Dark Scene of the Crime

Alex’s POV

Twenty minutes after Rowan had left, I was getting anxious and was pacing around the front lounge of the bus.

“Dude, Alex, what are you doing?” Rian asked.

“Pacing Rian, what does it look like?” I snapped.

“Calm down. I know that, but why are you pacing?” he asked.

“Rowan, she’s with 5 guys, who are all pretty good looking, and then she’s beautiful, and surrounded by guys, think Rian!” I practically shouted in response.

“Calm down Alex, I’ve seen you guys together, she’s not gonna do anything with them,” he said.

“You don’t know that,” I grumbled.

“Alex we’ve all seen you together, you guys are like lovesick puppies, she really likes you, she’s not gonna go get with one of The Maine boys just because they’re good looking,” Jack said.

“And besides, she doesn’t belong to you Alex, she can do whatever she wants. You guys aren’t even a couple,” Zack said. I turned to glare at him, sending daggers with my eyes.

“Not helping Zack,” Vinny muttered to him.

“I’m gonna go get her,” I decided.

“Whoa Alex don’t do that, if you just go barging over there, she’s gonna get pissed,” Rian told me.

“I don’t care, she doesn’t need to be around 5 guys who are obviously all ogling over her! You saw John at the party, he was insanely flirting with her!” I yelled.

“Maybe, but she chose you Alex,” Jack said.

“Not this time, she chose to hang out with them instead of us,” I grumbled.

“Don’t go get her Alex, she’s gonna think you’re weak if you show that you’re jealous. Just hide it,” Rian suggested.

“And you could hang out with Cassadee or something, and see if Rowan gets jealous,” Jack suggested.

“Dude, that is so stupid,” Matt said.

“How?” Jack asked.

“You really think making her jealous is the right answer?”

“Well come on, she’s gonna get jealous and she’s gonna want Alex back,” Jack said.

“OR she’s gonna be pissed and start hanging out with The Maine even more,” Matt pointed out.

“I don’t care, I’m gonna make her jealous. If Rowan asks, tell her I’m hanging with Cassadee,” I said with a smirk as I walked off the bus. I pulled out my phone as I walked, pulling up Cassadee’s number and texting her.

Hey Cass, where are you?

I put my phone back in my pocket once the text was sent and stood still, waiting for a reply. A couple seconds later, my phone dinged with her reply.

I’m by my merch booth, why?

After reading the text, I quickly replied.

Because I’m coming to see you.

I sent the text and stuck the phone in my pocket as I headed off to find Hey Monday’s merch booth. I walked past a couple merch booth’s, noticing The Maine and Rowan by their merch booth.

“Hey Alex!” Kennedy called me over. I groaned as I walked over to them.

“Hey guys,” I said once I had gotten to their group.

“What are you up to?” Garrett asked. I glanced over at him to see his arm around Rowan’s shoulders and her arm around his waist, her head resting on his shoulder. My hands tightened into fists as I shoved them into my pockets.

“I’m actually going to see Cassadee,” I said coldly.

“Someone’s in a bad mood,” Rowan said plainly. I narrowed my eyes at her.

“No, I just miss her,” I said flatly as I turned and walked away from the group. I could feel their stares on my back and I could hear feet shuffling behind me.

“What’s wrong with you?” Rowan panted.

“Nothing’s wrong with me,” I said stiffly as I continued to walk.

“Something is obviously wrong,” she said.

“No, nothing is wrong, go back to your new best friend Garrett,” I grumbled.

“What the hell is your problem?”

“Right now, you’re my only problem,” I told her icily.

“You’re being a real ass,” she said as her voice cracked.

“Oh am I?” I said sarcastically.

“Fuck you,” she said shakily as she turned around and walked away.

“Fuck,” I cursed under my breath. I sighed as I looked up and spotted Cassadee by her merch booth. Taking a deep breath, I picked up my pace and ran over to her. “Hey Cass,” I said as I hugged her from behind.

