What's So Good About Picking Up the Pieces?

Lyla's P.O.V:

It was 6:30 already and Austin would be here to pick me up any minute. I drug my heavy suitcase to the living room, and then headed back to my room to finish getting dressed. I had stripped down to my bra and underwear trying to decide on an outfit when I heard to the door to my apartment open and footsteps bound toward my bedroom. I turned to the doorway as Austin walked into my room, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw I was half naked.

"Woah. Good timing, huh?" he said through a smirk, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Perv!" I yelled at him as I grabbed a pillow off of my bed and chucked it at his head. He caught it before it made impact and walked over to my bed taking a seat. I groaned and grabbed a blanket, wrapping it around my almost naked self.

"What? It's nothing I haven't seen before, Lyla," he said, smirking even bigger this time.

When Austin and I first met we tried the whole "dating" thing; that didn't work so we tried the "friends with benefits" thing, which didn't work so well either, so now we were just best friends......with occasional benefits, usually when we were both extremely drunk, which I was trying to limit these days.

"Gahh you are such a guy!" I exclaimed as I grabbed a plain black tank top and a pair of black skinny jeans and headed toward the bathroom to change in peace. I heard his hearty laughs through the door and I couldn't help but laugh either. I finished putting on my clothes and opened up the door again, before throwing my hair up into a messy ponytail.

"Soooooo....you excited?" Austin asked already knowing my answer. I turned and ran and jumped onto him, tackling him onto the bed before sitting on him

"Yes!!! You have no idea!! I feel like a 5 year old about to have a birthday party at McDonald's PlayPlace!!" I screamed, Austin laughing at my odd choice of metaphor for the situation.

"Is that extremely excited? I mean how excited can one really get to go to McDonald's?" he asked furrowing his eyebrows at me. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Yes that is extremely excited!" I said mocking him before getting up off of him and walking back to the closet, putting on my combat boots. I grabbed my phone, wallet, and keys and walked out of my room, Austin following close behind.

I turned off all of the lights and Austin grabbed my suitcase.

"Jesus, Lyla, what the hell did you pack in here?" He asked as he grabbed his back, feigning pain.

"What? I'm going to be gone for 3 months, Austin. There's a lot I'm gonna need!" I replied matter of factly. I grabbed the most important thing I would need, my camera, and followed Austin out of my apartment and down the stairs to his car.

We spent the 15 minute drive back to his house chatting about what to expect on Warped Tour, and I was getting more excited by the minute. We pulled up to his house where the bus, and the band, was already awaiting us. I got out of the car and walked toward the bus, leaving Austin to deal with my luggage again. As I rounded the bus the first thing I saw was a goofy-looking red-head messing with his cell phone.

"Gingy!!!" I shouted as I sprinted towards the boy. Gingy was my nickname for Alan Ashby because, well, it was awesome, and of course because he's a ginger!!

"Hey short stuff!!" he responded. I reached him, jumping into his arms hugging his as he spun me around dramatically. We always greeted each other this way. I hugged the rest of the guys and then we boarded the bus. The first thing I did was take out my camera, snapping random photos of the bus, the bunks, everything.

"You don't have to start working on the first day, Lyla," Phil said as he boarded the bus, the rest of the guys following.

"I know, but I want to get a few pictures of the bus before you guys trash it!" I said as I took off towards the back lounge.

"Smart girl," I heard Tino mutter from the front of the bus, and I giggled under my breath. After I got the few shots I wanted I walked back to the front, where the guys were already pouring shots of whiskey. I went and stood next to Austin, who handed me a shot before flinging his arm around my shoulder.

"Alright fella's here's to another bitchin run!!! Let's fuck shit up!!" Austin yelled as we all clinked our shot glasses before downing the bitter liquid. I shook my head as the liquor burned my throat.

"Come on, Lyle, I'll show you where you'll be sleeping for the next 3 months," Austin said, calling me the stupid nickname he gave me that I HATE! He grabbed my hand dragging me in the direction of the bunks. He showed me mine, which was on the right side of the bus in the middle.

"It's right above mine in case you get lonely....." he dragged out, smirking at me before errupting into laughter. I punched him in the arm hard, and smiled at him.

"Owww killer, jeez. Nevermind I don't wanna cuddle with you anyways. I'd rather cuddle with Alan," he said as he turned on his heels dramatically and walked back to the front of the bus were the rest of the guys were.

I pulled out my blanket and pillow, making up the small, yet somehow spacious, bunk. I unloaded everything else I needed with me in there before putting my suitcase on the spare bunk across from me where we all would keep our stuff.

I walked back to the guys, grabbing a beer from the fridge before taking a seat on the couch next to Alan. We spent the rest of the night drinking, dancing, and playing video games as the bus got closer and closer to our destination.

I could hardly stand it; I was so excited to see what tomorrow would bring.

Little did I know those words would soon come back to bite me in the ass.