Walls

Alex woke up, his mind still a little cloudy from the night before. He rolled out of his bunk, it being the one that was basically level with the floor, then stood up. They were at a Target parking lot in LA, and the only other people on the bus were Jack and Amanda.

“Hey, how are you?” Amanda asked, sipping from the Starbucks cup in her hand.

“Shitty.” Alex replied, stretching. The couple laughed and Alex walked back and changed his clothes. After brushing his teeth, and deciding that his hair was messy but not too messy, he walked back out and off the bus.

He walked into the Target, and bought himself a coffee. He walked around the store some, stopping at the electronic section. He ended up buying some DVD’s and games. He walked around some more, but was stopped by two girls, around thirteen he would say, wanting a picture.

“I love Remembering Sunday.” One gushed after both took a picture with him, “It’s so sad and sweet. And then Vegas is just about having fun.” Alex nodded and after, “Well they’re about the same situation actually.”

They looked at him, “Really?” the one who had been doing all the talking asked.

“Yep.”

“Oh wow.” There was a pause and then the girl said, a smile on her face, “Your music saved my life.”

He smiled, “That’s awesome to hear.”

“I mean really. I know people say that all the time, but I really mean it.”

Alex smiled and opened his mouth to reply when he heard, “OHHHMIIIGODDDD, IT’S ALEX GASKARTHHH!!!” he smirked and then the pounding of feet were heard.

The two girls looked at the figure while Alex didn’t even blink or look over. The person stopped in front of him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “OH my goshhh! I’m so glad that we came here today. You know, I almost didn’t come, but I’m sooo glad I did.” She stopped to catch her breath, “You’re like my hero.”

Holding back laughter he looked over at her, and nodded, “Thanks.” She opened her mouth to continue but a voice called out, “Babe, I don’t want people seeing me carrying around a Starbucks Frappéchino. You know I don’t like Starbucks.”

“But babeeee.” She whined, “I’m talking to Alex Gaskarthhh.” Both male voices chuckled and Zack came into view. But it seemed as if neither girl recognized him.

“Would you like a picture?” Alex asked and she nodded, “Yes please. Babee come take a picture with me and Alex!” he chuckled and handed her the plastic cup holding her frappe. “Can you take a picture of us?” the black haired girl asked one of the girls.

“Uh...sure.” they posed and when the girl said three, both Zack and V pressed a kiss to Alex’s cheeks, while he had a goofy smile on his face, his chocolate orbs skyward. All three began to crack up, and V took her camera back.

“We’ll see you later, okay Alex?” the girl said, still smirking. Alex nodded, “Yeah.”

The couple walked away, V hopping onto Zack’s back. Alex could hear the beginning of their conversation as they walked away, “So tomorrow is our day off, not today?” Zack asked. “Yeah. And I have to work tomorrow, but I think that...” they disappeared around the corner. The two girls looked at Alex as if he were crazy.

“Sorry about that guys, they’re morons.” The two nodded and Alex shook his head grinning, “Anyway, it was nice meeting you two. Are you coming out to the show tonight?”

“I wish, but we have school tomorrow.” Alex shrugged, “Sorry to hear that. Well I gotta go.”

“Okay byeee!” they shouted. As Alex walked away he heard the two talking to each other, “Do you know who those two were?”

“I think the guy was the bassist.” The one who hadn’t said anything replied. That’s when Alex realized that it was a guy. “Oh shit.” He said chuckling to himself.

He walked around for a bit longer, bought some more useless junk and then headed back out to the bus. When he got on, he saw that Zack and V had gone to the beach, “How is she still so pale after living here and going to the beach so much?” he asked to really nobody.

“I think she uses an assload of sunscreen and sits under an umbrella.” Rian replied. Alex chuckled to himself, “Thanks, Ri.”

Alex went back to his bunk and sighed. He rolled over and faced the wall. “Alex, you’re hung over aren’t you?” Amanda asked, walking to the bunk area to grab a pair of flip flops.

