Living In The Radio

The next morning, I had set my alarm to a quieter setting, nervous of waking anyone up this time. It'd be nice to actually take my pills without being interrupted. I slumped into the living area, and into the kitchen, downing the pills in only one gulp.
I sighed and turned around to look at the couch. I'd been very wrong to assume that no one was awake. Alex stared at me from his seat with a smile. I groaned and shot him a dirty look.
He stared back for a moment, keeping his sly grin. I continued to glare at him until he spoke up, much to my dismay.
"Good morning, Harley," He was perky.
"Not really," I murmured.
"And why's that?" He chuckled.
"Because I'm looking at you," I snarled.
"Wow, you're already bitchy this early in the morning," Alex laughed and looked at the clock. "It's a new record,"
"I wouldn't be annoyed, if you weren't here. Stop swearing, for God's sake," I groaned, and leaned against the bar.
"We'll be getting to Washingtoen this aftertoenoon," Alex chuckled.
"Stop with the toe jokes," I rolled my eyes.
"They're fantoestic though," He breathed between laughter.
"No, they're not," I shot. "What am I supposed to do while you guys perform?"
"Zack's orders; you have to be with us during VIP meet and greets," Alex shrugged. "I don't know what the scenario is, for performances. We're never on stage for long though,"
"What's a meet and greet?" I cocked my head.
"When we meet fans and sign things, take pictures and all that good stuff," Alex shrugged. "Do you know any of the other bands?"
"I don't like music," I said quickly.
"Yeah, I got that yesterday. I still think it's stupid, but I meant if you knew them personally," He rolled his eyes.
"Oh," I paused. "I don't know anyone,"
"We'll have to introduce you to some people then," Alex sighed with a grin.
"I don't want to know anyone," I spat.
"You'll want to know some people when you get lost, or need to find us," Alex corrected me. He brought up a point.
"Why would I get lost?!" I whined.
"Warped Tour's huge. You might get drunk without us, and need someone to grab you," Alex explained and I laughed at his remark.
"I don't drink," I scoffed.
"You do now," Alex laughed at me and waved a hand to dismiss me.
"I won't drink, I promise," I denied. "Who do have in mind, to introduce me to?" I was hoping he'd bring me to someone more like me. A girl would be great, because I was having a hard time dealing with 4 boys.
"Probably Austin and Alan. Vic, and the guys too," Alex shrugged. None of the female species, I see.
"Not interested," I rolled my eyes.
"Intoeested?" Jack mumbled as he shoved his way through the curtain. He rubbed his eyes and sat down beside Alex.
"Oh, shut up," I groaned.
"You don't really have a choice," Alex shrugged at me. "We can't be losing you in the crowds,"
"Oh, that's what you're talking about? Yeah, you've got to meet the guys," Jack yawned.
"Flyzik too," Alex nodded.
"Vinny," Jack added.
"Please, just let me go home," I groused, in a whine.
"Too late for that. We're all the way across the country," Jack laughed.
"I can walk," I scowled.
"Not taking the chance," Alex shook his mangy head. "Are Zack and Rian up yet?"
"Nope," Jack shook his head and played with his head.
"Well turn on the music," Alex snorted, and grabbed for the remote that I'd learned was for the stereo.
"No, don't," I whined.
"You have some serious issues with music, don't you?" Jack raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I do. So don't turn it on," I warned Alex, as he flipped through discs in a case.
"Green Day!" Alex yelled, and ripped out a CD.
"Which one?" Jack sighed with a grin.
"What's a green day?" I cocked my head with an annoyed glare.
"A band, dumbass," Jack rolled his eyes at me.
"Uno!" He yelled and shoved the disc inside, sending music blasting through the bus. I glared at him.
"At least turn it down," I glared. "Was that a swear?" I asked, over the music. I could've sworn I'd heard the F bomb drop in the lyrics.
"Of course it was a swear," Alex nodded. "Billy said fuck,"
"Who's Billy?" I asked.
"The singer! Holy shit," Jack laughed.
"TURN DOWN THE GOD DAMN GREEN DAY!" I heard my brother angrily screech from the bunks. I snorted and Alex and Jack started to laugh hysterically.
"Never!" Alex shouted back, and stood up on the couch. I turned away for a moment, so sit at a bar stool. I didn't want to be involved in any fight that might go down.
Zack came stumbling into the living area with Rian close on his heals. He shot us all horrible glares, and I stuck my tongue out at him.
