Raise Your Glass 'Cause We're Poppin' Champagne

-Brooke-

"Zack, could you please stop being such a dick and reason with us?" Alex asked. I sat on the couch staring at the floor. "Are you mad because Matt let them stay?"

"No." Zack answered.

"Then, what's your deal, bro?" Jack asked walking toward him.

"I just don't want any drama and shit to go down while we're on tour." He answered staring at me ruefully. I quickly looked away from him the minute we made eye contact. "I don't even understand why Matt agreed to let them come on tour with us." He went on as he walked to the back of the bus again. A door slammed and everyone got quiet.

"Yep. He'sdefinitely on his man period." Victoria said after a long and quiet pause. Jack and Victoria laughed. Alex and I stared at each other awkwardly.

"Wanna go take a walk?" Alex asked me nervously. I nodded.

"Sure. Let us go." I said smiling. We sneaked out of the tour bus without anyone looking or paying attention.

"So, are you glad you're going on tour with us?" Alex asked me.

I stared at our feet moving in sync as we walked. "Kind of." I answered. "I mean, I don't want Zack to hate me. Or Victoria, and Jack seems to have a liking to her."

"Yeah. I don't blame him. She's pretty much his type. They're perfectsoul mates."

"Yeah." I agreed in a soft tone.

"Uhmmmm, do you like music?"

"Well no durrh, Gaskarth!" I laughed. He chuckled and playfully pushed my arm. He stared at the starry sky and tugged on the sleeves of his brown jacket.

"I wish I could touch the sky and grab the stars while keeping my feet planted on the ground." He said wonderingly. I gave him a "you're a loon" look.

"Are you serious?" I said in disbelief. He nodded and stared at the ground. I then noticed we both had stopped walking.

"I love the stars. I also love the flashing lights in Vegas." He laughed.

"Whoa, you've been to Vegas?"

"Once or twice."

"How? You're way too young to gamble."

"Well, before my brother passed away, he used to take me on trips to Vegas with him. I would stay at his condo and watch the lights change colors at the casinos. He'd always come home drunk, I'd tell him I was hungry, he'd make me a grilled cheese sandwich, and then he'd pass out." Alex explained staring at the sky. I stared at him and kept silent.

When he noticed how quiet I got, he looked at me and caught me staring. I panicked and shifted my vision the the sky.

"You're funny."

"How am I funny?" I asked not making eye contact.

"When I catch you staring, you always widen your eyes and look away. It's cute."

"Cute?"

He nodded. "Mhm."

OMG! He thinks I'm cute!

"What are you thinking about, Brooke?" He said and began walking again. I walked with him.

"Well, since you brought it up earlier, now I'm thinking about grabbing at the stars."

"What were you thinking about before that?" He said slyly.

"Uhhhhh..." I didn't want to tell him the truth. Before I could come up with a quick lie, he giggled and turned on his heels, facing back toward the bus.

"C'mon, people are going to worry." He said to me with a small smile.

"Okay." I said breathless. He was smiling at me. I tried to control my staring, I needed to keep it under control or he'd think I was weird.

I followed him back to the bus, keeping a two foot distance. He shoved his pale hands in his pocket and kept his head low. When we entered the tour bus, I could hear laughing and Victoria screaming and giggling.

"I wonder what's going on." Alex said stopping to look at me. I smiled and shrugged. He reached out his hand to me. I took it without thinking and let him lead me into the bus.

We walked halfway in the bus and stopped when we saw Jack on top of Victoria, tickling her.

"Whoa!" Alex and I said in unison. Jack and Victoria looked at us.

"Brooke!" Victoria screamed and tackled me to the floor.

"AUGH! Tori, that's the second time you've done that!" I said pushing her off. She laughed and tickled my ankle. I kicked her knee. "Don't make me bite you!"

"Jeez, Cookie Monster, violent much?!?!?!?!" She laughed. Alex and Jack giggled.

"Yeah, dude," Jack butted in. "Take it easy." I punched his arm. "OUCHY!" He squealed.

"Don't push it, Barakat." I seethed.

"Ooh, a feisty one, huh, Brooke?" Alex said smiling. "I likey!"

"Oh Em Gee, I need some water." I said walking off. I used my hair to cover my face...to hide my blushing cheeks.

What I didn't know, was that Alex was following me.

"Hey, gorgeous, where ya goin'?" He said.

"Uhm, to get water. Problem?" I asked confused. I kept my head low so my hair curtained my face.

"Maybe you should use a bottle." Alex said matter-of-factly holding a water bottle out to me. I took it. "There are no cups on the bus. Sorry."

"No problem."

"Hey, it's kinda boring in here. Why don't we go up front with our buds." Alex said. I nodded.