Through All These Cities...

Tyler’s P.O.V.

“Does Amy, always drink like this?” Ed whispers to me, watching as Amelia’s head tips back and her third can of cider is finished off, even though it’s barely 7pm.

I nod, “I used to think it’s because she got nervous before shows, but she drinks this much even when we’re at home.”

“Does she have a problem,” He coughs, “Like alcohol problem?”

I shrug, “We’ve all tried to talk her into drinking less, but it ends up with us all arguing and going around in vicious circles. We figured she’d stop by herself.”

“She doesn’t seem all that messed up.” He looks at her happily joking around with Alice and Ali, “I mean most people with drinking problems have a messed up past.”

I sigh, “Amy doesn’t have parents.” I close my eyes for a moment, willing away the tears that well in my own eyes at the thought of a fourteen year old Amelia three weeks late back to school, more dishevelled than ever before, “She lives with her Grandma.”

“What happened to her parents?” Ed seems shocked at the piece of news, and I guess it is a little early on in the tour for pasts to be revealed, especially one that wasn’t my own.

“None of us know. She doesn’t talk about it and never has, so we don’t ask.” I take a sip from my first bottle of Stella, “Don’t think less of her though. She’s still the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”

“You like her, then?” Ed chuckles, following my gaze to hers, “You do seem awful close.”

I laugh, “Sometimes I think I do, but then I remember she’s always been my best friend, and I’d pick that over anything, any day.”

“Alex’s interested.” He glances to his best friend, “He’s not usually this hesitant about it all though. He’s more of a direct guy, it’s strange.”

“Amy’s different, so Alex’ll have to approach her different.”

“She seems like an awesome girl though, truly. Easy to spend time with.”

I chuckle, “I can’t believe I’m stood here discussing my best friend’s future relationships. Dude, we need to man up.”

We look at each other and burst out laughing, going our separate ways.
Ed goes to join Dan and Teddy who are huddled in a corner, discussing who knows what, as usual but he’s immediately in stitches of laughter as Dan say something I don’t hear.
I work my way from the back room, rolling my eyes at Amy grabbing another cider from the cooler, slipping back into conversation with Alice without hesitation.
I weave my way through the slowly filling venue, and stand by the door watching everyone enter, smiling at the people who think they recognise me, and even getting to sign a few early bought shirts.

Amy’s P.O.V.

“Whoa!” Alex laughs, taking the half empty can of as I tip my head back, “Slow down would ya’?”

I frown at him, eyebrows furrowing, having to bite my tongue and restrain my automatic reflexes not to completely freak out on Alex for taking the alcohol from my hand without a word of warning.

“Can I have that back?”

He looks at the can, then at all the empty bottles in the recycling, raising his eyebrows, “You’re not even due on yet, you’ve gotta slow down.”

I laugh, “Says you! You’ve drunk more than me.”

“This is my second of the day; you’re on at least your eighth.”

“I don’t see why it’s suddenly a problem.” I scoff, whisking my drink back into my own hands, “It’s not affecting you.”

“No, but it’s clearly affecting you. Could you please slow down?”

I eye Alex carefully as he watches my hand more than my face, his hand in a fist as I raise the Cider to my lips and take a small sip.
Alex looks practically heartbroken when I swallow slowly, and squish the can in my hands, throwing in lightly into the plastic box alongside the others.

“We need to talk later.” Alex mumbles, shaking his head sadly, making me feel instantly guilty, “Go get ready for the show.”

Many people before Alex have tried to talk to me about how much alcohol I consume, including Tyler, and the rest of the band, but I knew how to control how much I drank. I’d built up an almost impenetrable intolerance to the substance over the years, so it was always like I was sober, even if I did have that little buzz inside my own head.
The only person I was harming was myself.

Straight after we finish our set, I skip the normal wait for the guys to finish playing, and head straight back to the bus, grabbing a packet of Jaffa Cakes from the cupboard before I throw myself up the stairs.
I quickly change from the drenched stage clothes into a loose t-shirt and a pair of giraffe print pyjama pants before I climb into my bunk, close the curtain and flick the tiny TV screen down to carry on watching Wall-E that I’d started viewing earlier that day.
I guess I fall asleep, because before long there are voices just outside my bunk, one sounding angry, the other tired.

“Alex, she obviously doesn’t want to talk. Otherwise she would have waited for you to finish. Let her sleep.” It’s Tyler; he’s the angry one according to my hearing.

“I need to talk to her Tyler. It’ll take five minutes, that’s it. Why don’t you go join everyone else on he other bus? I’ll give you a game of Guitar Hero as soon as I get back.” Alex sighs throughout his little speech, and I hear him pat Tyler on the back as I assume he walks away.

“Don’t upset her OK? I know you’re going to bring up the drinking thing, but she’s not going to stop at the drop of a hat.”

Alex waits for Tyler to get down to the lower deck and leave the bus completely before he knocks on the space between the bunks, slowly opening my curtain.
I decide against faking sleep, and roll over when Alex clears his throat quietly, holding a hand out as a gesture for me to leave the bunk.

“Do we have to do this now, Lexi?”

“There’s no time like the present, Amy.” He tugs me down, smirking at my attire, “Cute pyjamas.”

“Hush up.” I tug self consciously on the clothes, “Why do you need to talk to me about this?”

He sighs as he sits me down next to him, “I know you think that you’re only hurting yourself, but you’re affecting everyone else too. We’ve only known each other three days, and I know this is probably as weird for you as it is for me, but I care. The whole band does, Amy. And your band too.”

“Alex-.”

“Hear me out? I know what it’s like, OK? I got like this a few years ago, trying to drink my troubles away. I drank way to much one night, passed out, woke up in hospital three days later, after my heart damn near stopped.”

My eyes shoot up from the floor to meet his, and I see the truth that’s swimming there, and I can’t stop myself before I lean over and hug him.

“Holy fu-! Lexi.” I play with the hair at the base of his neck as his hands soothe down my back, “I really don’t know what to say.”

I feel him smile against the top of my head, “There’s not much you can say; it’s the past. Just slow down with the drink from now on, please?”

“I guess I can try.” I look down as he pulls away, but my chin is soon nudged up and Alex smiles softly.

“Do more than try, huh? Make this easy for me.” He stands up abruptly, “Now come on, we’ve got the day here tomorrow, so lets go join everyone else so I can show off my mad Guitar Hero skills.”

I can’t help but laugh at his sudden change in attitude, “Just let me get changed back into some jeans and a jacket.”

It had cooled off considerably since I’d left the venue, and I was even cold wrapped up in the blankets I’d had in my bunk, so I hated to imagine how cold it would be outside and on the ‘Minor bus.

“Nope, adorable pyjamas are a must for this party and here.” He pulls off the striped hoodie he’d been wearing, roughly dragging it over my head until it’s laid right on my torso, despite it being so large that it goes down to my knees. He tows me to the door of the bus without another word, before he notices my lack of shoes, “OK, piggy back!”

“Why can’t I just stay here?!” I complain as I clamber up onto his back, resting my chin on his shoulder as he actually skips his way to the other bus.

“We’re a lot more fun than your invisible friend.”

“Debatable.” I mumble with a chuckle, making Alex tap my leg lightly from the way he’s holding me up.

“Don’t be so mean, you little shit, or I’ll drop you.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh, I would, but it’s too late now, we’re here!”

He lets me swing off his back and take the lead down to the lower back lounge, where everyone is gathered, watching Teddy well and truly beat Nate.