I'll Be Safe and Sound as Long as You Kiss Me Again

Chapter 1

Tay’s P.O.V

I sat at my kitchen table waiting patiently, today was the day we were heading for warped tour. The guys were supposed to arrive here twenty minutes ago but as usual Rob was probably taking forever to haul all of his luggage onto the tour bus.

I stood and made my way over to the sink. The window above looked out onto the farm that was my current home. My eyes roamed the fields that stretched for miles upon miles, god how I’d miss this. I loved going on tour, don’t get me wrong, but I always missed the peace that I could have when I was back home here in Poughkeepsie, something that was unattainable when touring with four boys for months on end.

Just as I began tearing up I heard the unmistakable sound of bus wheels roaring up the road to the farm. I turned and began making my way outside before the front door was flung open and Jordan bounded in followed by Mike and Cameron.

“Where’s Rob?” I voiced as I was enveloped in a crushing hug by the three boys.

“He’s still in the bus trying to pack his drums into the storage properly so they don’t get damaged, Believe me that man is paranoid that his one and only life interest will break into a million pieces right before a show” Mike laughed and stepped back from the hug.

I laughed as the other two boys removed themselves from the hug. It was great to be seeing them again as it had been three or four days since our last practice. Jordan and Cameron both picked up one of my bags each and headed out to the bus where they would be placed in storage. Mike hurled my backpack at my head and I caught it just in time to avoid it thumping me straight between the eyes.

Mike just chuckled and ran out onto the bus, I was close to follow and before long we were all around the table on the bus having a laugh and reminiscing about last years warped tour.

“So who are you guys looking forward to meeting up with on the tour?” I asked curiously, being honest I hadn’t actually observed who was playing on warped and was only aware of a few other bands attending such as All Time Low.

“I’m actually really looking forward to meeting The Summer Set! It’ll be great hanging out with Brian, Stephen, Josh and John, not to mention Jess is very attractive, I wouldn’t mind getting with her!” Jordan smirked and winked at us all. The three boys and I just burst out laughing.

“What!? What’s so funny?” Jordan said with a miffed look etched on his face. The boys just looked at each other and tried not to laugh, I however was now lying on my side trying not to pee myself whilst also trying to cease laughing.

“Guys…” Jordan said with a pained expression now crossing his face.

After a while I stopped laughing and sat up. I didn’t know how to break the news to him so I just did it in the most ungracious way possible.

“Jordan, you do realise Jess is in a relationship?” I stated matter-of-factly.

“No, but I’m could try get her out of the relation-“He started before I cut him off.

“She’s in a relationship with a girl, she’s gay. In fact she’s practically a guy with tits Jordan.” I declared. Mike, Cameron and Rob just all started laughing again and Jorden just looked disconcerted and slightly upset.

“Sorry bro” I patted him on the back “so any other bands you boys are excited to hang with?”

“I’m really looking forward to hanging with Echosmith, they’re a really cool indie band, quite small mind you” Mike chipped in.

“Oh yeah? How did you discover them then Mike?” I asked curiously leaning my face in my hands and me elbows on the table.

“They toured with a band called Tonight Alive last year, who also happen to be attending warped this year” He replied and proceeded to stifle a yawn.

“Oh yeah the lead singer Jenna is sexy! I wouldn’t mind a piece of that!” Cameron said and I punched him on the arm.

“You’re disgusting, you know that?” I said and smirked. “Why don’t you show me this tonight alive then and the ‘sexy’ lead singer”

“I sure will!” Cameron said eagerly whilst Rob stood and went to the back room to grab Cam’s laptop.

I sat tapping my fingers on the table whilst the guys grabbed a couple beers for each other.

“Yo Tay, you want one?” Jordan shouted from the fridge.

“Yeah, sure” I replied and grabbed the beer that Jordan had opened for me. Taking a big gulp I sat back down and rested my feet on the sofa opposite me.

I patiently waited for Rob to return with Cam’s laptop and slowly sipped on my beer, I could hear the guys talking about what they had done on their two weeks off tour, mostly who they’d slept with, I should be disgusted but I’m honestly used to it considering we’ve been touring for 4 years.

Rob returned and Cameron booted up the laptop. Whilst he was searching through youtube the bus driver announced that we would be due to arrive at the first stop of the tour in little under two hours.
I shuffled closer to Cameron as he pulled up Tonight Alive’s music video for the ocean. We watched through it and I admit I enjoyed the music. I’ve got to admit Jenna is pretty, but I definitely wouldn’t describe her as sexy like Cameron did.

I did however think Matt Best the drummer was particularly cute, however I wouldn’t go as far as dating him because I already have Alex from All Time Low chasing after me and I don’t think I could deal with a clingy boyfriend and an upset Alex.

