Meet Me on Thames Street • All Time Low

Chapter Three

                                                                        *Marianne*

I woke up in confusion, looking around an unfamiliar room. Where was I? Had I been drunk? I didn't have a headache or anything... then it all came rushing back to me. It was happening. I was in London. I was seeing All Time Low in concert with my closest friends in a few days. It was actually real.

I shoved Michaela off the bed and threw our pillows at Holly and Carly, yelling "Wake up bitches," before screaming a Bring Me The Horizon song at the top of my lungs. There was no chance of the others going back to sleep after that.

Holly yawned and asked, "What time is it?" I threw her phone at her and laughed as she realized it was after 11 am. "Jetlag's a bitch," she said with another yawn before gathering her messy hair into a ponytail. I nodded in agreement and started searching for clothes for the day. I ended up with a green plaid button down shirt and ripped black skinny jeans.

After showering and blow drying my hair, I went back in the bedroom to find Carly doing something that looked like a cross between an interpretive dance and an exorcism. Michaela and Holly were sitting on their beds laughing wildly. "Marianne, come join us; we're playing Charades!" Michaela shouted in giggles. I rolled my eyes and joined, guessing that Carly was impersonating a drunken Jack Barakat. I was right.

The others finally decided to get prepared for the day after we decided to go to the Starbucks down the street to begin our day. It was just after 12:30 when we were all decent and woken up enough to not sound drugged. Holly tripped over her untied shoelace halfway there, of course. Carly then proceeded to trip over Holly. Needless to say, I was close to rolling on the dirty pavement in laughter.

I was still laughing by the time we reached Starbucks, and wasn't paying close enough attention when the glass door swung open and hit me in the face. I fell on my back and started laughing again. Of course I would be the one to get knocked down by a stranger and a door. Wiping my forehead to check for any blood, I sat up saw a pair of strange yet familiar brown eyes that I had only seen once onstage, and in my dreams.

"Are you okay?" he asked while choking back his laughter. "No thanks to you," I respond snappily. At that moment, I wouldn't care if he was the queen. The twat knocked me over with a door! He reached out his hand anyway and hauled me up to my feet. Smoothing down my now messy hair, he said "I'm Jack Barakat and it's very nice to meet you." Needless to say, my heart was in my throat and I was having breathing issues. But I played it cool and replied, "I know" and shoved his hands away.

As I started to push my way past him and enter the store, he grabbed my wrist. "I don't think you told me your name," he said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and replied, "It's Marianne" and he started fucking happy dancing and chanting "I know your name" repeatedly. It was then that I noticed my friends standing next to me, clearly star struck.

"So are you coming to our show next weekend?" Jack asked cheerily. "We actually are. Why are you even here?" I asked in the nicest way possible. "Alex is visiting family and we're on a break for a couple of weeks, minus that one show. You're actually the first person who's recognized any of us." He explained. I nodded in understanding and felt my heart rate return to its normal speed.

"I know who you are!" Holly blurted before slapping her hands over her mouth in embarrassment. "Do you? Do you really?" Jack teased with a cheeky grin, and I thought Holly and Carly both were about to pass out. I just rolled my eyes at my finally made it into the store. Little did I know, the rest of the band was sitting at a table near the door.

Alex saw Jack follow me in like a lost puppy and immediately ran over and apologized.

"I'm sorry for that; he's had one too many cappuccinos today." I smiled at Alex and told him it was alright, that I found Jack's immaturity kind of funny. Jack immediately brightened and shouted, "Hell yeah fuckers! We're going to be best friends!" I shook my head while hiding a grin and complained that I never agreed to that.

"Clearly none of you are from here, so how long are you ladies staying in London?" Alex asked nicely. "We're here for the next two weeks on vacation and for these two's birthday celebrations." I answer, gesturing to Michaela and Holly. They turn bright red as Alex extends his hand and says, "Well happy early birthdays. I'm Alex Gaskarth." Holly was the first to respond by grabbing his hand and looking like she was about to fall over dead. "I'm Holly," she croaked out. Michaela did the same, and Carly just stood there looking like a deer in the headlights.

"And you are?" Alex asked with a bright smile. "I'm Carly; hi Alex." Carly whispered. After Alex called Rian and Zack over and they introduced themselves, we finally ordered our caffeine. "Hey new best friends, we're hanging out on this vacation! You're stuck with me, bitches." Jack screeched after standing in his chair. I covered my face in shame of being associated with him in this coffee shop, and noted the disapproving looks from the barista.

Alex and Rian quickly pulled Jack from his chair and threw a five pound note on the table as a tip before running out the door. Zack followed behind quietly, gesturing for me and the other girls to follow. Once we were safely outside and away from any fragile objects, Jack asked, "What do you say?" Rian, Zack, and Alex all looked at me, Carly, Michaela, and Holly with amusement in their eyes. I just stood there with wide eyes thinking, "Oh fuck it, how could anyone say no to that?" And that's how it all started.