Twisted Up

After the show I went to the merch table and talked with Vanessa since we hadn’t had any real time to talk the past few days.

“Aww! That is adorable!!! I’m sure he’s the happiest guy in the building right now.”

“Haha probably. I think things have changed for the better now. I’m officially bodyguard free!” I cheered.

Vanessa cheered a little bit and then we both began packing up. I left Vanessa and walked back to the bus when I ran into my cousin.

“Siah!” I sang as I gave him a hug.

“Hey Baby Paigey, long time no see!”

“I know! You’re too busy being a rockstar to hang out with little ole’ me.” I laughed

“I’m no rockstar yet. But I have been busy. How’ve you been?”

I knocked on the bus door and Ernie let us in and we just plopped down on the couch and continued to talk.

“Good. I had a talk with Pat and we’re a lot better than we have been. The incident really put us to the test. He agreed to talk to Colby and have him back off on my bodyguards.”

“Good luck on that one. Colby is hell bent on you being watched. That guy really screwed things up didn’t he? I’m sure ness told you but her and Nate got into a fight the other day because he asked her to carry mase.”

My jaw dropped and I started laughing.

“Are you serious?”

He looked shocked that I hadn’t heard.

“Yeah! She told him that there was no way she was carrying mase everywhere because she’s a blackbelt so she doesn’t need it.”

“Haha go Vanessa!!!”

“Yeah. How were you and Pat tested? Besides the obvious over protectiveness.”

I took off my shoes and layed down on the couch with my head on a pillow that I had placed on Josiah’s lap.

“Well he was getting really stressed out about if I was safe or where I was and it wasn’t good for him. And everybody watching me made me feel claustrophobic. So with us both stressed out it just wasn’t good. How are things with you and your girlfriend, what’s her name again?”

“Alicia and we’re not together anymore, she didn’t like me being on the road. Our relationship was too new to survive me being on the road all the time. I’m okay with it, we didn’t click well enough anyway.”

“Aww Joeyyy!” I said and I gave him a hug the best I could from where I was. Josiah made a face at his childhood nickname.

“Hey Walker, you better not be putting the moves on my girl.” I heard Pat joke
I sat up and looked at Pat and Kenny who where standing next to the sofa.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot you two were together.” I said as I got off of the couch.
Pat and Josiah both blushed as Kenny and I cracked up. I stood up and gave Pat a….well pat, on the shoulder.

“It’s okay, I’m not mad you’ve been seeing him behind my back. Us Walkers are irresistible.”
I continued to laugh with Kenny as Pat went and sat on Josiah’s lap. Josiah held Pat’s hand.
“Well good, because he makes me happy.” Pat replied

I just rolled my eyes and laughed as the rest of Bidwell climbed on the bus only to be greeted by the sight of Pat and Siah. Colby stopped dead in his tracks making Nate, Matty and Nessa run into each other.

“I knew it!” Vanessa exclaimed

“So you were checking my butt out today, not just fixing my battery pack.” Nate joked.

Pat leapt off of Josiah’s lap and ran over to me and put his arms around me.

“I’m straight I swear.” He said

“Honey! Come back!” Josiah said sarcastically.

I cracked up laughing as Kenny told Pat to prove he was straight. Pat started randomly humping me and I pushed him away.

“You do that and you’ll never have children mister.” I said as I sat down on the couch to a chorus of oh burn!’s . I winked at Pat as he face pouted and walked back towards the back lounge. I got the hint and followed him. I walked into the back lounge and locked the door behind me.

“Hey. You ok?” I asked

“Yeah why?”

“ I dunno, just checking.”

I sat down next to him on the poofy love seat and rested my head on his chest.

“So what went down tonight in the pit? You scared me!”

I told him the whole story of the blonde psycho from SPIN and he didn’t make a big deal
about it, which made me glad. Shortly after we felt the bus start to move as we made our way to the next venue in Oklahoma. We were watching Gilmore girls when he turned and looked at me.

“So…”

“So?”

“You love me huh?”

I smiled, he was still on a high to hear that and it made me happy that it made him happy.

“Yes I do. Very much.”

“You seriously have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to hear that.” He grinned.

I tipped my head up and gave him a kiss. We went back to watching T.V., Pat being the ADD person he is was playing with my hair. Luke had just done something incredibly cute for Lorelai on the T.V. and so I went ‘aww!’

“What?” Pat asked

“Did you not see how adorable that was?”

“He built her and box of ice.”

I playfully slapped his chest.

“It’s an ice rink. She was mad at the snow and he felt guilty for making her mad at her
favorite thing so he built her and ice rink to ice skate on.”

“Why was she mad at the snow?”

“Because, she was having a bad day.”

“But why did he build her an ice rink if shes mad at the snow? Why didn’t he just make her a
snow angel?”

ugh. Seriously, boys just don’t get it sometimes.

“Never mind.”

I continued to watch the show as Pat went back to playing with my hair.

