Navy Blue Eyes.

His Law and Her Rebellion. | .25

A rowdy crowd hummed with excitement, cheering and chanting mixed with murmured conversations, more so than was typical. Rowan stood side-stage beside her 'family' patiently, her cheeks still feeling hot as she tried to calm herself and appear as though she'd had a perfectly average afternoon of solitude. Yet, by the same token, some part of Rowan was bursting at the seams to tell someone—anyone—all about it. Still, with Vic on one side and Kellin on the other, she knew saying anything about a boy would not be a wise idea.

Kellin kissed his daughter's forehead carefully, kneeling down to her height with a warm smile. "Ro, this is the last thing I think we'll need to do for a while," he told her hesitantly, "but I think it'd be a good idea for me to say something on stage, that way people will see I'm not hiding behind technology like them. And that I'm proud of you."

Rowan looked side-long at Vic but he was staring steadfastly at his cell phone, presumably feigning obliviousness to the conversation taking place mere inches from him. Wearily, she nodded at her father, battling to twist her lips into a smile. "If you say so. I– I trust you."

Kellin shared a look with Vic over Rowan's shoulder, both of the men feeling the weight of this statement as it fell heavily from the lips of a girl who scarcely trusted her own shadow. "Thank you," he responded, his voice dripping with ribbons of gratitude and gushing with pride.

Kenny Leath called the band to stage, eliciting a fresh wave of excitement from the crowd at large as the guys bounced on stage with a guttural screech from Rowan's father to start off the set. They slammed their way through the first two songs, the mass of people singing along. The fact that Sleeping With Sirens played last that day meant they'd have the largest amassed crowd of the day, a thought that didn't escape Rowan's keen, skittish notice. Pulling her phone from her pocket, Rowan chewed her lip in thought. She knew that with fame-by-association came users, people would suddenly crop up with false facades of promised friendship only in hopes of gaining some modicum of connection to whomever they fancied. Therefore she braced herself to lose whatever semblance of 'normalcy' she'd felt in Tanner's presence that afternoon once he witnessed her public—for lack of a better term—'coming-out'.

Her fingers poised precariously over her phone, Rowan contemplated warning Tanner ahead of time. Instead of flat-out launching into an explanation, she hoped to ease her way in before Kellin had a chance to announce it to the whole of the tour. 'Are you still here at wrpd?' She typed it quickly and hit send before she could stop herself.

From Tanner:

Ugh no! I wish! I had to leave early to catch the bus home! Am I missing smthg awesome?! D:

Rowan didn't even attempt to hide her relief at the reply, thinking that she must have more positive karma built up than she'd even realized. She responded casually, not wanting him to google what was going on or check some 'live stream' or any such thing.

From Rowan:

Nah, it's just SWS left and they've performed better I think. I don't know, it's just so-so

Rowan shoved her phone away, the sweat that'd been dewing at the nape of her neck seeming to evaporate as she realized Tanner wouldn't hear whatever it was that was about to be said. No sooner had she thought this than the music died out again, Kellin's out-of-breath voice taking its place. "You guys are fucking amazing tonight," he began, the answering roar deafening. "Who's been having a fucking fantastic day here at The... Warped... TOUR?!" Again, the audience let loose another animalistic roar. "Now, I don't know how many of you guys are here as fans of this band and how many are here because your parents aren't picking you up 'till the tour packs up and we're the only band left. Still, I have something I'd like to say to all of you, whether or not you care to listen. Some of you guys are on the Internet a whole-fucking-lot. And that's pretty cool, I mean, I'm lucky enough to get to connect with so many of you that way." Whilst Kellin spoke into the mic, pausing occasionally to sip from his Monster can of water, the crowd remained responsive in their cheers and catcalls. As he approached the serious side he'd been navigating towards in this monologue, the crowd seemed to simmer down as well. "So, the majority of those who frequent the interwebs," Kellin joked, a smattering of laughter his answer, "have seen the recent kick up regarding a certain friend of mine. I wanted to take this minute to introduce her along with calling out a few of my other friends. Guys, why don't you head on out here!"