The Challenge He'd Been Waiting For

All Time Low managed most of the concert-goers during that set time. The crowd was mostly teenagers, some girls forced boyfriends, and a few parents who wouldn't let their children out of their sight.

Regardless of the crowd, the four boys maintained their careless personalities. they cracked jokes, made comments to or about the crowd, and played their music. Occasionally, Alex would explain his songs, often times he made a joke out of them.

No matter what, Alex and Jack kept some sense of their relationship out in the open. The guitarist would play against Alex, or attempt to lock their eyes. Jack would always make a joke about Alex's kissing skills, the fans passing it off as brotherly humor.

Gaskarth continued to play his guitar and sing, even though in the back of his mind, he couldn't stop thinking about Cassadee earlier that morning or the fact that she was on the side of the stage now. He was angry that she was all over his boyfriend, he wasn't used to that feeling since people always left his date alone -- but then again, no one knew but his band and family.

"Look alive, you're slipping!" Matt yelled into the microphone over his face, filling the lead singer's ears.

Alex simply pulled the ear piece out in one slick movement before going back to strumming his guitar. He forced a smile as he played his guitar solo before singing again. Once he reached the microphone, he felt Jack behind him.

"Flyzik told me to come cheer you up, the fans might not see through you, but we can," he whispered in his boyfriend's ear. He waited until Alex stopped singing to hear the crowd finish the verse, "we'll talk after, okay?"

The set ended soon after that, the boys thanked the crowd and walked off stage. Alex glared as Cass handed Jack a towel, putting a hand on his shoulder as she talked to him. Danny took the caramel haired boy's guitar as he stormed off stage, a body guard following him to keep off clingy fans.

He walked into the bus and thanked the guard, kicking of his clothes as he crossed the room to the bathroom. Alex stuck a washcloth under running water and started to wipe off the sweat. He hung the material on the bar across from the sink and collapsed on his bunk down the hall.

About a half hour later, the rest of the band filed onto the bus, food in hand as they crowded around the table. Jack picked up the chicken he'd got from one of the food stands and went to the bunk area; pushing back Alex's curtain and sitting on the edge of the bed, waving the back in the sleeping boy's face.

Alex only rolled over, facing the wall. He pushed his boyfriend away with his food and nestled into his pillow. Jack stood up off the ground and furrowed his brows.

"Why are you mad at me?"

He was met by silence.

"Alex, come on, I didn't do anything. Are you seriously still mad about what I said earlier."

"No, I'm made that you're leading Pope on."

"I am not."

"You are, she's dropping every hint and you're looking past them or making yourself look interested. Do you really want to throw this away?" Alex asked, scooting out of his bunk so he could sit up.

"No, but I love you-"

He grabbed his boyfriend and kissed him, "I love you, too!" he took his bag of food and peered in.

"But I've been thinking, Alex. People are going to wonder why we're single and they're gonna be all over us like Cass has been with me."

"What are you saying, you want to come out about our relationship? I want to too, but we shouldn't bring our band down over this. We've dealt with those stupid protesters already for 'displaying' homosexuality, imagine if we were to admit to it?"

"Which is why I came up with a different plan."

"I'm not going to let you break up with me! No, not after all that we've been through."

Jack cupped Alex's face, "Please stop cutting me off, let me explain what I've been thinking before you write me off," he paused waiting for the silence, "We should get girlfriends, it would keep people from asking."

"But no one would agree to something like that."

"They don't have to know, only we will. If things get too serious, we'll break it off with them."

"I don't like it, I don't want to lose you... this plan will backfire. Jack, we will find a better way to make this work if we put our heads together."

"I already asked Cass out/"

Alex froze, his bag of food slipped from his fingertips. He didn't know how to react, usually they discussed their actions first, even before they were a couple. The other boy dropped his hand and put on a frown.

"No one is meant to like this plan, I don't."

"You came up with it, you enforced it," the singer bellowed as he rose to his feet so that they were eye level, "do you realize how ridiculous you sound? Hipocrite."

"Alex, calm down."

"Don't tell me how to act."

"Aren't you doing that to me?"

They're two different things and you know it, don't act childish and turn it around on me and try to make me forget the issue at hand."

Jack shook his head in defeat, "Enjoy your dinner before it gets cold, I'll be in the lounge wit the guys.""