“Yep.” He said dully. She sighed and shook her head. “Okay well rest up. Jack and I are going to the mall.”

“Wait, I’ll come too.” Alex rolled out of bed, and put his shoes back on. He walked with the two out, and Vinny came with them.

Alex smiled slightly as he watched Amanda and Jack together. They were so happy, and Alex was glad that they were still happy together. He knew that everyone was a little rocky after Vegas, no one more so than himself and V.

He had witnessed the slight cracking of her and Zack’s relationship. And he was happy that his friend was relentless; he wasn’t going to let V get away like that. And soon, those cracks were mended, and the couple had grown closer.

Alex shook his head, forcing all thoughts of that particular trip from his mind. “It’s not like it even makes a difference now.” He muttered to himself, passing a display where a certain green-eyed girl’s picture was, without looking up.

Had he known better, he might’ve saved some drama.

But as it stood, he didn’t. So the onslaught of stress and drama that was headed his way like a tidal wave was beyond his control by the time he realized his danger.

After a little while longer, the four went to the food court and ate some. People came up and asked for pictures, and the two guitarists obliged. Some even asked for some with Vinny.

When all four had had enough of the mall, they went back to the bus in the Target parking lot. V and Zack hadn’t returned, and Alex figured that they were with the guys from Runner Runner. When it was time for them to show up for sound check, Zack and V came and Alex noticed that V wasn’t in a good mood.

How he figured that out was the fact she headed straight to the dressing room for the night. “Zack, did something happen while you and V were out?” Amanda asked. Zack looked up and didn’t say anything but Amanda seemed to understand what he was trying to convey. “Oh.”

Alex shook his head, wondering how Zack was able to do that. He figured it was because he was the ‘quiet’ one. ‘But he isn’t really the quiet one’ Alex said to himself. He shook his head and prepped for sound check.

Hours later when they got done playing, he saw the Runner Runner guys backstage. He greeted all of them, and they smiled at him. He saw Jon and Nick looking at him differently, but he shrugged it off. He was only going to party the night away.

“There’s a new club nearby. We should go.” Jon said and the group agreed.

Two hours later, Alex and the rest of the bands were all out dancing in the club. Alex felt at home with these people. They made him forget about the emptiness he felt inside. It was the same pain he felt since he was still in high school. He pulled a girl to him, and danced with her. He then pressed a kiss to her, and twenty minutes later they were in his bunk.

Later on when the girl had left, leaving Alex her number. He knew he wouldn’t call, but he couldn’t help but smirk at her thinking he would. He pulled his clothes on, and rolled out of his bunk. The other members of his band and crew came on the bus, and they started drinking together.

A few more hours later, when everyone was passed out, he laid down in his bunk. He closed his eyes, but then heard his curtain open. He turned and saw V.

“Heyyy.” He said, smiling.

“Hey.” She said softly and Alex noticed that she wasn’t drunk, “I’m sorry about what happened back then.” Alex knew she was talking about Vegas and Sydney.

“It’s okay. It’s her loss, not ours.” She nodded and placed her cheek on her knees, her face facing him. “Hey, is something up?” Alex asked propping himself up on his elbow, looking at her worriedly. He knew that the others didn’t quite know how much V and himself were affected. They tried to understand, but the fact of the matter was they didn’t know.

“Yeah, just thinking about that trip and Damiean.”

Alex nodded and placed his hand on hers. “Hey, we’re better now.” He said softly. She bit her lip and he continued, “That trip was fun, and even though it ended shitty, we still had a lot of laughs.”

“I know. It’s just...I keep trying to figure out why she left like that.”

Alex shrugged, “I don’t know. I wish I did. But I don’t think that we’ll ever know.”

The girl nodded and leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead, Alex closing his eyes at this action, “Night Alex. Thanks for always listening.” Alex nodded, “Night, V.”