“Hey Alex,” she replied with laugh, turning around and hugging me. “What’s up? You look kinda pissed.”

“Nothings up,” I lied.

“You sure? ‘Cause you looked pretty pissed.”

“I’m not pissed at all,” I told her, putting on a fake smile.

“Alright.” She smiled. “So what did you come see me for?” she asked as we released each other.

“What I can’t just come see you?” I asked jokingly.

“No you can’t,” she said with a laugh. “Seriously, why?”

“I just missed you. I haven’t seen you since you switched schools,” I lied. She smiled again.

“Aww I missed you too Alex.” I smiled.

“So what do you say we do?” I asked.

“Well, FTSK is playing, so I say we go watch them,” she suggested. I nodded.

“Sounds good to me,” I said as I stood up. She stood up with me, and I put my arm around her shoulders as we walked towards the venue. I glanced towards The Maine and Rowan as we passed them. Rowan was in Garrett’s arms this time and she hid her face in his chest when I looked at her. The rest of them glared at me and shook their heads before turning back to Rowan and trying to comfort her. I narrowed my eyes before looking away and continuing to walk to the venue. I pulled open the door when we got there, holding it open for Cassadee.

“Thank you sir,” she said as she walked in.

“Your welcome ma’am,” I replied as I filed in behind her. “Where’s their stage at?”

“Over here.” She pointed as she lead me to the stage that FTSK was playing at. We got to the stage just as they were finishing She’s A Lady. We stood by the side of the stage and watched as they started up Whoa Oh.

“Why do I put myself in these situations?” Cassadee sang along under her breath. I smiled as I heard the lyrics. Why do I put myself in these situations? I put myself in a pretty bad one now. But there was nothing I could do about it. I was sticking to my plan of making Rowan jealous, and it was going to work. I am not giving up.

“Alex!” a voice hissed from behind us. Cassadee and I both turned around. It was Matt.

“What?” I asked.

“Come with me, now!” he hissed again. I looked to Cassadee.

“I’ll see you later, okay?” I said as I gave her hug. She nodded and released me before turning back to the stage. “What do you want, Matt?” I asked I walked over to him.

“What the hell did you do?” he hissed as he started to walk. He sure was hissing a lot today.

“What are you talking about?” I asked innocently, walking with him out the venue door.

“Don’t play innocent, Alex. What the hell did you do to Rowan?” I sighed.

“I didn’t do anything to her,” I lied.

“Oh really? Then why the hell did Garrett bring her to the bus bawling her eyes out?” he asked.

“I don’t know, maybe he was being a jackass to her,” I said with a smirk.

“Shut up Alex, she said it was something you did,” he said coldly as we walked up to the bus.

“Yeah well, I didn’t do a single fucking thing,” I lied as I pulled open the bus door and walked inside with Matt trailing behind me.

“See asshole,” he said, pointing to Rowan who was sitting on the couch cuddled in between Zack and Garrett, leaning into Garrett’s chest and hiding her face. I could hear her whimpering into his chest. I glared at them.

“Fuck,” I cursed under my breath as I walked away from the site and to the bunks. Jack followed me.

“What’s wrong with you, man?” he asked. “What did you do?” I sighed.

“I saw her with Garrett and I got pissed, they asked me where I was going, I said going to see Cassadee and walked away, Rowan followed me and asked me what was wrong with me, I said nothing, now go back to your new best friend Garrett, and she said what the hell is your problem, and I told her she’s my only problem right now, and she said I was being a real ass, so I sarcastically said ‘oh am I?’ and she said fuck you, then walked away,” I told him honestly.

“God you’re a real asshole Alex, you didn’t make anything better,” he said, shaking his head.

“You don’t think I know that, Jack?” I snapped. “Now what the hell am I supposed to do?”

“This is your problem this time, not mine,” he said before walking back out to the front lounge where Rowan was. I groaned and crawled into my bunk, laying down in it. Fuck, I had screwed up big this time.