Meet My Dedication
Ben Threw
Do you know who Alex Woodrow is?
-Mikey
Woody? From Our Last Night? Yeah, he's pretty cool, cute too. Why? OMG did you run into him?! Did you tell him you were my sister?!?!?! WHAT HAPPENED?!
-Mills.
Uh, he bumped into me at the Monster tent. You know him? Since when?
-Mikey
He's one of Marshall's friends. I know a LOT of people, Mike.
-Mills.
Of course you do.
-Mikey
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I couldn't find Milly, Gavin, or Zakk anywhere, so I headed over to Our Last Night's set and watched for a couple of songs. Woody came back and spun me around, "I knew you'd make it! Scared me for a bit, though. I thought you weren't going to show!"
I almost didn't, but I wasn't going to let him know that. "Yeah, you guys were really good, and you're all sweaty and gross." He laughed, but it was true. It was hot, and I'm sure that jumping and running around stage is as exhausting as it sounds.
"Yeah, I know. But, hey, it's a living. And a killer one at that!" He smiled that goofy smile again at me. "So, what're you gonna be doing now that you've seen the awesomeness that is my band?"
I rolled my eyes, "I have to go to the WJRR tent at 3 for a contest I entered. Until then, I guess I was going to check out the rest of the tents."
"Sounds fabulous! I'll see you later then. I'm pretty sure you don't want to hang out with a sweaty, smelly guy." He winked at me, and lead me to the merch tent across from the stage. "Find me later, beautiful."
Did he just call me beautiful? He's cute and all, but I just didn't feel right with him. Besides, I wasn't here to hook up with some guy in a band. I was here to see Of Mice & Men.
It was almost 3, which meant the winner of that contest Milly made me sign up for was going to be announced soon. I made my way over to the WJRR tent, when he was there.
"Austin," I breathed out in a sigh. He was there, at the tent. I quickened my pace and finally made my way to the table, along with what seemed like 100 other girls.
"Alright, ladies and gents, the time has come for us to announce the winner to see who will go on a fabulous date with the one and only, Austin Carlile!" The MC had said into the microphone. The girls all screamed, it was ear piercing. Just get it over with and tell me that I didn't win, already.
The MC drew out a name from the cards everyone had signed, I didn't even notice that Austin was smiling in my direction. Austin was smiling at... me. I blushed a deep red, I could feel the heat coming off of my cheeks. Or was that sunburn?
I had to look away from him.
"Mikey Brier! You're our winner!" My head snapped, I won? I won!!
I made my way to the MC and Austin. I didn't know what to say, so I fumbled into my back pocket for my ID, "I... I'm Mikey Brier,"
I showed the MC my ID and he smiled back at me. "Congrats, kiddo! You get to have a date with this handsome dude."
Austin gave me the biggest smile I'd ever seen anyone give, "Hey, Mikey. Congratulations on winning the contest!" He hugged me pretty tightly and I could feel my whole body shaking from excitement and fear.
I was terrified. I hadn't been on a date in God-knows how long. What if I say something stupid? What if he thinks I'm weird? I mean, I am weird, but still, I don't want him knowing that! Oh my God, what am I going to do?
"Uh, thanks, Austin." I laughed nervously. "So, what do we do now?"
He laughed a little bit, "Well, my set is at 5. You're a VIP, so you can hang out with me all day if you'd like? And there's a party for all the bands and shit here. Would you be my date?" He was just too cute, I couldn't help but smile.
"Sure, yeah, that would be great!" I realized I'd most likely be staying later than anyone planned. "Shit," I mumbled. I looked up at Austin, "I'm here with my sister and her friends, though. I don't know how I'm going to get home, I live an hour from here." I started chewing on my bottom lip.
He put his arm around my shoulders, "don't worry, I'm sure we can all figure something out in time."
I pulled out my phone as we started walking away from the crowd and around the fairgrounds, "I have to tell my sister."
"Sure, go ahead," he didn't drop his arm.
Mills, I won the contest! Austin wants me to go to some party with him later tonight. You guys can go on home after Warped is over. Love you!
-Mikey
I knew you'd win! Congrats, and go have fun with Austin, you deserve it! Just don't have too much fun ;) Wait, I take that back. HAVE ALL OF THE FUN <3
-Mills.
