The Anti-Love Story

After Taylor picked Connor up from Emily's house, we started to fan girl out. We began to obsesses over what we thought Michael and Ashton would think looked cute, we applied 5 Seconds of Summer song titles and lyrics into our conversations, picking out what we wanted autographed, planning our pictures, what we would say, thinking of scenarios, and so much more. Sound check was most likely already in progress so we gathered all our necessities for the concert and packed ourselves in my car and headed to the arena. Luckily it was local, because if it wasn't we would have been screwed. In just a few moments we arrived at the venue, just at the perfect time when the parking lot was empty of potential witnesses.

We were prepared for sound check even without tickets. We knew our way around the arena like the back of our hand from when we were kids in choir and we performed every year at the winter festival. We knew every nook and cranny. Emily of course lead the way. Walking through the dim lit halls was a little scary, but knowing that light was just beyond the threshold was causing optimism to bubble with in me.

We reached a back area where we could hear the noise of band conducting the sound check. No one was in sight, but a single stage door was open, leading to the back of the stage. We saw the opportunity; we instantly became hesitant. We were both aware of how close we were to our husbands but we were both cowards in that one moment. I started to think of the best and worst scenarios at once. My heart started to race from standing out in the open in a restricted area. I began to have an anxiety attack, my palms became clammy, my heart felt like exploding, I couldn’t breathe forcing me to hyperventilate. I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my cheek as my head whipped sideways, Emily had slapped me. I gave her my angry look.

“Bitch don’t look at me like that, I just saved your life.”

“From what a wasp??”

“No from yourself. Now get your shit together we are going through that dooe, I’ve decided. No if, ands, or buts about it. Get to stepin’.”

I moved my feet reluctantly, I knew she was right. We came this far, why back out, even if we had no plan. We didn’t even think we would make it this far. We both crossed through the door to behind the stage. We kept walking, following the calming melodies of 5 Seconds of Summer. We were mesmerized by the fact we were so close, but so far away. I knew we had reached the edge of the curtain, but then I saw fire engine red hair just out of my reach. I couldn’t move toward it, like a moth to a flame. I didn’t realize I was doing it till I heard a voice call my name from some distance. I was suddenly pulled from my trance when Michael Clifford was growing further away. I saw the amused yet confused look on his face as I was pulled away. “Remember Me!” was all I could muster at the time. My brain had failed me. All my logic and reason had escaped my mind the moment I saw Michael Clifford. At some point I wound up standing outside, yet trapped inside my own head.

“Way to go dipshit.” I heard Emily say, dragging me from the prison in which held me. “’Remember Me’? Really that’s it? No, no, how bout the fact your legs wouldn’t stop moving and therefore got us caught and thrown out.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” Was my defense, even though I did know.

“Yes you do.” Hence why we are friends. “You saw your soulmate. I understand that and I’m not mad. Just seeing the look n your mesmerized eyes, and how happy you were in that one moment, made it worthwhile to get kicked out. Also… ‘Remember me’ is pretty genius.”
I smiled shyly, I knew she wasn’t mad from the get go, I was more m ad than she would ever be,
“Thanks…”

“Okay now I think the meet and greet is about to start. Let’s see if we can get kicked out a second time.” Emily’s infectious attitude accompanied by her award winning smile instantly materialized as we ran toward the lobby entrance doors where a long line was in the midst of forming. The line itself was long, but it wasn’t as long as it would become if the meet and greet didn’t start soon. We grabbed the next spot we could. I was surprised to see everyone so organized for this. We stood in our spot for half an hour waiting, as we people watched and simultaneously fan girled. The longer we stood there the more the line transformed from a line to a blob.

In a matter of moments we were smooched near the near the front of the crowd, our bodies pressed together like Velcro, not moving, sweating and struggling against
one another. Suddenly we were rushed forward, almost trampled, as the doors opened. Once the majority of the 5SOS fam was in the venue, the security tried to regain a bit of order before the meet and greet started. We formed a four lines, so there wasn't one large line. The four lines allowed for four people at once to go down the line and meet each member one at a time. As we organized ourselves the make the event a little easier on the band , we also waited for the members to arrive. Emily and I would up in line 3 and 4 right next to each other. So we would go at the same time, when meeting the band.

My heart had, slowed down from before, but now that we were in line and so close once again, my heart sped up. I pulled out the piece of paper I had kept in my pocket for the past 2 hours. It was wrinkly from crumpling it in my pocket as I fidgeted. I pulled it out and unfolded it to read it. I was proud of how poetic and deep my note was to Michael. It was everything I said on social media but put into better, less obsessive words.

I wanted to slip this to Michael as he signed my CD, I hoped he would read it and feel how much he meant to me. I wanted him to know how much of an inspiration he was for me to keep moving on trough the hell I was living. I wanted him to know how thankful I was that he was alive and par of such an out going band. I wanted him to know that he was the reason I was standing before him on this day. I put my number at the bottom where i signed it, in hopes he contact me after reading my heart felt note to him. In my moment of reflection the crowd around me erupted in excitement.

