The Challenge He'd Been Waiting For

Alex closed the phone in his palm with a satisfied smile on his face, beside him Jack was also beaming. The boys shared a quick hug before getting up off of the couch in the back lounge and walking out of the tour bus, heading for the tent they were signing at. After a week of phone calls and many disappointments, Alex finally found the best doctor who would be available as soon as possible.

"Things are falling into place," the singer stated, mostly to himself, but he earned a look from his boyfriend. "What?"

"I feel like things are taking five steps backwards, we have to hide us all the time. I just can't take it anymore Alex, I love you still, and I'll always be here for you. Just let me know when you're ready to tell everyone."

"Are you-" he took in the expression on Jack's face and couldn't finish what he was saying.

"I'm sorry, I hate to do this right now. But I just need some time to think, I'm sure you can understand that, right? I can't keep looking at our fans and lying to them when I say I'm single."

He couldn't reply. He didn't know what to do. He felt so lost in that very moment, but he had to put a smile on for the fans who were already crowded around the tent. The whole signing went by in a blur for Alex, he couldn't tell you how many people he had talked to, how many pictures he took... He was just thinking about how he couldn't wait any longer to make it special for Jack.

Alex pulled Kara by the hand as she walked past him, she spun around and stumbled to keep up with her friend. Before she could ask him where they were going, the singer opened the taxi door for her and ushered her inside. She didn't argue, she could always use a get away. It bothered her every time a fan approached her as she wondered around and asked, "Where's Rian? Where's All Time Low?"

"May I ask what this capture is all about?"

"I can't just leave the venue without someone, Matt would kill me. You are the only one I can take with me, because you are the only one who knows."

"Wait -- you're getting the ring today? I thought you were going to wait."

Alex stepped out of the cab and waited until they were walking before he answered her, "Jack said he was done waiting. He told me he still loved me but he wanted to wait until I was ready to tell everyone."

"But you're just getting the ring, how will that fix the problem?"

The boy made a face at his friend, he didn't answer her question; he decided he should let her ponder... Maybe she would come up with something more rational than what he was thinking. They entered the ring store, he let her in first. She leaned over the glass counter and peered down at all of the diamond rings with a glow in her eyes.

"I can't buy him a girly one."

She smiled, "I know. I just want one, I thought that was where Rian and I were going. Ya'know."

"I'm still sorry about that," he wrapped an arm around her and approached the male section of the store, "there aren't many styles here, huh?"

"Men don't like fancy rings."

Kara looked up at t the sales person as he spoke then turned to Alex, "I think he would like silver."

"Me too," he slapped his forehead, "I don't know the ring size."

The worker behind the counter pulled out one of the silver rings and held it out toward them, "You can always have the ring exchanged or re-sized."

"That will work," Alex said turning the ring over in his hand, "can we go off of my size?"

The man nodded and pulled out a measuring utensil and took the singer's hand. He took the ring back and replaced it with one that would fit.

"Two-hundred and fifty dollars. It's real, I assure you," he replied to their shocked expression, "there isn't much business around here, we take what we can get."

As they waited for a new taxi to arrive, Kara played with the frayed material on her shorts. She climbed into the cab and Alex sat next to her, she took the ring box from his hands and opened it, staring at it as she spoke to him.

"How do you plan on doing it?"

"You'll see."

"I want to know, I want to be there!"

"You will be."

"What do you think he's going to do when you ask?"

He shrugged and took the ring back, slipping it into his tight jeans, "I hope it's nothing bad. I don't want him to turn me down. I love him. I need him."

"I'm sure all will go well, I was just wondering what your expectations were."

"I think it will all go fine with him... Until the media has a blast. I don't know why this has to be so complicated."

She wrapped her arms around him as they pulled up to the street the venue was on, "Love will keep you strong, you two are going to be just fine. You promised me that I was going to be and I believed you -- and I am. So you have to believe in me too."

"I do Kar."

"Then just do it, okay, no worries!"

"No worries," he repeated as he stepped out of the cab.

Kara brushed down her shorts as she stood up. They showed their passes to the guard and walked back into the venue. The singer started to walk towards the bus so that he could have some time to relax before he possibly made a fool of ourselves.

"Make sure you make it to our set tonight," he called after the slender girl.

"Okay!"

By the time she was munching on food from one of the stands, it hit her what Alex was going to do. She nearly dropped her cheese fries in surprise. She looked up at the blazing sun and let out a shallow breath. Please go well.