Yelling Through

Jaxx’s Point of View

“And this is the last of the rec rooms,” Dylan said opening a door. She stopped short though. “What the fuck?” she muttered seeing a massive ball pit in the floor.

“SURPRISE!” a blonde yelled, jumping out of it.

“Uh. You wanna tell me what the fuck you did to my couch?” she asked. She stared down at the blonde with her arms crossed over her chest.

“Made it more awesome, obviously.”

“One of these days, I’m gonna fucking murder you,” Dylan said.

“This place is insane,” Letty said.

It was. So far we’d seen the ball pit, febreeze bombs, multiple studios and offices (one of which led to elated screaming and excited snow angels on the floor), large led boards with constantly changing insults and images, and this was only in about forty-five minutes of touring.

“Oh shit!” an accented voice said from behind us, before running and jumping in the ball pit. Matty disappeared before reappearing.

“See? Nichols knows what’s up,” the blonde girl said.

I turned behind me to see Vegan, Jordan, Lee, and Oli standing there.

“S’up boys and Syko?” Dylan greeted.

“Not much. How have the Black Veil Bitches been?” Oli asked. I rolled my eyes at the two.

“Been giving a tour to my potential new columnist,” she said happily, gesturing to me.

“Hello boys,” Letty said.

I waved with a grin on my face.

“Alright. Well since apparently the ball pit is a hit among the grown children here. I’ll go see if the food’s here,” Dylan said, leaving the room.

“SCORE ONE FOR THE BALL PIT!” the blonde yelled.

“EAT SHIT YOU WHORE!” Dylan yelled from down the hall.

“You are both fucking mental,” Lee said.

“Meh,” the blonde shrugged.

“So columnist huh?” Oli asked walking over.

“Possibly,” I signed. Letty wasn’t paying attention. I went to smack her, but Oli spoke before I could.

“Why possibly?” he asked.

I raised an eye brow.

“I’ve been learning some things,” he admitted, scratching the back of his neck nervously. It was cute. I smiled.

“What have you learned?”

He went through a few basic signs, obviously not confident, but it made me smile none the less. I walked up to him and hugged him tight. I was touched. He didn’t need to do it, but he was trying. “Thank you,” I whispered, before pulling back.

“So how’d you meet?” the blonde asked me. “I’m Dawn by the way.”

She had a name now.

“”Don’t Go” shoot,” Oli answered.

I nodded.

“That’s- OH SHIT!” Dawn disappeared backwards into the ball pit. She reemerged seconds later and smacked the space right in front of her. “You shit head!” she hissed smacking it again. Matty popped up grinning.

“Children.”

“Yep,” Letty agreed.

Dylan walked in a moment later with a petite brunette girl. “Alright food,” she said, setting the boxes down on the floor. “Dawn?”

“Huh?”

“Where the fuck is my table?”

“Good question. It may possibly be… I don’t know.”

“You fucking moron. Well. We’ve got no chairs, no table, and it’s gonna be impossible to get the kiddies out of the pool, so give me a minute.”

She left again with the girl following her. I’m gonna assume that was her assistant. Lee went and started digging through the boxes, while I sat at the edge of the ball pit with Oli. He started picking them up and throwing them at Letty, who responded by nailing him right in the head with one. She was the pitcher of both her high school and college softball teams.

Dawn busted out laughing, while Oli rubbed his head.

“Oi! Black Veil Bitch, hush!”

“Don’t get pissy with her, cause I fucked you up,” Letty said.

“Oh God. You two should never be in the same room like ever.”

“And now there are three,” Dylan said rolling in on a chair. He brunette appeared behind her pushing more of them like a train.

“You’re so lazy,” Dawn said.

“I pay her to assist me. She is assisting.”

“You pay her to manage your office,” Dawn argued.

“She’s managing my chairs. Ain’t that right?”

“I’m with Dawn. You’re just a lazy ass,” the girl said.

“Well then fuck you too.”

The rest of us got our food, sat and ate and told stories about random shit.

It was really cool. I liked it at the C-Rock office and it made me a little more excited about the opportunity to possibly write something for them.

When we were done, we went over a few more details and things for when she spoke with my agent. Oli and the boys had been interviewed and were going to lay down an acoustic version of “Can You Feel My Heart” before leaving. We decided to stick around, watch them and then go chill at our hotel, while they went through the rest of their media day. We were going to meet them at the venue though before and after the show.

Oli’s Point of View

“THANK YOU PITTSBURGH!” I yelled, before walking off stage.

I walked back to where Koraline was standing and opened my arms. She shook her head. “No. Fuck no.”

I approached and hugged her anyway.

“You’re riding on the roof,” Letty told her.

“I smell lovely,” I said.

“Yeah okay,” Letty scoffed.

Koraline, pushed me away and scrunched her nose up at me, then smiled, shaking her head.

“He’s fucking gross. We know,” Lee said, slinging an arm around her. She looked up at him, furrowed her brow for about a millisecond before responding.

“So are you,” she said.

I chuckled. Everyone else, save for Lee and Letty included, was in a state of shock.

“SHE SPEAKS!” Matty yelled, picking her up and spinning her around in a hug.

“And she smells, and you fucking stink. Put me down.”

“Why is it every time I hear you, you’re making a jab at us?” Lee asked.

“WAIT YOU TALKED IN FRONT OF HIM?!” Letty yelled. “IT TOOK ME YEARS!”

