The day Lowlands came around, it was hot. August was in full swing and the sun made Biddinghuizen a steaming field of dry grass and inescapable heat.

The organisers had inticipated the weather so most of the performances were undercover. A roof covered the stage and around 150 metres of grass, but nothing could stop the hot air from huddling underneath, making the moshpit suffocating for festival goers.

Even backstage, Fenne was struggling. In a pair of denim shorts and a fitted croptop, she fiddled with her camera while sweat lined her brow. The air-conditioning only did so much but she was thankful that she had the space around her while the mosh was filled to the brim. The hum of the crowd echoed underneath the structure and Fenne couldn't imagine how uncomfortable it was amongst the hundreds of sweating bodies.

'I picked the right day to wear these ,' Fenne looked up from her camera to see Joost in nothing but a pair of red, white and blue shorts. Her lip curled at what looked like hearts on the Friesland flag that sat in-between the white and blue stripes.

'At least you can walk around like that,' Fenne said and dipped her head to motion to his shirtless state. 'Us women have to suffer.'

'Don't act like you don't prefer it.'

Fenne rolled her eyes and busied herself with her camera to hide her blush. He had been wearing a singlet when they arrived but it was disgarded almost immediately.

Fenne would never admit that Joost only spoke the truth. She had been setting up backstage while Joost was walking around and talking to her in all his shirtless glory. It made it difficult for her to concentrate and she was sure that he had noticed her stammering and trailing train of thought.

With his hair flattened from the heat, Joost's appearance took advantage of the stifling weather. His chest and stomach was out on show teamed with his Pokemon tattoo and toned torso for everyone to see. The funky shorts hung low on his hips, revealing the band of his black underwear. Fenne would have laughed at seeing his full name written across it, but wouldn't dare bring it to Joost's attention. She only saw it ending in a humiliating tease that she would never recover from.

'You're on in five,' a stage worker passed them while pointing at Joost. He tried to appear confident by nodding with his hands on his hips, but Fenne could see his heaving shoulders.

'Fucking christ, this is happening,' he mumbled.

'You'll be great. Just do what you normally do.'

Fenne knew her advice was pathetic but it was all she could say. She was nervous to be on stage filming in front of so many people. Whatever Joost was feeling, it had to be bad to send someone so confident and nonchalant into a ball of nerves.

She watched him search his pockets. When one hand came up with nothing, he tried the other and checked multiple times in a suppressed panic. Fenne had learnt a great deal about Joost in the few months they had been talking and it wasn't hard for her to know what he was looking for. He couldn't smoke backstage as it was a smoke-free venue, so he had already prepped for the show half an hour before. So, it eliminated the one of two things that Joost would look for when he's anxious.

'Here,' she walked over while rummaging in her pocket. Joost's shoulders visibly dropped in relaxation as Fenne pulled out a wrapped up pair of earphones. With her camera in one hand, Fenne held them out and Joost took them with trembling hands.

'You're a lifesaver, liefje,' Joost sighed, cupping the side of her face to plant his lips against her forehead. Fenne could do nothing but stand with a foolish grin as Joost unravelled the earphones and put them in his ears. He needed at least a few minutes of serenity and for some reason, the white earbuds never failed him.

'You're not thinking of crowd-surfing, are you? I can't follow you there.'

'I'll see where it takes me. I've had so many Monster Energies that I don't know what I'm going to do.'

Joost spoke without stepping away from their close proximity. Fenne smelt the cigarettes and energy drinks on his breath, and as it fanned her face, she found it strangely addicting. She was able to see the way his jaw clenched and felt the full intensity of his eyes. Her breathing shallowed as his earphones' dangling wire tried to distract her, but Fenne was caught up in Joost's presence.

Just like he did countless times before, Joost glanced down at Fenne's lips. He had stopped himself from daring further because of the timing never feeling right. He had wanted to kiss Fenne Meer since highschool and so many times had he stood contemplating it. They looked sweet and soft to the touch, but Joost let his fears get the better of him every time.

But what about now? He was just about to perform to the biggest crowd he ever had and he could use some motivation. Her exposed legs and tight top had already made it hard for Joost to not stare. Their first kiss would make the performance so much more special, and with enough energy drinks in his system to kill a horse, Joost was feeling bold.

He lowered his head to Fenne's level and he was ecstatic to see her stand on her toes. Her face was getting closer and Joost went to take her waist in his hand. The space between her top and waistband exposed her skin, letting his palm cup her curve. Their lips brushed against each other, hesitant at first, but eager to go further.

'None of that! Let's go, fuckwit!'

Joost yelped as his arm was yanked to the right. Stuntje didn't break his stride while Joost stumbled to find his footing. His friend pulled him towards the stage, where the previous artist was taking a bow to the screaming crowd. The DJ had already walked off, letting Teun walk out to set up the booth for Joost's set.

Fenne was disappointed but had no time to dwell on it. She hurried after the two with her camera prepped to film. The performance ahead gave her something to focus on rather than the kiss that nearly happened.

She had been waiting for the moment that Joost would finally kiss her other than on the forehead. His lips against her hair made her stomach flip, so the next step that would seal their not-yet-established relationship was promising.

