The festival was already packed thick with music lovers of all kinds. Half the people were already sunburnt too, but luckily Mel and I remembered to lather on that sunscreen. Melanie studied the lineup sheet in order to figure out our plan of attack while I sat on the grass and people watched. I enjoyed seeing everyone's own sense of festival fashion. There were even some girls wearing flower crowns. I couldn't help but to giggle at that. It was a fond memory of my own early festival days.

"Okay," Mel said, plopping down next to me in order to show me the lineup sheet. "I think we should trek to these two stages, that way we can watch the bands interchangeably. They're good bands too. The main band is actually going to play there too."

"Oh, who are they?" I asked curiously.

"They're called the Gorillaz." Mel replied, double checking the lineup list again. "I know a few of their songs. And from what I've heard it's really good. They're really popular I guess."

Honestly, I never heard of them. Seeming that my car radio didn't work and my WiFi sucked at the apartment, I couldn't really catch up with relevant music. I felt a little embarrassed, but hey, I was at this festival wasn't I? Now was my time to catch up.

"Alrighty lets go!" I exclaimed, jumping up excitedly.

Mel followed, leading me to the stages she picked out.

When we got there, everyone was packed towards the stage on the right because the first act was about to play, so Mel and I ran up to the almost empty stage on the left to secure a spot. We snagged fifth row from the gate.

We danced to three performances before the main act was close to coming up. People started to filter towards the stage we were at and soon it felt like we were packed sardines.

However, a small group of rowdy guys slipped their way all the way to the near front. The one leading the two other boys forcefully pushed people out of the way without any sincerity. He had long blue-black hair and a tattoo of a snake on his neck.

"Can you believe that jerk?" Mel pointed out with a scowl on her face.

I nodded. "He's kinda scary looking too."

Melanie narrowed her eyes, watching them closely as they pushed their way all the way to the gate. "They're all kinda scary lookin' if you ask me."

The two other guys stood behind the snake tattoo guy like he was their leader or something. The one who was shorter than the others wore a leather jacket that read "3XG" in green letters on the back. I couldn't help but to wonder what that stood for. I was pondering on that for so long that I didn't even notice the stagehands setting up the main acts equipment.

"Earth to Vera." Melanie waved her hand in front of my face.

"What?"

"The band is gonna come out! Pay attention girl!" She stated, gently turning my chin towards the stage breaking my contact with those weird guys.

Right when I turned my attention back to the stage, a deep string of bass poured out of the huge stereos. I could feel the rhythm resonate in my chest. The drummer walked out first and started his beats as well before two others appeared.

The crowd went wild. I was suddenly propelled against Mel's side.

"Calling the world from isolation…'cause right now, that's the ball where we be chained. And if you're coming back to find me, you better have good aim..."

The blue haired lead singer sang seemlessly into the microphone in front of him. Everyone in the crowd swayed in strong back and forth waves to the beat. Despite the intensity of the moment, I had a grin on my face and so did Mel. When the song ended, the crowd erupted again. The lead singer gave a small smile and waved people down so he could have a chance to speak. "Hi everybody," he announced in a very thick yet silvery British accent, "thanks for coming to see us Gorillaz. That song we just played was called Humility from our new album The Now Now, which is going on sale soon, so look out."

Melanie giggled to herself, squeezing my arm in her hand. "Aww, he's so cute! Don't you think?"

I laughed at that. Mel always fell head over heels for British men. But he was quite adorable. However, I wondered what had happened to his eyes in order for them to be completely white without pupils. Must have been some really terrible accident. My heart instantly grew heavy for him.

"I'd like to introduce our lead guitarist Noodle," the singer went on, gesturing with a long arm to an eccentric Asian girl that had the coolest purple and black guitar I'd ever seen. "and our drummer Russel," he pointed to the big guy on the drums. He also had the same eye problem as the singer. Super strange if you ask me. What could have happened? "and finally myself 2D."

"I love you 2D!" Someone from the crowd screamed, and everyone else started laughing lightheartedly.

The singer, who I guess was named 2D, cracked another smile at that comment and replied with an I love you too before finishing his little introduction speech. "Now I know most of you are wondering where Murdoc is…"

Suddenly the crowd erupted once more, so much so that I even thought the ground shook.

2D timidly scratched the back of his neck. "He can't be with us right now because he's in a little bit of legal trouble. But I'd like to introduce his replacement, our new bassist Ace!"

With that, the next song started playing as the new bassist strode out onto the stage strumming his striking obsidian bass that matched exactly with his gleaming sunglasses.

I felt my heart shoot up into my throat. It was the guy. The guy from the highway.

Mel and I instantly looked at each other with agape mouths before staring back at him. He looked incredibly into the music up there with a sly grin on his face as his fingers worked magic on the guitar. It seemed that fans of the band were hurt not to see this 'Murdoc' there, but despite the fact, they all appeared to still fall under the new bassists' hypnotic spell of deep thumpin' rhythm. The crowd cutting weirdo guys at the front of the gate bellowed and shouted in honor of Ace ever since he stepped on stage. I wondered if they knew him personally.

So Ace was his name. It made me hate him even more. 'Ace' was the type of name given to good noodles; it received responses like "great job, Ace!" with a pat on the head an a plethora of golden stickers. Well, that's what came to my mind anyway. I used to go to camp with this boy named Ace. We were like seven at the time, but the kid was already winning all these awards for being best at the athletic games and the crafts and memorizing patriotic songs. Stuff like that; good noodle stuff.

But this 'Ace'— this Ace was so not the good noodle type. I couldn't picture the name with the face.

As the song came to a close, I was able to turn to Mel without totally screaming over the stereo, "I can't believe it's him!"

