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Ch. 1: Don't be so scared.


The last week of warped tour is always the hardest. You spend a whole two months getting to know and being used to seeing the same strangers everyday and when it comes time to move on, well, you’re bound to get a little upset about it. That’s the exact way Natalie felt as she stacked boxes onto the trailer behind Cobra Starship’s tent. She’d gotten along with everyone and made quite a few lasting impressions, but she certainly had no idea what she was going to do when the tour was over. Could she possibly go back home to her empty apartment and pretend to be looking for work while her father continued to pay the bills?

Nat sighed and pushed another box onto the dock for her merch partner, Taylor to push into place.

“Nat, hey Natalie! Did you hear anything I just said?”

“What?”

“Um, can you help me out here? Let those lazy ass bitches cover their own tent. We work over here. And I need you to pull me out a few more of those new shirts in size small,” Taylor pointed. Nat rolled her eyes and dropped the box she was carrying at her feet. Sure, Technically, Taylor was right, but she just felt obligated to watch out for the other girls. Absentmindedly she grabbed a bunch of shirts and turned to hand them to Taylor, who was now grinning creepily and swooning herself silly at the boys, or one boy in particular, when her chest came into contact with someone else’s, the impact swift and hard.

“Sorry,” She mumbled. The offended just grunted and pushed his way past her, leaving Nat fuming. ‘Okay, how fuckin’ rude,’ She thought, looking over to see Mike Carden taking his seat at the table beside William. Taylor was standing beside him, laughing along with the band at the enthusiastic fan who was about to get his chest signed with her hand resting on William’s shoulder. There was no denying the way she felt for him. And everyone in their small camp knew the two of them, well, got it on while he was touring, he’d even gone so far as to get her under contract for the fall tour. That was definitely a job she would have loved to have, but one she didn’t want if she had to hop in the sack with any of these douche bags to get it.

With a shake of her head, Nat dropped the shirts into Taylor’s hand. She rolled her eyes at her friend, who smiled wider, and began handing the five guys now sitting at the table ice cold drinks, and was thanked by Chislett and Butcher in unison before turning to go back to loading boxes.

Later that evening, way past dark, Nat and Taylor sat on a few empty crates that lay abandoned near the bus parking lot. There was no show the following day, and the bands were celebrating with a huge almost block party, complete with thumping music and plenty of liquor.

“Where’s your sugar daddy?” Nat asked, holding her bottle by the neck and turning it up to take a sip.

“Pretty sure he’s on his bus showering or something,” Taylor replied, taking a long drag from her cigarette. “Why?”

“Ugh, nothing,” Nat wrinkled her nose. “So that means you aren’t ditching me yet.”

“Oh my god, Natalie. I think you’d be okay if I did. You’re a big girl now. You’ve been on this tour two months and you act like everyone here is a stranger.” She chuckled.

“Hell, they are! I don’t hang out with these guys. I feel way awkward sometimes.”

Both girls paused, taking gulps of their drinks.

“It’s all in your head sweetheart. Loosen up. Have some fun.”

“Yeah, okay Tate, I’ll get right on that.”

“Seriously Nat. Summer is about to be over. You’ll be back home sulking in your living room in another week. Just, live a little, that’s all I’m saying.” Taylor gave Nat another bright smile before spotting William beckoning her from the steps of his band’s bus. “…And, I’ll see you later.”

Nat just nodded as she was left her alone with her thoughts and her beer bottle. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed members of All Time Low and We The Kings about to engage in an epic game of freeze tag, VickyT walking her puppy, and Katie and Nicole, the Cobra merch girls, clinging to and dancing with a very relaxed looking Gabe. Nat laughed at his awkward dancing, trying desperately to keep up with the very energetic girls.

Gabe noticed Nat laughing and waved drunkenly, excused himself and wandered over.

“Hey girl, what the fuck are you doing over here all by yourself?” Gabe smiled crookedly.

“Chillin’.” She replied. “What’s up with you?”