As Stuntje paused before the stage, Joost told himself that it was not the time to hurl abuse at his friend. He was livid, but Teun had started up a familiar beat, and the crowd didn't thin for his set. His name had brought a great deal to Lowlands and he was prepared to give them his best.

'You'll have plenty of time for kissing after,' Stuntje said, knowing how his friend currently felt about him. 'Go on, mate. Break a leg.'

'I'll break your leg-'

'1983,' Tino's recorded voice played, and the crowd screamed.

Microphone in hand, Joost took a deep breath while pulling his comforting earphones out of his ears. He shoved them into his pocket before sprinting out onto the stage.

He caught the first line to Albino perfectly and everything felt right. The sea of sweating people threw their hands up and recited the lyrics like it was their anthem. Joost started in the middle of the stage, before going to the right, then to the left.

He was so in the moment that when he turned to head towards Teun at the controls, Joost jumped at the sight of Fenne on stage. She stood with her large-lense camera covering her face and with the change of Joost's direction, the feed on the big screens changed to her perspective.

The crowd saw Joost up-close as he ran over to the handheld camera. Fenne leaned back slightly as he started singing into the lense. It made for a unique angle and the crowd loved to see the man looking at them from the big screens.

To Fenne, it was like he was singing to her. She could see Joost with his blue eyes piercing through her screen. It was a whole new feeling to be in front of him as he sung the songs she had come to love. If she didn't have a job to do, she would be singing along with him.

When he turned away, Fenne walked around the back to be on the stage's left. The big screens had changed back to the other angle, leaving her to get footage from Joost's side. She filmed him singing Meeuw to a crowd that moved fluidly to his command. Without even seeing it, Fenne knew that she had some insane footage already.

---

Towards the end of the set, Fenne took a quick break as Joost addressed the crowd. His last song would be a great opportunity to film but she was dying for a drink. The only break she had gotten within the hour was when Joost stage-dived, leaving Fenne to wait for him to be surfed back towards the barrier.

She was glad she had tied her hair up in a ponytail since the rest of her was covered in sweat. Trying to keep up with Joost was a sport and at one point, he had pulled his shorts down to reveal his underwear. The crowd seemed to love this and Fenne rushed to film with already exasperated lungs.

'Has he done that before?' Fenne said to Stuntje, Nathan and Apson over the music. She stood off to the side with her camera on the floor while emptying a bottle of water.

'Once or twice,' Stuntje shurgged. 'You'll get used to it, liefje.'

'Don't,' she warned with a glare, making the team howl with laughter.

Picking up the camera, Fenne went to film the finale. Joost was already looking at her as he sung Summervibes 2019. She took it as a direction to walk towards him with the camera over her face. He stopped in front of Fenne with the microphone in one hand and peered through the lense as he sang.

'At elementary school, they beat me up, sometimes.

Then I just went crying on my bike to high school.

I wore a hat every day and had sorta long hair.

My teacher hated it so I grabbed the scissors.'

Fenne looked up from the lense while holding it steady. An ache blossomed in her chest at the words and Joost's lashes flickered up without stopping the song.

For a moment, he looked sad, like he wasn't on stage performing his biggest show yet. Fenne didn't like to see the storm in his irises and she almost let her camera lower at the sight.

'Sometimes, I feel like a Tesla,

Or sometimes Opel Astra.

Yes, I can't fail, it's in my DNA.

This girl is pretty hot, yeah, I call her coffee custard.'

Just like that, Joost's lips grew back into their grin. He stared at Fenne intently as he sang and a familiar giddiness bubbled inside of her. He looked back into the lense before turning away and finishing with his arms up. Teun faded the beat and Joost clasped his hands together over his head. With an immense gratitude, Joost thanked everyone as the crowd cheered.

Fenne walked backwards off-stage to film his exit. He ran past her camera for effect and threw himself into Stuntje's awaiting arms. The man caught the smaller performer and cried out in celebration. Apson and Nathan joined in and sandwiched Joost in an embrace. Teun was replaced by the next DJ and the team congratulated their friend for a stellar performance.

'I've got a pack of cigarettes with your name on it!' Nathan yelled into Joost's ear.

'You better fucking have. But before that...'

Joost unwound himself from his friends' embrace and ran back to where Fenne was checking her camera. She looked up at the sound of his footsteps and went to congratulate him. She squealed as Joost picked her up by the waist and heaved her off her feet. One hand steadied herself on his bare shoulder while she held the camera up in her other bent arm.

'Joost!' she cried in surprise. His arms were locked around her thighs and she felt the stickiness of his perspiring skin. Fenne laughed as he put her down, but didn't have the time to speak before Joost's lips were on hers.

In his adrenaline, Joost leaned extra close and made Fenne's back arch. His grip around her middle kept her from falling backwards. Fenne's eyes were wide with one arm hooked around his neck and her camera hanging over his shoulder. It took a moment for the realisation to kick in, and when it did, Fenne kissed back with a raging heartbeat.

'Oh, fucking hell-'

'Get a room!'

Nathan, Stuntje, Apson and Teun hollered at the two until an irritable stage worker came over and told them to move along.

---

I kind of messed up the timeline here cos Summervibes 2019 talks about Pukkelpop and Lowlands, but let's pretend teehee.