|June 2014|

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|Austin P.O.V|

David and I continued to run, David's breath coming out in short pants as we rounded a corner and saw the fence straight ahead.

"Wait, stop!" He yelled.

"What, what?!" I yelled.

"Where's Beau?" He asked.

"Like hell I know, just keep running Schmitt." He looked back, but once he heard the screaming of the fans and the sirens of the cops, he started running again. We rounded another corner, unlike me, David skidded around it, scrambling on his little feet while his hands touched the road beneath us.

"You know, you could've told us you were banned from this city!" I yelled at him as we saw the venue in the horizon.

"I totally forgot. And the rest of Asking Alexandria is banned too!"

"PLEASE COME BACK WITH YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR!!!" Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck. I don't know where we went wrong. I don't.

All we were trying to do was buy some beer, but David had to have a blunt on him and it fell out.

One of the officers in the store saw it and then pieced two and two together when he recognized David's face. Apparently, Breathe Carolina is banned from here. David and I panicked and we ran out of there, of course the officer being the idiot he was yelled; "AUSTIN CARLILE AND DAVID SCHMITT YOU ARE UNDERARREST FOR TRESSPASSING AND POSSESION OF MARIJUANNA!!!" And that spiked the attention of fans and here we are.

“Bury me!” He yelled as he crossed his heart real quick before picking up speed. Damn that boy can run.

We tried dialing Ellie, Luis, Eric, and Tommy (The other two BC members) but no one picked up and now I’m really fucking scared that we may get arrested and kicked off tour. Marijuana isn’t allowed on tours of any kind and any possession requires the band to be removed for the remainder of the tour. It’s not even July yet!

“Fences!” David yelled. The fences that wrap around the venue were a few feet away from us. We couldn’t hear the cops or the fans.

“Yeah!” but David was already climbing the fence. It only took me five strides and I was up and over within a matter of seconds. David fell next to me and got up brushing the dirt off. For a moment, I leaned against the fence, trying to calm my heart rate down.

“Come on!” I gave a quick nod before breathing out again and coughing before running after him. In the distance, I could see the BC’s merch tent and sitting at the table, half-awake was Ellie.

David ran and slid under the table, the dirt creating a cloud and I coughed a bit before shooting under the table after him.

“Psst.” David runs his fingers down her leg. Her toned, pale leg. Then, her leg shot out and jaw kicked David in the face. He groaned and fell, the cloth catching his fall.

“El,” I grabbed her legs and she started screaming. She started squirming and kicked me in the cheek, but I continued to drag her down to the ground until she fell. She was still screaming and I could still hear the commotion of the fans coming to the table. “Hey, shh, shh, stop it’s just me!” I let go of her legs and she got on her knees, beating me in the arm.

“Ughhh!” her breath stench of weed and her eyes were blood shot. “Don’t call me Ellie.” She was high. Her eyes met mine as she swayed a bit, only then did I see where her eye was slightly puffy, where the makeup covered up the bruise. I took her arms in my hands, although she didn’t flinch, she yanked her arms back as quick as I had them.

She ignored my presence.

“What happened?” Her speech was slow and slurred slightly together. “Where’s Beau?” David sat up a bit.

“Remember that city I told you I’m banned from for three years?” she nodded. “Well, we’re here.”

“Police chasing you? Fans?” she shifted until she was sitting crossed leg. We were barely than five inches away from each other.

“Exactly.” I reply.

“How do you know that?” David asks.

“Beau just came in here in handcuffs a few minutes ago. They cut him loose and he just vanished. Then, they began looking for the two of you?”

We both turned to face each other and then, we laughed. Just like old times, just like we were friends. It made the whole in my chest loosen up a bit as David fell against my shoulder, still laughing.

“I’m gonna go apologize to your boyfriend,” And with that, David left, still laughing. It left the two of us.

It burned me from the inside. Why won’t she tell me that her and Scout are dating? I know we haven’t seen much of each other, but we were on a good page.

“So,” She yawned.

“So….” I awkwardly cough.

“Look at you and David, being all rebellious and shit.” She playfully punched my shoulder. I stifled a laugh.

“Yeah. But boy can he run.” She nodded. “Why does David have to apologize to Scout?” I asked while keeping my attention on the ground.

“Scout?”

“Yeah. Your boyfriend?” Ellie started laughing. I don’t know if it was from the weed or what I said was actually funny.

“Ty isn’t my boyfriend.” She giggled. “He’s just someone I know I can talk to, like Tyler.” Do I feel like an idiot. Ellie stared at me and sighed. “Do you really want to know who I’m dating?” I nodded. “Well, for about eleven months now, I’ve been dating,” she gave me a weary look. “Beau.”

“Beau.” I said. Nice name. Beau. Wait, Beau? “Beau who?” She bit her lip. Right where the lip ring used to be. God I miss kissing those lips and feeling the cool metal of the ring pressing against my own.

“Bokan.” Before I opened my mouth, I just thought for a moment. Of course I’m upset, as long as we’ve been out of contact, she’s been with Beau. But, I couldn’t think of anyone, anyone better suited for Ellie and her personality and history than Beau. Because Beau and Ellie are like two halves of the same person.

So I smiled. “I’m happy for you.” I leaned in a bit and wrapped her in a hug. For a minute or two, we just sat there in each other’s embrace.

It felt beautiful, just holding her again. I felt like a finally had gained back a bit of her trust, just like in high school. And when I felt her tiny, calloused hand slide into mine and she kissed my cheek, I knew, just for that moment, that I had Ellie back.

And I loved it.

Notes