Left For Dead

Echo’s POV
“You were amazing, Pomona!” Ally screamed inside the microphone before we all walked to the edge of the stage to bow. I was starting to get kind of used to performing. There was a certain thrill to it that I was starting to get addicted to. Of course I was still nervous in advance, but it became less and less the more performances we did.
As soon as we walked off stage, I immediately grabbed a bottle of water and gulped it down. Jeez, it was so freaking hot. I looked at my armpits, just to see that they had wet stains on it from sweat. I groaned. I loved this outfit and now it was ruined.
I looked around and saw that everyone was kind of going their own way. I shrugged and happily walked around Warped grounds looking for a bit of fun.
I watched Rise Against’s set, but after that was finished I found myself getting bored again. I was just on my way to All Time Low’s bus, like I always did when I was bored, when I suddenly saw Taylor. She was sitting on a bench not far away from the merch stall of We Are The In Crowd and she was silently scrolling down her phone. I suddenly remember walking up to her in Las Vegas and setting her up with Alex. Although it was pretty embarrassing because I was pretty drunk, I didn’t regret my decision. They would really be a cute couple.
I walked up to her and sat down next to her. “Hey Tay.” I said happily. These last two weeks had definitely led to me being more outgoing to people. Maybe it was because people actually liked me. Al though I still had the feeling that people still weren’t totally used to me. And with people I mostly meant the friends of my band members, so the guys of Pierce the Veil and Sleeping with Sirens. They just didn’t really talk to me. They mostly talked to the rest of the girls and I was too shy to say something to them.
Tay smiled at me. “Hi Echo. How are you? Are you enjoying Warped?” she asked politely.
“Yes, I am very much. Look, I still wanted to say sorry for my kind of embarrassing behavior in Las Vegas. I never had the change to apologize for that.” I said and I blushed a little.
She laughed. “It’s okay. It was actually really funny. You’re funny when you’re drunk.” She said.
I jokingly put on an arrogant face. “Only when I’m drunk? Girl, I’m also hilarious when I’m completely sober.” I said and I flipped my hair over my shoulder.
She laughed, throwing her hair back a little. “No, but really, I can sort of understand why Alex is so fond of you. You’re really cool. A bit shy and weird, but it suits you for some reason.” She said smiling.
I smiled back. Wow, this was really the best compliment I had ever gotten from someone I barely knew. I felt really good about it. “You’d be one of the first to find it cool. I still don’t really feel like I really fit in with the friends of my bandmates. I’m kind of not good with making friends.” I said. I had never told this to anyone, except for the boys of ATL of course. I don’t know why, but I trusted her somehow.
“I kind of know how you feel. I used to be that same kind of person. The weird, shy girl that everyone avoided. I’m still not really good in socializing. Why do you think I’m sitting here alone?” she said and she gestured to the bench we were sitting on.
I laughed. “We can be loners together. And we can talk about loner stuff together.” I said enthusiastically and I clapped my hands.
Tay laughed and nodded. “Yeah, let’s do that. Does that make us less loner or more loner?” she asked and I chuckled.
“I guess a little bit of both. But as your loner friend I’d like to know: how are things going with Alex?” I asked. I was so curious about it. I haven’t really got a chance to talk about it with Alex. He kind of avoided the subject whenever I started about it. Which was kind of weird. Maybe he was just annoyed by me. It wouldn’t have been the first time.
Taylor sighed and shook her head. “Echo, are you honestly still trying to set us up?” she said.
“You guys would be so cute! And I just want to see both of you happy.” I said defending my actions and I crossed my arms over each other.
She smiled a thankful smile. “That’s really sweet, but I don’t think he likes me that way. We have talked for a while back then in Vegas, but he didn’t make a move.” She said and she sounded a bit hurt.
I put my hand on her shoulder to cheer her up. I hated seeing people sad. “I think he just didn’t want to make it obvious or something. He told me himself that he likes you, Tay. You just need to give him a little push.” I said petting her shoulder.
She looked up to me. “You think?” she asked. It was kind of adorable that she already had a crush on him. Yeah, she would do just fine for him.
