What It Is To Burn

The sun was bright in her eyes as Dess stood on the side of the stage and she felt like she was going to melt underneath the Texas heat. Today was finally it-the very last day of Warped Tour 2013. It had been a wild and crazy summer filled with laughter, tears, sunburns, crazy fans, interviews and epic pranks that had resulted in two bands bonding who may not have otherwise. Dess looked out over the crowd-part of her vision being blocked by the hot pink ski mask that she wore on her face but she didn’t care.

Bert, Quinn, Jeph and Dan had come to her that morning as she was setting up her tent with Trish and asked Dess if she wanted to come on stage with them. Of course-that was a no brainer decision and here she was…waiting for the two minute warning. There were others there with her wearing ski masks of every color and in that moment Dess felt alive-she felt a part of something.

This band-the Used-they were to her what Black Veil Brides were to so many teenagers around the world. They knew her-inside and out and they knew what she was feeling. Every song, every lyric meant something and had a purpose. Sure there were songs that were good and nice to listen to, but then there were songs that hit her right in her gut and made her breath come in short bursts. She felt them in her bones and Dess knew that there would never be a day where she wouldn’t at least listen to a few of their songs.

I Caught Fire, Poetic Tragedy, Buried Myself Alive, Empty Without You and so many others-those were her daily anthems and they had been since she was twelve years old. The Used had been with her through the death of two family members, being bullied, finding herself and falling in love and as Dess turned back to look out towards the audience she knew…she wasn’t alone in feeling like this band was everything to her.


“You ready for this Dess?” Someone asked from behind her and as Dess turned she smiled. Bert, Quinn and Jeph were all standing there, instruments in hand as they began to warm up.

“Fuck yeah-you guys don’t know how much this means to me…” Dess said as Bert came over, his pink hair shining in the sun as he reached in and gave her a huge hug. The two had bonded over the past summer and Dess knew that this friendship they had developed would be one that would last forever.

“I couldn’t imagine not having our biggest fan up there on stage with us.” Quinn said as he came over and gave her a hug of his own and Dess was glad that she had a mask on so that they couldn’t see her blushing.

“We love you Dess-thanks for always sticking by us.” Jeph said and Dess felt tears come to her eyes as he hugged her as well and then they were all facing one another.


Dess only smiled and nodded as her three heroes waved to her and then walked off towards the side of the stage to finish warming up. How could she not stick by these guys? They had meant everything to her when she was a kid and it made her happy to see that they had stuck by their fans and had never given up. They had never been overly successful like some of the other bands that had come out around the same time-they weren’t MTV darlings like My Chem or Good Charlotte and they certainly never won any awards as a band.

Still they kept going-kept making music that meant something to their fans and they were content in just knowing that they were making a difference. Dess smiled as she turned back to the audience-it was packed out there today and she knew it was because this was it. Once this day ended it meant that summer was over for another year and kids would go back to school where they were miserable. But it made Dess happy knowing that this tour had made kids-even for just one day-feel like they belonged and she was proud to know that she had been a part of that this year.


“Alright guys! Everyone line up behind Bert and follow one another slowly!” Someone called out to them and Dess did as she was told and took her place right behind Bert-she would be the leader on this little outing.


As Bert walked out on to the stage the crowd grew silent and all Dess could hear was the intro as it played over the loud speakers. There was a whole point to this-they were all faceless and human, but they all enjoyed one thing and that was this wonderfully talented group of four guys. She faced the crowd, her bare legs tan against the light colored backdrop and Dess felt like she was cooking in the ski mask that she had on.

Suddenly the intro stopped and Bert stepped forward and Jeph and Quinn joined them all on stage in their own ski masks. They began to play the opening strains to Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit and then suddenly the music switched and Bert grabbed the mic. Dess felt herself begin to jump-A Box Full Of Sharp Objects had been her angry song back in the day and as she listened to Bert sing the words to all of them, Dess felt that anger coming back.

When she had been a teenager she had gone every day of her life being judged for the way she dressed, the color of her hair and the music she listened to. Dess had never been a metal chick-she enjoyed some Metallica here and there and of course she could appreciate the merit of bands in that area of music, but her soul always laid with bands like the Used, Finch, Underoath, Thrice, AFI, The Misfits and now Black Veil Brides.

So she didn’t fit in with the normal kids, but she didn’t fit in with the metal/stoner kids either. Thankfully she’d had her own little group of misfits and they had become her family. Dess jumped up and down as the Used played before her and she smiled as the audience went crazy. Mosh pits sprang up here and there and she watched as kids tore into one another. They couldn’t hit those in their lives who were hurting them-so why not take it out on one another for a few minutes?


“This one goes out to all of the fans out there who have been with us from the beginning! This is Taste of Ink!” Bert screamed into the mic and Dess felt herself going crazy as they played.


Things were coming to an end-this band’s performance and the tour as a whole and as Dess tried to catch her breath she realized that she felt somewhat relieved. She could go home now-she could go back to Virginia with Andy and they could relax for a week before things became hectic once again. He would be gone for much of September-he was flying out to LA to work on some things with the guys and a few other people who wanted his input on their own records.

She had so much to do-last minute things for the wedding that couldn’t be done from the road and Dess was thankful that Trish and Brady had both agreed to help her out. Dess also knew she needed to go see a doctor-she was feeling like death warmed over at this point and there was no more denying that she was sick. Kevin actually threatened to send her home early a week before, but Dess fought him tooth and nail and with Andy promising to watch over her, Dess was allowed to finish out the tour.