That was too easy, usually she'd put up a front, or want to go with me. Milly never misses a party. Especially one she's not invited to. "She said she's cool with it," I looked up at Austin. His smile never faded and that just made him glow. This was just so weird. I was hanging out, walking around Warped Tour, with Austin Carlile! "You know, you don't have to act like you want to do this. I understand this is just a promotional thing."
That made the smile drop a little. "You're right, this is for promotional stuff. But," he places his hand on the side of my face, "I'm going to enjoy myself, being with you, Mikey. You should too. Don't put yourself down all the time. You're a beautiful young woman, and you probably have a lot going for you."
"Thank you. That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a very long time," I smiled up at him, "it means a lot to me."
"You've been through a lot, I can see it in your eyes and from the scars you try to hide." We stopped walking and he took my hand and flipped it so that my scared wrist were facing upward. "You can't do this anymore. I know it feels good at the moment, but it hurts you in the long run. You and I both know that it gets better. Life always gets better," I hadn't even realized that I was crying until I had hugged him. My tears were staining his ripped up Slipknot t-shirt. He didn't seem to mind, he just let me hug him, and in return he wrapped his arms around me.
"You're my hero, Austin, you have been for years, now. And all I've ever wanted was to tell you that. You and your music helped me get through a lot, and I appreciate everything you do.: I could tell he was getting choked up about everything I was saying, he really cared about me and all of his fans. This man, this beautiful man who has gone through just as much, if not more than me, genuinely cares for his fans. That's something no one can take away from him, and I admired him so much for that.
"You're just as much my hero, as I am yours. You staying strong, and staying alive, is all I can ever ask you to do. You have to stay strong, for me. Promise me, Mikey? Promise me, that if something happens to you, and you feel like you can't do it anymore, that you'll call me. You'll talk to me, and I'll be there for you, no matter what."
I nodded, and he wipe the tears from my face. I let him go and we continued walking around. It was good to finally have someone hang out with me today.
Someone who understood.
-Mikey
Woody? From Our Last Night? Yeah, he's pretty cool, cute too. Why? OMG did you run into him?! Did you tell him you were my sister?!?!?! WHAT HAPPENED?!
-Mills.
Uh, he bumped into me at the Monster tent. You know him? Since when?
-Mikey
He's one of Marshall's friends. I know a LOT of people, Mike.
-Mills.
Of course you do.
-Mikey
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
I couldn't find Milly, Gavin, or Zakk anywhere, so I headed over to Our Last Night's set and watched for a couple of songs. Woody came back and spun me around, "I knew you'd make it! Scared me for a bit, though. I thought you weren't going to show!"
I almost didn't, but I wasn't going to let him know that. "Yeah, you guys were really good, and you're all sweaty and gross." He laughed, but it was true. It was hot, and I'm sure that jumping and running around stage is as exhausting as it sounds.
"Yeah, I know. But, hey, it's a living. And a killer one at that!" He smiled that goofy smile again at me. "So, what're you gonna be doing now that you've seen the awesomeness that is my band?"
I rolled my eyes, "I have to go to the WJRR tent at 3 for a contest I entered. Until then, I guess I was going to check out the rest of the tents."
"Sounds fabulous! I'll see you later then. I'm pretty sure you don't want to hang out with a sweaty, smelly guy." He winked at me, and lead me to the merch tent across from the stage. "Find me later, beautiful."
Did he just call me beautiful? He's cute and all, but I just didn't feel right with him. Besides, I wasn't here to hook up with some guy in a band. I was here to see Of Mice & Men.
It was almost 3, which meant the winner of that contest Milly made me sign up for was going to be announced soon. I made my way over to the WJRR tent, when he was there.
"Austin," I breathed out in a sigh. He was there, at the tent. I quickened my pace and finally made my way to the table, along with what seemed like 100 other girls.
"Alright, ladies and gents, the time has come for us to announce the winner to see who will go on a fabulous date with the one and only, Austin Carlile!" The MC had said into the microphone. The girls all screamed, it was ear piercing. Just get it over with and tell me that I didn't win, already.
