The Life and Times of Valor

Valor’s POV
“Valor! Earth to Valor!” Jay screamed directly into my ear.
“What on earth could you possibly want!” I threw my pillow at him.
“Time to wake up buttercup we got a bus to catch!” He threw it right back at me.
I had just been rudely awaken from my nap by my band mate who was more than excited to leave for tour. I wasn’t prepared for this tour. Not in the least. Don’t get me wrong I am more than thrilled that my band has got this big in such short of time, but I am recovering from my rock bottom and I knew who was also on this tour. Good thing he no longer had a band. Some relief came from the fact that he’d have to witness me be vastly more successful than him.
“How about you guys get a temp vocalist and I’ll just stay here.” I said glumly as I walked outside into the heat of Chicago summer radiating off the pavement and our bus.
“Shut up you’re coming with. You’re the reason we’re going anyway.” Landon, our drummer, stated.
“Ugh but I’m really not about it!” I exasperated.
“You’re never about anything, punk.” Jay gently hit me in the arm as he grabbed my bags and packed them in the compartment on the side of the bus, with the rest of everyone else’s luggage.
Jay was one of my best friend and lead guitarist and unclean vocalist. We always had this beautiful friendship and he has been there for me through a lot. I could not ask for a more heart warming person in my life. He really did bring out the fun side of me.
“Valor!” Ann, my best friend and our sound girl, ran up and hugged me screaming.
“Are you stoked or what?!” I hugged her back.
There was never a more beautiful friendship, though, than me and Ann. We were the definition of the phrase “through thick and thin.” Although I was really hope we would stay on our thick patch through this tour. Not only do I love my best friend to death but she was the best sound girl out there and everyone who passed up on her is beyond dumb.
“I’m so stoked, I’m gonna die.” I said sarcastically.
“Shut you, you know you are.” She leaped away grabbing her sound gear and started loading up the bus.
“Okay ladies we need to load up and go! It’s a long drive to California.” Hunter, rhythm guitar and backing vocals.
Hunter and I were really in charge of the band. I did clean lead vocals. Together we configured numbers and tours and everything else with our manager, Evan. Then there were Morgan and Josh. Morgan was our tour manager or TM and Josh was our merch guy. Finally there was Scott our bassist. After getting all of our stuff loaded, we all piled onto the bus and got ourselves situated for what was going to be the longest three months of our lives.
“So, are you prepared to see your heroes in their natural state?” Jay teased me.
“No, I’ve told before and I’ll say it again, I’m not about this.” I frowned.
“So, if any other band members talk to you?” He laughed.
“I’m going mute and walking away.” I stated promptly, staring out the window.
“What are you going to do about Hector?” Ann asked seriously?
“He isn’t even a blimp on my radar. Besides he’s only working Warped. If anything he’ll have the extreme pleasure of seeing me be successful while he fails at life.” I said smugly.
“He’s still going to be around the other bands, including ours, the entire tour.” Landon added.
“I don’t care, okay? I’m fine.” I snapped.
“We’re filming it if you punch him.” Scott laughed.
I put my ear phones in and began listening to some much needed La Dispute and began writing feverishly as we began our long journey. I needed to clear my head as much as possible before we really started. When we get to California, I’ll be forced into socialization and I was socially awkward. I was not at all about this, but I didn’t have a choice anymore. This was happening and I would have to make the best of it.