"It's too early for Green Day," Rian murmured sleepily.
"It's never too early for Green Day," Jack scowled.
"It's always too early for music," I shrugged.
"You just hate music," Zack pointed to me accusingly.
"Yes, I do," I nodded. "It's meaningless and annoying,"
"Wait, you think music has no meaning?" Alex looked taken aback, and finally turned the music down a bit.
"This song obviously doesn't, for example," I pointed to the speakers.
"Kill The DJ? This song's for dancing. Not for meaning!" Jack laughed and I shot him an angry glance.
"Just turn it off," Zack grumbled.
"Where are we?" Rian moaned and rubbed his head.
"Close," Alex mumbled and turned the music off.
***
We arrived at the tour, and Zack and Rian yanked me out of the bus. They'd forced me into getting changed and ready. I decided that if I were to be stuck around these people for months on end, I'd have to make myself presentable. I'd thrown on a lacey white tank top, with a pair of blue jean shorts. My hair was done perfectly, and my make up was better than I'd seen it for days.
I was grumpy though. I didn't want to be pulled into the hot air and forced to walk all the way to someone else's bus. They hadn't told me who we were visiting, or who I was being introduced to. I wasn't given any information. Just that their bus was a minutes walk from ours, and that they were friendly.
We got to the bus, and Rian knocked on the door.
"They're not bad guys," He whispered to me.
"But if they have any taste in people, they'll hate you," Zack mumbled in my ear.
"Great, thanks," I said sarcastically.
A guy with long brown hair opened the door. He was tan, and wearing a white tee shirt, that I assumed was a band tee. He smiled at the guys, and shook both their hands.
"Nice to see you guys! Come on in," The man walked inside the trailer to allow the three of us in. The bus was messy, and we walked into the living area to find one other guy on the couch.
He looked up from his phone and took off his dark sunglasses. He had red hair and a nose ring. The guy was covered in tattoos, and they showed on his arms. He was wearing a lose black tank.
"Rian! Zack! Hey guys," He smiled at them, and put his phone into his pocket.
"Aye man," Zack grinned and took a seat next to him.
"This is Alan," Rian motioned to the red headed guy.
"And I'm Phil," The guy who'd opened the door waved to me.
"Nice to meet you," Smiled Alan. "You're Harley, right?"
"Yeah," I rolled my eyes. Alan frowned, and Phil sighed, taking a seat at the bar.
"These are the guys from Of Mice & Men," Zack said to me, emotionless.
"That's a book," I sneered.
"It's our band name, too," Alan said slowly.
"Stupid," I said under my breath.
"Austin!" Rian walked away from me and yelped towards the curtain that would lead to Alan and Phil's bunk area. I cringed at his sudden yell, and glared at him.
A guy with short black hair came running out of the bunks, and hugged Rian, squeezing him. Rian bro-hugged him back and laughed. I assumed this was Austin. He had tattoo's all over his arms, and neck. He was tall, with extremely skinny features.
"Aw guys! It's been so long," Austin released Rian and high fived my brother.
"Yeah, over the time, we picked up a hitchhiker," Zack laughed and pointed to me.
"Is that your sister?" Austin asked. He smiled while he talked.
"Sadly," I piped up.
Austin laughed and looked over at me. He walked closer and put out a hand for me to shake it. I looked up at him and gave him a weird look. "Cool to meet you, I'm Austin Carlile,"
"Am I supposed to care?" I jeered. Austin's smile faded, and he stepped away from me, looking from Alan to Phil confusedly.
"You shouldn't be such a bitch, Harley. These guys are our friends," Zack groaned at me.
"Your band, what does it mean to you?" I asked sarcastically.
"Everything," Alan said quickly.
"It's my life," Austin added.
"Because you get the money," I shot.
"Harley!" Rian shouted.
"It's okay, it's okay guys," Austin shrugged. "She's just upset,"
"I'm not upset. I'm pissed. I want to go home, and I don't care about your stupid friends," I shot at Austin, and then to Zack.
"Harley, calm the fuck down. You're being nasty," Zack looked at me, horrified.
"Don't worry about it Zack. I'm not offended," Alan laughed.
"Have you heard our music?" Asked Phil from behind me.
"No, and I don't plan on it," I rolled my eyes.
"Stop it Harley! You're acting like a little kid," Zack murmured.
