“Let’s have a toast for the douchebags. Let’s have a toast for the assholes. Let’s have a toast for the scumbags, everyone one of them that I know.” Everyone chants the lyrics and downs whatever drink is in their hand.

Jack Barakat from All Time Low jumps on Max Heyler’s (You Me At Six) back, demanding a piggy back ride.

“Onward, horsie!” Max complies, only responding, “Whatever you say, my queen.” They stumble a few steps before falling over.

“Jack’s too fat!” Max complains, grinning as he rubs his bruised knee. Jack clutches his hand to his heart, feigning hurt.

Presley laughs at their drunken antics, sitting back in her plastic lawn chair someone had given her.

Whoever started the idea of having a huge party the day before the first show of Warped needed to be shot, Presley decides. Some of these bands had to play as early as eleven in the morning and at just twelve at night over half of them were completely hammered.

“Pres, you are my best friend.” James Cassells proclaims a half hour later, slinging an arm around her.

“Oh, so this is the Presley I’ve been hearing about?” Jaime Preciado from Pierce The Veil asks, smiling.

“That’s me,” She ruffles James’ hair, grinning.

“You know, Ben and Elliott don’t have the best of history. They actually-”

Her concentration on whatever Jaime was going to say is broken by hands grasping her waist and twirling her in a circle. “Pres! I’ve been looking for you!” Elliott grins at her, hands still placed on her hips.

“Sorry I ran out on you earlier. You just looked too peaceful to wake up.” Her apologetic smile convinces him.

“It’s fine. Now come on, I have some friends for you to meet.” He pulls her through the crowded area, midway yelling over the blaring music to ask, “You like Of Mice And Men, right?” Her eyes nearly bulge out of her head. Elliott laughs. “I’ll take that as a yes.” They move from one tent to another, finally stopping under the one proclaiming in a scrawled sharpie, ‘Bring Me The Bitches!’

“Nicholls!” Elliott yells and Matt looks up from his phone, surprised. He muses his brown hair before getting up to give El one of those bro-hug things.

“Nice to see you, mate. Who’s this?” He gestures towards Presley.

“This is Presley. She’s with Last To Leave.” Recognition flares in Matt’s eyes.

“Oh yeah! I’ve heard of you guys before. You wrote that song ‘A Busted Clock’ right?” She nods wordlessly, amazed that someone in a band as big as his had heard their music before.

He teasingly raises an eyebrow at her.

“You don’t speak much, do you?” Elliott practically kneels over laughing, answering for her.

“Man, I’m lucky when she shuts up! I think she’s a bit starstruck.” Pres smacks him on the chest, grinning apologetically at the other boy.

“Sorry, it’s just that he can be an idiot. And yeah, that’s our song.”

“Well it has some sick guitar riffs.” Her grin widens even further.

“Thank you!”

“Anyway,” Elliott interrupts, narrowed eyes darting between the two, “have you seen Of Mice?”

“I’ve seen half of them.” El and Pres glance at each other, confused.

“Alan and Tino are over at the Black Veil bus. I think Austin’s there too but I’m ninety nine percent sure Phil and Aaron are on their bus. Fiances don’t want them to party so much.” He rolls his eyes playfully.

“Alright, well thanks, man. See you ‘round.” He leads her away, presumably in the direction of the Black Veil Brides bus.

“Wait,” she demands after replaying what just happened in her head, “back there were you...jealous?” Her heart-shaped lips are tipped in a smile.

“What? Me? Psh, no way. Now let’s go! I haven’t seen the guys in forever.”

Notes

Another shortish chapter. I'll update tomorrow morning so no worries. :))