Four Years

Rachel's POV

Alex and I got back to the hotel at around 9:30. The lobby was busier than when we left it. Damn. We both got onto the elevator, pressing the door close button before a family could get on with us.

We both giggled as the doors shut on them. We were so mean. 

"Well...the guys are probably wondering what the hell happened to me," Alex chuckled, itching the back of his neck as the doors slid open and we stepped out.

"Yeah, Pete's most likely causing shit that I need to go clean up," I laughed, shaking my head at the thought. It was most likely true. If he didn't have someone like myself to watch him, he'd end up burning the place down.

We stood awkwardly in the hallway, trying to figure out what to do next. "So...I'll, um, I'll catch you later, kay?" He said, raising his eyebrows.

I giggled, pulling him into a hug. He was tense at first, but then he relaxed and melted into the hug. We pulled apart and walked off towards our respective rooms.

I pulled out my keycard and scanned it, opening the door. I surveyed the room. Everything looked fairly normal...

I set my hot chocolate and everything bagel bag down on the dresser and slowly walked into the room. Pete wasn't on the bed. Where the fuck was he? 

"Hiya!" He screamed, jumping onto my back. I screamed loudly and fell to the floor, shaking so badly. He practically gave me a heart attack. Holy motherfucking shit.

"Pete, please don't ever do that again!" I yelled, smacking him upside the head as he rolled off of me. 

"Yeah...sorry," He laughed, pulling me up with him. He kissed me softly before running and jumping on the bed. "So, Barakat and I have this little thing planned. New guys versus - "

"Now versus then?" I giggled, jumping on the bed next to him.

He smacked me with a pillow, "You're so goddamn clever. We're gonna do like this laser tag shit in the hotel. Cobra and Fall Out Boy against All Time Low and Hey Monday."

"Are you being serious?" I asked, burying my head in the stack of pillows. I wanted to sleep. I only got four hours. I wanted more. "Leave me out of it."

"No, Rae! You're my goddamn partner. You've gotta play," He whined, getting off the bed. His hands wrapped around my ankles and began pulling me. Oh, no. 

"Pete, no, please don't!" I yelled, gripping the sheets tightly, holding on for dear life. "Let me sleep! I am drained emotionally!"

"Why? What happened?" He asked, letting go of me. 

"I told Alex about Josh," I sighed, crawling back up the bed.

"You did? How'd that go?" He asked, sitting on the bed next to me. 

"Fine. We both cried a bit," I laughed a bit, shaking my head. 

"Well, if you wanna stay here, you can. I'll go find Andy or something," He said, getting up. 

"You know what, count me in. I feel like kicking some Barakat ass," I smirked, earning a grin from Pete. 

***

I wandered down the hotel hallway slowly, my gun drawn, looking for any member of team All Time Monday. Clever name, right?

"Pope's out," I heard over my little walkie-talkie. I giggled to myself. Cass was the first one out. Poor girl. 

"Who's there!" 

"Fuck," I breathed out, pressing myself against the wall. I didn't want to be the second one out.

"I said who's there!" 

I recognized the voice as Jack's. I smirked, knowing I could easily get him out. 

I stepped out from around the corner, holding the gun by my side. "Hey, Jack," I said, smiling. 

"H-hey, Rae," He stuttered, dropping his defenses. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing," I smiled, closing the gap between us. I watched in satisfaction as he gulped and stuttered for words. I danced my fingers up his chest, making my way to his lips. "Shhh, don't speak."

He nodded and dropped his gun so he could rest his hands on my hips. He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. 

I smirked, my lips still pressed against his, and brought my gun up to his head. I pulled away and pulled the trigger. 

He gasped, "Rae, what the hell?! Why'd you - you used me!"

"Did I? Oops," I smiled innocently, grabbing my walkie-talkie. "Barakat's out."

"Fuck yeah, Rae!" Pete's voice sounded over the talkie in my hand. 

"Bye bye, Jack."

"Oh, no, no, no. You come back here. I need to talk to you," He said, pulling me back by the wrist. 

"What? I need to go get Gaskank and the rest of All Time Blow," I whined, ripping my arm out of his grip. 

"Rae, where's my kid?" He asked, his eyes sorta lighting up a bit. He wanted to see Josh. He wanted Josh. 

"God dammit, not this again," I groaned, slamming my head against the wall behind me. 

"What's wrong?" 

"Alex already asked me this. I don't wanna talk about it again today," I mumbled, rubbing the back of my neck. 

"He did? Oh, wait, yeah, he still thinks it's his kid," He chuckled. "Seriously, Rae, c'mon. It's my fucking kid. I deserve to know!"