Austin’s POV
Bands were pulling in slowly getting ready for Warped Tour which started tomorrow. I was outside drinking a cold beer with Alan and Tino, enjoying the dry, summer heat of California.
“There’s Paramore.” Alan pointed.
“Despite everyone thinking they’re too big for this I think it’s cool they’re on.” Tino said.
“Who the fuck invited Falling in Reverse?” I scoffed seeing their bus pull up.
“Who fucking knows, but regardless we have to put up with the biggest asshat in the world for the next three months, unfortunately.” Alan pointed out.
“Let’s just never invite him to any of the BBQ’s.” I took a sip of my beer.
“That will probably do us no good.” He laughed.
Tino looked puzzled over in the distance. “Who is that?”
I looked over at a bus that had an exit sign painted on it.
“That’s that band with the chick, um, Exit Here.” Alan stated.
“There’s like three other bands here with chicks in them.” I pointed out, what was so special about this one?
“No they’re like heavy, more our genre and that chick can wail.” Alan nodded his head.
“Really? So like Fly leaf?” I asked.
“Hmm, they’re more like Chiodos with a girl vocalist. It’s weird because I read an interview and she didn’t even know she could sing until a few months before the band started. They’re up and coming.” Alan was apparently a fountain of information.
“Looks like a good line up then, when is Bring Me going to show up?” I said as Bring Me the Horizon’s bus pulled up and parked right next to ours.
“Oi mate!” Oli shouted getting out.
“Hey man!” I gave him a quick hug.
“What’s good for tonight?” I asked him.
“Anything’s good as long as Ronnie’s bitch ass doesn’t show up.” We laughed.
The word was that We Came as Roman’s were hosting the first BBQ/party/get together and we were all going to head over there later. I couldn’t help but wonder who was all going to come, but I could only imagine everyone would be there. Alan said he knew some of the guys in Exit Here, so at least the new comers would get an invite.

Valor’s POV
I seen all the band members climbing out of their buses and chatting with each other, drinking beers and the like. We were new to the scene so I wasn’t sure how it all worked. Do we just invite ourselves? Or is like everyone invited to hang out with everyone? I knew Hunter and Scott knew people, so I guess we would follow their lead.
“Okay hold on guys, we are going to go find out the situation and we’ll come back for ya.” Hunter said practically running off the bus.
“Yeah, the rest of us will just stay here like complete weirdos and stare out the windows.” I scoffed.
We all had our faces pressed to the window looking at him, like weirdos, as he jogged over to the Of Mice & Men bus.
“Holy shit he knows them?” Ann gasped.
“Yeah, yeah. He never lets us forget. He’s super tight with Alan.” I nodded.
Hunter was tall and lean. He had short, brown, shaggy hair and bright grey eyes. He was a pretty good looking guy, but the looker in our group was Landon. He was covered in tattoos, longish blondish hair and bright blue eyes. Girls fangirl over him so hard it’s sickening. I tend to go all over protective mother and tell them to get lost. They really pissed me off, chilling outside our bus asking stupid questions and trying to get all the guys. My favorite it when I would get called a band slut.
Hunter was smiling and laughing and pointing towards our bus as he talked to Alan, Austin, Tino and Oli. They all over and waved at us and we waved back laughing. We looked like school kids on a field trip, ridiculous. Hunter came running back.
Breathing heavily he climbed halfway into the bus. “Okay, so We Came as Romans are hosting the first get together so everyone is heading over there later, but for now we can chill with Alan and crew.”
“Valor..” Ann looked at me sternly.
“I’m not going and you can’t make me.” I stared at the floor.
I knew Hector was a good friend of WeCAR’s and was working for them this tour. I was not about to get into any of that. I hadn’t seen him in two years and I was perfectly okay with that.
“At least come chill with us now and later I will watch Les Mis with you, deal?” Ann coaxed.
“Besides Haley, Jenna and Tay are probably here too.” Jay told me.
“Okay, one you all know how I feel about Tay. Two I will go chill with you guys for now but I’m not going over to WeCAR’s.” I stood up to go over look my make up.
“You know Tay has never done anything to you.” Jay started getting off the bus.
“Pft, as if.” I snapped.
Tay was the only girl I didn’t get along with. She was tight with Haley and Jenna, who I was also tight with but for some reason me and her just didn’t like each other. It was made apparent when she was interview by Alt Press and they asked her how the Girl Power tour was going and how she felt about the other bands. She replied by saying she loved Paramore and Tonight Alive but Exit Here’s vocalist, Valor, is a bit crazy for us. She also mentioned that I partied to hard and drank too much and was constantly hitting on all the guys I could. The funny thing is, I didn’t even talk to anyone for the first half of the tour. The second half me and Jenna and Haley got close and we would just hang out and pull pranks. No drugs or the like involved.
I was wearing a black razor back tank that had yellow bats on it and a pair of dark skinny jeans with my black lo pro vans. My hair was long, dark and I let it fall in its natural wavy state. I quickly fixed my straight a crossed bangs and checked my piercings. One dermal just underneath my left eye, my nose ring and my smiley piercing. All in order. My sleeve and chest piece exposed. I did a quick wing eye liner and some neutral toned lipstick, nothing too bold.
“Okay I’m ready.” I grabbed my phone about to leave while everyone just stared at me.
“Oh what in the fuck is it now?” I demanded.
“Lipstick?” Landon chirped.
“I wear it all the time please shut the fuck up about it I’m nervous. Let’s go before I changed my mind.” I stormed outside the bus and waited for everyone to follow.

