The Anthem for a Dying Breed

The heat was sweltering and relentless, but seemed at its worst around midday. I pulled my baseball cap off and ran a hand through my damp, dark hair; sweating like a pig whilst everyone around me merely seemed to glisten.

Great.

The sky was without even the wispiest strand of cloud and, after donning my hat again, I headed to the nearest ice cream van I could find. Now it was approaching twelve, it occured to me that we never did have breakfast. I had forgotten the entire matter after realising Young Guns were opening the shows today, and every single motion of the High Wycombe quintet seemed to make adrenaline pump through my veins.

It was actually happening - I was finally at Warped.

Rayne had managed to evade my attention for the past two hours but I wasn't too worried about her. Whether or not she'd found some friends to take her under the wing or had alternatively decided to scope the attractions by herself (like yours truly), she'd be perfectly fine.

A smiley guy wearing an A Day To Remember t-shirt handed me the blue slushy I had been craving, and I thanked him graciously, handing over the bill.

"Hang on, I'll get this."

Vic pushed my hand away and handed the ADTR fan ten dollars.

"No, it's alright, I've - " I began.

"Hey, can't a guy buy some ice cream for his friends?" he demanded. I chuckled, bemused that he seemed to think we were friends already. He smiled back, silken chocolate hair trembling around his face in the near-still air.

"Could you get me six waters and a red ICEE, bro?" Vic asked the vendor. He set about gathering the bottles and began pouring red slush into a transparent cup identical to mine.

"You that hot?" I said.

"Honey, I'm smoking." Vic replied, deadpanning. I sniggered as he flipped his hair over his shoulder, wiggling his eyebrows.

The vendor handed Vic his order, and I grabbed three of the bottles, seeing as he didn't have enough hands for the job.

"Thanks, hun," he said, motioning for me to follow him, "what have you done with your day so far, then?"

I walked alongside him as he lead us around the majority of the crowds, avoiding unnecessary attention.

"Well, I've wandered around, watched some sets by a couple of the bands on the support stages, tried not to drool over Gustav Wood's naked torso and wandered some more. You?" I replied.

He laughed brightly, throwing me another smile.

"Well, my day's been nowhere near as interesting so far. I'm just hanging out with the guys in our bus." He nodded at the bus we were approaching. "In fact, I'll intoduce you to them now." he offered. I shrugged and nodded, realising that it seemed a good opportunity, having only met half the band, very briefly at that. The fact I knew they were all on the eye was hardly a deterrent.

"Wait," I said, slowing my walk and eyeing hom suspiciously, "You're not going to slip something into my slushy and take advantage of me, are you?"

He gasped, all am-dram, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

"How did you guess?" he shouted.

We both stared at each other steadily before exploding into laughter.
The door to the bus was already unlocked, and he just pushed it, keeping it open with his foot to let me through. I murmured my thanks and looked up, almost dropping everything in my hands. Why, oh, why did they have to be insanely better looking in real life? How utterly unfair...

"OK, guys, this is Aleena. Aleena, this is Mike, Tony - and that's Rian from All Time Low You've heard of them, right?" he asked: I nodded. "Great. And. of course, you know me and Hime."

I smiled warily at them as Vic handed water to Tony and Rian.

"Didn't take you long to find one, Vic!" Mike teased, looking me over.

"Catch." I said, hurling a bottle in his direction. It bounced off his head and fell to the floor, making him scowl.

"I wasn't ready!" he whined, making everyone laugh. I quirked an eyebrow, chucking a bottle (admittedly with less malicious intent and force) to Jaime. He caught it neatly.

"Course you weren't, mate." I replied simply. Vic sniggered and winked at me. I winked back, taking off my cap.

"I think - have we maybe met before?" Rian piped, looking over at me. I shrugged.

"I believe Alex was pretty wasted last night, and may have gotten you guys together to, uhm, 'fuck someone up' for me." I offered, smiling.

Rian's face lit up and he nodded.

"Oh, yeah! You and another girl, right? Reddish-pink sort of hair?" he said.

"That's Rayne." I nodded.

"She's a Pierce fan!" Jaime added enthusiastically.

"Who's a Pierce fan?" a voicce from behind me inquired. I side stepped out of the way and looked over my shoulder, finding myself nose-to-chest with a Glamour Kills vest.

Damn my near inadequate height.

"Oh, hey. Are you the Pierce fan?" Alex Gaskarth smiled down at me, red-lipped and hazy-eyed. He nodded at Vic, who nodded back; one of those weird, vague guy-nods. I smiled as he looked back at me and shook my head.

"I am, but not the one we're talking about." I replied.

"Ok. Well, then, who are you?" he said. I pressed my lips together, very very tightly to stop the giggles, and quirked an eyebrow. Clearing my throat, I stood a little straighter.

"Well, uh..." He looked at me questioningly, "If you don't remember, it's probably best I don't remind you." His hazed eyes widened slowly with realisation as it dawned on him, and he covered his mouth with his hands, almost falling backwards.

"Oh my god! That was you! I'm so sorry!" he babbled, hands falling to his sides. My straight face failed and I sniggered at his expression.

"You should be, mate, you licked my face!" I chuckled. Mike applauded loudly and Rian whooped with Jaime. Vic and Tony looked at us, dumbfounded. "It's OK, though," I added reassuringly, "you made up for it by saying you liked my hair." Alex blinked owlishly a few times, before breaking into a grin, pale cheeks flushing slightly.

"I do like your hair." Alex insisted. I nodded approvingly, giving him a wink. "No, really!"

Vic exchanged a look with Tony, then looked between Alex and I.

"When sis this face-licking episode happen?" he inquired. I pulled a face, pretending to shudder.

"Don't worry about it too much - just begald you didn't have to live it." I joked.

Vic shrugged, sitting down besides Tony, who hadn't said much at all. He seemed a naturally shier person than the rest of the band, but he was no less gorgeous. In fact, it was probably best he didn't speak: I was already feeling weird just looking at him.

Not bad weird. Just weird. Like my ovaries were exploding.

Girls were probably always like that around him though; he looked at me for a split second with his huge chocolate-intenso eyes, and I almost melted into a puddle where I stood.
I wondered if Rayne would feel the same about him.

"Well, I guess I'll catch your guys' sets later," I piped, raising my slushy (now just blue raspberry water), "it was nice to meet you all."

I pulled on my hat again as they guys (minus Tony) replied likewise and headed to the door. Attempting to catch his gaze again, I failed as he looked more interested in his water bottle.

Stepping out into the baking heat, I thought I heard a snippet of conversation as I was leaving.

"What's up with you, Turtle?" someone said.

Shrugging it off, I pulled my phone from my pocket, calling Rayne. If I was going to see PTV later, it might help to get a second opinion as to why a certain Mr. Tony Perry seemed to have taken a dislike to me.