You're Not Alone.

Set: over. I jogged backstage and ran into Ali's arms, hugging her tight as she swung me around.

"As your best friend, I require details about all of this." She pointed at Matt as he and the guys took the stage. He gave me a look and smiled. I blushed and smiled back as he jogged onto the stage, the exact spot I had been in moments before.

"SPIDERS!"

My mind clicked from watching the guys perform, to the word being shouted over and over. I screamed. Yes, screamed like a little girl being murdered.. well, if that wasn't completely creepy. I jumped up and ran in a cirlce, screaming as John kept screaming "Spider!" Over and over, pointing at the ground near my feet.

The floor was black, and it was somewhat dark, so my dance was only seen by whoever was close. But my screams must have been heard by millions. Because the next thing I knew, I was off the ground in a pair of arms.

I shut up and looked up "Are you ok? What's wrong? What is it?" Matt rambled on, staring at the floor in confusion.

"S-s-s-spider.." I stammered.

"There isn't a spider."

I glared at John, who was on the floor laughing. I hissed as Matt's grip tightened on me "You... you need to go sing." I laughed a little as he stared at me.

"Will you be ok if I leave?" He asked carefully.

"Yah I'll be fi-"

"Yah thought so, come on." He smirked and carried me, bridal style, to the stage.

"Matt! Matt what are you doing?" I asked in a quiet voice as he set me down next to Brian "Brian what is he doing? I can't be up here, this is your guys' set!"

He laughed and slung his arm around my shoulders "He can keep a better eye on you if you're up here. And plus... well he doesn't want anything happen to you.”

“Yah! You should have heard the string of curses he said into the mic when he heard you screaming.” Johnny had walked over with a laugh.

“Uh... can we have our guitarist and bassist, please?”

We all looked as Matt stared at us, “Hello?” He asked again with a chuckle.

“Oh yeah, sorry. She’s just so interesting.” Brian smiled and patted my back before walking up to his spot on stage.

They played a ton of songs from oldies like Unholy Confessions to Afterlife. I didn’t think they played their old stuff anymore, but I wasn’t complaining.

“Thank yooouuu Louisville, tonight we’re gunna close with Dear God!” Matt shouted into the mic as they wrapped it up “I want to thank our support band, because they’ve been amazing comrades this tour!” Matt winked at me.

“You mean fuck buddies.” Brian smirked into his mic as the crowd laughed “I mean... unless that’s what’s expected of a support band.”

“Yeah, to support your-”

“OK!” Matt shouted into the mic “They’ve been really fun to tour with. And they dont’ bitch and complain, well... the girls don’t. The guys...” He moved his hand like a seesaw.

“HEY!” I shouted with a laugh “My bandmates, I can kick your ass, Shadows.”

He smiled “Yeah, I think the reason we picked them is because their singer mouths off as much as I do.”

“She’s dangerous.” Zack winked at me “With a bitcher knife.”

I laughed as Matt walked over “What?” I asked as he took my hand in his.

“Oh... not much.” He picked me up with one arm, slinging me over his shoulder as I protested and screamed. “This is my wonderfull counterpart.” Matt set me down in the middle of the stage “So she can’t act like the spotlight eats her skin, she’s used to it.”

“Thanks.” I rolled my eyes “Why are you embarassing me again?” I asked as he handed me a mic “He’s a douche.” I poked Matt’s stomach as the crowd laughed.

“So you all know,” Matt let the guitars slowly fade in as background music as he kept talking “That two years ago our band lost someone extremely important. Corinne Gavern, she was our best friend, girlfriend, mother figure, and... best friend.” He paused. The crowd cheered “You know we’d never just throw someone in her spot at a whim right? And you know we value the fans oppinions.” Cue extremely loud cheers.

“Spit it out, Shads.” Brian said into his mic “This intro isn’t easy.”

“Ok.” Matt laughed “Well, Corinne was not only my best friend but more. The love of my life.” I couldn’t help but feel confused as to why he was explaining this again, everyone knew it “Well I want your honest oppinion, and the band and I have gone this over a millions times in the past day.” He moved aside and raised his arms to me “Would you approve?”

There was a momentary drop if decibles. The crowd was murmuring, the guitars were playing softly, and I was staring at Matt as if he had two heads. But within seconds the crowd cheered.

“That’s a yes then eh?” Matt smiled “Cool. Now you are officially accepted.”

“Well thank you.” I smiled and bowed to the crowd “You don’t know what it means to me that you guys accept me... I would never try to take her place.”

“Well wait, these aren’t just our fans Marie.” Matt smiled wide as I rolled my eyes a little, feeling tears welling up “They’re your fans too, so. Your story because.... I don’t want to wake up in the middle of the night with your rabid fans hating me.”

I snickered and faced the crowd “You guys know what happened m’right?” Cue one loud unison ‘yes’ “Will you accept Matt, not in Eric’s place, but for me to be happy?” I asked. Cue loud cheer. I turned to Matt “Touche, rockstar, touche.”

He laughed as Brian let out an exasperated sigh over his mic “Ok ok! Damn we have cocky guitarists..” Matt laughed and kissed my cheek “So it’s no secret, y’all know.”

I laughed and began walking off stage, feeling something hit my ass, hard. I turned and laughed as Matt retracted his hand with a grin. The crowd cheered and cat called. I rolled my eyes and continued walking off stage “Damnit, that was so weird.” I laughed.

Hanna ran over to me and hugged me “Welcome to the crew, Marie!”

I smiled “Thanks. You guys... approved of me?” I asked.

“No.” Jackie snorted and crossed her arms “Matt just does what he wants.”

Everyone stared at her “Well if a gecko with herpes didn’t crawl up your ass.” Leana crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Jackie.

A small smile krept onto her face and she lunged at me “OH MY GOD YOU’RE SO MUCH LIKE HER I THINK I MIGHT KISS YOU!” We all laughed and she pulled back “Welcome to the crazy house. We serve Jack Daniels all day, and have the BEST sleep overs.”

“Matt told us you’re moving in.” Lacey smiled.

“Wait... who’s what?” Ali asked as she walked up “Marie, you’re moving?”

“TO WHERE?!” Grant ran over “Who what huh?”

“Oh...” I stared at everyone, the happy group of bouncy girls to my left and my confused bandmates to my right “Yeah. This whole Matt and I thing, I’m moving to Huntington with him..”

Ali snorted “Glad we knew. Do you know how much of a sell out that is, Marie?” She snarled, I never coined her for the jealous type, or she was just genuinly pissed.

“I’m sorry but we’re trying to work this out, ok Ali? Is that ok with you?” I asked “Eric always wanted me to be happy, ok? So this is happy for me.”

“Well I bet Eric didn’t ever invision you being a traitor and fucking his favorite band’s lead singer.” She hissed “Do you even miss Eric being around?”

I couldn’t take one more word from her stupid, bitchy mouth. I reached up and slapped her, across the face.

“Find yourself a new band to fuck over, Ali, you’re gone.”

“You have to like... vote me out.” She placed her hands on her hips “And Mark would never let that happen.”

John and Grant raised their hands “All in favor of kicking Ali out, raise your hand.” Grant smiled at me “There’s no one on this Earth who can talk to our Marie like that. Not even you, Ali.”

She snorted and walked away “We’ll see what Mark has to say about this.”