FicWad

A/N Many apologies, hope I've still got people out there. I've been ill for a while and so writing hasn't really been an option. I'm back and better now though and raring to go! Fairly long one again, many POV's, hope you can keep up! XX


A Devil Called Carling


1. I am stupid. Well not as stupid as Allie who is now passed out half in and half out of her tent but then she is a stoner so I guess it's kind of the norm for her.
2. I have a hangover. Not surprising considering I drank myself into oblivion last night but still I'm somehow always surprised when I wake up in pain.
3. Carling is the devil and I'm never drinking it again. I mean that.
4. Logan is plotting something. How do I know this? Well because I know Logan and he's appalling at lying and keeping secrets. I would care more but my head hurts too much.


I suppose it should worry me more that Logan's plotting something. When I woke up this morning he was looking at me with an expression that can only be described as smug. Though that could just have been due to the fact I looked like shit. However last time Logan plotted against me I ended up in LA and look where that got me.

I was sat down on the grass surrounded by empty cans of Carling and burnt out cigarette stubs. The camp looked like a bomb had hit it, the cheap camp chairs were strewn all over the place, blankets were chucked haphazardly over guy ropes and the pirate flag now hung limply from its pole. It was only about half past 8 in the morning but it was already starting to get hot and looked as if it was going to be a scorcher of a day. It was deathly quiet; it always was this early on in the morning, till about 10 then everyone would get up and start drinking again. An endless circle of doom if you ask me.

Logan had gone to get coffee and food. The food was for him I hasten to add; the very thought of eating made me want to barf all over the place.

I suppose that'll teach me though, drinking isn't big and it isn't clever. It does however have a habit of making you forget all your problems which is I think what I wanted to accomplish. I do feel bad though, I have no idea what I did last night, for all I know I could've made a complete fool out of myself. Logan refuses to say whether or not I did anything that could be classified as rude or embarrassing which usually means that I did.

I swear I'm never touching Carling again; it's an evil, evil drink.

Getting up slowly I walked back over to the tent, my head was throbbing painfully. I had thought that sitting quietly in the camp would help but being surrounded by all those beer cans had only succeeded in making me feel worse. Routing around in my bag I pulled out some paracetamol and swallowed them with some old flat Pepsi.

"Good Morning Sunshine!"

I turned and winced as Logan's annoyingly chirpy voice entered the camp, followed shortly by his annoying chirpy face and body. He was carrying 2 cups of something though so I refrained from beating him round the head with a tent pole, caffeine was far too important. I walked over to him and took one of the cups gratefully.

"My we are talkative this fine sunny morning." He said righting one of the chairs and taking a seat. I sat crossed legged on the grass next to him ignoring his comment choosing instead to concentrate on the hot cup of coffee in my hand.

"O yeah I got this while I was getting coffee." He held out a fairly thick looking book, I took it flipped through it. Each of the thick, shiny pages described in detail all the different bands playing at the festival, the different events going on over the three days and detailed plans of the area. I located today's schedule of the bands playing on the main stage and immediately wished I hadn't.

11.00-11.30 Pearl Jam
11.45-12.15 Placebo
12.30-1.00 My Chemical Romance
1.15-1.45 Mastodon
2.00-2.30 Taking back Sunday
2.45-3.15 Killswitch Engage.
3.30-4.15 Panic! At the Disco
4.30-5.30 Fall out boy
6.00-7.30 Artic Monkeys

I shut the book quickly and handed it back to Logan. He looked at me and raised an eyebrow but I turned away avoiding his knowing gaze. Drinking the last of my coffee I stood up and tossed the cup into a heap of rubbish that had begun to pile up in a corner of the camp.

"So what's the plan for today?" I asked Logan as I walked over to the tent. Crouching down I grabbed my shoes and walked back to him.

"Well I was thinking I might go to a signing." He said between mouthfuls of burger.

"Okay," I said suspiciously, "Who?"

"My Chem," he replied nonchalantly, "You know my favourite band."

"O right yeah." I felt immediately bad; maybe I was just being paranoid. Logan has every right to go out and do things. Right from this moment on I'm going to stop being so mopey and start having fun. Screw Pete and everything that's happened up to this point. I'm at Leeds festival! One of my favourite places in the whole world, no more drowning my sorrows or whining to Logan, let the good times roll!

X

RING RING

I rolled over with a groan and pawed around my bedside cabinet blindly for my phone.