"She'll warm up to us," Austin still smiled, with surprised me. "She's just upset because she's not used to touring. She'll be alright soon,"
I knitted my eyebrows together and looked Austin up and down. How was he not reacting to me? Why wasn't he pissed off? This made my angrier.
"I will not warm up to a bunch of emo freaks," I snarled.
"Harley!" Rian screamed again, looking at me in absolute shock.
"I'm sorry guys. We're going to head back. Let's meet up later though, probably without Harley," Zack glared at me.
"You can bring her," Austin shrugged and smiled at me.
"Don't be so nice to her," Zack laughed and started to drag me out the door, with Rian following behind us.
"You all suck!" I called back to them as Zack slammed the door behind me.
***
"Emo freaks?! Are you fucking kidding me?!" Zack yelled when we got onto the bus. I rolled my eyes and plopped onto the couch. Rian took a seat at the bar and put his face down onto the counter, groaning and covering his ears.
"They were weird looking," I shrugged.
"They're people!" Zack yelled.
"What's going on out here?" Alex came busting in through the curtain.
"Stay out of this," I glared at him.
"Did you see how nice Austin was to you? You fucking spat in his face!" Zack ignored Alex and kept yelling.
"I don't want anyone's pity," I sneered.
"He wasn't pitying you! He was being nice! Austin's probably one of the most sincere people I know. If you can treat the guys from OMAM like shit, there's no hope for you," Zack shouted.
"Hope? I don't need hope. I'm fine! I was fine back in Maryland! Back home!" I shrieked.
"Well you're not home anymore, bitch! You're at Warped Tour. Where no one tolerates assholes. Everyone respects each other, and everyone takes care of each other. You better learn to treat people the way you want to be treated, or you'll end up getting hurt. And when you get hurt, no one's going to care enough to help you," Zack glowered at me, and squinted his eyes.
"I don't need anyone here to help me," I said hushed, with a scoff.
"Harley, Zack; calm down," Alex tried to intervene.
"No point, Alex," Rian said, muffled because his face was still shoved onto the table.
"I'm texting Hanna and Liv, and they're going to bring me home!" I screeched in Zack's face.
"Good luck!" Zack rolled his eyes and threw a pillow at me. I pushed it away and stomped to the bathroom. I slammed the door behind me and sat down on the toilet, dialing Hanna's number.
"Hello?" She answered after a few rings.
"Han, I need your help," I said quickly and quietly.
"O.M.G.! Harley!" She said, sounding like she was with someone else.
"Are you with Liv?" I asked.
"Yeah! We're tanning," She sighed. "What's up girl?"
"I need you to get me," I said.
"Where are you?" She asked, sounding like she was pouting.
"I'm in Washington," I said slowly.
"D.C.?" She asked.
"No, the state," I groaned.
"What?!" She laughed hysterically, and I knitted my eyebrows together. "Look, Harley. I don't know how to break this to you,"
"Break what to me?" I scoffed.
"We're not driving to Washington, to get a washed up brat," I heard Liv shouted in the background.
"Washed up?!" I coughed, practically choking on my lungs.
"That stupid tour," Hanna chuckled. "You're missing all this, for that? Pathetic,"
"It wasn't my choice!" I yelped in agony.
"Even lamer. Sorry Harley, we're not going to bother," Liv called into the phone.
"You guys have got to be kidding me!" I scorned.
"Oh, cry me a river Harley. Get over it, okay?" Hanna laughed, and I could practically hear her roll her eyes.
"You guys suck!" I yelled.
"Fuck yourself," Liv laughed.
"Liv!" I cried.
"Leave us alone, and go back to fucking with those dirty band boys," Hanna shot and the phone went silent.
I hit end and put my face in my hands. I'd lost my two best friends in the whole world. So quickly...and it was all Zack's fault. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't force myself to. My hands shook, and I ran my fingers through my hair.
Hanna and Liv knew everything about me. They'd never hesitate to embarrass me now. I was fucking screwed, and I felt like I'd just dropped through a hell hole that I liked to call being outcasted. I was now stuck on a disgusting tour, and I'd lost my only friends.
Thoughts started slipping back. My life was fucking over. I didn't have anyone. I didn't have Zack, my parents were mad at me, I didn't know anyone on this tour and I'd already pissed everyone off, and now I had no friends. Nothing was there. I felt empty. I felt sick, actually. I felt really sickly.
I let myself slide off the toilet seat, and I opened it wide. My body shook and I felt absolutely nasty. I vomited almost instantly and started to cry.
***

Notes