and I could tell we were all going to be hung over in the morning.

''Amelia wait up!'' I heard someone shout from behind me, I knew who it was and I tensed up. Alan noticing my discomfort snaked a comforting arm around my shoulder pulling me close.
I felt an all too familiar hand grab onto my arm, I shook it off before continuing to walk towards my bus.
''Amelia please, just hear me out''
I turned round quickly and faced him, ''Hear you out? What for? So you can treat me like shit all over again?''
''No, I just want to explain everything, I didn't mean it'' the look of desperation on his face became clearer as he continued ''any of it''
''I don't care. You may not have meant it but it still hurts, I know I'm not one to hold grudges, but with all the crap I've been put through by you and my so called 'mates' I think I have the right to.''
''Me and your mates? We didn't do anything!''
''You didn't do anything? Are you having a laugh? I've been putting up with your shit since high school and I really don't need it anymore!''
A small crowd had started to gather as we argued; our voices had obviously grown quite a lot louder.
''My shit? Oh yeah, because after everything that's happened, it's always been me! What's 'my shit' ever done to you hey? Nothing has it?!'' He stepped closer, getting all up in my face.
''Yeah, funnily enough it has always been you. You and those pathetic people who thought you were a god send. You know, the people who thought you were the best because you picked on kids 3 years younger than you?!''
''Oh yeah of course, that's exactly what it was.'' He rolled his eyes at me and laughed a small devilish laugh. ''You know, I always thought you were a cool kid. The way you dressed, how you acted, and how you stood up to people. But then it came to me, you'd cower away from me like I was some sort of monster, it made me feel powerful. Almost good.''
''It made you feel good? The year and a half that I spent in hospital? Because of you. So, putting innocent people in hospital makes you feel good? You're sick!''
''I put you in hospital? Please, you did it all to yourself'' He laughed again, a little louder this time.
''What? So, I bullied myself, called myself fat, worthless, beat myself up every day in school corridors and outside in the yard. Does any of this ring any bells to you? No? Well maybe this will, my best friend committed suicide for reasons only I know about, you took the piss out of me for weeks. I had just lost my best friend! I didn't eat because I was 'fat', so what I wasn't size 0 or had a perfect figure. I self-harmed because I was 'worthless' and had to lie to my family that I tripped and fell down the steps or I hit my head on a door frame to cover up for the bruises I was left with I was stuck in hospital for a year and half with depression.'' I shook my head at him and backed away. '' Of course, you wouldn't know any of this because you didn't care about anyone else. You only cared about yourself, and how making people feel like their whole life is a sham and that they don't belong''
He cut me off by commenting; ''Whatever, you know, I didn't come here to argue, I came to apologize. But you know what, forget it.''
''You're apology aint worth shit Ben, just do me a favour and leave me alone''
''You're the one who decided to come on Warped, you dropped yourself in it, and you knew I would have been here''
''Yeah, I know. That's why we came. To do what we love and to prove to people we are worth something, that no matter what people have done to us in the past, we can do what we want to, and fucking well achieve it. So, thanks for your time that you wasted making my life a living hell. It doesn't mean anything anymore''

I turned and walked back to Alan who put his arm back around my shoulder pulling me in for a side hug again.
''You didn't sound so angry when you were screaming out my name in bed!'' He called back to me, I laughed quietly to myself.
''Yeah, and you were such a dick until I fucked your best mate''

I smirked to myself, walking away from all the ''Oooooh's'' people were throwing at Ben. I heard someone comment ''she got you good that time Bruce'' and punch him playfully on his arm.

Well tonight was a little more eventful than I had planned, but it felt good being able to stand up to Ben.