RING RING

"For God's sake," I muttered under my breath. Flinging the covers off I swung out of bed and stood up surveying the mess that was my room. My notebooks were still all open on the desk, the papers I'd been reading scattered around the floor. Clothes were chucked haphazardly all over the place, mainly on my futon that stood in the corner. Infact the only neat part of the room was the small circle that surrounded my drum kit. It stood proudly in the centre of the room, each piece of it gleaming and perfect. Opening the curtains I squinted as the room filled with light, warm rays suddenly bouncing off of my cymbal blinding me.

RING RING

"Where are you?" I said aloud as the ringing continued. I usually left my phone by my bed but I'd been at band practice late last night so it could be anywhere.

"FOR FUCKS SAKE LINK! TURN THE GOD DAMN THING OFF OR ANSWER IT!"

I winced as my flatmates grumpy yell echoed around the flat. Lorna worked nights so I guess I should have known that she wouldn't appreciate the early morning wake up call.

"I'm trying!" I muttered under my breath whilst scrambling around in a pile of yesterdays clothes that I'd dumped at the end of the bed. Tossing aside yesterday's skinny jeans and pushing my vans out of the way I grinned triumphantly as my phone fell out one of the shoes. Getting up I stepped over a pile of music text books and pressed accept.

"Hello?"

"Jeez Link how long does it take to answer a phone? It's a good job I'm patient by nature."

I grinned as Logan's deep Lincolnshire lilt hit my ears.

"Logan," I said as I walked over to my desk. Pushing some old socks off I sat down and switched on the computer, "What a pleasant surprise." I smiled to myself; the sarcasm would definitely piss him off.

"I'll give you pleasant surprise Linky," He growled, "I need you to save me from boredom."

"I should have known you'd want something." I replied whilst shuffling some papers around. My small scrawl filled every sheet, intricate musical notes covering every line. I was working on new material for the band hence my disorganisation; when I'm in writing mode everything goes out the window.

"I'm standing in a really boring line that's moving at less than a snails pace, you have to talk to me!" Logan whined. I could imagine the look on his face, a sort of sad pout that always got me.

"Alright fine," I said giving up far too easily, "I'll keep you company...hey hang on a minute aren't you at Leeds this weekend?"

It had suddenly come to me as my computer finally logged in; my background was a picture of me, Logan, Ollie and the rest of the gang at Leeds Festival 2 years ago.

"We are indeed." He replied sounding abit shifty.

"We?" I teased, "You actually managed to get Ollie there? I'm impressed; when I spoke to her a couple of days ago she was still dead set against it."

Ollie had text me yesterday morning telling me where she was and how Logan had frog marched her into the car. It was fun listening to Logan squirm though; it was so rare to get one over on him that I took every opportunity.

"Well....she didn't exactly agree to come..." he trailed off guiltily, "I sort of dragged her here."

"O my God Logan," I said pretending to be shocked; "Please don't tell me that you forced her out of bed and bundled her into a car at some obscene hour of the morning?"

""Look it was for her own good....hang on you know don't you?" He said as realisation hit him.

"Yep I'm afraid so," I said laughing down the phone, "Girls talk Logan."

"Real nice Link, kick me while I'm down!" He said, "Not only am I standing in line for Fall out boy but now my best friend thinks its funny to taunt me."

Ignoring his plea for pity I instead focused on the one part of what he said that didn't make sense.

"Fall out boy? You don't even like Fall out boy Logan. Why are you standing in line to see them?"

"O yeah right, well you see I kind of wanted to talk to you about that." He sounded serious all of a sudden. I sat back in my seat confused.

"Okay...?" I said slowly, "Talk."

"It's about Ollie. About why she's been acting so strange lately."

"Lately?" I snorted, "Try for the past few months. Cut the crap Logan I know that this probably has something to do with LA."

"What?" He said quickly, "You know about LA?"

"I know that something happened in LA that's all I got out of her." It had been a struggle let me tell you. I kind of suspected that something had gone on, but my suspicions were confirmed when I met her one night on the stage in The Den. I'd been having a total girl moment because of an impending gig, which for the record the band aced! But yes that's another story. Anyway after she'd done the whole advice thing I'd left her behind on the stage. I don't think she knew I was there but I stayed to check she was okay and saw her with such a look of desperate pain in her eyes that it took me aback. I hadn't seen Ollie look like that since Riley.

One night a month or so later we went out for a drink after The Den closed and she got abit tipsy, ended up telling me that she'd met a guy in LA. She clammed up after that though, believe me I tried to get her to open up to me but it never happened. It's just the way she is though; I mean it took something pretty drastic for Ollie and I to become friends in the first place so I know that if she's going to tell me something it's going to be in her own time....or Logan will tell me, one or the other.

"You know Ollie pretty well right? I'd say that you're her best girl friend." Logan said randomly.

"Err thanks?" I said still confused.