I mean Alex was cute, but he was like a brother to me. Cliché right? I bet a lot of you are thinking I’ve friendzoned him but believe me we’ve had a conversation about this. That doesn’t exactly stop him trying though…

Soon the boys and I got into watching some more Tonight Alive videos and they grew on me even more as each video passed, as each video passed we got closer and closer to leg one of warped tour.

It was reaching sundown by the time our bus pulled into the warped bus stop. As I looked through the shaded windows of our bus I could see at least twenty other buses positioned around the plot.
The second the bus came to a slightly precarious halt all of the boys were up off the sofas and outside enjoying the first fresh air we had received since sunrise occurred.

I just kept on observing them out of the window, Rob, Cameron and Mike were running around playing what I assumed was tag and Jordan was already by the All Time Low bus chatting to Alex.
Alex said something to Jordan which I assumed was about me as before I could hide Alex bounded over to our bus and thrust the door open with so much force that it successfully knocked Cameron’s laptop onto the sofa where it luckily stopped before it connected with the solid oak floors of the bus.

“There’s my favourite pixie!” He squealed before hoisting me into the air and throwing me over his shoulder into a fireman’s lift. I thumped his back as hard as I could with my tiny fists but they were no use against Alex’s strong build.

“You’re a pratt” I laughed whilst still struggling against his firm grip. Alex just chuckled to himself and started spinning around the area with me still planted firmly over his shoulder.

“Only to my little angel, Still don’t fancy the little kiss I offered you at the end of last warped tour Tay?” he said whilst running over to Jack, Rian and Zach.

“Not a chance in living hell Alexander Gaskarth” I said jokingly. He stopped in front of the guys and I heard them all say a small hello Tay in unison before returning to their previous conversations.
Alex was still being stubborn and refusing to put me down so I took the chance of being outside to observe my surroundings.

In the far corner of the grounds I could see a small bandwagon with the word Echosmith scrawled across the side in bright orange paint. Slightly further down was a big black tour bus which I could only assume to be Black Veil Brides as I could make out the figure of Andy sitting on the steps of the bus next to a smiling Kellin Quinn meaning Sleeping With Sirens had also arrived on tour.

I peered over at the All Time Low bus to my left and behind it I could make out the shape of another bus. This bus was electric blue with silver stripes down the side. In the doorway of the bus a girl stood quietly staring at Alex and I, looking at her face I could recognise her instantly as the lead singer of Tonight Alive, Jenna McDougall. She gave me a small smile before turning and heading back inside the bus.

I just stared at the doorway for a minute before Alex decided it would be funny to drop me on the ground at his feet where I landed painfully on my side. The sharp blow left me wheezing for breath.
“You’re… You’re such… an ass..asshole Alex” I gasped whilst grabbing his extended hand to lift myself off of the dusty ground. I gave Alex a firm punch to the upper arm which he just proceeded to rub and frown at me after.

“So Tay, you excited for the welcome to warped party tonight?” he asked leading me into his bus. I settled myself down on their sofa and kicked my shoes off before looking up at Alex and replying.

“Yeah, has everyone been invited? And will it be held same place as last year?” I asked curiously whilst observing their tour bus. Not much had changed since I’d last been on at the end of warped the previous year, the only noticeable differences were the new fridge that sat in the place of the old one and the new air-conditioning that had been installed in the roof of the bus.

“Yeah the whole tour is invited, and of course, it’s still being held in the far right corner of the yard as it has been the previous five or six years Tay” He replied, his tone of voice indicating I probably should have known that would be the answer he would have given me.

I smiled at his reply and placed my vans back on my feet, a great perk to this tour being that all bands were supplied with free vans merchandise in exchange for putting up with their crew for a few months touring.

“Alrighty then, I’ll catch up with you later then Alex! Don’t get too drunk later, okay? Love you man!” I said before hopping off the bus. I faintly heard a reply about no promises but I didn’t bother reacting instead I headed back to our tour bus and found the guys all lounging in their bunks some on their laptops and some sound asleep, as if there hadn’t been enough time for that today.

“Guys, the warped opening party is later on in the same place as usual so get up and get ready cause I don’t want to show up when everyone is already drunk okay?” I said walking through to the back of the bus to collect my luggage which contained my t-shirt and jeans for tonight.

The welcome to warped party was always eventful. We got to meet the new kids on the block who were touring with us for the first year and we got to hear stories from the regulars who attended almost every year, not to mention we saw the blossoming of new friendships and the blooming of sparking romances that would either lead to mass fallout between bands or long lasting relationships. Either way, this party is going to be eventful…