I looked up from the note and saw them, I saw him. Michael Clifford, Ashton Irwin, Luke Hemmings, and Calum Hood, 5 Seconds of Summer, entered the room for the meet sand greet. As every person in the room screamed and flailed in the way fan girls tend to do, i stood silent, in complete admiration. I looked to my right and watched as my best friend did the same. I tapped her on the shoulder and we exchanged our awestruck looks. I knew exactly what was going through her head, because it was what was going through my head.

The band was introduced as the entered. They took their seats in front of us, they waited for us to quiet down before they spoke.

"Hey guys!!" Ashton spoke first while the rest of the guys waved. Ashton was wearing his bandanna, I glanced over at Emily and saw her melt in her converse. "So we're gonna start to meet all you lovely people." I saw Emily get faint from his accent.

"So does that sound good you guys?" Luke asked.

"It'll feel good too." Ashton stated. They guys laughed with the crowd as we caught on to the reference of their latest album title 'Sounds Good Feels Good."

"Well let's get this 5SOS fam union underway, shall we." Ashton said.

The venue security started to usher us to the table the guys were sitting at. Emily and I got shared an eager grin on our face. My heart sped up as the lines moved to a rythimc patter of shuffling and waiting. I knew that how I felt Em did too. The closer i got in line the more my heart felt like it was going to explode. We moved closer and I tried to think of all the cool stuff I said I would say when we got to this moment. in this instant everything outside of the venue was irrelevant. My mom, my dad, heaven and hell, earth and stars. All that mattered was was the coming moment. Emily adn i were finally next in line which meant in a matter of seconds Michael would be in front of me. The security man waved me through as Emily moved from Michael to Ashton. We were both finally there. We were both dead from theoretical mind orgasms.

I stood in front of him as he smiled at me. I handed him my vinyl version of Sounds Good Feels Good for him to sign. "What's your name?" I remebered I had joked about saying Rose, from Titanic since he had made a pick up line about it. He looked up and I saw the recognition in his face. "Hey I remember you." He exclaimed. "Just like you asked." All of the sudden it was like he had thawed me from my frozen shock state.

I felt calm and at ease. I chuckled, "Yeah apparently. I guess I should thank you for that."

He smiled a Cheshire grin, "You're Welcome. So can I get your name?" He asked again.

"Rayne."

"That's beautiful," He stated. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

"It's spelled R-A-Y-N-E.''

"Well that certainly is a beautiful name. Did you want to take some pictures?" He asked.

All his compliments were making me blush, but I nodded. Michael got up from his seat, all six feet of him. I stood at a measly five foot four inches. He was a giant next to me. He came up next to me and gave me a small hug. He asked the guard from line 4 to take a picture. I handed the guard my phone. I instantly got butterflies as He put his arm around me.

He looked at me with a nervous look, "Are you okay? As much as you puking on me would be a cool photo, let's not I would prefer to not get barf all over me. Just smile okay."

My face instantly flushed. I hugged him from the side and was way too aware that his had was on my chest a little too close to my boob. I couldn't stop focusing o how his thumb was rubbing the side of my boob. My stomach was alive with flutters. My heart was racing, my face was burning red. he told the guard to hang on one second, he bent down and whispered, "It's okay my stomach is churning too. I'm just as nervous as you are." He stood straight again and signaled for the guard to take the picture. He snapped the pic and handed me my phone and moved me along. Just before I moved to Ashton I gave Michael the note. He tok it in his hand and gave me a warm smile as I moved down the line. All the other band members, Ashton, Luke, and Calum signed my vinyl and gave me a hug with a picture. Meeting the others seemed to go by to fast while meeting Michael seemed to last a lifetime.

I met up with Emily in the corner after i met the band. I approached her with a smile on my face, with Michael still on the mind.

"Insane in the membrane..." Emily sang, pausing.

"Insane in the brain." I finished in deep voice.

Wee stood in our own world's reminiscing in our moments with our faves. Simultaneously we took a deep breath and released. We stared at each other before embracing each other. I was on the verge of tears. My meet and greet had gone better than I ever expected.

"What did Mikey write?" Emily asked, curiously.

I looked at my vinyl cover. Michael had written a not on the front. "I'll read it out loud." Emily nodded and looked at me eagerly. I took one more deep breath before reading it, I tried to slow my heart down to a steady jog, instead of the sprint it was at. "Okay so it says 'Dear Raynebow Dash, So I do remember you, from earlier at sound check. You look so perfect standing there in front of me in that obvious daze, confused. I hope you are 18 because you are kinda hot, I want to catch fire with you in my arms and have you scream don't stop. I won't ever waste the night away with pointless whatever. I want you backstage tonight bring your friend. TNBS King, Mikey'" I paused in awe.

She looked at me expectantly, "Bitch! Use your words!" She exclaimed.

I was at a loss for words. She pushed me slightly, "There is a phone number here."

"Is it Michael's??" She asked.

"I have no fucking clue."

"Well let's forget about that. He wants us backstage after the show."

"Wait talk about Ash. What happened??"

"Same thing except mine says 'Are you a volcano cause I lava you. Oh and don't forget Onion's have layers.'"

We started to laugh when I felt my ass vibrate. I pulled out my phone, causing my breathe the hitch in my throat. I nearly fainted when Em grabbed my phone and screamed.

There was a picture of me and Mikey from moments ago side by side with a picture of Ashton and Emily, with the message, "This is your backstage pass... See you after the show Raynebow Dash."