expectations.

Presley awakes the next morning and stumbles out of the van to find Hayden and Bren sitting cross legged on the ground, hovering over their phones as they whispered to each other.

“What’s going on?” They both glance up, quickly logging out of whatever they were looking at.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Muffin?” She takes the chocolatey breakfast item from his hand, biting a chunk out of it before pressing the issue.

“Thanks. But seriously - what were you guys looking at?” Hayden looks to Bren who discreetly shakes his head, but P catches it.

“Guys, come on. Just tell me.”

“Alan tweeted about you.” Hayden spills out, earning a groan from Bren.

“She was going to find out anyway!” Presley sits down on the ground with them, rubbing her temples as she sighs.

“What did it say?” Bren hands his phone to her.

“Just read it.”

“@AlanAshby: so glad i’m finally free. it’s about time i got rid of the cheating bitch.”

Her jaw basically drops.

“Who does he think he is?”

Hayden throws his arms around her shoulders.

“It’s no big deal, babe. If he’s gonna act like that, you deserve better. Now get up and come with me to the Asking tent.”

She jumps at the thought of Ben’s sexual jokes making her day better.

“Let’s go.”

///

Thirty minutes later Presley is watching Ben, Danny, and Hayden debate over which if The Hulk or Superman is better when a girl who looked to be twenty or so came up, nervously rubbing her press pass.

“Hi, I’m Peyton with Rock Forever magazine. I was wondering if I could do an interview with all of you.”

Their little group shares a look before nodding to Peyton. She waves forward her camera man whose named turned out to be Brandon.

It only took around seven minutes into the interview before Peyton has the group of friends laughing so hard that tears are coming out of their eyes.

“Okay,” Peyton pauses, gasping for breath, “we have to get some serious questions in here somewhere. So, we all know Benny here is in a pretty serious relationship,” Presley looks over to Ben with a confused glance to which he just shrugs, “but what about the rest of you?”

“I’m single.” Danny and Hayden chime in unison.

Peyton laughs before moving her gaze to Presley.

“What about you?” Pres glances down at her hands, gulping as she tries to decide what to say.

“I - uh, it’s kinda complicated at the moment. Let’s just say I was blamed for something that wasn’t true and he took someone else’s word over mine.”

The suddenly somber vibe of the room is broken as Danny lets out a loud belch.

“So now I have a question for you Hayden: who’s currently in the lead for the bet between you, Ben, and Danny?”

///

“Now this next song,” Presley pauses, wiping the sweat from her forehead, “is a response to a tweet that was directed towards me by someone who used to be very close to me. Girls, if a boy is going to believe someone else over you, leave him before he leaves you. This song is called ‘You CalL Me A Bitch Like It’s A Bad Thing’.”

The crowd roars in response and a wide smile crosses her face as Hayden starts in with his screams.

“You call me a bitch like it's a bad thing.
You call me a freak like that means something.
Can't get your way so you're sulking
I think we know the rest.
Get it off your chest.
I don't give a shit.
I love it when you call me a bitch like it's a bad thing.”

Notes

whoops?