“Yeah. I’ve known him for six years now and I know it when he has a crush. He always acts all quiet and reserved when he has a crush on someone. He has been kind of off lately, so he at least has a crush on someone. Judging from the conversations he has had with you, I think it’s you.” I said and I rushed my words a bit.
She smiled at me. “Thank you, Echo.” She said. “I feel like this is the beginning of a good friendship.”
I let my smile reach from ear to ear. Making friends have always been an unique occasion for me. The fact that someone actually wanted to put with me, was special to me.
*
After talking with Taylor for a while, she had to prepare for her own set, so I headed back to the bus. I hoped it was a bit cooler in the bus, because I was literally dying of dehydration because of all the sweating.
When I stepped into the bus, I noticed that it was empty except for Vanna sitting in the back lounge. I kinda came to the realization lately that I have talked the least with Vanna of all the girls. I mean, somehow they had found a way to accept me in the band, but I had a better bond with Ally and Shannon. Okay, I didn’t know them well as well, but still.
I just kind of not had a chance to have a proper conversation with Vanna yet. Maybe I just didn’t really dare yet, probably because our personalities were very different. She was though cookie and I was the kind of person that cried when I saw a dead bird on the street. She was really outgoing and well I was the opposite of that. She had a quick temper and I hated seeing people angry.
But I guess opposites balance each other out and my conversation with Taylor had given me some new confidence. Maybe it was time to try.
I took a deep breath and walked up to her and sat down next to her. “Hey Vanna, how are you?” I asked trying to sound confident, but it came out a bit unsure.
She looked up from her phone and looked a bit confused to see me here.
“Hi…I’m fine. Thanks. And you?” she asked and she put her phone down.
“Yeah. I’m alright too.” I said trying desperately to keep the smile on my face.
“Good.” She said. And then a silence fell. Shit I should’ve thought this trough better. I desperately tried to think of something to talk about, but my mind couldn’t come up with something. This was what always happened. It was like my mind became empty.
“So, I’m just gonna get some ice cream.” Vanna said as she stood up and walked in the direction of the door.
“Okay.” I said a bit sad but I didn’t think she noticed. She had already exited the back lounge.
Wow. I guess that went well. I had managed to keep the conversation going for at least fifteen seconds. I think that’s a record.
I buried my face in my hands. I really needed to stop thinking about what other people were thinking of me. That was really the reason why I was this way. Because I tried too hard for people to like me.
I stumbled over to the bunker section and fell with my face down on the pillow of my bunker. I didn’t really feel like doing anything now anymore. Just when I decided that I was going to spend the rest of my day in my bunk, I felt my phone vibrate.
I took it out of my blouse and looked at my lock screen.
Alex: Hey, me and the boys are having a hotdog eating competition and we needed an impartial referee. I decided to text you, because I let you win with volleyball, so I guess you’ll let me win this one, right? ;)
I smiled at my screen. I guess this was just what I needed. To spent time with the only people that I could be myself around.
Echo: I let you win on one condition: I get your leftovers.
Alex: deal.
————————————————————————————————————————
Shannon POV
As we got off of the stage the girls had split up into different paths, so I just decided to go back to the bus and get cleaned up. Making my way through the maze of buses I crashed into a tall figure, I looked up to see Chris staring back at me with his makeup all ready for his set. He gave me a hand, and stood me back up, me and Chris have gotten along really well while on warped, he is like my brother figure, I talked to Chris for another five minutes until he had to go and play his set, then I trailed back to the buses, when I arrived I saw Leon on a pull out chair outside of the bus with a drink and his head back. I went up to him and slapped him, which made him jump and spill the drink all down him. I stood there with a grin on my face. “This isn't a holiday” I laughed, he shrugged “well someone else is running the merch tent for me today so it's a break” he clapped his hands and stood up. “I'm gonna run to the store real quick, you need anything?”
Then it popped into my head, “yeah can you get me a couple boxes of bleach and red and dirty blonde dye” He nodded his head and preceded to make his way out of the warped area. I sighed, he's leaving in two days, the person who I treat most like family is leaving. I know I want him to go and live his dreams, but it's still going to upset me. I folded my arms and took the seat which Leon was sitting on before hand and waited for anyone to return.
