I could feel my husband stir next to me as I slowly got out of bed at four-thirty. I stopped, looking over at him. His dark hair was disheveled and a small smile lingered on his sleeping face. I wondered what he was dreaming about.
Probably his secretary.
​ I shook that thought out of my head, remembering when I walked in on him and a big-breasted blonde who later I found out was the woman answering phones for him at his office. The incident happened a week before the wedding and I was torn up about it but I brushed it off as if it never happened because I had to do this for my parents otherwise they’d cut me off from all my inheritance.
After a few moments of Jay’s peaceful breathing, I stood slowly and went over to my walk-in closet, taking out a pair of ripped skinny jeans and an old Blink-182 shirt. I knew Jay didn’t care for my style of clothing but he still never said a word about it, which I thanked him for mentally. Finally applying my make-up and fixing my hair, I had Pier, the butler; take my two bags down to the front hall while I grabbed myself an apple from the kitchen. Once I was in the front hall again, I kissed Pier’s cheek, thanking him.
“Thank you so much for waking up this early, I know I probably could have done this myself but -” Pier silenced me, something he would never do in front of Jay or do to anyone else in the household. The two of us had a friendship going on.
“Tis not a problem, Madam Gatesburg, I could not sleep anyway.” He gave me a smile and wished me well on my travels and an uneasy feeling washed over me. I was lying to everyone and I hadn’t really thought everything through. What if they find out? What if Jay calls Sophia or Amelia and asked them about the trip?
I was taken from my thoughts as I saw a big black Jeep pull up in the circular driveway. I smiled, recognizing Trinity’s car. I picked up my two bags and went out the front door, putting them in the back of the car before getting in. My two friends smiled widely at me.
“Ronnie!” Trinity cried as she backed out of the drive.
“It’s been too long!” Kristen gave me a hug from the front seat beside Trinity. We pulled back and she looked back up at my house. “How’s money treating you?” I sighed and shook my head.
“I’d prefer not to talk about it.”
“And married life?” Trinity asked, raising an eyebrow at me from the rearview mirror.
“He thinks love can be bought.” I rolled my eyes and Kristen gave a frown.
“I still don’t know why you’re with him, Ronnie.” She said and I gave a sigh. I had been through this with both of them many times but they just didn’t get it because they didn’t come from families like mine or Jay’s.
“I know you don’t, but it’s hard to explain. I-” I stopped myself and shook my head, watching as the sun started coming up.
**
A half an hour later, the three of us were in San Diego, heading towards Kristen’s apartment complex that we’d be staying at for the next two weeks. I smiled as my friends helped me haul my things into the elevator, going up three floors. Kristen unlocked her apartment door and I smiled at how cozy it was. Sure, it was cramped and cluttered but that had been what I always dreamed of having. Instead, I was deemed with a mansion.
Trinity and I made ourselves at home as Kristen put my things in her spare room.
“Alright,” she said, coming back out. “The bands start playing at eleven but we can walk around, look at merch, maybe even talk to some band guys.” Trinity wiggled her eyebrows.
“Danny Worsnop’s mine, so back off.” She said and I laughed, running a hand through my light brown curls. We were going to hang around the apartment until around eleven, when the venue opened.
Getting there, I couldn’t hide my excitement and once we were in, I looked around in awe, rows and rows of tents. The smile that spread across my face made Trinity and Kristen giggle. As we walked past a tent with four men sitting behind it, they scoffed at us. I turned my head and saw they were smiling at us, the scoff being playful.
“Too good to check out our tent, huh?” One asked, tattoos all over his body. His hair was long and he had a lip ring. I smiled at him, motioning to the others to walk over with me. They did and the four guys smiled.
“’Pierce the Veil’?” I asked and they nodded.
“Never heard of us?” One with black spikey hair asked. I shook my head and Trinity had a thoughtful expression on her face.
“You guys do that sing that song that has Quinn in it right? The singer from Sleeping With Sirens?” They nodded.
“Correct! I’m Vic.” He had long, curly hair and looked similar to the one with the lip ring. “This is my brother, Mike.” He motioned to the one beside him, Lip Ring Dude. I smiled at him and he smiled back. He stared at me for a moment. I couldn’t tell what he was doing since he had sunglasses on, hiding his eyes.
“I’m Tony!” This guy had a bright smile with a piercing near his eye. We smiled at him and then the guy with black hair introduced himself.
“I’m Jaime.” He had big dimples, something I knew Kristen loved. She smiled brightly at him and he did the same.
“So, we need some models to promote our band. How about you ladies take your tops off and stand beside us.” Mike teased and I rolled my eyes. Vic nudged him.
“Dude, don’t scare the fans away.”
“They haven’t listened to our music, though.” Tony pouted.
“They’re going to come listen to us later today, though, right ladies?” Mike asked and we nodded, finding the four of them to be comical. “We play at two at the Kia Soul stage. Check it out!”
“We definitely will!” Trinity smiled.
“Do you know what other bands are here? Like, The Used or Blink 182 or something?” I asked. Vic chuckled.
“Old school, huh?”
“She hasn’t been out and about for a while.” Kristen said. I blushed, shaking my head.
“Jay doesn’t like this sort of stuff.” I said.
“He your boyfriend?” Mike asked. I bit my lip.
“Something like that.” He could tell that I didn’t want to get into it so he dropped it.
“Well, you should find some older stuff here but promise to check us out later.”
“Wouldn’t miss it!” I waved goodbye to them as the three of us walked off, looking at other bands like All Time Low, Of Mice & Men, and The Summer Set.