Ever After Never Came

I didn’t get up to watch All Time Low play, I couldn’t. Instead I woke up about an hour later, pulled on my shoes, walked about fifteen minutes to the nearest grocery store, bought myself a tub of Ben and Jerry’s and junk food I don’t really want to admit I bought, and marched myself back to the bus. I locked the front door, put on my favorite chick flick movie and wrapped myself in a blanket with the company of Ben and Jerry, a Kleenex box and the spoil I’d gotten from one very lucky store.

Waterproof mascara is a lie. I’ve tested it, and judging by the blackened tissues that surrounded me an hour after my crying jag, my theory is true. Waterproof simply means that it dries faster when it gets wet. So, no matter how fast I tried to wipe it off, it dried and made me look like a raccoon.

Reese Witherspoon was also testing the theory with me on the screen. Legally Blonde usually made me feel better, but today was the exception. In the words of Elle’s friend, ‘couldn’t I just take a Percocet?’

A couple hours later, after I was in the middle of another run of Legally Blonde, Rian was walking into the bus. I looked up in shock, hadn’t I locked the door?

“Wh-How’d you get in here?” I asked, trying to pick up everything.

“Keys,” Rian answered, jingling the metal keys at me. “You okay, Abs?”

“I’m fine,” I sniffled.

“Abby, you’ve eaten half a tub of ice cream, there’s tissue everywhere, and you’re mascara’s a mess.”

“So?” I retorted.

Rian sighed. “I heard you confront Jack.”

I pulled my knees to my chest. “He’s cheating on me, Rian, with the slut from my classes.”

He sighed yet again. “I know. I talked to him. He said it was a huge mistake.” Rian sat down next to me.

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” I asked, wiping my nose with another tissue.

“No, all I’m saying is hear him out. He messed up and you have every right to be pissed at him, but at the very least hear his side of the story,” Rian explained.

I nodded slightly. “Where is everyone?”

“They sent me in first to scope out the scene.”

I chuckled. “Yeah right.”

“Okay, so I just came to check on you before meet and greet. Sue me,” Rian laughed. “They’re signing stuff. I should probably go out there and sign stuff too.”

I nodded as Rian left, watching him through the window until my eyes fell on a sea of people. Lucky for me, Jack is 6’2 which makes him easy to spot. Unfortunately for me, that wasn’t really something I wanted. I could see his messy hair moving from fan to fan, signing pictures, shoes, jackets, bras… wait what? Bras? I watched as one girl pulled off her shirt and pointed to her bra. I narrowed my eyes, hoping that what I was seeing was just my imagination or a side effect from crying too much.

Jack laughed, grinning as he signed her bra. This sent all the other girls into a frenzy, shirts flying off with amazing speed. I scoffed at the sight. Seeing Jack looking at all those girls and behaving like everything was normal really pissed me off. I stood up and marched to the restroom, washing off all the mascara that had run and hoping that it would reduce the redness in my eyes.

I made sure to pick up everything from the living area and hide my junk food. God, I would pay for my rebellion when the breakouts popped up.

I wasn’t going to let him see me in a mess because of him. I’d done that years ago already and all it got me was pity. Okay, so in the long run I got Jack, but obviously I wasn’t doing a great job at keeping him. I frowned, the anger subsiding and the sadness filling its place.

What was wrong with me? Why could he love me enough to keep his promise? Was I that bad of a girlfriend? I contemplated this for a few minutes, probably would’ve been longer if the boys hadn’t come back in and shaken me from my thoughts. I wandered out of the bathroom, sliding into the kitchen booth.

Flyzik and Colussy were all smiles until they saw me. Then the mask of sympathy took over and they avoided eye contact. I felt my shoulders slump. Great, I was being pitied now. I ignored it and tried to get ready for the argument that was bound to come once Jack stepped onto the bus.

Alex, Zack and Rian walked in together talking animatedly about something. Then their eyes landed on me and everything stopped.

“What? Do I look bad or something?” I asked frustrated. I shouldn’t have such an impact on people.

“Sorry… we just. Never mind,” Alex answered.

I waved it off, looking for Jack’s lanky form behind the three boys. There was no sign of him. “Where’s Jack?”

Rian rubbed the back of his neck, looking at Alex. Alex was suddenly very interested in his shoes. I looked at both of them then at Zack. “Where is he?”

Zack sighed and shook his head. “He said he was going to go get drinks at the bar a few minutes away. Some fans invited us, but Alex has a video date with Lisa. Rian is supposed to call Kara, and I would rather shoot some pictures.”

I raised an eyebrow. He’d gone with his new ‘friends’ to get a drink. “Right, okay then. I’m going to bed.”

I stood up, my hands shaking from the frustration. I grabbed a blanket and pillow tossing them onto the couch in the living area. I crawled into the bunk and pulled out my cell phone sending a quick message to Jack before I tried to go to sleep for the third time. I heard hushed voices talking outside the bunk area.

“You think she’s okay? She wouldn’t go postal would she?” Zack asked the boys.

“I really don’t know, she seems to be taking it well,” Alex replied.

“Uh yeah, a little too well,” Flyzik cut in.

“Do you think she’d kill Jack?” Colussy wondered.

“Abby wouldn’t hurt a fly!” Flyzik defended.

“You never know! A fly never cheated on Abby. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” Colussy pointed out. “It’s a proven fact!”

“Well, I don’t think Abby’s fond of the idea of jail time,” Zack stated.

“Plus, she’s not stupid,” Rian added. “Jack is retarded. When the hell did he even see that girl?”

“After the show back in like December, I think,” Alex answered.

“Jack’s such an idiot,” Rian lamented. “She ate like half a tub of ice cream.”

“I can hear you guys!” I called. The talking ceased and I turned over, clapping a pillow over my head.

This was going to be a long night.

~*~*~*~*~

Jack

You can sleep on the couch in the living area.

I sighed as I read Abby’s text and shoved my phone back into my pocket without replying. I was currently sitting at the bar in Club Metropolis. The music was blasting, the lights were dim and there were tons of girls in miniskirts an heels dancing around the place.

I know coming here wasn’t the brightest move, but I didn’t think Abby would want me on the bus anyway and it seemed easier to come here than to face my angry girlfriend. Call me crazy, but being invited to drink versus going home to that seemed better.

My phone vibrated in my pocket again, signaling a new incoming message and snapping me out of my thoughts. I pulled it out, ready to find another text from Abigail, but instead found one from Hannah.

R U coming or wht?

I thought about it for a moment. I could just meet her and tell her to fuck off, that I didn’t have to pay her anymore since Abby found out. Or I could enjoy myself even though I was in the dog house. I know, I know, I’m an asshole for even thinking about this, but it crossed my mind.

Babe, please. I’m so sorry. I want to talk about it.

I sent the message to Abby, waiting for her response. I got one two minutes later.

There’s nothing to talk about. You can go screw yourself.

I raised an eyebrow at Abby’s message. She hardly ever said things like that, and for a moment I was pretty pissed. Here I was trying to work things out and she was already telling me off. I re-opened Hannah’s message, my fingers typing out a quick reply. I finished my drink and headed out. Bus call wasn’t for another few hours anyway.

R U coming or wht?

Yeah, I’ll b there soon