After a while the first to return was Vanna she looked extremely sad lately. “Hey vanna, you busy?” I asked as she walked closer to the bus. “No but I wish I was so I can stop thinking about that thing I'm married too” she said rubbing her temples. “Wanna help me with something” I asked, she looked up at me and nodded. “Just do it exactly how you did it last time. Okay?” She nodded and smiled. Vanna dyed my hair last time, it wasn't actually meant to look like it does but we liked it and left it how it was. Ally and echo were sitting on the sofa on their phones probably liking fan pictures on social media. We all looked to the door when we heard it open to see Leon walking in with bags, he give me the bag I needed which contained everything me and vanna needed to proceed with our plan. I nodded towards the bathroom and vanna got the message and me and her shouted from the bunks “don't come in the bathroom!” They all grumbled in reply. “Well arent they a happy bunch today” I whispered. Vanna opened the boxes of bleach and mixed what needed to be mixed and carefully applied it to all of my hair. As we were waiting for the time to rinse it off to come we were just talking about everything. We rinsed out the dye, to see that it had removed pretty well and my hair was basically blonde. Vanna then grabbed, the dirty blonde hair dye. I think this is where we went wrong last time, because we brought the wrong colour. She then applied that to my head and we gossiped some more, see me and vanna we can talk for hours and it doesn't get boring. We heard the bus door open and close a few times so the girls and Leon had probably gone to do whatever. As the timer went off we rinsed the dye out of my hair and blow dryed it. I look towards vanna who was about to grab the red dye and her mouth was wide open. “Please don't tell me my hair has fallen ou--” she turned me around to look in the bathroom mirror and my face went identical to hers. “Wow” we both said at the same time.
We heard a knock on the bathroom door “hey guys it's me echo can I come in” , vanna looked at me and through a towel over my head. I heard her open the door and close it. I giggled imagining echos confused face. Just as she was about to ask why I was covered with a towel, I felt the towel being ripped off of my head. Her face dropped just as ours did. “Duuuuuuuude” vanna nodded. “Wait!” I have an idea” we let echo explain her plan than she had and we started to follow it. Echo and Vanna were getting along and it made me smile. Meanwhile, I had just been burnt on the ear with the straightners by vanna. “Give the straightners to Echo” I said holding my ear. We all laughed, while they made me get changed into casual clothes. And we all went to sit in the front room. Echo nudged me “text Mike” I scrunched up my eyebrows. But Echo and Vanna started to beg me. I gave in and grabbed my phone.
Me: hey, can you come to our bus now, don't bother knocking on just walk in (:
I got a reply straight away
Mike: Im coming now(:
Looks like Vanna and Echo have bonded through my hair, great way to put things Shannon. Then I felt a pillow being put on my face. “Ok can we stop putting things in my face” is what I said but it came out muffled. I heard a male chuckle and knew it was Mike. “Why are you trying to suffocate Shannon?” He probably had his arms crossed over his chest and a stupid grin on his face, next thing you know I felt fresh air entering my lungs. “I thought-- I WA--s gonna die” I breathed heavily. Then I looked up and Mike was smiling. “Hey giggles” he said casually and walked to take a seat next to me on the couch. “How can you be so casual about it?” Echo said with surprise. He shrugged and said “I like it, a lot” then he pointed to my eyebrows “I never knew you had naturally dark brown hair”, I shrugged. We looked over to see vanna and echo laughing at something on their phones. I shrugged it off and carried on talking to Mike. I remembered something and got a little curious “how's Jaime?” I whispered so vanna wouldn't hear. “He could be better, but Tony calms him down, so I guess he is fine” I nodded. “Sorry I couldn't see your set today” he said sadly. I laughed and leant into his side “you watch it every other day I think you can miss a few”. I made myself comfortable, and fell asleep leaning into Mike's side.

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We've literally been writing a lot lately, can't wait to see the outcome of this!
-Shannon, Nicky, Kenia & Ale <3