I sighed, scuffing my shoe against the red carpeted floor, "Jack, I really don't wanna talk about this again."

"Why not?" He whined, dragging out the 'ot'. God, he was such a child. 

"Fucking hell, I really don't wanna go through this again," I muttered to myself. "Jack, I don't - "

"Fine. Don't fucking tell me. Don't fucking tell me where my kid is. Go ahead and tell Alex where my kid is. Yeah, he deserves the right to know. Yep, uh-huh. Fuck you," He yelled, walking away from me. 

"Well, fuck you, too, Jack! Fuck you for getting me pregnant at seventeen! Fuck you for making me run away! Just fuck you!" I screamed, feeling the tears roll down my cheek. 

"Gentile's out," Pete said over the talkie. 

"Oh, shut the fuck up," I growled at the small talkie.

"I made you run away? Rae, no, you fucking drove yourself away," He said, coming back. 

I looked up at him, staring intently at him. I wanted to reach up and smack him. But I couldn't. 

"I wouldn't have fucking ran if you didn't fucking complicate things. You just can't keep your damn hands off me, can you?" I spat, glaring at him.

"Excuse me? I kept my - "

"No, you didn't. And you still don't. I'm dating the man who invited you on this tour because he wanted you to make it big. Yet, you still come on to me. You still try to get with me. Pathetic, Jack," I laughed bitterly, still glaring at him. "You don't respect anyone. Especially me."

"I don't respect you? You're fucking kidding me, right? I fucking respect you so much, Rae. Holy shit."

"If you actually did respect me, Jack, you wouldn't fucking kiss me!"

"You're just so beautiful, Rae. I can't help myself. I'm not used to not being able to have you," He said quietly. "I used to just snap my fingers and you'd appear, ready to love me. I miss that."

"Then buy a goddamn puppy!" I yelled, throwing my arms up in the air. 

He just stared at me. A small smile tugged on his lips. Then, he bust out laughing, "You're still sarcastic, huh?"

"I was being serious, Jack," I said with a blank expression. 

"Whatever. Just tell me about the kid, please," He pouted, giving me the puppy dog face. 

"He died, Jack," I whispered, looking down at the floor. 

"He? It was a he? H-how'd he di-die?" He stuttered out.

"Yes, his name was Josh. I fell and lost him in July 2005. They said they tried to save him, but they couldn't," I whimpered, feeling that damn lump come up my throat. I was doing too much crying in one day. 

Jack was speechless. He just stood there, completely shocked. Alex did more. Alex hugged me. I liked Alex better. 

"I-I'm so fucking sorry!" He whisper-yelled, embracing me in such a tight hug, I thought I was gonna pass out from lack of oxygen. 

I felt something hit me in the back. What the hell? 

I yanked myself out of Jack's grip and turned around, seeing Rian standing there with his arms in the air. 

"God dammit, Rian, we were having a moment!" I yelled, picking up my gun and shooting him in return. 

"Woods is out," Rian laughed in his stupid talkie. 

"What the fuck, Rae?" Pete asked, his voice crackly from the walkie-talkie.  

"Sorry, babe. Rian shot me in the back. I couldn't stop him," I sighed, replying. "I'll be back in the room."

"Alright, bye, Rae!" Rian smiled, attempting to hug me. 

I shoved him away, "Don't hug me, Dawson."

"Whatever," He laughed, running off down the hallway. 

"Can I come back to your room with you?" Jack asked softly. 

"No," I said, walking off to my room. I didn't care if I was being a bitch. He deserved it. 

"Well, I'm coming with you anyways."

"Whatever," I sighed, knowing he wouldn't give up. "Don't expect me to talk to you, though."

"Why are you so mean? What'd I do?" He pouted as I opened the door.  

"Just shut up," I said, throwing my gun down on the floor. I plopped down face first on the bed, groaning. 

The bed sank a bit as he sat next to me. As a consquence of the bed sinking, I rolled over to him. I couldn't help but to laugh. He laughed and pet my hair back from my face. "You know, you're really pretty."

I giggled. Wait. What was wrong with me?! I needed to be a bitch! I couldn't just go doing something, then turn around and do something completely different!

"Jack..."

"Shhh," He whispered, kissing me softly. I melted into the kiss. His lips moved down to my neck. He started sucking, then stopped. 

He crawled on the bed and kicked off his shoes. Oh, God. I wanted to stop, but at the same time, I wanted this so badly. 

No one would ever find out about this. It was gonna be me and Jack's dirty little secret. 

I felt seventeen all over again. And I hated it.