Gabe waved in the direction of the other party-goers, who were still dancing away to the beat and grinned. “Getting fucked up and having a fuck of a time. I just wanted to come and see what’s up with you, and say thanks for covering for those two earlier. Taylor told me what happened.”

Nat groaned. “Of course she did,”

“She did,” Gabe nodded. “But what the fuck are you doing sitting alone here girlfriend, come on, come with me, let’s have some drinks.” Nat held up her beer bottle for him to see and chuckled. “No. I mean real drinks. C’mon.” He insisted, pulling the long-legged girl up by the arm and tugging her towards the Cobra bus.

Nat followed Gabe through the crowd and he asked her if she wanted to stop for a plate when they passed the barbeque pit. Natalie refused, even though something told her she should have eaten before getting on that bus.

Gabe opened the door and let her climb on board first. The air was thick with smoke, which could have been only half from cigarettes. The TV in the lounge area was blasting, as was the radio, and Nat recognized Danny, the cobra merch guy, along with Alex and Mike on the couch, arguing loudly over the video game they were playing. She was the only girl there, but felt strangely at ease. “Yo guys, yo, found us another alcoholic! Nat, I’m sure you know the rest of these assholes.” Gabe announced with bravado.

Natalie waved demurely at the rest of the guys and took a seat. They all greeted her, and spent the next few hours or so playing video games and making small talk, all except the one guy on the bus for whose band she busted her ass for everyday. Nat rolled her eyes in his direction, and nearly choked on her Jamison and coke when she found him looking right back at her. Needless to say, she bit her lip, embarrassed, and directed her attention elsewhere, immediately.

Unfortunately,

“What’s that look, Carden? I know you know who Nat is. Don’t you?” Alex asked, his voice slurred slightly.

“I guess,” Mike shrugged back to staring at the TV screen.

Nat grit her teeth as her glass was refilled and shook her head. She didn’t understand how he could be such an asshole, all the time.

“AWW, fuck you guys cheat!” Lipski shouted as he lost for the third time. The boys all broke out into drunken giggles.

“Oh, hey, hay let’s let Nat play. She’s one of the fellas tonight.” Gabe chuckled, tossing her his controller, while Lipski handed his over to Mike.

“Oooh, beauty versus the beast!” Alex exclaimed, making them all giggle again. Mike flipped him off and cracked his neck in preparation.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Nat raised an eyebrow and cocked her head at him in disbelief. She suddenly became very determined to beat the douche bag at his own game.

“Fine. Let‘s do this.” She replied, gulping down the contents of her cup and cracking her knuckles.

“Oooh, beauty is fierce!”

She cut another hard glance in Mike’s general direction, and caught him looking back at her, again. She found herself mesmerized by his eyes in spite of herself and only came to as she heard someone screaming at her to go. Mike had managed to distract her long enough to get ahead, making her realize that the look he gave her couldn’t have lasted as long as it did in her mind.

She recovered and put her game face back on, catching up easily, but in the end she lost anyway.

“Aww, the beast wins!” Alex cried, raising his arms like he‘d won.

Nat pouted at the smug look on Mike’s face, and Gabe noticed. “Aw, look at what you’ve done, Carden. What the fuck, how the fuck are you going to make this up to Nat, huh?” He fell over drunkenly onto the couch in between them both.

“Alright guys,” Lipski said coming back in and standing in front of the TV. It’s about time to pull out. And I hate to put you all out, but, when you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go.” He shrugged.

Everyone groaned, but slowly began to move, clearly upset that their party was breaking up.

“Hey, I’ve got another idea, why don’t you walk Nat to her bus Mike Carden? Since her bus is right behind your bus, Mike Carden?” Gabe laughed.

Nat chuckled, shaking her head. “Stop. I can get back all by myself Gabe.”

“No problem. I can take her.” Mike spoke up at the same time. Nat looked over at him, but this time he wasn’t looking back.

“Great, because we’re SLOSHED!” Alex giggled.

“Night guys.” Nat said as she made her way toward the door. Last she saw, Mike had gotten up from his seat and Gabe grabbed his arm. She kept going. Maybe Gabe would hold him just long enough for her to get lost in the crowd.