Once a Fragile Design

I woke up to the bus jerking around; my head slightly hit the wall of the bunk. I cursed under my breath before getting up and out of the bunk. I slowly walked towards the front of the bus. I saw Acey staring at the screen of her computer; her tired eyes barely looked up when she gave me a lazy wave. I sat down next to her, watching her edit a picture of Kennedy. His eyes were bright with a matching smile. I smiled when I realized how much emotion Acey really caught in the picture. Kennedy looks like he belongs.

"I love this," I told her and watched her nod from the corner of my eye. "You caught the best emotion out of Kenny."

"Then you'll really love this one," I heard the smile in Acey's voice when she minimized the picture of Kennedy to pull up a picture of John. I gasped. His normally hazel green eyes popped out in a true green color, as he stared right into the camera. The love in his eyes was evident and everything around John just seemed to blur. It was just John. "He was singing I Must Be Dreaming." Acey told with a tone in her voice that meant she was melting. I couldn't help but smile when a memory of Kennedy singing the same song to me. Somehow that song is the perfect song to sing to a girl.

"That is amazing Acey, you can really see the love in his eyes," I told her truthfully and she nodded while biting her lip.

"He told me loved me last night." I raised an eyebrow before remembering her and John disappeared last night. "We uh, kind of did it last night?" I stared at her with wide eyes as she blushed and bit her lip.

"Are you serious!? God, were you that drunk?" I couldn't help but laugh a little bit. A few months ago Acey would have said she wouldn't go near John in that way with a twelve hundred foot pole.

"Don't laugh at me! Gah, we were caught up in the moment. But, Rox, it was amazing." Acey bit her lip before saving her work in Photoshop and exiting the program.

"I bet it was," I joked which caused Acey to slap my arm and I only laughed more. "I was kidding, jeez, don't need to get violent." I wiped away the tears from my eyes that formed from my laughter.

"You're a meanie," she pouted before turning away from me. I rolled my eyes.

"No! Acey I didn't mean it!" I placed my hands on her shoulders over dramatically and she shoved me off.

"No, I want a divorce," as soon as the words left Acey's mouth we both began to crack up.
It wasn't long until one of the guys, in this case Garrett, ran to the front of the bus to throw pillows at us. "You know, some of us are trying to sleep!" He told and we saw Becca peek from behind him. I looked at Acey before smiling wildly.

"Oooh, Acey wasn't the only one who got lucky last night!" Acey looked at me with a horror stricken face before hitting me with one of the pillows Garrett threw at us.

"As if, Roxie, for your information we only talked," Garrett explained and I rolled my eyes.

"God guys, I can't even joke around here." Garrett and Becca rolled their eyes before going back to Garrett's bunk. Then a thought hit me, "what's today?"

"Halloween," Acey looked at me before the same thought ran through her. "We get to see All Time Low! My babies!" Acey and I stood up before jumping up and down in excitement. Today the OP tour and the GK Tour were meeting up in Dallas, Texas for one show.

"I heard babies," Acey and I looked over to see John in just his underwear and we both began laughing. "No, I'm serious, all I heard was babies and you two are freaking out." Acey shook her head before walking up to her boyfriend, kissing the part on his chest she could reach while wrapping her arms around his torso.

"We see All Time Low today, my babies," she explained and John rolled his eyes. "What did we scare you?"

"Yes," he breathed before leaning down to kiss Acey's forehead. I stared at them awkwardly before standing up. But as soon as I did the bus stopped and I fell backwards on my butt. John and Acey, who managed to stay standing, laughed at me. "Don't have your sea legs yet, first mate Roxanne?" John asked in a Pirate accent and I rolled my eyes.

"Shut up," I looked out the window to see we were at the venue and more buses were in the parking lot. Then I saw Jack Barakat running off of one of the buses. "Jack!" I yelled before running off the bus, despite not wearing any shoes and I was still dressed in my outfit from last night.

"I see Roxie!" I laughed upon hearing Jack's childish voice as he ran up to me; we embraced in a tight hug. Jack and I became fast friends when I spent two days on the Compromising tour a year ago. "How are you?" He asked and I shrugged.

"I've been great, how about you? This is a huge headlining tour for you." Jack beamed before we began walking back to the Maine's bus.

"It's great and it's been so much fun. So the word on the street is that you and Brock are dating?" I felt myself blush but Jack just kept talking. "That's cute, you know, he's always liked you. And then John and Acey, when I found out I thought hell froze over." I began laughing as he did. It was true. No one thought they'd end up the way they are now

"Last night they had sex though, and John said 'I love you' to her," I told him which caused Jack to stop and stare at me with a shocked face.

