I've Never Told A Lie

     I hurriedly raked the area but didn't catch sight of the plastic square anywhere. Suddenly, am elbow jabbed by side and I was being jostled from every direction. The slow start of a song started on stage signaling the start of an act and the crowd was gearing up to rock out. I whipped around and stormed my way out of the crowd to several hateful looks. 
     Once, on the outskirts of the pit, I tried my phone but it was too loud to even hear the ringing. I scrambled farther and farther out to get better service and some quiet. I finally pushed through a set of double doors to four glorious bars of service. I dialed Jack's number to ask him for another pass but it went straight to voicemail as if it were turned off. 
     Confused, I leaned my head back against the door to hear a very familar voice yelling, "Hellooo Baltimore, how are you my pretties?"
It was All Time Low's set that was starting when I was inside. I decided to just listen to the set then call Jack afterward. 
      I turned to head inside when an arm shot out of nowhere blocking my way.
     "Ohoho nuh uh, Missy." A short, stern woman stood in front of me glaring and blocking the door. 
    "I don't care how pretty your face is or if you know the manager himself, you aren't going through this here doors without a ticket."
    Wow, this night wasn't get better. First I lose my ticket, and the next thing I'm facing off the bouncer from hell. 
    "Bu—," I start. 
    "Nope. I don't care where or what happened to your ticket. If it's not here with you: You. Are. Not. Going. Inside." She gave me long look before sauntering off to her post by the door. 
     I sat in silence on the wet curb for a couple of minutes before going over to her. 
     "Uhh, I really really gotta pee, soo.."
     "You can go next door," she pointed without lifting her eyes from her magazine. 
     I let out a frustrated noise and stomped back to my spot. It was a little damp with spots of rain. Great, just what I needed to top this whole night off. 
     I decided to wait out the show then call Jack. I began fiddling with my phone to pass the time and got so caught up in getting the high score in Bejeweled that I didn't notice the battery sign until it was too late. My phone blinked off and I dropped it into my bag angrily. 
     "Fucking A," I grumbled to myself. I decided to just leave since there was no point in waiting around anymore. I stood, slinging my bag over my shoulder. The evil bouncer lady smirked, "Have a nice drive home." 
     I flipped her off but she was already behind her magazine. I sighed and started off toward my car when I heard a sudden burst of laughter and music that was abruptly cut off. It sounded like....like a party. But where was it coming from. I tilted my head in the general direction of the sound and as if on cue, I heard it again. 
     Of course, I mentally smacked myself. There must be a back entrance somewhere and that's were the afterparty must be. I went around the building and found an unmarked door that was littered with the unmistakeable trash of a party: empty beer cans and condoms. Muted music thudded behind the metal barrier and I pounded with no avail. Of course it was locked and no one could hear me knocking. I began to turn back, guessing I could tell Jack I couldn't make it when the door swung open. A rush of warm, stuffy air, unrecognizable voices, and a couple entangled in each other stumbled out. 
     I caught the door as it was swinging shut when I noticed something about the couple. I peered and gasped with recognition. 
     "Is that....Zack?!"
     At the sound of his name, Zack looked up, black bangs swinging in his face. The girl he was locking lips stared at me curiously. With a jolt, I recognized her too, as the helpful girl who had helped me up in the pit. 
     "Taylor, hey, it's been a while" Zack muttered, smiling slightly. 
     "Yeah, two months. What've you been up to?"
     "Haha, y'know the usual. Selling out shows, headlining international shows. Nothing big," he joked. 
     "Just another day in the life of Zack Merrick, I see. And who's this?" I ask, smiling at the girl. 
     "Ohh," he blushed, "This is Miranda, we met after the show. I had to sneak her backstage to the party."
     Miranda waved, "Nice to meet you."
     A silence followed in which I realized the awkward way I was standing between the door. 
     "Yes, well, it was nice meeting you guys. See you soon, I hope." I waved one last time before slipping inside. 
     I stepped over a couple overaffectionate couples and suspicious puddles before I bumped into a familar back. 
     "Taylor?! Wow, where were you?" Jack cried. 
     "Well, I lost my pass so I decided to go out and call you but you didn't pick up so I was waiting outside and then my phone died and then I snuck through the back and I just got here." I said all in one breath. 
     "Woah, run on sentence much? Anyways, right after the show I told Alex you were here and he got all happy and was jumping around looking for you. But you never showed up and e got mad at me for 'toying with his emotions and giving him false hope' or something. Anyways, he got all depressed and headed over to the bar." Jack gestured to a makeshift bar which was basically a table covere in various bottles pushed up against the far wall. 
     "Alex is consuming alchohol in a bad mood?" I ask Jack in a panicked voice. 
     "Ye—oh shit. We better find him before he does something stupid."
     I nod quickly and glance around. All I see are barely dressed skanks and wasted rockstar types grinding everywhere.
     "I don't see him," I say to Jack. 
     Jack shakes his head. "Me neither. Let's fan out."
     We start looking around, heading first to the bar, then up to where the DJ is, even through a thick haze of smoke to no avail. 
     "We've looked everywhere," I groaned, "where the fuck is he?"
     "I don't kn—," Jack's voice cuts off. He recovers and begins talking again but his voice is a bit higher. "Lets go. Back and check over there. In that direction." He points to the way we just came from. 
     "Hey, are you okay? Did you see something?" I start turning around when I feel two hands roughly grab at my face and Jack's lips are on mine for the second time.