You Look Pretty Low

[Trinity]

As you probably guessed, I didn’t actually go back to practice after I left. Instead, I walked around for a couple of hours, just thinking about what Kara had said. I didn’t come to any conclusions though. I only had one phone call from Peyton to make sure I hadn’t done anything stupid (pfft like I would), and she obviously told everyone not to bother me. Or to mention it, actually, because I didn’t get anyone asking me why I hadn’t returned.

But anyway, now it’s Saturday, and the day of the boys’ gig at the Palladium. This gig is such a big deal – it’s bigger than anything they’ve ever played before. And apparently there are representatives from music labels coming to watch. Hence why I’m now at Zack’s house trying to calm him down two hours before we have to leave.

“What if I mess up? If we bomb, it’ll be my fault!!!” Zack whined

I sighed and stroked his hair, his head in my lap. We were on his bed, me sitting upright, and him curled in a ball, his head in my lap. His mum wasn’t particularly happy about us being alone up here (she doesn’t like me, big shock), but was lenient when she saw the state Zack was in.

“You won’t mess up. You know those songs like the back on your hand – stop stressing. If you keep stressing, you’ll make mistakes,” I said softly

“Ooohhhhh, I don't want to mess up!” Zack wailed

Okay, this is getting pathetic. I’m going to have to do this the hard way. With a grunt, I pushed him upright and sharply slapped his cheek. That snapped him out of it.

“Oww! What the fuckk was that for?!” Zack pouted, holding a hand to his face

“Count yourself lucky I didn’t punch you. You should really hear yourself – don’t you want the band to do well? Don’t you want success and fame and all that shit? Don’t you want to earn a living doing the thing you love?” I scowled

“Of course I want all that…I just don’t want to mess up!” Zack retorted, looking hurt

I sighed, my expression softening. Dammit.

“When have you ever messed up in a show? You need your confidence back. Whether you like it or not, All Time Low are playing tonight, and they need their bass to bang out a storm. I want you to play the best you’ve ever played, because this is such a big opportunity for you and the guys. You don’t want to let me down, do you?” I asked gently

Yes, I know, the blackmail card. I really had no other choice, I swear.

And it worked. Zack grabbed my hands in his own and pressed a soft kiss to my lips, slowly pulling away.

“Of course I don’t. You know that. I’m just nervous, that’s all,” Zack said sincerely

I smiled, pecking his lips again. Then I stood up, an idea coming to mind.

“What are you doing? Where are you going?” Zack asked, panicking

“Get up,” I said simply, a small smirk creeping onto the corner of my lips

“Why?” Zack asked, confused

“Stop with the fuckking questions! I’m giving you a confidence boost,” I chuckled, pulling him to his feet

His eyes went wide with a mixture of lust and horror as I knelt down in front of him and reached for the button of his jeans.

“Trinity, my mum’s downstairs!” Zack hissed, unable to stop an instant tent pitching in his boxers as I tugged his jeans down

“You’ll have to be quiet then, won’t you?” I grinned, pulling down his boxers as well.

*

Zack and I pulled up outside the Palladium exactly 2 hours later. As I got out the car, smoothing down my netting skirt as Alex, Peyton, Jack, Rian and Kara ran up to us, scowls on their faces.

“Where the bloody hell have you been?” Alex snapped

“We thought you weren’t going to turn up!” Rian said angrily

“Sound check starts in, like, 2 minutes!” Jack exasperated

“Would you all just fuckking chill? We’re here, aren’t we?” Zack retorted

Everyone’s eyebrows went up. Including mine. Zack never swears. Niiiice.

“Why were you late?” Kara asked, breaking the tension

“Zack was nervous – I gave him a confidence boost,” I shrugged

Peyton’s frown spread into a grin, Kara's jaw dropped and the boys all cheered and hollered. Zack just blushed.

“That’s my girl,” she laughed, adjusting her waistcoat over her lacy bra

“Are we going in or not?” I asked Alex, raising an eyebrow

He glared slightly at me, before grabbing Peyton’s hand, the two of them leading the way into the building.

*

[Peyton]

[2 hours later]

The 2 support acts had been on and off, and the boys had just gone on. Me, Trinity and Kara were waiting at the side of the stage, watching the boys face the crowd.

“How are we doing tonight Maryland?” Alex yelled into the microphone, a big grin on his face

The huge crowd cheered and yelled back. Then Jack went up to the microphone.

“What was that? I couldn’t quite hear y’all,” Jack said in a fake-southern accent

The crowd erupted in cheers and screams. The boys laughed and Rian did a drum run.

“We are All Time Low, and this is our first song Circles,” Alex announced

The crowd erupted again. I’m so happy for the boys, they’re getting a really great response. Rian did a count in, and they started to play.

Inquisitive and thoughtful,
she was the challenge he'd been waiting for;
a reminder that creativity runs deep like secrets.
Dark eyed dreamers; they were a dangerous pair,
Q next to U scribbled out on paper...
They stop, they go, they're done.

Go back to the place we knew before retrace our steps to the basement door,
I'll ask you if the rain still makes you smile,
Like so much time that we spent in the fall it put color in our cheeks while the air turned cold,
Preceding what became our bitter end.

Round in circles, lets start over,
Round in circles, lets start over.

Unanswered questions would be the only thing to stop them now...
He was the poet while she was the muse,
but she had a pen that she knew how to use,
with a touch of redemption, a hint of elation;
a recipe for disaster.

Go back to the place we knew before retrace our steps to the basement door,
I'll ask you if the rain still makes you smile,
Like so much time that we spent in the fall it put color in our cheeks while the air turned cold,
Preceding what became our bitter end.

Let this be a lesson to us all...

*

[1 hour later]

Alex swung me round in a circle as they ran off stage, all of them drenched in sweat and wide-grinning.

“That was the best show we ever played!” Jack squealed, clapping his hands excitedly

“Damn right,” Rian grinned, before pressing his lips to Kara’s

“I can’t believe we did so well!” Zack said, sounding shocked

“Mmhmm…told you so,” my sister laughed, pecking a kiss to his neck

Alex pulled me to the side of the group, pressing me again the wall slightly.

“Thank you,” he murmured, cupping my face with a hand

“What for?” I asked, confused

“For staying with me. For giving me someone to perform to. For believing in me,” Alex smiled, resting his forehead against mine

“You are such a sap,” I giggled, my cheeks flushing

“I’m your sap,” Alex grinned

“You got that right,” I smiled

I leant my head up, connecting our lips firmly. Alex moaned slightly, making me smile, and he pulled me tight against his body, arms wrapped round my waist.

“Oi! Break it up! We’ve got some serious drinking to do!” Trinity yelled

I broke away from Alex, about to tell her where to stick it, when Alex just pulled me into a cupboard.

“What are you doing?” I laughed, switching the light on

“I think they’ll get the message now. Do you really think I’m letting you go anywhere dressed like that? We can catch up with them later,” Alex purred, sliding his hand up my bare thigh and under my red skirt

“You’re such a whore,” I giggled, batting his hand away

“I’m your whore,” Alex smirked, unbuttoning my waistcoat

I just rolled my eyes, pushing him to the floor.