Cause a Scene Like You're Supposed To

Maria Johnston smiled into the warm summer air as she jumped down the steps of her bands’ bus. She nearly skipped down the gravel-covered area, but controlled her steps to a smooth confident step. The soft breeze rustled through her long, freshly straightened hair as she walked, tickling her senses. She shivered, though not of cold, and crossed her slender arms across her revealing pink tank top.

All she had to do was walk straight and she’d be directly in front of the All Time Low “residence”—as she liked to call it—or, in more casual terms, bus. She hated the sound of that word. It sounded so drab in her mind. So dull. When it was the furthest thing from.

Maria glanced up at the rusty white coloring of All Time Low’s “bus”, took a deep breath, and knocked on the side of it. Without a moment of hesitation, the door flew open, and there stood the disheveled face of Alex Gaskarth.

“Hey,” he said breathlessly, an unreadable expression playing upon his face.

She barely had time to say “Hi” back before he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the doorway of his bands’ bus, slamming the door behind him. Maria faintly heard a “Who’s that?” shout in the background, but Alex ignored it completely and walked forward. Left. Right. Left. Right. He moved slowly at first, until he reached a fast-paced run.

“What’s going on?” Maria asked, trying to catch up with Alex. His running was no match for hers. But he didn't slow down so that she could catch up. He just kept going, until he hit a picnic area spot nearby. Panting, he plopped himself down, gesturing for her to do the same. Then he stared at her across the table, searching her features.

“’What’s going on?’” Alex mocked. But even though Maria could easily hear the anger hinting in his voice, she couldn’t keep the smile playing on her face as she noticed the perfect setting they were in. She’d never been to this field before. She never knew it existed. It was good to have a break from the hectic Warped Tour life, and have a taste of the country life again. She was a sucker for it. And she wasn’t complaining about the fact that she had a cute boy to share it with.

But Alex’s thick voice snapped her back into the real reason she was here. “What the hell is this?!”

He threw a piece of folded paper across the table. She reached for it timidly, as if it contained a nuclear bomb. But what she saw was worse; the small paragraph stamped on the page was like a stab to her heart.

“Alex Gaskarth, lead singer and guitarist of the band All Time Low has finally done it the article read, Let’s not act surprised, we all knew he’d knock someone up sooner or later. But would you believe it if I told you that it was Maria Johnston, Forever the Sickest Kids’ merch girl? Last night it was reported from a nameless source that Maria was seen getting off All Time Low’s bus early Friday morning—the first human contact she’d made since she was reported pregnant. Maria confirmed the suspicions herself to me this morning. Believe it, Buzznet. Maria Johnston is now holding what appears to be Alex Gaskarth’s first child. I hope the best for the happy couple. But my heart goes out to Katherine Murphey, Alex’s girlfriend back home.”

And then the text stopped, a bright white page appearing on the lower half of the piece of paper. That’s all it said.

Maria knew Alex would find out about this. Knew he’d kill her when he did. But she had hoped he wouldn’t find out this soon. Or this way.

“Well?” Alex prompted, disgust painted across his face.

“What the hell are you blaming me for?” Maria questioned in a deadly tone. Though she felt no anger inside. At least not at Alex. “I didn’t make up the fact that I’m pregnant, Alex. I am. And I’m about 90% sure it’s yours.” S he watched Alex’s jaw clench, ready to drop open. She couldn’t stand what she was doing to him. But she had to continue. She just had to. It was the only way. “I’m sorry Alex, I wanted to tell you sooner. I did. But I knew you’d react like this. And the press asked first.” She shrugged, hoping Alex would buy it. Either that or he’d be in so much shock that he’d let her off the hook.

“How—when—what?” Alex stuttered, barely able to form words.

“You might not remember what occurred that night filled with all the beers on your bus, Alex, but I do. We had sex. And now I’m pregnant,” she stated. Then added in a whimper, “It’s not every day that a coincidence like that happens without some truth in it.”

Tears threatened to fall from her stain glassed eyes as she stared into Alex’s puddles of brown. She really did look scared, she had to hand it to herself. And Alex was such a nice guy; she was positive her plan would work.

And like the nice guy he was, Alex momentarily threw his anger aside, immediately throwing his arms around her trembling body.

Maria beamed happiness on the inside, but her frown still appeared on the outside. So far, so good.

That was the end of their conversation. No more words formed the rest of the eternity that they sat there. They decided with their eyes that they had to trudge on back to their buses. Their eyes locked when they reached the All Time Low bus as a goodbye, but still, no words were said.

There was nothing else to be said.