**Mike's POV**

I sat on our bus with Jaime and Tony. Vic was off with that witch he calls his girlfriend, and Erin and Jess were out shopping. "I don't know, guys, I've just never met anyone like her," I vented to them about Ahna.

"Any idea why she flipped out?" Tony asked.

"No… we had some of the best sex I've ever had, then she fell asleep in my arms – god, she looked so beautiful lying there in my arms," I told them.

"Anyway," Jaime prompted.

"Anyway," I continued, "then Milinda came to get Ahna so she could help Cherri Bomb set up for their show, and it was like a switch flipped." My two friends gave me confused looks, silently asking me to explain. "She got up and hit her head, and just glared at me when I asked if she was okay. Then I asked her to come to the party tonight and she got all mad saying that she was here for the kids not to party and hookup."

"Well," Tony began to spill his ever ready wisdom, "it's sounds to me like she's just not the cheap hookup kinda girl and she was embarrassed that her best friend caught her in the act." Jaime nodded in agreement, but I wasn't convinced.

"Can I say something without you guys thinking I'm an asshole or an idiot or something?" They both nodded, sympathy dancing through Tony's eyes. "She was really skinny. Like I could feel her spine and her hips and ribs and… I think she might have an eating disorder."

---

**Ahna's POV**

"Save it," I huffed at Milinda. I knew she was gonna be on my case about Mike.

"Look, I'm sure you could go to the barbecue and just tell him you already ate!" I appreciated that she wasn't getting on me about not eating, but I just didn't want to see Mike.

"Look, I'm just not ready for a relationship right now! Charlie still calls me multiple times every day and I don't want to get into an argument in front of Mike!" We concluded our walk back to Cherri Bomb's bus, and Milinda let the subject drop. But I knew that wasn't the end of it.

"Holy shit!" Rena yelled as she saw me.

"Watch your mouth!" Milinda countered.

"Sorry, but, Ahna, that hickey is huge," she giggled. Fuck, I cursed myself with a loud sigh.

---

**After Cherri Bomb's Set, About 1:00 PM**

"Why am I seeing you on Instagram with some random douche bag touching your thighs, baby?" Charlie snarled at me over the phone. Our relationship had ended about a month before, but he just refused to leave me alone.

"The pose was Milinda's idea, I'm so sorry," I told him. I had no reason to be sorry, but that was always the relationship we had. I was sitting at a picnic table in the bus lot, and I thought it was empty until I heard footsteps approaching. "Look, Charlie, I have to go. Please, please don't call me," I begged, knowing it wouldn't change anything, before I hung up.

"Who ya talking to?" I heard the other person call. I turned around to see one of the Pierce The Veil guys casually approaching me. I knew it wasn't Mike or Vic, but I couldn't be bothered to remember his name.

"A bad memory…" I responded blandly. He seemed friendly enough, but I really had no desire to see anyone, especially someone close to Mike. I felt really bad because I told Milinda and the kids to 'leave me the fucking hell alone,' but I was just so stressed. I was scared of Charlie, and even more scared of hurting Mike. I MEAN CHARLIE!!!!! Mike doesn't matter, I reminded myself with frustration. I can't think of anyone but Charlie.

The guy sat down next to me and gave me a sad smile. "Well, I never really got to introduce myself earlier with Mike hogging you," he said with a small smile, "I'm Tony."

"Ahna," I introduced myself with as sincere a smile as I could muster.

"Wanna go for lunch?" he asked me. I felt my eyes widen, and I got very nervous. "Not like a date or anything! I just wanted to make a new tour friend."

"W-Well, I-I… don't you have a party to set up for?!" I asked him harshly.

"Not until 9…" he responded. "Look, I just wanted to be nice. You guys are pretty much the only ones that everyone else here doesn't already know, I just thought you could use a friend."

"Okay, fine," I agreed.

---

**Vic's POV**

"Why were you on a bus with five women, Vic?! That's all I want to know!"

"Cara, please listen to me," I begged as I cupped her cheeks in my hands, "we were only there to hang out and meet a new band! Plus, three of them are just kids! I promise you, that there is nothing going on with any of them!"

She smiled as if she was accepting that answer, but I could see in her eyes that it was not over. "So, how did you meet the kids?"

"Well, I saw Milinda at Taco Bell wearing a PTV shirt, and decided to say 'hi'," I told her. I then pulled out my phone and opened Instagram after Cara asked me which one 'Milinda' was.

"So it wasn't one of the kids?! You saw a pretty little Mexican girl and decided to go over and work your way into her pants and you knew she'd go for it because she was wearing you on her tits," my girlfriend accused me sharply.