The MC drew out a name from the cards everyone had signed, I didn't even notice that Austin was smiling in my direction. Austin was smiling at... me. I blushed a deep red, I could feel the heat coming off of my cheeks. Or was that sunburn?
I had to look away from him.
"Mikey Brier! You're our winner!" My head snapped, I won? I won!!
I made my way to the MC and Austin. I didn't know what to say, so I fumbled into my back pocket for my ID, "I... I'm Mikey Brier,"
I showed the MC my ID and he smiled back at me. "Congrats, kiddo! You get to have a date with this handsome dude."
Austin gave me the biggest smile I'd ever seen anyone give, "Hey, Mikey. Congratulations on winning the contest!" He hugged me pretty tightly and I could feel my whole body shaking from excitement and fear.
I was terrified. I hadn't been on a date in God-knows how long. What if I say something stupid? What if he thinks I'm weird? I mean, I am weird, but still, I don't want him knowing that! Oh my God, what am I going to do?
"Uh, thanks, Austin." I laughed nervously. "So, what do we do now?"
He laughed a little bit, "Well, my set is at 5. You're a VIP, so you can hang out with me all day if you'd like? And there's a party for all the bands and shit here. Would you be my date?" He was just too cute, I couldn't help but smile.
"Sure, yeah, that would be great!" I realized I'd most likely be staying later than anyone planned. "Shit," I mumbled. I looked up at Austin, "I'm here with my sister and her friends, though. I don't know how I'm going to get home, I live an hour from here." I started chewing on my bottom lip.
He put his arm around my shoulders, "don't worry, I'm sure we can all figure something out in time."
I pulled out my phone as we started walking away from the crowd and around the fairgrounds, "I have to tell my sister."
"Sure, go ahead," he didn't drop his arm.
Mills, I won the contest! Austin wants me to go to some party with him later tonight. You guys can go on home after Warped is over. Love you!
-Mikey
I knew you'd win! Congrats, and go have fun with Austin, you deserve it! Just don't have too much fun ;) Wait, I take that back. HAVE ALL OF THE FUN <3
-Mills.
That was too easy, usually she'd put up a front, or want to go with me. Milly never misses a party. Especially one she's not invited to. "She said she's cool with it," I looked up at Austin. His smile never faded and that just made him glow. This was just so weird. I was hanging out, walking around Warped Tour, with Austin Carlile! "You know, you don't have to act like you want to do this. I understand this is just a promotional thing."
That made the smile drop a little. "You're right, this is for promotional stuff. But," he places his hand on the side of my face, "I'm going to enjoy myself, being with you, Mikey. You should too. Don't put yourself down all the time. You're a beautiful young woman, and you probably have a lot going for you."
"Thank you. That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a very long time," I smiled up at him, "it means a lot to me."
"You've been through a lot, I can see it in your eyes and from the scars you try to hide." We stopped walking and he took my hand and flipped it so that my scared wrist were facing upward. "You can't do this anymore. I know it feels good at the moment, but it hurts you in the long run. You and I both know that it gets better. Life always gets better," I hadn't even realized that I was crying until I had hugged him. My tears were staining his ripped up Slipknot t-shirt. He didn't seem to mind, he just let me hug him, and in return he wrapped his arms around me.
"You're my hero, Austin, you have been for years, now. And all I've ever wanted was to tell you that. You and your music helped me get through a lot, and I appreciate everything you do.: I could tell he was getting choked up about everything I was saying, he really cared about me and all of his fans. This man, this beautiful man who has gone through just as much, if not more than me, genuinely cares for his fans. That's something no one can take away from him, and I admired him so much for that.
"You're just as much my hero, as I am yours. You staying strong, and staying alive, is all I can ever ask you to do. You have to stay strong, for me. Promise me, Mikey? Promise me, that if something happens to you, and you feel like you can't do it anymore, that you'll call me. You'll talk to me, and I'll be there for you, no matter what."
I nodded, and he wipe the tears from my face. I let him go and we continued walking around. It was good to finally have someone hang out with me today.
Someone who understood.
Notes
I'll update more tomorrow. I'm really happy with this story so far! thanks you guys so much for the views and reading! what do you guys want to see?
Please update!!!
5/24/14