"So if I told you something because I needed your advice as her best friend you'd probably be able to help right?" He was waffling now and I had no idea what he was getting at.

"Logan, I have no idea what you're talking about, just spit it out." I said firmly.

"I'm standing in line at a Fall out boy signing, even though I told Ollie I was going to a My Chem one, so that I can tell Pete Wentz that after meeting him in LA 6 months ago Ollie may be in love with him."

We were both silent for a moment, Logan was breathing heavily as if it took a lot of effort to say and I was hardly breathing at all I was so surprised.

"What?" I questioned in disbelief, standing up so suddenly I knocked my chair over. The chair banged into my drum kit which also fell over with an almighty crash.

"Shit!" I cursed loudly as Lorna bellowed for me to pipe down again. Dropping the phone I crouched down by my precious drums and checked that they were okay. A quiet squeaking sound made me look around again, with realisation I picked the phone back up and the squeaking turned into Logan's familiar voice in an obvious panic.

"Link? Link you okay? Come on Link speak to me?"

"I'm here; I'm fine I just had a drum related accident." I said as I picked up the chair and sat back down.

"Thank Christ for that I thought you'd fainted or something. I had an image of you lying on your bedroom floor in, pool of your own blood and not being found for days."

"Don't be so dramatic Logan, it wasn't that much of a shock it just took me by surprise that's all. But just so we're clear; you are being serious right? This isn't one of your big pranks?" I asked him seriously.

"I'm deadly serious, believe me I didn't believe her either at first but it's true and I need you to tell me that I'm doing the right thing in being here." He sounded so desperate, so afraid all of a sudden that I wanted to reach out to him and give him a hug.

"Your doing what you think is best for her Logan," I said softly, "In that respect it's always the right thing."

"But is it really?" He asked, "In doing this, in speaking to Pete I could end up humiliating Ollie, she may never speak to me again."

"Of course she would, you're her best friend. Besides I think that in this case you have to intervene, Ollie will just mope and withdraw into herself. Sometimes she doesn't think she deserves to be happy especially after Riley."

"Thanks Link," Logan said sounding a little more cheerful, "I guess there's no turning back no anyway; the lines starting to move."

"What are you going to say to him?" I asked him, "After all I bet Pete Wentz gets love showered down on him everyday."

"Yeah I've been trying to think of the best way to phrase it. It's harder than you'd think."

"What if he doesn't remember her Logan?" I said as the thought suddenly popped into my head.

"How can he not remember Ollie?" Logan said in a strange voice, "If they truly had a connection then he'll remember, he has too."

"I hope you're right." I said quietly.

X

I know I'm being a prize idiot. I know I'm pissing everyone off, I'm being a huge nuisance I just can't seem to shake off the horrible sinking feeling that in letting Ollie walk away from me I made the biggest mistake of my life.

I sound like some lovesick, romantic hero from the Mills and Boon books mom reads. God I actually want to smack myself so I can't imagine what Patrick, Joe and Andy must want to do with me. I'm probably gunna wake up and find myself on the street, replaced by some Pete look-alike. Either that or they'll just get so pissed off that they'll leave.

I'm trying to snap out of it I really am. I'm going to put my all into this festival, I'm going to rock the stage so hard that everyone's going to know that I'm back on form. I can't believe I messed up the Japan tour so bad, I turned up late, I missed whole bits of songs and pretty much had to rely on the rest of the band to make me look better than I actually am; I've been doing that a lot lately. Not anymore though, I mean it.

To be fair though I probably should have started by going to this signing thing that Patrick was on about. I just needed to finish this one last song though, the last one I'm going to write about her. After talking to Patrick on the roof I realised that my mood was affecting everyone, the whole band was suffering because of my stupidity. This afternoon though it's going to change. I'm going to put my heart into my performances instead of wasting it on missed opportunity.

X

"What do you think of this one?"

I looked discretely through my fingers as Allie pointed out another henna tattoo. This one was a tiny sparrow that had its wings spread and was a mix of bright reds and greens; a much better choice than the big peace sign that she had originally pointed out.

"Its not the tattoo Allie, it's the place you want it done that concerns me." I said trying not to laugh as the tattooist smirked at me. Allie was sitting knelt on the tattooist chair with her skirt round her waist and her underwear halfway down her legs.

"O come on Ollie, everyone has tattoos there now a days. It's not like were prudish anymore." She said giving the guy behind her a winning smile.

"No I suppose not..." I trailed off unsure of what to say to that. "I'd say the sparrow then."

"Wicked!" She squealed, I winced and saw the tattooist do the same. Pointing the tiny bird out to him he nodded and began to draw the outline onto Allie's posterior with unsuppressed mirth in his eyes. I shook my head at the general situation and took a seat that faced very much away from the goings on at Allie's behind. As I did my phone rang and I quickly answered it when I recognised the number.