Austin’s POV

I looked over toward Exit Here’s bus when I seen a girl get off the bus. She was gorgeous. Taller and had long gorgeous dark hair that looked to be permanently beach waved. Tattoos covering her right arm and her chest and I am sure there were more. She was staring at the ground awkwardly like she didn’t know what to do next. So, I took matters into my own hands hoping to make her feel more at home.
“Hey!” I called over to her.
She looked around her making sure I was talking to her, I began laughing, I couldn’t help it.
“Yeah, you! come here!” I waved her toward me.
She smiled gently and began walking toward me, when Jenna of Tonight Alive came and pounced on her.
“Valor!” She shouted as she jumped on her back.
“Jenna! I’ve missed you so much!” Valor, which I assume is her name, was practically collapsing toward the ground laughing.
I walked toward them making sure the poor girl wasn’t crushed.
“Hey you’re going to crush her too death!” I laughed with them as I picked Jenna off of her.
“Oh stop it. She’s a lot stronger than she just made it seem.” Jenna was laughing and helping Valor off the ground.
“Valor, have you met Austin yet?!” Jenna chided.
“Um, no I just got off the bus.” She nervously laughed.
“Valor is really shy and she likes to think she is socially awkward, but girls a riot!” Jenna announced.
“Thanks Jenna, that helped a lot.” Valor said sarcastically.
“I’m Valor, vocalist of Exit Here.” She extended her hand out to mine.
“It’s lovely to meet you.” I smiled at her and shook her hand.
Her dark eyes were bright. I had never seen brown eyes so gorgeous before and her skin was dark with olive undertones. She was definitely shy, but it was adorable.
“Austin, come on! Beer pong!” Alan called over to us.
“You ladies want to go against us?” I asked them.
“I gotta get over to see Tay, but you two go ahead.” Jenna winked at me.
“Tell Tay I said Hi. Actually no, just flick her off for me.” Valor smiled at her.
“Come on, she isn’t that bad. You two are just trying to be head bitch.” Jenna laughed.
“Yo, I ain’t about that dominate lifestyle and you know that.” Valor threw her hands up in denfense.
“Oh, so you’re a submissive?” Jenna and I were both laughing now.
“Oh fuck off.” Valor laughed.
I didn’t involved myself in that conversation. Although now that it was mentioned I remember the We are in the Crowd’s interview with Alt Press about the Girl Power Tour. Another girl got off the Exit Here bus, shorter and paler than Valor but they looked almost alike.
“Valor I’ll come with you!” She shouted over to her.
“This is my best friend and our sound girl Ann.” Valor pointed over to her friend.
“Nice to meet you.” I shook Ann’s hand.
“Okay let’s do it, we’re beer pong champs!” Ann said proudly.
“You have to talk us up so we can lose embarrassingly don’t you?” Valor laughed.
“Hey we should’ve won that game three new year eve’s ago.” Ann laughed back.
“Okay ladies, let’s see if you are champs.” I grabbed Valor’s hand and led her to the table between our and Bring Me’s bus.

Notes

Title credit: Chiodos

This is my first story on here. Hope you guys enjoy. Feel free to leave comments, thoughts and ideas [: