Four Years

Rachel's POV

3:30PM

"Why are you so happy?" Brendon asked, taking a seat in the little chair next to me. I was currently out by the pool, sunbathing. I guess I was smiling, too, because Bren immediately picked up on it.

"Pete and I went out this morning for some breakfast," I said, looking over at the shirtless, pale white boy sitting next to me.

"Aww, you did? Guess Pete took Jack's advice," He laughed, leaning back in his chair.

I sat up and removed my sunglasses, "I'm sorry. What? Pete...Jack...advice?"

He looked over at me, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand, "Yup. Apparently Jack told Pete about how you liked being coupley and lovey and shit that night in Maryland. He also told him you like going on dates."

"Awwwwww, Jackkkkk," I cooed, dragging out his name. I grabbed my phone off the table next to me and texted Jack.

To: Bkat!
where the fuckkkkkkk are you? i want to hug you!!
Apr 27, 3:34 pm.

I got up and turned to Brendon, "I'm going to go find Jack and hug him until he passes out."

He chuckled and got up as well, "I'm going with you."

"Do you have to?" I whined. I had a feeling Brendon would ruin the moment Jack and I were going to have.

He stared at me with a blank expression on his face, "Of fucking course. You asked me to come on tour so I could watch out for you, you dumbass. And, plus, I don't like being all alone..."

"You're not alone. Those girls over there keep staring at you," I laughed, pointing out the girls behind him. They looked about sixteen, seventeen. They probably knew who Bren was. They just weren't sure if it was really him, or someone that looked super fucking like him.

He looked over his shoulder, then back at me, "Yeah, let's go."

I laughed as he shoved me back into the hotel. My phone vibrated in my hand. I glanced down at the screen.

From: Bkat!
yay! hugs! why am i getting a hug?
Apr 27, 3:38 pm.

I giggled and texted back.

To: Bkat!
you'll find out. just tell me where you are! :)
Apr 27, 3:39 pm.

"Jack?" Brendon asked, walking right by my side.

I nodded and waited for a reply. As Brendon and I stepped on to the elevator, my phone vibrated once again.

From: Bkat!
hotel room 308 with alex and lisa. alex is jealous i get rachel hugs.
Apr 27, 3:43 pm.

"Room 308," I said to Brendon as we stepped off of the elevator. I think this whole floor was booked for everyone on the tour. Everyone's rooms were on this floor. "You know, what room were you staying in?"

"Um, 310 with Gabe, Nate, and Vicky," Brendon replied, shrugging. "I shared a bed with Gabe."

I giggled at that. Gabe would be open to sharing a bed with Brendon.

We stopped in front of room 308 and I knocked, still smiling from ear to ear. The door opened just a bit before swinging open all the way.

"Rachel!" Jack yelled, yanking me in by the arm. I collided into him and instantly wrapped my arms around his thin torso. He wrapped his arms around me and laid his head on mine. "Hi, Brendon."

"Hey, Jack," Brendon said, stepping in to the room. "Hey, Alex...Lisa."

They both said hello. I was still wrapped up in Jack hugs. Jack shuffled us over to the beds where he laid down, bringing me down with him. We laid on the bed, still wrapped up in each others arms.

"Why does Jack get Rachel hugs?" Alex asked from the bed next to us.

"Because Jack is fucking special," Jack replied.

Brendon came and jumped on the bed that Jack and I were on. I kinda thanked God that Brendon did come along. Who knows what Jack might've tried, even with Lisa and Alex in the room.

"Jack is special. He told Pete I like dates," I smiled, nuzzling into Jack's chest.

Jack slowly unwrapped his arms from around me and sat up, causing my arms to break free from his waist. He stared at me, "You went on a date with Pete this morning?"

I smiled and nodded my head, "Yup! Bren said that you told Pete how I liked being all lovey and cute."

"Yeah, I didn't think Pete was listening when I told him, though," He laughed, falling back on to the bed.

"Aww, where'd you and Pete go?" Lisa asked, smiling from her spot in the bed next to the one I was on. She was wrapped up and Alex's arms. "I was trying to get Lex to go out with me earlier, but he wouldn't go."

"Why the hell not, Alex?" I said, throwing a pillow at him, using all my strength. It ended up hitting him in the head. He fell backwards on to the bed.

He then shot up and jumped from his bed, onto my bed. I screamed and rolled off the bed, crawling under it to get away from Alex. He reached down and grabbed my leg, dragging me out.