"No!"

"Yes!" We both laughed before walking onto the bus. Acey pounced on Jack, screaming "Kangaroo!" which earned odd stares to the short girl.

"What? I like yelling random animals," everyone in the front lounge laughed and I made my way towards Kennedy. I kissed his lips softly and he held me tightly.

--

"So Versa said they're dressing up as Paramore," Acey told me as we walked to the venue after getting ready. I dress in Kennedy's clothing and I told everyone I was Kennedy for the day. Acey dressed in what looked as normal clothing but wore kid sized monster slippers. The fact that she fit in them made me laugh.

"That's great, oh my god, they're always being compared too," I told before opening the door for Acey. We showed the security our passes before walking down the long corridor to the dressing rooms. We walked into Versa/Cobra's dressing room to see Alex wearing Sierra's shorts and tank top.

"And Alex is going to be Sierra," Acey told slowly staring at Alex as Sierra put a feather in his wig.

"Hey Acey, it's nice to see you're dressed up for the holiday," Alex rolled his eyes, his voice held sarcasm which made Acey gasp.

"I'm wearing monster slippers! I'm a monster! And you know what, I'm going to find my wand and I might, accidentally, put an Unforgivable Curse upon you." Acey made a small noise before turning her nose from Alex. Alex just stared at Acey while everyone else laughed. She has watched way too much of Harry Potter.

"Yeah well, I know how to do expelliarmus with Jack's phone!" Acey stared at Alex before pulling out her own iPhone, she pressed on the screen before making it flick and yelling "Expelliarmus!" at Alex. At this point I was trying to hold myself up on Blake, who was also falling down, from laughing too hard.

"We must take Harry Potter away from this child, she's gone mad!" Devin randomly yelled while Sierra was putting his fake beard on. Acey looked at the bassist with a pout on her face.

"Don't! Please, I can't. At least, let me have the books, the movies don't compare," Acey fake sniffed before getting pulled into a giant hug by Zack Merrick who suddenly came from behind her. "I feel abs, oh, this much be Zachary!" I watched the two hug in a way I’ve never seen before. Zack had a smile on his face and a glow in his eyes. Acey just seemed comfortable. Like they’ve done this before.

“So wait, how do you all know each other?” Devin asked, obviously confused like I was. I knew they were friends but I thought it was just from the tour. Sierra glared at him as he kept moving and not being still as she put his beard on.

“Well, every summer in school I would go visit my mom and she lived next to Alex. So then Alex and I would chill in my pool, he’ll bring over Jack and Rian and Zack and we’d just chill.” Acey shrugged and that part I knew.

“Acey and Zack dated once, I thought they were gonna last or something despite the distance,” Alex chimed in and I felt my jaw fall. They dated. And once Alex said that John and Kennedy walked into the room, Acey and Zack were talking about something which made John look at them with confusion well on his face. Kennedy wrapped his arms around me and kissed my temple.

“So uh, what’s going on?” He asked in a whisper, I shrugged but kept my eye on Acey who finally noticed her boyfriend.

“Hey John,” she went to hug him but he shook his head and left. “What the fuck is your problem?” She screamed after him, and for some reason, everyone in the room went out after them. John stopped to turn around and he didn’t even notice his audience.

“What was that? You were practically hanging off of Zack after I find out you two used to date. Why did you keep that from me? No fucking wonder you’d run off with him when we toured.” John stopped and Acey took the opportunity to speak.

“We’re friends! John, can’t I be friends with other guys? Is it too much of a problem? You know I knew Alex before I knew you and yet you don’t get all defensive if I touch Alex.”

“That’s because you and Alex never dated! God Acey, are you stupid? He was your everything, right?” When Acey didn’t say anything John shook his head, he is fuming. “He’s your Noah, isn’t he?”

Acey just stood there, looking down at the ground. The rest of us are speechless. I didn’t even know what John meant by “your Noah”. Then I looked at Zack who just had this pained expression on his face. “He was your summer romance, your first love and your first everything else. He showed you shit I can’t possibly compete against now. And if he’s your Noah then that makes me Lon, right? Everyone knows how this story ends.”

“What is your problem? I’m with you aren’t I?” Acey’s voice was low and I could sense fear in it.

“Yeah, mine, sure. You’re just a fucking whore.”

“Now come on,” Alex spoke up and John didn’t even look at him. His glare was set on Acey and just Acey.