"I know!" she exclaimed, shaking her head slightly with a dumbfounded expression. "Now we know why he was in such a rush earlier."

Song ended, 2D fixed the microphone he had in his hand back on the stand in front of him. "That was Sorcererz, from the Now Now as well. Before we start the next song, real quick, I'd like you to look at those screens there. A number is going to be shown in just a second, if you text GORILLAZ to that number there is a chance you will win passes to our secret after party later on at the end of the festival. Alright, I've done enough talking now." 2D smiled and they instantly started their next hit.

I glanced up to the gigantic screens that stood on either side of the stage to see a five digit number appear suddenly. Everyone had their phones out, typing frantically to send the message.

Melanie had her phone out as well with a big grin on her face.

"Please tell me you didn't do it!" I yelled over the music at her. She gave me a jolly little wink. "Already done!"

I groaned. But what were the chances of winning? None probably. I just didn't want to have to be in the same building as Mr. Ace over there.

When I looked back up at him, he was leaning over the edge of the stage in order to give a high five to the dude with the snake tattoo during a break in the song. See, I had a feeling they all knew each other!

"HEY, I WON!" A voice suddenly ran out from the crowd. It belonged to a younger boy who stood a few people down from Melanie.

I glanced up at my friend with a shrug. "Oh well."

She gave me a pout but a small sly smile lingered on her face. I raised an eyebrow skeptically at her before turning back to the music. I had to say it was quite enjoyable. I felt pumped up by the steaming energy of the crowd. The strong smell of sweat and pot wafted through the air and tingled my nose, but I barely noticed. Melanie and I interlocked arms and swayed back and forth to the song Saturn Barz.

The sky had turned a bright navy blue by the end of the day with the dying presence of the sun. Festival lights lit up the whole park in flashes of color like fireworks. The Gorillaz had finished their last song, so everyone was departing from the stage now. Honestly, I didn't want it to end. I didn't want this day to end! The lights, the people, the music, it was all such a great break from constantly working. That job was so shitty. The only reason I tolerated it was because I got to skate around and look at various cars. Also, I needed the cash, but that was a given.

I sent a satisfied grin towards Melanie's way, but it instantly faulted when I noticed her spot was empty. "Mel?" My heart sped up. Glancing around, I could see her nowhere upon the sea of wandering bodies until—

"VERA! I'm over here!" Her voice shouted back. My eyes followed and that was when I noticed her standing all the way stage left at the gate. She was with someone too. I weeded my way through festival goers with a frown. "What the hell is wrong with you? I thought I lost you!"

"Don't worry, you know I wouldn't leave you!" She reassured but I just kept frowning. That's exactly what she did! "Anyway, this was for good cause. I just paid Andy here for his after party invitation he won." Melanie gestured to the younger boy next to her before grinning at me. She showed me the forwarded text message from Andy on her phone. It said:

'Congratulations! You won an invite-only access pass to the Gorillaz after party! Head to the Gorillaz Merch table in order to pick up the required lanyard and for more information.'

"No way!" I exclaimed, snatching the phone out of her hand to thoroughly examine it. "How much did you pay for it?"

"Eighty-five bucks." The boy Andy intervened with a giddy smile. "I've seen the band plenty of times, I'd rather get cash for the win, and your friend was willing to pay it. Thanks again." He nodded to

Melanie then slipped away into the moving crowd. What were the chances?! I giggled in astonishment as I playfully hit Mel in the arm. "You're so nuts! I can't believe you managed to bargain for the invite!"

She strung her arm around my shoulders and we slowly made our way to the Merch tent. "I have my ways. But I'm surprised to see you so excited to go!"

Can I admit that I myself was surprised that I was excited to go? I wasn't that much of a party person but— "That band was so amazing, Mel! Of course I'm excited to go to their after party! Maybe I can see that Noodle girl's guitar up close?"

I mused at the thought while Melanie showed the Merch seller her text message to confirm her win. Luckily she was allowed to take a plus-one like we had assumed so I also got a lanyard pass. We were told the time and location of the party as well.

The building wasn't far from the festival grounds. Melanie and I arrived at the foot of a heavily secured bar entrance. The party was being held upstairs on the second floor. Flashing lights of green, blue, pink and purple danced out of the shiny windows and the sound of bass scaled down the walls and rocked the ground.

As we neared the entrance, I was able to get a closer look at the two beefy security guards checking IDs and Invites.

My arm was instantly snatched. "What are you gonna do?" Melanie whispered in my ear with slight panic. I was only 20 right now, so I couldn't legally drink. Which was such a bummer because all my friends were over the age. However—

I grew a crafty smile and pulled out an ID from my wallet, waving it in front of her face.

Mel's eyes lit up in shock as she grabbed it from my hand. "Since when did you do this?"

Okay, I was sick and tired of being the odd one out on these sort of things. I decided that I was going to get a fake ID when I had to decline my fifth invite to go out with my co-workers after a long shift. Besides, my birthday was only a few more months away; I'll just get rid of the fake then. Plus, having something a little illegal made me feel like I actually had some balls. Melanie was always bragging about the cool and risky things she did. Why couldn't I have a risky secret of my own?

I threw a playful smile at her. "You underestimate my wild side."

Melanie rolled her eyes in reply but a grin still slid onto her face. We entered the bar seamlessly thanks to our IDs and lanyards. Once we stepped in, the strong smell of booze and weed instantly burned my nostrils. The bar was relatively empty despite a few drunken stragglers lounging at rounded tables; everyone else was upstairs.

"Are you ready?" Mel cheerfully asked, eyes sparkling from the nearing strobe-lights.

I nodded. "Of course." We both giggled as we ascended the stairs into the packed Gorillaz party.