Lost In The Stereo Sound

Natalie's POV:
Faster than I could have imagined, nine days of the insanity that is Warped Tour flew by in a blur. For the boys, it probably was all a gigantic blur seeing that they were being eighteen year-old boys and binge drinking on a daily basis. The most sober I saw any of them was in the morning or right after their set depending on the person. It's not that I was being a dud, but I just didn't feel like partying ever single night. After the first few days of what seemed like an endless party, I tuckered out. It's amusing because there is always someone willing to drink with you if you so desire. Jack and Alex took advantage of this immensely. Zack didn't always drink because he was health-conscious, something Jack and Alex wouldn't even know the first thing about. Rian was constantly bickering with Kara about going out if there would be those girls around. You know what I mean. I'd call them 'groupies' but that seems so... old-school rock and roll. No, these girls just wanted to get ass from someone who stood on a stage that day. Doesn't matter which band, really. Just wanted a ride alone the entire tour with some nameless dude with a guitar in his hand. I was mistaken for one, actually. I nearly punched the guy out if it weren't for Matt holding me back.

"Natty Ice," Jack called from where he had passed out the night before. He was laying underneath the breakfast nook.

"What's up?" I said in an overly-cheerful voice because I knew it would make him angry.

"Well, for starters, shut the fuck up. And secondly, where the hell is Alex?" Jack said sitting up while rubbing his neck.

"I thought you two went out last night," I said with an annoyed sigh.

"We did," Jack said wrinkling his forehead. "Oh."

"Oh, what?" I said narrowing my eyes at Jack's alarmed face.

"I don't remember coming back with him," Jack mumbled quietly.

"Oh, well, I'm sure he passed out on the bus you were at," I said slowly.

"Yeah,"Jack said unconvincingly.

"You don't seem too sure about that," I said.

"Yeah, well, I was drunk. I need to shower," Jack said getting up from his spot on the floor and hightailing it to the shower stall.

To be honest, I wouldn't have been concerned that Alex was missing. He was a big boy and could sure as hell hold his liquor. The part that worried me was the fact that Jack seemed to know something I didn't. It's as if he were hiding something from me. It really freaked me out because I knew Jack wouldn't be worried about Alex unless he knew he fucked up somehow.

My mind was racing so I grabbed a cranberry juice bottle and stepped off the bus for a walk to clear my head. I needed to get these ridiculous thoughts out of my head.

"Hey, Nat," Matt said from behind me as I rounded the corner to the many rows of buses.

"Hey," I replied. "How are you doing?"

"I'm dying. My head is killing me and I'm insanely nauseous. Your boyfriend fucked me up hard last night," Matt said with a chuckle.

"Oh, did he?" I said with a laugh. "Well, that's not really surprising. His liver is shot to hell."

"I wouldn't doubt it. Have you seen him? Last time I did was on a bus in the 13th spot," Matt said curiously.

"Nope," I replied.

"Oh, well, he probably passed out there. He was so wasted," Matt reasoned.

"Maybe I should go find him..." I started to say. "I mean, that's what a good girlfriend would do, right?"

"Probably," Matt said with a wink.

"Ok, well, I'll let you know when I need your help setting up," Matt said with a wave.

"Thanks!" I said walking off toward spot #13.

What Matt said resounded in my head. I wanted to believe the best in Alex, but something felt... off.

Soon enough, I reached the spot. I took a deep breath in an attempt to make the butterflies in my stomach rest and knocked on the bus door.

"Can I help you?" a guy with long brown hair asked me looking suspiciously at me. His eyes lingered on my hip and his face relaxed upon seeing my credentials.

"Yeah, is Alex Gaskarth still on this bus?" I asked slowly.

"Oh, yeah. Come on in," the guy said with a smile.

"I apologize for his behavior," I said with a laugh.

"Dude's got to do what a dude's got to do," he said walking toward the back lounge. "Speaking of, you two were fucking animals last night."

"What are you talking about?" I asked not sure as to what he was getting at.

"I figured you'd play coy. But I'm not fooled. I heard you two last night," he said with a suggestive raise of his eyebrows and a wink.

My heart stopped dead in my chest and my breathing became staggered.

"Don't be embarrassed," he said with a laugh. "Just don't do it again on this bus," he joked pressing the button to the sliding back door of the lounge.

"That wasn't me," I managed to squeak out.

"What?" he said looking at me. My eyes were fixed on the horrid sight in front of me. Following my gaze, the guy who let me on the bus exhaled in disbelief. "Well, shit."