Expect Anything Less

The next day I wake up before anyone else and decide to go on a jog before we leave. I change into a normal t-shirt, quickly scribble out a note and leave it on the bed-side table, and I head out on my jog. I make a mental note to remember the path I take cause obviously I don'y know this area.

I'm not usually a very athletic person, but I just feel like I need some fresh air after last night.

Normally if I were to do anything that's considered exercise I would get Zack involved, but after what I heard just a few hours ago, I think I just need to think about some stuff without the distractions from the boys. Jeez, I need a drink and it's not even nine in the morning yet.

When I get back to the motel thirty minutes later, everyone is up and getting ready to get back on the road. We have about another hour of driving till we get to the next venue. Ugh, I really don't feel like dealing with the awkwardness of a silent drive.

I head up to the room and ignore the looks I get as I quickly get some clean clothes, my shower bag, and lock the bathrom door. I stand in the shower for at least ten minutes before I start t wash my hair.

When I exit the bathroom, I notice that most of the bags are out of the room and only Matt and Zack are still in the room. I ignore them and just quickly put all my stuff away, grab my bags, and head down to grab some food from the motel lobby. I drop off my bags in the van and make my way to the lobby where I can get my free food.

That's the one thing I like about traveling; you get free food at most of the hotels/motels you stay at.

I grab a biscut, some fruit, and a cup of coffee and then make my way to the table where I see Jack devouring a mountain of food. I take a seat between Jack and Rian and start into my food.

"Are you sure you and Jack are related?" I look up at Rian and he continues, "I mean, you're plate is all organized and shit, but Jack just kind of took everything within his reach. The kitchen people had to come out and restock the food after he stormed through there."

I look over at Jack as he stuffs his face. I turn back to Rian and answer his question, "You know, sometimes I honestly think he's only my half brother and we must not have the same dad. My mom could have easily hooked up with some other dude."

Rian nods in understanding.

One hour and seventeen jokes later, we were on the road.

The seating arrangments were the same as the previous night with me and Zack still in the back. I decided ten minutes ago that I was going to forget the previous night. Nobody knew I heard Zack moan my name and things were perfectly fine that way.

So everything fine and dandy with me and Zack, but there is some obvious tension between me and Alex. Everyone seems to be oblivious to it cause everyone in the band is an idiot, but in all honesty the only way you'd be able cut the tension between us is if you'd had a chainsaw.

So I avoid talking with Alex for the drive and instead start up a conversation with Zack. It's always been really easy for the two of us to talk to each other since we're really similar. We both love photography and skateboarding and crap like that.

I remember the day that he came to "audition" to be in All Time Low and he was doing all these tricks with his skateboard and I was like "Jack, this guy is awesome. Make him in your band." Rian also thought that was really cool so even without playing, Zack was already basically in the band. Then he started to play his bass without a pick and that sealed the deal.

Eventually I start to notice that the car isn't moving. I look outside the window and see that we're stuck in stopped traffic in the middle of the highway.

Matt turns around in his seat and says, "I think we might be here for awhile."

And Jack being the child he is, he shouts out, "Let's play Truth or Dare!"

I throw my head back and groan, but we all agree since we're all bored as fuck.

Jack decides to start it, "Alex, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

Without a moment of hesitantion Jack says, "I dare you to stick you're head out the window and yell, 'I have herpes!'"

We all stare at Alex as he rolls down his window, sticks his whole upper body out, and yells, "I have herpes!" Then he sits back down, rolls his window back up, and looks at me and says, "Carter, truth or dare?"

Not really feeling like looking like an idiot, I tell him truth.

Alex looks at Jack, then back to me as he says, "Is it true that you've used some illegal substances within this past year?" I glare at him as he adds, "And remember that you have to tell the truth."

I avoid looking at Jack as I say, "Yeah." I continue to not meet Jack's eyes and turn to Matt, "Matt, truth or dare?"

"Umm, dare."

I think about it for a minute and get a smirk as I say, "I dare you to take off everything but you're boxers or briefs or whatever it is you have on and then you have to run down the middle of the highway. Also, you can't turn around for at least like ten cars behind us, in this lane."

After a few minutes of argueing, we all get Matt to get out of th van in nothing but his mickey mouse boxers. It was a really funny to see Matt running around the high way and having everybody stare at him. It was even funnier when we saw the Every Avenie van a couple of cars over and their windows were down and all of their jaws were practically on the concrete.

As I see Matt start to come back into view, I quickly hop into the front seat and lock all the doors.

We all laugh at Matt for a few more moments before I finally let him back into the van. As soon as he is able to open the door, he tackles me and we fall onto the seat behind us.

There are a few more rounds of Truth or Dare before the traffic finally starts to move again. Rian decides to take the drivers seat this time and Matt takes the passenger seat. Alex and Zack take the row of seats behind them and they all start up a conversation. I stay in the back, but Jack comes to sit next to me.

I refuse t look up at him even when he starts talking, "Carter, what did Alex mean when he said 'illegal substances'?"

"I think you know illegal substances are, Jack."

"So, you drank alcohol? That's not too big a deal."

"It was a little more illeagal than that."

"Weed."

"Yeah, some of that. Sometimes it was a little worse, but never enough to become addicted." I think back to all the parties where every now and then I would try some more hardcore drugs. I knew it was easy to become addicted to them, but I only every did them each one or two times.

"Oh, Carter. When did it start?"

I look up at him and say, "It's not that big a deal, Jack. Yeah, I smoke every now and then. That's a lot better than some people I know. And I guess it started around the same time school started last year."

"Why?"

"I don't know, it just did. I just went to a party and was drinking and someone offered me a smoke and I took it." Well, I guess that was somewhat true at least. "Can we just not talk about this right now? You guys have a show in a couple of hours, you shouldn't be worrying about this."

"Of course I'm going to worry about this. You're my little sister, Carter. These venues aren't the cleanest of places. There are people there that are going to possibly be smoking and doing stuff that I don't think you should be around. What would mom and dad think?"

"Why did you think they wanted you to take me with you? They knew what I was doing. They just wanted to get me away from all my friends."

"Friends? People who get you to do harmful things to your body are not your friends."

I turn away from him and mutter, "Whatever."

"You can try and ignore me all you want, but from now on you are not going to be leaving my sight. If you're not with me, the you'll be with one of the guys. When you are on tour with me, you will not be taking part in these illegal activities."

"Might not want to use so many big words, Jack. Your head might explode."

He just shakes his head at me and turns to move up a couple of seats to his friends.

It's then that I realize the bus is really quiet. I look up at everyone to see them moving their eyes between me and Jack. Matt looks at Jack with surprise over how protective Jack is over me. Rian looks at me with concern because he's always seen me as the little sister he's never had. Zack has his eyes down, but I can see a conflicted look on his face. Alex just stares at the wall, probably thinking about Christmas again.

With the ways things keep on progressing, this is going to be one heck of a tour.