My Summertime Soundtrack

Ainslee was applying her last coat of lipstick as Tori watched and waited sitting Indian style on the hotels twin side bed. While her best friend got all dolled up she chose to keep it simple with a pair of black shorts and thin red hoodie over her bikini top in case it got too cold for her to be just in the bathing suit top. Ainslee on the other hand insisted on looking her best and taking forever to get ready. ‘In case there are any hot guys there!’ She argued when Tori complained on how long she was going to take.

“Girl come on!” Tori dragged out the ‘on’ in a complaining manner. “It’s getting dark anyway nobody is going to notice if you have make up on now let’s go.” The girl stood up, and walked towards the door placing her hand on the door handle. “Before I leave without you.” She added.

“Hey, sorry I care about how I look.” Ainslee shot back. Her voice was sour. Tori raised an eyebrow giving the girl an ‘excuse me what the fuck did you just say look’. Ainslee sighed. “You know what I mean Tor. I care about putting on make up and looking good all the time. There is no way that I’m going to a party out there, where there will be tons of people and not have any make up on. Come on. Get real.” Tori rolled her eyes.

“Alright there drama queen. Just hurry up.” She leaned against the door with her arms crossed, waiting for the older girl to finish getting ready.

They weren’t exactly late, but a crowd of people were already on the beach and there was already music playing, so Tori could tell that the party was already getting started. She wanted to get out there before it was in full swing. This was her first party she was attending, and she didn’t want to miss any second of it.

On the nightstand where it was charging Ainslee’s phone rang. The girl turned her head back before looking at Tori. “Could you get that?” She pleaded, giving her best friend puppy dog eyes. With an over exaggerated sigh Tori walked over and grabbed it.

“Hello?” She said into the receiver after looking at the caller I.D. and seeing that it was Tay.

“Hi babes. You girls ready?” Their friend asked cheerfully.

“Almost I think.” Tori glanced over at Ainslee who was grabbing her toms from her suitcase. “Yeah Ann’s just putting on her shoes. Why you all set?”

“Yeah, we’re leaving the hotel room now. Hey I have a question.”

“Okay..” Tori hesitated. “Shoot.”

“What’s that band that you were listening to the other day?”

Tori furrowed her eyebrows. “Uh, I don’t know?” She answered honestly. “I listen to a lot of bands Tay.”

The girl on the other end of the phone sighed. “Yeah I know but.” She paused. “But there’s a band here that’s going to preform and I’m almost positive that you’ve listened to them.”

Tori shrugged her shoulders even though she knew Tay couldn’t see her. It was force of habit. “Who knows? Probably.”

“No I’m positive you have. You were freaking out about them the other day.” The girl sounded frustrated.

“Tay I don’t know we’ll see later tonight okay?” Tori looked up at Ainslee who was done getting ready. “I gotta go Ainslee’s all set. See you later kay?”

The other girl just mumbled a response before hanging up the phone. Ainslee looked at Tori, wanting an explanation.

“Tay said some band I freaked about is going to be preforming later. I dunno.” She shrugged her shoulders at Ainslee. “I mean I freak about every band so…” Her voice drifted. “Anyway, ready to leave?”

Ainslee nodded with a smile. “How do I look?” She asked, sticking out her arms and twirling a few times giving Tori a full view of the outfit.

“Hot.” She replied with a wink and a laugh. “Now let’s go party.” She hooked her arm with her best friends and started to the door with a smile on her face.

--

Down at the beach, the party was in full swing. The sky was turning a beautiful shade of dark purple finally getting dark out. Every twenty feet or so there was a bonfire, keeping the teens warm and the beach well lit along with tiki type torches. The amount of people on the beach was crazy; everywhere you turned there would be a swarm of people. Almost everyone had a red solo cup in their hands. Whether there was alcohol or just a soft drink in them you couldn’t really tell. Farther down was the stage for the concert that would be happening later on, but for now there was just music playing through the speakers. Not too loud but not too softly either; just right for whoever wanted to dance to it without going deaf.

Tori smiled at Ainslee. “Oh my god, I’m having so much fun.” She admitted.

Ainslee smiled at her, happy she was enjoying herself. “Good, I’m glad. I’m gonna go get a drink kay?” Tori nodded her head as Ainslee ventured off to get a red cup of her own.