He picked me up bridal style. I swear, I felt something in the pit of my stomach as his hands and bare skin touched my bare waist. Yes, Alex was wearing only his boxers. And yes, I was only wearing my bathing suit. We both never changed, never put anything else on.

I screamed and kicked like hell as he carried me out of the room. Brendon was right behind us. He actually pushed the elevator button for Alex. What a little traitor!

We reached the main floor and I was still kicking and screaming. We turned heads as Alex carried me outside to the pool. Oh, no. Nu-uh. He was not -

I shrieked as I hit the cold water. Why the fuck was the water so cold!? "Alex, you motherfucker!" I screamed, swimming to the edge. I smirked and grabbed his ankle, dragging him into the pool with me.

"What the fuck!" He screamed as he surfaced. "You're so gonna fucking get it."

"Alex, Alex, no!" I yelled, being dragged under the water by my legs. Alex was such an asshole.

Brendon jumped in after us and jumped on Alex's back, laughing the entire time. He weighed Alex down into the water. Three twenty-one year olds were seriously splashing around and acting like complete twelve year olds in the pool. I fucking loved it.

I heard Jack screaming something from the balcony of the his room. I looked up just in time to see him leave the balcony. I think he was coming down here. Lisa was still standing there, giggling.

Brendon tackled me under the water this time. Jesus fucking Christ. It was every man for himself, wasn't it? No sides were being chosen.

As Alex, Brendon, and I were splashing around, I noticed the three girls from earlier jump in the pool. They probably wanted to join us. Hey, I was all up for more pe -

Oh, my God. Jack had, like, recruited everyone from tour to join in. I saw a herd of band members running in and jumping into the large pool. Gabe ended up jumping on top of me. We both went under.

I surfaced, laughing like hell. I absolutely loved my life.

"Guys, this absolute madness," I giggled, swimming to the edge. I rested my elbows on the ledge and watched as everyone splashed around and went insane.

Alex swam up beside me, resting his elbows on the ledge as well, "Yeah, it is. And it's all your fault."

"Psssh, it's your fault, you asshole. If you didn't toss me into the pool, no one would've come out here," I argued.

"Well, if you didn't hit me with a fucking pillow, we definitely wouldn't be out here," He argued back, inching closer to me.

"If you weren't a dick and took your girlfriend places, I wouldn't have thrown the pillow," I inched closer as well. We were so close our noses were touching. I felt...something in the pit of my stomach again...This was weird. I suddenly splashed him and he backed up, stuttering something out before swimming off to Jack. I just stood there and stared as he splashed around with Jack.

"Now it's Alex, huh?" Brendon asked from behind, practically giving me a heart attack.

"Go away," I sighed, getting out of the pool. I walked over to my chair and yanked the towel off, wrapping it around myself. I walked into the hotel, just thinking. Was it really now Alex like Brendon said? Or was it all...what we lost when I ran away. I mean, Alex and I did that shit all the time when we were friends.

I walked to my hotel room quietly. I didn't have the key. Great. I sighed and walked to Lisa's room. I had left my phone in there when Alex carried me out.

I knocked on the door softly. Lisa opened it with a smile. She was wearing her bathing suit. She must've been getting ready to go down there and join the fun. "Hey, Rae. I'm so sorry about Alex," She laughed, letting me in.

I weakly smiled at her, "No, it's fine. It was actually fun. I would've stayed, but I'm way too tired. Up at seven thirty, blech. I just came to get my phone."

"Oh, yeah, sure. I think it's on the bed right there," She smiled, pointing over at Jack's bed. She grabbed her sunglasses, towel, and room key before turning back to me. "Hey, I'm going down now. I can trust you to close the door when you leave, yeah?"

"Of course," I giggled, walking over to the bed. It wasn't here. Buttfuck. I bent down to check under the bed for my phone. There it was, just chilling there. I grabbed it, ready to leave. But, of course, my curiosity got the best of me. Alex's suitcase was just sitting there, begging me to go through it.

I set my phone down on the dresser and unzipped his bag, feeling super, super nosy. A notebook was sitting on top of the pile of clothes. Well, hello there, lyric book.

I flipped through the beaten up notebook. I read the titles on each page. These were all lyrics he's already used. Bah. No fun.

A page caught my eye. It wasn't titled like the others. I quirked my eyebrow up and took a seat on his bed, reading the scratchy handwriting. There were so many scribbles.

I've been played a fool four, three, two too many times. When did love lust for you become an organized crime? I try to keep you honest, babe. But I was just an idiot pawn. You played the part so well. It hurts to know you're gone.

