‹ Prequel: Sick Little Games
Cause a Scene Like You're Supposed To
You hurt my shin like a bitch.
Alex Gaskarth woke up the next morning feeling worse than he even thought was possible. He groaned at his screaming band mates who were attempting to wake him up, hardly succeeding.
“C’mon Alex, our set’s at noon today!” Jack screeched.
“What time is it now?” Asked mumbled groggily, his head still planted on his pillow and his eyes still sealed shut.
“11:30!”
“What?” Alex asked frantically, his head shooting up to reveal Jack, completely up and ready to go. “Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?” Alex complained loudly, then winced at his own voice as his headache worsened.
“I did!” Jack insisted, “You wouldn’t budge!”
“Whatever,” Alex mumbled, rubbing his forehead before standing up and throwing on a pair of skinny jeans and a V-neck T-shirt. He messed his hair up slightly and brushed his teeth, popping an Advil in his mouth before rushing out the bus door with Jack, making his way to where their set was taking place.
The rest of the band was already there when Alex and Jack arrived on the scene. Matt shook his head at Alex for being late, before rushing the band to begin sound check. Soon enough, it was time for All Time Low to take the stage, and a cheering crowd serenaded the band’s eardrums immediately as they did. The cheers were almost unbearable to Alex’s headache, but it was worth it.
“Hey!” Alex’s voice bellowed through the microphone on the stage, receiving more cheers. “We’re All Time Low, I’m hungover, and this song is called Coffee Shop Soundtrack!”
An eruption of shouts exploded through the wide-open area as Alex strummed the first chord on his guitar, the rest of the band joining in right after him. Alex smiled as he sang, for a moment forgetting about everything that was going on, and focusing completely on the show he was putting on. He gave it his all, letting the music consume him.
And just like that, it was over.
“We’re All Time Low, and we fucking love all of you!” Alex screamed into the microphone, running to the back of the stage as the show ended. He hopped off stage, waking through the doors that brought him back outside. Matt was at the band’s side in a matter of seconds, guarding them as they walked back towards the buses, making sure they didn’t get completely attacked by screaming fans. Alex grinned crookedly at the ones who tried to, laughing as he watched them squeal in response.
Alex walked back to the buses with his band, feeling the heavy sun beat down on his skin. He panted slightly as the heat filled his body and he took a long drink from the water bottle he held, so long that he didn’t even notice that there was a person right in front of him.
“Shit!” Alex yelled out as he crashed into them. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, looking up at the girl that he nearly knocked down. She steadied herself, then stared at him. He stared right on back at her.
Long straight brown hair hung down her shoulders, done as close to perfection as you could get. Her blue eyes were piercing and hypnotizing, but at that second, they were the last things Alex wanted to look into. He sighed, walking roughly past her, but she took a hold of his arm, pulling him back to her.
“We’ll see you back at the bus,” the band chorused towards Alex, all of them giving him a warning glare as they walked away, making Alex inwardly groan.
“Sorry for last night,” the girl spoke up meekly, flipping her hair behind her ear.
“You hurt my shin like a bitch,” Alex stated simply, making the girl laugh lightly in response. Alex just scowled at her, causing her to mutter another apology.
“Can we start over?” the girl asked, “I’m Maria,” she smiled softly, reaching out her hand so that Alex could shake it.
“Alex,” he nodded, reaching his hand out as well.
Both of their hands tingled slightly at the gentle touch, making Alex let go quickly.
“I know who you are,” Maria smiled, “It’s nice to meet you, though. And your set was great, by the way.”
“Thanks,” Alex replied, finally ridding the glare that formed on his face and smiling softly at her. “Well, maybe I’ll catch you around, Maria,” he said finally, when he realized neither of them had anything else to say to each other.
“Definitely will,” she smiled with all that she could muster as Alex walked away from her and back to his bus.
“I don’t like that girl,” Rian shot towards Alex as soon as he entered the bus.
