I dragged myself off the plane and into the warm Californian sun. The line for the luggage carousel was huge and I knew I wouldn't get anywhere near close to my belongings for a while. I collected a trolley none the less and waited on a near by bench for the hour it took for the crowd to subside. I flicked my phone back on to find five messages waiting.

From: Vic x

Yo! Piggy you landed yet?

From: Barakat

Text me when your safe. I'll let Alex know

From: Rian

Oi! Carrie! You there yet?

From: Vic x

I'm in the arrivals lounge dude.

From: Vic x

Holy shit. How long does it take to get off a plane Car?

I flicked a reply to the three of them showing them I was fine and still alive and told Vic I was just grabbing my shit. I lifted my three boxes onto the trolley and dragged my suitcase off the conveyor belt, grunting as I pulled it on top of my boxes. I threw my duffle bag into the handbag compartment of the trolley and pushed the heavy metal contraption through security and into the arrivals lounge.
“Carrie!” I heard Vic yell and I left my belongings into the path and ran to him.
“Victor!”
“I was getting you for a weekend,” he said as he pulled my head into his chest. “And now I get you forever. I'm never letting you go!” He squeaked and faked tears as he brushed my hair with his fingers. Vic was like an older brother to me. He was five years older but we acted the same age. I was more mature than I should be and he acted like a teenager still. I wriggled out of his grasp and skipped back to my trolley, heaving it around and following Vic to his car. He pushed me away and lifted the boxes into his trunk. His Nissan Pathfinder was huge and spanking new. I climbed into the front seat with my duffle and picked a blink 182 CD out of his collection and slid it into the player.
We jammed to the guitar while we wound through the Californian streets.
“Fuck, it's sunny here.” I sighed as I wound down the window.
“Ha! Wait till you see noon, you're lucky its the afternoon. You've missed the heat.”
Shit. I better go shopping, I was pretty sure I only had jeans and t-shirts, I'd roast.
Pulling up at the Fuentes' made my heart jump out of my chest. This is where I belonged, this was my family. Vivian Fuentes came running out the house to greet me.
“Carrie! Dear, how are you? I have your room all set up for you!” She wrapped her arms around me and leaned into her. She melt like home. She was the closest thing I had ever had to a mother. “You start at school next semester but that's only three weeks, until then you can hang around with Vic and Mike, no doubt you'll get into all sorts of trouble.” She laughed and led me inside as the boys carried my shit to my room.
The next three weeks flew by quickly, Vic showed me around the neighbourhood and I attended band practice with Mike and Vic. It sucked that I was too young to be going to school with either of them but it didn't matter, I only had a semester left until I graduated. Vivian and Victor acted like I had never moved to Baltimore and like I was daughter of their own. They only had the two boys so having a teenage girl living under their roof was a novelty to them. My communication with the boys in Baltimore dropped after about a week, but still I waited for a text every Sunday telling me that something else had gone wrong. Vic had bought an apartment and moved out the week before I got to California but only went there to sleep. He was back at the family home bright and early and ready for breakfast every morning and stayed around until after dinner. The only reason he had left was to free up a room for me.
“Hey piggy, I'll drive you to school tomorrow morning.” Vic said between bites of his gigantic taco. “I want to warn all the rejects there that you have two hardcore brothers watching out for you and not to try anything.” He laughed and mince flew everywhere. Vivian scolded him and whacked the back of his head with her magazine.
“Victor! Don't talk with your mouth full.” He grumbled before taking the final bite of his taco and throwing his plate in the sink. I jumped on his back and ordered him to carry me to my bedroom. He threw me down on my bed and I burst out laughing as he began to root through my clothes, holding up items against his body, throwing suggestions on what I should wear tomorrow. I pulled my guitar onto my lap and started to strum the chords to the song Alex and I had put together for music class.
“Oooh,” Vic cooed and dropped my clothing to the floor, leaving a litter of colour on the floor. “What's that lil' piglet?” I giggled as he perched on the edge of my bed.
“It's called Hold On Till May. I wrote it for music class and the guy I was partnered with put chords to it.” Vic closed his eyes and swayed as I sung the lyrics to him.
“I think I might steal that someday.” I laughed and threw my pick at him declaring plagiarism.

The last semester passed quickly, I aced all my classes, graduated with honours and soon began helping the boys write songs for their demos while working my ass off at a Hot Topic store. Time flew past and in early 2007 the boys were signed and released their first album as Pierce The Veil. Our lives were hectic, I helped their manager keep them in line and wrote more and more material for the boys. They released their first album and were instantly greeted with a great reaction. Every one was so proud of them.

“They want us to what!?” Vic yelled from the kitchen of our apartment. “Oh my fuck, that's great!” I sauntered in, paper work in my hand and raised an eyebrow at Vic. He snapped his phone shut and scooped me up in a hug. “They've signed us up for Warped tour! We're playing the entire tour on the Hurley stage!” I squealed and squeezed his shoulders. We ran off to tell the rest of the band and Vic's parents.

Notes

I know PTV went on tour and stuff before Warped, but lets just roll with it :P
Let me know what you think!
Crappy chapter but I just wanted to... Jump ahead. Get to the good stuff. Not enough ATL :P