“I know you are in love with Kennedy. I’m not stupid. I don’t know why I fucking love you. You love Kennedy and Zack and possibly every other fucking guy on this tour. You are a fucking whore and I’m done with playing these games with myself.” John went to walk away but stopped when Acey threw her phone at him.

“I’m a fucking whore? Really? John, I fell for you. Maybe I am fucking stupid. I’m going home. For real this time. Fuck you.” Acey stormed off, not even bothering to pick up her phone from the ground and Zack walked after her brushing past John. Kennedy watched in amazement.

“Wait, Acey liked me?” I turned to him, feeling my gut and heart drop. He seemed to like this news.

“Really? Are all the boys in the Maine stupid?” I walked off, hitting John with my shoulder and I found All Time Low’s dressing room where Acey sat on the couch crying. I couldn’t even look at her. I just grabbed Jack and made him walk with me.

“What happened? Acey’s crying and Zack’s comforting her. Alex is pissed off to no end and you seem pretty pissed yourself.”

“John basically flipped a nut because he found out about Zack and Acey. He called her a whore and then I guess some how he found out she used to like Kennedy. Kennedy found out and he’s all like ‘oh really, awesome’ and so I’m pissed.” I lit a cigarette up as we sat outside, along the building and Jack shook his head.

“I don’t get it. He finally got her and he let her slip like that? John is stupid, man, poor Acey. And Kennedy is stupid too. You’re gorgeous and funny and I don’t know, just amazing, and he’s just being a, well, guy. I wouldn’t be like that if you and I were dating.” I looked over to see Jack blushing slightly and staring at his hands. “I mean, well, I don’t know what I mean.”

“Jack Barakat, you are strange. But you’re a good friend,” I squeezed his hand and watched him nod. He looked up at smiled at me and I tossed my cigarette.

“If Acey leaves, I’m gonna join your tour okay?” Jack shook his head.

“Acey can’t leave and you can’t either.” I shrugged and Jack and I just sat there in silence. It was comforting. When the door next to us opened we both jumped. We looked up to see Alex looking at us with one raised eyebrow.

“Okay, crisis, we need you two stat.” Jack and I quickly stood up and followed Alex back to the dressing room. Sierra and Becca were trying to comfort Acey but I knew they had to get to the stage soon and Becca was need at merch. Shit I was needed at merch.

“Okay, Sierra and Becca you’re good. Roxie and Jack, try and talk to Acey,” Alex spoke in a low tone and I saw Acey with a bottle of beer in her hand mumbling to Zack. I sat down next to her and Jack sat on her lap.

“I hear my mommy is upset, I don’t want mommy to be upset,” Jack spoke slowly and in a baby tone trying to get a little smile out of Acey but it was no go.

“Go away.” She grumbled and Jack shook his head and if anything he stayed where he was. She shook her leg and he twisted his legs around hers.

“Acey Jayne, it is Halloween. Smile and take pictures of people in silly costumes! Come one, I’ll go put mine on,” Jack smiled before getting up and Acey didn’t even crack a smile. She just kept drinking her beer and I stayed quiet. Jack ran to his area, I guess you would call it that, where his things were an he began to put on a skirt, bra and a wig that resembles Victoria from Cobra Starship. “Who am I?”

“Jack, I can’t do this,” Acey set her beer down and walked away. Jack’s face dropped and I stayed where I sat. I don’t know what to do. I should be a better friend right now for Acey but Kennedy has pissed me off. Plus, a part of me and a part that I hate, knows that John is not taken. John is single. John could be mine. I felt my stomach drop and I wanted to throw up. I am disgusting.

I got up and walked away without saying anything. I figured I needed to be at my table and I walked towards the merch area set up outside. Becca smiled at me as her table was next to mine and I sat down on the seat. Tim thanked me with a nod and left after handing a shirt to a girl. Vinny walked over from his table and gave me a look. “What do you want Vincent?”

“I just want to know how you are,” he gave me a half smile and I shrugged. I don’t know how I feel. I’m pretty disgusted with myself and I’m pretty pissed off at Kennedy. I feel indifferent thinking about Acey but I’m pissed for feeling indifferent.

“I’m just conflicted, Vinny, don’t ask why either. It’s complicated and I don’t want to explain.” A girl walked up saving me as she asked me for a tee shirt. I smiled standing up and asking her what size. I have her the shirt and she gave me the money and went off on her way.

“Roxie!” I heard someone yell my name which caused anyone around us to turn their heads to see Matt Flyzik running up to me. He let out a deep breath as he slammed his hands on my table. I looked at him with confused eyes and he looked at me gasping for breath. “Roxie. Where is Acey?”

“What?”