“Thank you so much guys! We are the Used and we love you and we hope you have a good day!” Bert said into the mic and finally things had come to an end. Dess felt sad as she walked off the stage behind a girl with a yellow ski mask on and soon she found herself in the shade and removing the hot fabric from her face.

“Dess!” Someone shouted out and Dess turned around, running her fingers through her messy hair and she smiled. Kit had been watching from the side of the stage and now the girls were face to face, their worn flip flops almost toe to toe.

“Enjoy the show?” She asked as Dess tried to get more tangles from her hair and she looked at her best friend. Kit was tan-her freckles showing in a thick spray across the bridge of her nose and she was wearing a small bikini top and dark blue cut offs.

“It was fucking awesome! I love seeing you jump around out there like that-reminds me of the Dess from high school.” Kit smiled over at her as the two girls began to walk off from the side of the stage and Kit waved as she passed Sleeping. The guys were getting ready to go on and Dess got an evil gleam in her eyes.

“I know something else that will make it seem like the old Dess is back…” She said and Kit stopped walking as the two girls faced one another and Dess could only laugh at Kit’s worried expression.

“I don’t like the look in your eyes…” Kit said and her eyes grew wide as Dess only nodded her head towards the stage. Currently Sleeping With Sirens were getting ready to go on and Kit watched in horror as Dess slipped her shirt over her head and was standing there in her shorts and black bikini top.

“Come on Kit Kat-one last prank to send the summer off…” Dess said, that impish grin on her face and Kit only rolled her eyes.


Music filled the air-Dess couldn’t tell what song it was, but the guitars sounded heavy and Kellin’s high voice blended in well. Dess watched as the band jumped around on stage and the crowd grew more and more wild. Kit grabbed her arm, a warning in her eyes but Dess only smiled and continued to strip. There wasn’t really anyone around to stop them but Dess was worried about people being able to tell who they were. She looked around, her blonde locks falling in her face until finally her eyes came to rest upon a bright pink mask.

She grabbed for the ski mask and approached Kit-shoving the mask over her best friend’s head as she searched around for her own disguise. Another pink mask had been left behind and quickly Dess pulled it over her own head and then moved to take off her bikini top. Kit was completely naked, the white skin of her stomach almost glowing in the sun and Dess only smiled as she removed her bottoms and now they were both equal in their exposure.


We'll stare straight-faced, don't hesitate
See, why would we want to make you bastards wait
Thank god, I got this chance, now I can say
So now we'll say, we'll say
We're gonna do what we want
Remember when they said that what we want can never be done
When it all comes falling down
We'll do what we want to
Said we'll do what we want to
Yeah, yeah, yeah


As Kellin sang, Dess smirked as she listened to his words and then she was off and running across the stage. She almost smacked right in to Justin but thankfully she was able to dodge around the guitarist. Jesse noticed her next and Dess laughed behind her mask as he missed a chord and turned to stare open mouthed at her. Kellin didn’t stop singing thankfully, but he turned away from the audience and stared at the two naked girls running behind him and Dess noticed a smirk grace his lips as he took in her sleeved arm and Dess knew that he recognized her.

The warm wind felt good against her hot skin and Dess laughed with pure glee as she reached the other side of the stage and quickly ran down the steps. Kit was hot on her heels as the two girls dove around people and finally they found an area where no one would see them. Dess stopped running, dropping her clothes on the ground as Kit smacked into her back and the two girls rushed to get their clothes back on.


“Oh my God! That was amazing!” Dess laughed as she tugged her shirt over her head and looked over towards Kit. Her best friend was currently tugging her own clothes back on and Kit had a smile on her face over a mile wide.

“When I said I liked seeing you act like the old Dess-I didn’t mean the one who had a penchant for streaking…” Kit laughed as she slipped her flip flops back on and then the two girls were hugging.

“You love me Kit Kat…” Dess said as the two girls pulled away from one another and they could only smile. This had been the best summer of their lives and even though it was almost over the two friends knew that it was only the beginning.

“You will never know how much…” Kit said as she threw her arm around Dess’ shoulder and the two girls set off towards the busses.

“More than you can ever scream?” Dess joked and Kit only groaned, resting her head against Dess’ shoulder as the two girls kicked at the gravel of the parking lot and smiled as the busses came in to view.


The two girls were caught in a fit of giggles at Dess’ terrible joke and they walked arm in arm across the lot until finally Black Veil Bride’s bus came into view. Dess smirked over at Kit, but as she looked towards the bus, that smirk faltered. Andy was standing outside the bus, his tattooed arms crossed over his vest clad chest and Jon was there, standing next to him with a cell phone in his hands. The look on Andy’s face was stern, his blue eyes serious but as they locked eyes, Andy smirked at her and held his arms open towards her.

Dess dropped Kit’s arm as she ran towards him, collapsing against his chest as his fingers moved to the back of her head, tangling themselves in her blonde hair. They stood like that for a moment until finally Andy pulled back and looked down at her. He couldn’t stay mad at Dess-not when she looked the healthiest she had looked all summer and he knew that she only needed a little bit of freedom to get her blood running-no matter the cost to him and the band, it was worth it.

Notes

Dess and Kit-such trouble makers. Thus ends the prank war!

If you guys would like updates every other day again, you know whatcha gotta do...

Review<3

What It Is To Burn Tumblr