Tori continued to walk around the beach in between the groups of people swaying her body to the beat of whatever song was playing at the time. She hadn’t even noticed the boy that was behind her, until he tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and smiled at him. “Hey!” She shouted over the louder music. She looked at him for a minute before recognizing him. “Wait you’re the boy I ran into earlier right?” She asked, tilting her head to the side. The boy’s cheeks reddened and he nodded. Tori smiled at him. “See, told you I’d see you around.”

“Yeah I just wanted to say sorry for that. I wasn’t really watching where I was going so yeah.” He scratched the back of his neck nervous. “By the way, I’m Jack.” He held his hand out. Tori shook it with a smile, in turn telling him her name.

“Don’t be sorry though. Crap like that happens all the time.” She waved it off. “Anyway, are you here with a band?”

Jack nodded his head. “Yeah, sort of. You?”

Tori paused to think before answering his question. “I mean, I came here with a band but I’m not in it. It’s my friend Tay’s. They’re really fucking awesome. Almost positive they’re gonna win this. No offence.” Jack just smiled at her.

“None taken.” He replied, raising her open palms. Tori chuckled.

“No but seriously her band is We Are The In Crowd. You should check them out, they’re pretty rad.” Jack nodded his head again, “What’s your band?” She asked.

“He bit his lip thinking whether he should lie or tell the girl the truth. “Oh uh, we go by ATL.” He shrugged his shoulders as if it weren’t a big deal.

Tori stopped in her tracks and looked at him. She had definitely heard that name before. And now that she thought about it, she remember how familiar the boy had looked earlier in the day. She shook her head, maybe she was just overthinking things. There was no way she knew the boy, they had just met. Jack ran his hand through his hair before looking up at the girl.

“So, are you staying for the show later?” He asked her with a sly smile. She nodded her head eagerly.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I? I heard the band is like totally kick ass too so.” She nodded her head again as if agreeing with herself. “Plus, I’d never miss a free concert.”

He chuckled. “That’s cool. If you stick with me, or meet up with me later I can get you a good spot y’know since there’s such a big crowd and all.”

Tori’s eyes lit up. “Oh my god that’d be perfect really? What about my friends though we planned on going together so.”

“Oh no them too!” He reassured her.

She smiled at him, resisting the urge to hug him tightly. “That’d be so amazing. Really thank you so much.”

The boy just smiled at her. “Take it as me making it up to you.” He winked at her before pulling out his phone that buzzed from his back pocket. He read a text message and looked up at Tori. “Anyway I gotta run, give me your number and I’ll text you later so we can meet up?”

Tori nodded and pulled her phone out as well, and they exchanged numbers. Jack walked away with a smile just as wide as the one on Tori’s lips. She was already texting Tay and Ainslee the good news as Jack made his way to his band mates to have a quick small sound check before they went on.

--

“Dude where were you?” Alex asked as Jack quickly walked over to the other band members. Alex had his guitar strapped on his back already, as well that Rian was seated in the drummers stool and Zack had his bass strapped on his back.

“Sorry there was this girl and.” Jack stopped trying to explain because he knew his friends would just tease him about trying to get sexted up which wasn’t exactly the case. “Never mind. What song we doing first?” He asked, putting on his guitar.

“Circles, then Break Out, and then Poppin’, The Beach, Stay Awake and we’re ending with Dear Maria. Got it?” Alex said, waiting for Jack to get set up. The other boy nodded his head and they started to practice.

They got through every song without anything going wrong, or anyone fucking up. All the instruments worked, all the microphones, and surprisingly nobody forgot or missed a beat. They were proud of themselves to say the least, and they only hoped that the actual performance was going to go that perfect. Jack pulled out his phone and started to text Tori, sense the show was starting soon.

Hey, you still here?

Yup. You?

Mhm, you still seeing the show right?

Yeah, but theres already a hell of a crowd out here, where are you and how the hell do you plan on getting us a good place to watch?

Trust me okay? Ahah.

Whatever. Am I coming to look for you or…

Nah I’ll come to you. I just need you to go round back to the back of the stage.

…but I’ll lose my good spot in the pit?

Trust me girl.

I have a feeling you’re going to rape and kill me if I do.

You’re talking about the same boy who couldn’t even apologize for walking into you..

True true. Okay, I’ll be there soon.

Good. Hurry up, before the band starts playing ;)