Raise Your Glass 'Cause We're Poppin' Champagne

It rained all day. And he was gone. Nowhere. We searched high and low for two days, and found nothing. Alex was gone. He had ran away the night Zack kissed me.

*That night...*

"Why'd you do it?" Victoria hollered at Zack, throwing her fists into his chest. He shoved her away into the wall of the bus. Jack jumped out of his seat and wrapped his hands around Zack's neck.

Zack also began to choke Jack. Tori sprung out in tears and wailed like a baby. I jumped between the two and tried to pry Zack's fingers from Jack's neck. It was a hassle, but I managed to break it up.

"Stop fighting, everyone!" I shouted. "Let's just look for Alex and we'll discuss what happened later. Please?"

I looked at Rian. He nodded and looked at Jack, then he nodded and looked at Victoria. She wiped her tears and sighed.

"I don't know. I'm really freaking pissed off. I wanna find Alex, but I also want to attack the shit out of Zack's face!" She spat. Zack looked away from everyone. I looked at him and then back at Tori.

"Please Victoria?" I said pleadingly. She looked around at everyone else before nodding. "Thank you." I whispered.

*Present day...*

I sat by the window of Jack's living room on an old, beat-down couch. I stared at the pouring rain as it flooded the streets and washed away the dirt on Jack's car.

"I hope he's okay." Tori said from in the kitchen.

"You keep saying that." Jack replied with a very somber chuckle. I listened as she began to cry.

"I know. But he could be anywhere." She said.

"He will be fine, Tori. It's gonna be okay." Jack said trying to calm her. I knew by now she was in his embrace, being cradled close to his chest, being comforted. Hearing her sob made me begin to cry. She made me worry. She truly made me believe something wrong was going to happen to Alex. But I believed there was really nothing to worry about. He'd come back soon.

Then, there was a knock on the front door. I hadn't seen anyone approach the house, so I became suspicious. Jack setteled Tori onto the love seat and answered the door.

"Alex!" Jack said in surprise. I jumped off the couch and looked over Jack's shoulder.

Alex was soaked from head to toe. He looked at me with a death glare. Then, he said something to Jack I couldn't hear. That's when Jack turned to me slowly and said, "Brooke, could you go to another room for a second? It's nothing personal."

I looked at Alex one last time before walking up stairs and into the guest room. Downstairs, I could hear Tori, Jack, and Alex talking.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Tori cried out.

"At a hotel. I walked all the way here." Alex replied. Hearing his voices made tears flood from my eyes. The tears felt so hot on my very cold and sweaty face. I was glad he was safe, but I was sad he didn't even want to speak to me.

"Why'd you leave?" Jack asked calmly.

"She's done it. I thought she was the one until she kissed him. I'm beginning to believe I can't trust any girl anymore. So far, they're all just like Lisa." Alex explained. I flinched when he compared me to her.

"Don't say that, Alex." Victoria said. "Zack said he kissed her first and she didn't know about it. Don't force this all on her. It isn't her fault."

"I guess you're right." Alex said.

"Yeah, you didn't even want to hear her side. You just up and left." Jack added.

"Yeah..." Alex said quietly.

"So, are you gonna talk to her or what?" Jack asked. Then, I could hear faint whispering. I waited to hear someone talk but all I heard was a door closing.

"Brooke!" Alex's voice called to me.

Cliffhanger.....! Ha ha!