expectations. // jack b.

“Blink or Green Day?” Presley grimaces, tossing each band back and forth in her mind.

“I’m gonna have to go with Green Day.” Several dissatisfied groans mingle with a few cheers. It had been a half hour or so since all the other bands had gone to their buses, happy and full of ribs. Now Presley, Finley, Sage, Of Mice, and Pierce were all playing a game of This or That around the slowly dying bonfire.

“Babe. How could you pick anything over Blink 182? They’re like the OGs of punk.” Pres shrugs, grinning at Alan’s teasing. “I don’t know, I mean Billie Joe Armstrong is pretty hot.” He raises an eyebrow as he takes a swig of the beer in his hand.

“As hot as me?” A chorus of ‘ooh’ fills the night air and she blushes. “Maybe. Maybe not.” She flicks her vibrant hair over her shoulder and his eyes darken slightly. “Then how about we g-”

“What are we talking about, guys?” Austin interrupts, back from the bathroom.

A smirking Jaime speaks before the pair can even open their mouths. “Ashby and Pres here were eyefucking each other while the rest of us pretended not to see it.” Her mouth gapes open as Austin folds over, laughing.

“You two need to just fuck already.” Alan chuckles and tugs Pres into his lap, pretending not to notice how she tenses up.

Sage stands up a minute or so later, dusting off her shorts. “Do you guys want to do some acoustic songs? Pres and I can tape it. The fans will eat it up.” They all nod and Vic kisses her forehead. “My girlfriend has such good ideas.” Sage and Pres share a look at the word ‘girlfriend’.

“I’m gonna run and get my acoustic from the van real quick.” Pres says, grabbing Sage’s hand. “Be right back!” They dash off before any of the boys can object. Once inside the shut van they start squealing.

“Girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend!” Sage confirms, beaming. “He called me his girlfriend!”

They’re silent for a moment before they burst into giggles. “Now come on,” Pres commands, grabbing her acoustic guitar that she had been using since she was fourteen, “let’s get you back to your boyfriend.”

“What should we sing first?” Aaron asks, clutching the guitar. “What about The Girl At the Rock Show?” They mull over the suggestion before nodding.

“Sounds good.”

“Hanging out behind the club on the weekend.
Acting stupid, getting drunk with my best friends.
I couldn't wait for the summer and the Warped Tour.
I remember it's the first time that I saw her...there”

Alan winks as he flies through the chords, not missing a beat. They were playing the same exact chords, just with acoustic guitars. Even Tino and Mike were working together on some chill beats, using empty beer cans and other things of the sort.

“Because I fell in love with the girl at the rock show
She said "what?" and I told her that I didn't know.
She's so cool, gonna sneak in through her window.
Everything's better when she's around.
I can't wait til her parents go out of town.
I fell in love with the girl at the rock show.”

Pres’s usually steady hands waver as the camera in her hand captures the moment that Alan Ashby mouths the words to her. He’s just a flirt. She tells herself. I’m here to make a name for my band and myself, not to become a hopeless groupie.

But then again, how much harm would a one night stand do?

After the song ends, she applauds along with the rest of the group before handing the camera to Sage.

She settles the guitar in her lap, drumming her fingers nervously on the wooden body of it.

“You ready?” Sage nods and she starts singing out the lyrics as seductively. Hayden would have called it ‘channeling her inner stripper’.

“Baby, can’t you see
I’m calling.
A guy like you
Should wear a warning.
It’s dangerous
I’m fallin’.”

The group is taken aback by her song choice, but approve regardlessly.

She looks up at Alan through her eyelashes as she plucks the strings.

Damn, Sage wordlessly giving P her blessing, now that is a girl who wants to get laid.

“There’s no escape.
I can’t wait.
I need a hit.
Baby, give me it.
You’re dangerous
I’m lovin’ it.”

Alan’s eyes are wide throughout the entire performance. His eyes grow even larger as she promptly finishes her song and plops down on his lap, far different from earlier.

“Well that was fun.”

Notes

Now before you say how much of a whore Presley is, just remember that she's a beautiful nineteen year old girl who as Alan Ashby in the palm of her hand.