“No. I walked in on her talking to Oli,” Lee explained.

“And you told me nothing?” she asked.

“I do believe you are my friend not my mother.”

“When you sign are you this much of a smart ass?” Jordan asked.

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

I’m gonna go shower,” Lee declared.

“Second!” I yelled. We all declared our spot in line until only Matty was left. He groaned about it being the story of his life.

“Such a drama queen,” Koraline said.

“I think I may have liked it better, when you didn’t talk.”

“Oh well,” she said.

“He’s just a jealous wanker, because Lee and I heard you first.”

“Lee maybe, but we all just assumed she talked to you.”

I slipped and arm around her shoulder.

“The two of you are going to put me through hell,” he said, before walking off.

Her eyes widened for a second at the sight of Austin from Of Mice & Men walking by.

“Wanna way hi?” I asked.

She tried to play it cool, but Letty gave it away. “That would be her like her number three favorite vocalist of all time right there.”

“At least I’m not running and attacking him,” Koraline said. I chuckled at the memory of when I first met the Sprite.

“Shut up,” she muttered.

“I’m telling you. We see Asking and her panties will drop so hard there we’ll be a whole half way to China. She’ll make a total ass out of herself. Dude, we need to make that happen.”

“I will try my hardest.”

“SHUT UP!” Letty yelled. “Go introduce her to Austin,” Letty snapped, before walking to God knows where.

“Come on, let’s go make you friends,” I said.

I led her over to where Austin was standing.

“Austin!” I called. He turned.

“Hey man. Crowd was insane tonight. Maybe the best yet.”

“Maybe,” I agreed. “Austin, this is Jaxx. Jaxx, Austin. Apparently you’re her-“

The glare I got was enough to shut me up.

“So you’re Jaxx?”

She nodded, mute once more.

“You’re much prettier than I thought you’d be. No wonder Oli talks about you so much.”

“Oh real-“ she stopped catching herself. “Oh fuck it,” she said. “Oh really now?” she continued. I smiled at her. She was much more comfortable.

“Yep.”

“Better be good, Oli,” she warned me.

“What bad have you given me?”

“True. You’re the bad one.”

“Sykes! Shower!” the Sprite yelled. I see why they told her to do it.

“Coming!” I yelled. “Don’t let those pricks get there before me!” I yelled.

“You good?” I asked Koraline.

“Yes, Stinky. Go shower.”

“I got her,” Austin said.

“If someone fucks with her, kill em,” I said.

“Dude, chill. No one’s gonna fuck with her,” he reassured me.

Jaxx’s Point of View

“Can I ask you something?”

“You just did,” I replied.

“Something else?”

“Sure.”

“I’ve read your book, and will you sign it?”

I laughed. “Sure-“

“THAT’S FIVE PEOPLE IN ONE DAY!” Letty yelled.

“Congradu-fucking-lations! You can count!” I replied.

She didn’t say anything, just walked away.

I rolled my eyes. “Where’s this book?” I asked, Austin.

“Bus. Come one follow me.”

“Kay. Just as a fair warning. I’m not exactly the best with-“

“You’re mute. I know. The Horizon boys gave us a warning, so that we didn’t make you uncomfortable. I’m actually surprised, you spoke to me.”

“So am I, sorta. I mean… I didn’t plan on it, but I don’t- Fuck I’m bad at this.”

“Don’t feel so pressured, like you’re not gonna be judged.”

“Yeah. I feel-“

“Accepted.”

“Yeah.”

Oli’s Point of View

“I don’t know what you’ve done, but damn has it been affective.”

I turned and looked at the Sprite, who was leaning against one of the walls of the venue.

“You’re creepy,” I informed her.

“I thought it was crazy that she talked to you, but she spoke in front of your whole band and Austin Carlile. What the fuck did you say to her?”

“Nothing. I didn’t say anything. She just did. Isn’t this a good thing?”

“You didn’t say anything?”

“No. For fuck’s sake. We’ve been through this. I told you I wasn’t gonna hurt her and that includes making her do things she doesn’t wanna do. She talked all on her own.”

“Hmm. I wasn’t expecting this.”

“Expecting what? DO you have a magic crystal ball that allows you to constantly monitor her fucking future? She’s a grown woman, who can make her own decisions. She’s finally feeling comfortable with herself and her voice. You’re being fucking obnoxious.”

“Just because I’m rooting for you, doesn’t mean you don’t have to go through the paces.”

I rolled my eyes and walked away from her. She was fucking obnoxious. Jesus Christ. I went to the dressing room and grabbed my shit, before heading to the bus. Koraline was nowhere to be found, so I went to Of Mice’s bus. She was sitting with Austin, watching a drunk Alan try to crawl into, what I’m assuming from the protests coming from inside, wasn’t his bunk.

“How drunk?” I asked.

“Completely trashed,” Austin answered.

“Enjoying the show?” I asked Koraline, who smiled and nodded in response.

“Yo! We’re going for food, you coming?!”

“Hells yeah!” Austin agreed.

I looked at Koraline, who shrugged.

“We’re gonna go wander around for a bit,” I said.

“See ya. It was good meeting you,” Austin said running off.

I held my hand out for Koraline to take.

She glanced back towards where Alan was passed out on the floor.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Of course not.” She grabbed my hands. “Lead the way.”