"Listen, Millie may be a pretty girl, but I do not have feelings for her! I don't know why you always get so insecure, you're the one that cheated. I never cheated on you," I countered. Her jaw dropped and she wordlessly got up and stomped out of the small diner. I was hurt, but lonely – I really just wanted to have a friend around. I pulled out my phone and dialed the number I knew could bring me happiness. "Hey, Millz? I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to get some lunch?"

---

**Tony's POV**

"Just order something!" I demanded with a slight chuckle.

"I already told you I forgot my wallet!" Ahna countered.

"And I already told you that I'll get it, and you can pay me back when we go back to the venue," I argued.

"It's really not a big deal, besides, I… uh… I ate earlier today," she told me, unconvincingly.

"I know exactly what you ate earlier," I smirked at her. She gasped and reached across the table to smack my arm.

"I'll have you know that there was zero eating!!" she informed me seriously.

"Well, yell at Mikey, not me."

"What can I get you guys?" the young waitress asked us as she approached the table gleefully.

"We'll have two orders of taquitos," I told her, stealing a glance at the uncomfortable-looking Ahna.

"And to drink?" she asked as her tattooed hand scribbled down our order. Is that...

"I'm sorry but is that a PTV tattoo?" I asked her with a cocky grin.

"Yeah, I just didn't want to fangirl and interrupt your meal…" she said, looking down with a shy smile.

"Not at all, we love our fans," I assured her as I got up to hug her.

"So, can I get a picture?" I had my phone out before she even finished asking. I pulled up Instagram and told her to tag herself and follow herself, if she wanted.

"Anything you want me to sign?" I requested. She told me to hang on and skipped back to the kitchen, handing in our order slip as she did so. She emerged a moment later with a white hoodie with a picture of PTV printed on the front, fading into the white on the edges. "This is amazing," I said, taking it and a sharpie from her hands. "I've never seen this one before."

"I designed it myself," the girl – who's name tag identified her as Aleah – told me.

"Well you have a lot of talent. How 'bout you give me your number and I'll give you a call if we need a new merch girl." She nodded and beamed at my words, and typing her number into my phone. She added a couple food emojis at the end, and I laughed.

"Um, if this isn't out of line, where's Erin?" she asked sheepishly once she returned with our food a few minutes later.

"She's out shopping with Jess," I told her. I figured if she was a big enough fan to know Erin, she knew Jess. "This is Ahna," I gestured to my companion, "she's a tech for a new band called Cherri Bomb. They're amazing, you should check them out. Anyway, just a new friend, no worries with the beautiful Miss Aschow," I assured her. She gushed happily at that.

"I'm so sorry, I'm being so rude, I'll let you guys eat your lunch in peace. Oh! I never brought you drinks either! I'm so so sorry!"

"Don't worry about it!" Ahna chimed in with a smile. "Could I get a black coffee?" she requested. The girl wrote it down along with my bottle of Corona. "So you actually have fans?!" Ahna joked, poking discontentedly at her food.

"Ha, I guess," I responded. "Why aren't you eating?"

A panicked look crossed her face, if only for a moment, and I began to think Mike's theory may have been correct. She seemed okay as far as self-harm though. At least her wrists were clear, and the California sun had forced her to change into shorts which made me fairly certain that she had no scars on her legs. "I don't like Mexican food," she responded blandly.

"Really, Milinda hasn't given you an acquired taste for it?" I chuckled in disbelief that a girl who's best friends with a Mexican, refused to eat Mexican food.

"Well sorry if I'm too white for you, I'll just go get some Starbucks and UGGs!" she countered, feigning offense. I laughed at her words, but I was still concerned. "Wait, how did you know Millie was Mexican?"

"Are you kidding?" I laughed out, "That girl's as Mexican-looking as it gets! Plus her last name is 'Martinez'." Ahna gave me a defeated look, shoveling her rice about her plate. "Ahna?" I beckoned for her to look at me.

"Yes?"

"I know why you won't eat. Mike told me that he saw you walk away from Milinda then go to Subway and only eat a bite before throwing it away."

"It had a bug in it!" she argued.

"Please don't lie to me. I promise, you can trust me."

Notes

YIKES FEELY CHAPTER! anyway sorry that this is all kinda filler and doesn't really answer much, but i think it did give a few well needed explanations. also count on another update either tonight or tomorrow :) oh and for all the fans of my other story, didn't you love that little reference ;)

QOTD: Will Ahna reconsider things with Mike?

{Title Credit To: Hell Above, Pierce The Veil}