“So we’re getting a new opening band, Starlight nights. They have a death cab for cutie-esk sound.” Pat said

He leaned his head on my shoulder and closed his eyes, clearly tired. It was about midnight and we were both beat. I leaned my head against the wall and shut my eyes.

“oh yeah? Where they from?”
He wrapped his arms around my waist and yawned.

“Texas. They’re a baby band so that why they’re joining with so little time on the tour left.”

“Gotcha.”

Is it bed time yet?”

I still had my eyes closed but I felt him stand up.

“It can be.” He muttered and slipped his arms under me and scooped me up.

Pat may be short but the kid has some muscle. He easily picked me up and plopped me into my bunk. He kissed me goodnight and told me he loved me and retreated to his bunk.
I awoke the next morning around nine, The Maine and All Time Low both had photo shoots today so I was on my own. I got a shower and took my time getting ready, enjoying the fact that the bus was empty except for Bidwell and Nessa.

“Paige! You want to come meet the opening band?” Josiah yelled from the front of the bus.

“Yeah! Hold on a second!” I yelled from the bunks.

I grabbed my camera and phone and met Josiah in the front of the bus.
We walked into the arena and over to the stage where Colby was talking to a group of about four guys.

“ Paige This is Mikey, Devon, Jared and Will. Guys, this is my cousin Paige. She helps
Vanessa out with Merch and is a tour photographer.” Josiah said to the group.

I waved to the guys. Mikey and Will both had blonde hair and brown (Will) and green (Mikey) eyes, Devon had chocolate hair and green eyes and Jared had pitch black hair and the brightest blue eyes I have ever seen.

“First tour picture?” I asked as I held up my camera

“Yeah dude. For sure!” Jared replied

I took their picture and went and sat in the audience and watched them set up. I sat in the first row so I could talk to whomever was on stage. Mikey and Jared were carrying guitar cases and Jared dropped one of his, I noticed his hands were shaking something fierce as he picked it back up. I felt sorry for him that he was so nervous. I walked back on stage and over to Jared, I was about to say hello to him when Nate yelled my name. I turned around to face him as he jogged over towards me.

“Hey, can you get the merch from the front office for Ness?”

“Sure.”

“Oh, and Colby said to take someone with you. Maybe someone from Starlight?” he said referring to the new band.

I rolled my eyes. “Sure.”

Nate left and I turned to Jared.

“Hey, do you mind helping me get the merch from the office?”

“Sure! I’ll let you lead the way because I’ll get us lost.” He joked, His adorable Texas accent
obvious.

We fell into easy conversation about his band as we walked to the office.

“So who’s your favorite band on tour?” I asked

“Oh that’s a tough one. Probably The Maine. But I haven’t seen them around.”

“They have a photo shoot today. The drummer Pat is my boyfriend so you’ll deffinitly get to
meet them.”

He smiled as we entered the office. I signed for the packages and Jared and I each took a box.

“So you mentioned you have a girlfriend back home?” I said as we walked to the front doors where the merch table was.

“Yeah, Jade. She’s the best.”

“How do you make the long distance thing work? Pat and I are going to be doing that soon and I’m kinda worried about it.”

We deposited the boxes at Bidwell’s table and began to walk back towards the back lot where the buses were.

“We talk on the phone a lot, text each other twenty four seven-his phone buzzed with a text from Jade, he typed a response and then shoved it back in his pocket-“ like that. We both have macbooks so we webcam chat a lot too. It’s not easy but it works.”

My text ringtone went off and I read a text from Pat.

*Text Message*
From: Pat!
Hey babe hows starlight nights? I’m bored out of my mind at the photo shoot, something got delayed so I have an hour free to text you =)

I smiled and sent him a message saying that the guys were great and that I missed him.
Jared and I walked up to a group of guys that included the rest of SN and my cousin.

“Steak n’ shake-“ I heard Josiah say

“Oh steak n’ shake!!! I love that place!!!!! Can we go there?” I said like a little kid

“ I don’t know…” Josiah trailed off

“Puh-leeze joey??” I begged as the boys of Starlight nights laughed at us.

“ok, fine.”

“YAY!” I shrieked and tackled Josiah in a hug.

The six of us walked down the street to steak n’ shake and Jared and I continued to talk and
text our boyfriend/girlfriend at the same time. So far this is what I’ve learned about him.

He and Jade have been going out for a year.

He’s a vegatarian.

His favorite color is yellow.

We’re going to be BFF’s on the tour.

Ok so the last one wasn’t about him more or less. But it’s true. He’s my gay non-gay best friend.

We were eating our food and talking about pickles while the rest of the group watched.

“Gherkins are the shit. No buts about it.” I said as I dipped my French fries in my milkshake.

“No, bread an butter are the best. I don’t even want to hear about those nasty ass gherkins.”
He shot back

I gasped and chucked a french fry at him. “ take it back!”

“Nope.” He smirked

I pouted. “Fine. I’m not going to talk to you anymore.”