Did you mean it? Could you feel it when you broke into my head? Did you fake it just to break another stranger in your bed? Was it worth it? Was it perfect when you ran away up and left me cynical? Like you planned it, you're a bandit. Just a no good, two bit, filthy, rotten criminal.

Let us me count the ways - I six, seven, eight ate my words right from the silver plate. We checked in, checked out, checkmate. I couldn't keep you honest, babe. 'Cause I was just a card you played. We draw so well. It hurts to know you're gone.

My mouth hung open and I actually ended up dropping the notebook. I covered my mouth with one hand, and picked the notebook up in the other. I read it again and again. This was about me.

Alex wrote another motherfucking song about me. Come to think of it, all his songs were about me.

I flipped back a couple pages and read the title of one- "The Girl's A Straight Up Hustler"

I scanned through the lyrics, a few lines sticking out to me. I've got no place in my heart for a criminal like you to dwell. In this endeavor, make this last forever. I'm just delirious. You can't be serious. You're so infamous for leaving me a mess.

Another page, another title and lyrics that my eyes quickly scanned over- "Come One, Come All"

Come one, come all, you're just in time to witness my first breakdown. 'Cause there's a mile gone for every minute passed when I'm stuck in this town.

I read more of the song. He was talking about a DJ and how his playlist sucks...Okay, so maybe that song wasn't entirely about me...

But little hints of me running away and how he missed me and how I made him a mess was littered in each song.

I flipped to another page, regretting it the moment my eyes floated down to, I'm assuming, the chorus- "Don't sweat it, forget it, everything is a-okay. Just let it go, then it's off to find another face. I make you come just to watch you leave. I walk around with your heart on my sleeve. Don't sweat it, it's over now, our time ran out.

Outside, the brake lights started to dim, I feel the tension that's been pulling us in. And then we do it again so we can feel alright, falling in love for the night.

That song was about me and Jack. I groaned and fell back onto the bed. I hated this so badly. First, the pool. Now, this? Something isn't right with the way my head was thinking. Alex and I aren't meant to be. Pete and I are.

I quickly shut the notebook and put it back in his suitcase, zipping it back up. I got up, grabbed my phone, and bolted out of that hotel room. I ran back to room 310, AKA, Brendon's.

I banged on the door furiously, needing him to answer it immediately. He better be in that room and not outside in the fucking pool.

"Goddammit, Brendon," I groaned, banging my head on the door.

I sighed and decided to run down the stairs - not my best plan. I ran outside and spotted Brendon in the pool, splashing around with Alex. You. Are. Fucking. Kidding. Me.

I set my phone down by, I think it was Nate's phone. I wasn't sure, though.

I put on a big, fake smile as I walked over to Bren and Alex. I sat down on the edge of the pool, letting my feet dip in, "Hello, boys."

Brendon looked up at me, his smile dropping a bit. He knew something was wrong, "Hey, Rae..."

Alex just smiled and waved, not knowing what the fuck was wrong, "Hi!"

"What's up, Rach?" Brendon asked slowly, slightly furrowing his eyebrows together.

"Yeah, what's up?" Alex echoed Bren, flashing me a warm smile. He rested his elbows on my knees and put his head in the palms of his hands, like he was expecting me to tell him a story.

I forced a laugh and pet his wet hair out of his eyes, "Nothing much, Alex. I'm locked out of my room."

"Oooh, that sucks balls," He said, skewing his mouth to the side. "You're free to go up and stay in my room if you want. Fuck, we'll hang out up there and talk. I know you wanted to talk with me in Maryland."

My breath hitched in my throat and my eyes became slightly wider. "Uh, um, na-no, no. You stay here in the pool. You look like you're having fun. I-I don't wanna take you away from fun," I spit out. Brendon watched me carefully from behind Alex.

"Do we need to talk later?" He mouthed to me.

I nodded me head slightly. He nodded as well. Alex furrowed his eyebrows at me, "What's with the head nod?"

"What's with your fuzzy eyebrows?" I asked, stroking his big, brown eyebrows.

He laughed and backed up, swatting my hands away from his eyebrows, "Don't touch the eyebrows."

"I'll touch your eyebrows all I want!" I giggled, reaching out to try and touch the eyebrows with my toes.

He smirked and grabbed my ankles, yanking me in, much like I had done to him. I screamed, turning all heads towards us.

"Karma is a bitch," Alex said, that smirk still on his face. That damn smirk...