“Neither do I,” Alex agreed, a tint of defense hidden in his voice.
“Right.”
“C’mon Alex, our set’s at noon today!” Jack screeched.
“What time is it now?” Asked mumbled groggily, his head still planted on his pillow and his eyes still sealed shut.
“11:30!”
“What?” Alex asked frantically, his head shooting up to reveal Jack, completely up and ready to go. “Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?” Alex complained loudly, then winced at his own voice as his headache worsened.
“I did!” Jack insisted, “You wouldn’t budge!”
“Whatever,” Alex mumbled, rubbing his forehead before standing up and throwing on a pair of skinny jeans and a V-neck T-shirt. He messed his hair up slightly and brushed his teeth, popping an Advil in his mouth before rushing out the bus door with Jack, making his way to where their set was taking place.
The rest of the band was already there when Alex and Jack arrived on the scene. Matt shook his head at Alex for being late, before rushing the band to begin sound check. Soon enough, it was time for All Time Low to take the stage, and a cheering crowd serenaded the band’s eardrums immediately as they did. The cheers were almost unbearable to Alex’s headache, but it was worth it.
“Hey!” Alex’s voice bellowed through the microphone on the stage, receiving more cheers. “We’re All Time Low, I’m hungover, and this song is called Coffee Shop Soundtrack!”
An eruption of shouts exploded through the wide-open area as Alex strummed the first chord on his guitar, the rest of the band joining in right after him. Alex smiled as he sang, for a moment forgetting about everything that was going on, and focusing completely on the show he was putting on. He gave it his all, letting the music consume him.
And just like that, it was over.
“We’re All Time Low, and we fucking love all of you!” Alex screamed into the microphone, running to the back of the stage as the show ended. He hopped off stage, waking through the doors that brought him back outside. Matt was at the band’s side in a matter of seconds, guarding them as they walked back towards the buses, making sure they didn’t get completely attacked by screaming fans. Alex grinned crookedly at the ones who tried to, laughing as he watched them squeal in response.
Alex walked back to the buses with his band, feeling the heavy sun beat down on his skin. He panted slightly as the heat filled his body and he took a long drink from the water bottle he held, so long that he didn’t even notice that there was a person right in front of him.
“Shit!” Alex yelled out as he crashed into them. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, looking up at the girl that he nearly knocked down. She steadied herself, then stared at him. He stared right on back at her.
Long straight brown hair hung down her shoulders, done as close to perfection as you could get. Her blue eyes were piercing and hypnotizing, but at that second, they were the last things Alex wanted to look into. He sighed, walking roughly past her, but she took a hold of his arm, pulling him back to her.
“We’ll see you back at the bus,” the band chorused towards Alex, all of them giving him a warning glare as they walked away, making Alex inwardly groan.
“Sorry for last night,” the girl spoke up meekly, flipping her hair behind her ear.
“You hurt my shin like a bitch,” Alex stated simply, making the girl laugh lightly in response. Alex just scowled at her, causing her to mutter another apology.
“Can we start over?” the girl asked, “I’m Maria,” she smiled softly, reaching out her hand so that Alex could shake it.
“Alex,” he nodded, reaching his hand out as well.
Both of their hands tingled slightly at the gentle touch, making Alex let go quickly.
“I know who you are,” Maria smiled, “It’s nice to meet you, though. And your set was great, by the way.”
“Thanks,” Alex replied, finally ridding the glare that formed on his face and smiling softly at her. “Well, maybe I’ll catch you around, Maria,” he said finally, when he realized neither of them had anything else to say to each other.
“Definitely will,” she smiled with all that she could muster as Alex walked away from her and back to his bus.
“I don’t like that girl,” Rian shot towards Alex as soon as he entered the bus.
“Neither do I,” Alex agreed, a tint of defense hidden in his voice.
“Right.”
♠ ♠ ♠
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