"Hey Logan! What's up?" I asked him pleasantly.

"Err nothing much, you okay?"

"I'm great actually! I've had a really good morning, bought some cool band t-shirts and got some merch for people back home, plus more stuff to hang in The Den. Now I'm with Allie; she's getting a henna tattoo."

"That's great, I'm glad you're having fun. Want to come and hang with me?" He asked slyly.

"No thank you Logan. I'm well aware who are doing signing next to the My Chem one and I'm perfectly happy here. Stop interfering Logan." I scolded softly.

"Sorry." He said, "O yeah I spoke to Link about half an hour ago, she told me to tell you to tell Allie that she still owes her 20 quid."

I laughed as I remembered Leeds festival 2 years ago.

"O god that seems like it was ages ago, I remember Link giving Allie the money aswel! There's no chance she'll get that back!"

"Yeah that's what I said to her; anyway I'd better go the lines moving again."

"Okay have fun Logan; I'll see you back at the tent at 2."

"Sure, bye Ollie."

X

"This is hugely unfair you know."

I ignored Joe's whining and looked straight ahead at the line of people queuing up in front of us.

"I hate signings, so how is it that Pete manages to get out of this one?"

"Shut up Joe," I snapped finally, "Pete would only sit here and look miserable anyway so what was the point?"

Joe muttered something under his breath which I also ignored, choosing instead to take a leaf out of Andy's book and wait patiently for the signing to start. We were sitting at a long table and were all equipped with pens to sign with. The way the signing was set up meant that the kids travelled down the table meeting each of us. A couple of security were positioned at each end to make sure that a steady pace was maintained so as to get through as many people as possible. It felt kind of like a conveyor belt, I wasn't sure I liked it but it's what we'd signed up for and we couldn't back out now.

"Okay guys, it's about to start." Someone said over the din of excited fans. I nodded and picked up my pen. It was going to be a long morning.

X

Not half an hour later I found myself looking up at a tall, pale guy with piercing blue eyes. He stood out mainly because he was taller than most and older than our target signers. He looked to be in his mid 20's and was standing awkwardly in front of me a strange panicked look on his face. He'd been looking up and down the line like that for a good minute and I was starting to become aware of the furious glares he was receiving from the other fans behind him.

"Hey man you want something signed?" I asked him kindly.

He looked down at me suddenly his eyes wide and confused. He lent down so that we were level and I sat back in my chair wary. I'd met a few weirdoes in my time and this guy was a little strange.

"I need to speak to Pete." I guy said, desperation evident in his voice.

"I'm sorry but he's not feeling well, he decided that it would be better to rest up and make sure he was fit to perform this afternoon. If you like I can get him to sign something and we'll post it back." We'd all rehearsed the speech so that the fans would be happy. I waited to for the guy to speak, he looked frustrated now.

"No that won't work," he said firmly, "I need to tell him something important."

He dropped his head into his hands and sighed deeply. I looked across at Andy and Joe who were both looking at the guy suspiciously. I waved them off, he was weird but I didn't think he was dangerous, besides I've been surrounded by weird for years now; I could deal with weird.

"Look I'm well aware that I sound like a complete freak. But just hear me out; if I can't talk directly to Pete then I'm just going to have to tell you." He looked up and spoke quickly as if he couldn't quite believe himself what he was saying.

The muttering was getting louder as the guy held up the line even more. The people Joe and Andy had been politely talking to had now moved on and they were both watching the tall, pale man with some interest. I again waved security away and the pale guy looked at me gratefully.

"The truth is I don't even really like your band," He paused as I raised an eyebrow at his statement. Reddening slightly he continued now a little flustered.

"I'm here because of my best friend. She used to love your music but now because of something that happened 6 months ago can't even bear to look at the album covers."

Something about what he said was vaguely familiar but I shrugged it off as he carried on.

"She'd kill me if she knew I was here now..." he trailed off again and swept a nervous hand through his hair making it stand up at all angles. "But" he said firmly, "I had to do this."

"I need to know if Pete remembers Ollie. They met in LA after a show; I need to know if he's thought about her even a little bit."

Joe who had been taking a sip of water choked on it and spat water out all over the table. Andy looked at me in disbelief as he smacked Joe on the back to stop him coughing. The guy before me regarded us all with a look of utmost confusion, his pale gaze swivelling backwards and forwards between us. I stared open mouthed at him and he slowly began to smile.

"That'd be a yes then," He said with a triumphant grin, looking back at me he leant in closer, "I'm Logan and I think that you and I have some plotting to do."