Meet Me on Thames Street • All Time Low

Chapter Sixteen

                                                            *Marianne*

I was seeing All Time Low perform for the second time ever. The show was amazing of course, and the fact that Late Nite Reading was the opening act made my day even better. I got to hear all of my favorite songs by both bands and was front row for it all.

Jack threw a guitar pick at me, successfully hitting me in the face. Of course I flipped him off and the girl next to me started yelling at me for being so rude to her future husband. Alex tried to make me sing, but that was a complete waste of energy on his part. I hated singing outside of the vicinity of my bedroom or bathtub, and no one was changing that.

At the end of the show, Jack escorted me over the barricade and told me to sit on the edge of the stage until the end of Dear Maria. The girl that screamed in my face looked at me with wide eyes and shot me a jealous glare. Ha, that’s what you get for being a possessive little bitch! Just kidding, I happened to like the fandom.

I was pulled backstage after the song was finished, where Dalton immediately tackled me into a massive hug.

“Marianne, I’ve missed you so much! You’ve changed so much,” he yelled.

“Yeah, so have you. I’ve missed you too, Dalty!”

“What are you even doing in England? And why are you with All Time Low?”

“I’m here with some of my friends on vacation and we somehow got dragged into some sort of friendship with the guys. Why didn’t I ever see you tweet about opening for them or anything?” I was ecstatic to see LNR again, but confused as to why they didn’t publicize the show at all.

“It was supposed to be a surprise until the last minute. You know, we were going to have this build up to the big announcement just a few days before we were set to fly out here. We ended up only tweeting about it last night,” Dalton answered, wrapping an arm loosely around my shoulders.

“Right, well how long are you going to be in town?”

“We leave tomorrow morning. We still have a hometown show on Sunday and jetlag’s a bitch,” he laughed.

“Aw, that’s too bad. I would’ve loved to have you around for a while,” I muttered. I missed those boys all too much.

“Next time we’re on this side of the Atlantic, I’ll let you know far enough ahead of time and make plans to stay a few days, I promise.”

“Good, because I don’t want to go so long without seeing you next time.”

“Not a chance. You know I love you,” he grinned.

“I love you too. You couldn’t get rid of me if you wanted,” I laughed.

I heard a loud cough and Jack’s angry voice asked, “Is that what you say to everyone?”

“What do you mean?”

“He couldn’t get rid of you if he wanted? You’re making sure he keeps you around? And what is this? I can’t believe you. You’re just like everyone else. I shouldn’t have trusted you.”

“Jack, wait!” I called as he spun on his heel and stormed away.

“Let me guess. This isn’t what it looks like. He came on to you. You’re just friends. I’m overreacting. I’ve heard it all before, Marianne. Save it.” Jack was fuming mad; I could practically see the steam coming out of his ears.

“Okay, one: you are overreacting. Two: it actually isn’t what it looks like. Three: we’re not just friends; we’re cousins. Did you not notice we have the same last name? God, Jack, how dense can you be?!” I was the angry one at this point; how dare he just assume the worst of me after I had done nothing but have faith in him?

Jack looked between me and Dalton incredulously and said, “Wait, what? But your last name is... oh.”

“Yeah, oh is right. We’re fucking related, you idiot,” Dalton finally spoke up.

“I see. I fucked things up again. I’m sorry; I’m just going to get out of the way and go get drunk or something. See ya,” Jack tried.

“No you’re not, Barakat. You’re staying right here with me. Don’t even think about leaving,” I demanded before taking his hand in mine in an attempt to make him smile.

He tugged at my hand irritably and groaned when I wouldn’t let him go. “Marianne, stop. I’m clearly not wanted here and I’m only making a fool out of myself and I don’t feel like being a nuisance today.”

“You’re not a nuisance or a fool. If I didn’t want you here, I’d tell you to leave, not to stay. Stop worrying so much,” I smiled.

How odd it was, that Jack was the one who made the false accusations toward me, yet I was the one comforting him. I clearly cared for him much more than I’d like to admit.

“What would I do without you?” Jack questioned, squeezing my fingers with his own.

“I don’t know, but let’s not find out any time soon,” I answered.

“I hate to be that person, but are you two dating or something? I feel like I’m missing something huge here,” Dalton interrupted.

I shook my head in an answer that no, we were just friends. Meanwhile, Jack just looked blankly at my cousin for a bit before asking to talk to him somewhere more private. Dalton reluctantly agreed and they both walked away, leaving me standing backstage, alone although most of the other band boys were causing a ruckus a few feet from me.

I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind and Brady’s happy voice shouted all too close to my ear, “Hey Marianne, it’s so good to see you again!”

“It’s good to see you too, Szuhaj. It’s been a while,” I grin.

I had met Late Nite Reading a year before in Dublin when they were opening for 5 Seconds of Summer. They had all taken me in as a little sister figure after learning about mine and Dalton’s blood relation.

“It has. I’ve missed you and your giant self,” Brady teased.

“Hey now, it’s not my fault that someone is basically a midget,” I retorted. Brady was a good four inches shorter than me, despite him being four years older.

He only scoffed and said, “I read on Twitter once that we only stop growing when we’re perfect and that’s why some are shorter than others – it didn’t take as long to reach perfection. So I’m sorry that you can’t handle my level of swag, Ireland.”

“Of course you did. And who even says swag anymore?”

“The perfect people, clearly.”

“Whatever you say, Szuhaj. Whatever you say.”