I Introduce The Selfish Machine

I got into the backseat of Jacob's car after he arrived.
"Hey, pretty girl. You look good." Leanna said as I shut the door. I looked at my outfit. A flannel and jean shorts. Nothing really special there.
"Thanks, where are we going?" I asked.
Jacob and Leanna exchanged looked. "To a concert." Jacob said.
"Who's playing?" I asked.
"Just some local band. Vic said they were pretty good so we're thought we'd check them out." Leanna said.
Something didn't seem right. They were up to something. "Okay, seriously you guys, what's going-" I was cut off by Leanna opening her window and letting all the luke warm San Diego breeze into the car.
"Just be quiet and live in the moment for once Pipe." Leanna yelled over the sound of the wind. I shook my head and shut my eyes. I didn't really care what they were up to, I just wanted to have some fun with my sister.

When we arrived, we cut all the way to the front of the line.
"This is a pretty long line for a local band." I told Leanna.
She shrugged. "I have no idea who these guys are, they may be popular."
I watched Jacob walk up to the bouncer, say something to him and then point at us and then we were inside? What? How did we get inside so easily?
I didn't ask anymore questions, I just followed my sister and Jacob. Whatever, I didn't care anyway. I just wanted to get home and play my X-Box.
We got all the way backstage when we stopped and Jacob banged on a door. The door was swung open and my nose was hit with the smell of beer and weed.
The greetings were very loud, and when I walked in, to my surprise, I was being hugged by Vic.
"Hey girl! Great to see you." He said.
I was a little taken back. The first time I met Vic was at a dinner where we found out who was who in the wedding. We just walked down the aisle together, why is he hugging me? "Hey Vic. Great to see you?" I said.
He pulled away. "You didn't sound very sure about that greeting." Vic said.
"Because I wasn't." I sarcastically said.
"Wow, so sassy!" A man sitting on the couch said.
I looked at Vic. "Who the hell is that?" I asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Piper, this is my brother Mike. Next to him is my friend Jaime, and-" I saw someone come out of the bathroom out of the corner of my eye. I turned to face them and my jaw dropped. "I believe you know Tony." Vic finished.
I turned to my sister. "Oh no, Leanna really?"
"Oh, would you look at that! Tony's here!" Leanna said.
I was fuming. What the hell was this? Tony? Really? "You could've told me this was a Pierce The Veil concert!" I cried.
"Oops, looks like I forgot to mention it, sorry!" Leanna said.
"How about everyone besides Tony and Piper go get drinks, sound good?" Vic asked. The whole room cheered and followed Vic out the door. I raced to the door behind them, catching it right as Leanna was closing it.
"What the hell?" I whispered to her.
"Just roll with it." And then she shut the door.
I leaned against the door and took a deep breath. The last place I wanted to be was locked in a room with Tony. Tony actually standing up to me and leaving stung a little, and the last person I wanted to see was someone who stung me.
"If it helps," he spoke up, "I didn't know about this either."
"Yeah, whatever." I mumbled. I sat down on the floor and brought my knees to my chest. Why did it hurt to look at him?
"You look nice." He said.
I looked at him. "You really have the nerve to compliment me?" I snapped.
"Hey, don't snap at me, okay? I'm not the one who's all closed off and sheltered." He snapped back.
"Whatever, Tony. I don't want to talk to you."
"Yeah, well it looks like we're stuck in here so unless you want to sit in silence forever, I'm the only choice you have." He sat on the couch and opened a bottle of beer. He picked another one up and extended it out, but I couldn't reach it.
"Toss it." I said, almost in a whimper. He tossed it gently.
That's something I noticed that really stung me. Everything he did was so gentle. He was so gentle, nice, and sweet about everything. So when he stormed out over a week ago, it stung because I didn't think he would stand up for himself. I thought he would be easy to control, like a puppet and if I had somebody like that, I wouldn't be so afraid of love. That was selfish of me to want from him, when hadn't treated me rudely at all. It was then that I realized that I wasn't him who stung me, it was me who stung him.
I got up from the floor and walked over to the couch, taking a seat right next to Tony. He was shocked, I could see his eyes extend, but he didn't look up at me. I sat my beer down on the coffee table and did something I almost never do at all, and if it happens, I'm not the first one to do it.
I hugged Tony.
It was an awkward couch side hug thing, but it was a hug nonetheless. He didn't move, just sat there and let me hug him.
"Why are you hugging me?" He asked in a whimper.
"Because I stung you." I whispered.
"Piper, I liked you a lot, okay. But that was before I knew that you were the selfish machine." He referenced The Sky Under the Sea, and wow, it hurt. I didn't know I treated people that way.
"I know I am. I always sting people so that they can never sting me, but when you stood up for yourself and left, it stung. Not a lot, just a little bit. It stung, and I didn't like the feeling so I pushed away so I didn't have to deal with it. But seeing you again, I felt the sting and then I realized that the sting was from me stinging you. I hurt you, and oh my God I didn't mean to. I had that-that feeling for you that my blood cells are trained to fight off. I had the feeling and I still do, but the cells aren't fighting it off anymore. It's staying, and I can't decide if it's scary or good."
Tony smiled. "That feeling you have, I have to. I had it for you since I first saw you. I didn't think I would ever talk to you, let alone sleep with you. That feeling, Piper Lynn, is when you like someone that the thought of them makes you smile. I don't know why you're so afraid of it, but all I know is that I want to be the one to train your blood cells to accept it, not fight it."
My heart did this really weird thing where it felt like it was flying. I guess that's called fluttering? I don't know. I didn't know the feeling, but all I knew was that I wanted to be with Tony.
"You'll know, at some point. But, I just want you to be with me. The cells are going to stop fighting any time soon, but if I'm with you, I don't know if I want them to fight it."
Tony looked up at me and stared into my eyes. "You want to be...with me?"
I smiled at him. "Duh, you silly turtle."
Then his lips collided with mine, and I felt that flying feeling all over the place. My blood cells started attacking, but I pushed back the fear. Just for a moment, just for a second, so I could enjoy this. So I could enjoy Tony Perry.

I stood at the side of the stage, watching the boys get ready for their set. Just before he ran out, Tony grabbed me and kissed me, and even though he was being rushed, it was the most gentle kiss. Suddenly, the feeling didn't feel so bad anymore.

Notes

Hey guys!
So I really hope you're enjoying this story so far. I've updated four chapters today just for you guys and because I really enjoy writing this.
I'm going to try to update with two chapters at a time. I started writing this literally three days ago and I just love the story and the characters so much that I always want to add more and more to the story.
Tell me what you like and what you don't like. I really love reading all the comments.
Thanks guys!