Through the Lens

"Everything okay with you and Scarlet?" Jack asked Alex as the two of them stood on stage during sound check. The two of them didn't talk during breakfast at all, or while the group walked around Tuscan, shopping. It was very unlike them to not talk and joke with one another.

"Well," Alex started, sighing as he leaned closer to his best friend to whisper. "We made out last night." Jack gasped and then smirked. "I don't know if she remembers or not though." Jack frowned.

"Why not?" Alex shrugged.

"She didn't mention it at all but then this morning before she left the room to go hang with you guys, she kissed my cheek and just... stared at me... I just... I feel this... connection with her, man, and .... I just don't know if she feels the same way or not." Jack sighed and patted his best friend on the shoulder.

"Just talk to her, bro. That's the only way. You two are cute together, don't ruin it just because you're afraid to talk to her. Man up." With that, Jack turned away from him and began to play his guitar. Alex rolled his eyes and looked across the venue at the bar where Scarlet sat, her camera in her hands, scrolling through the pictures she had taken. Alex smiled and brought he microphone to his mouth.

"Scarlet," He spoke, making her head snap up. "Come here, gorgeous." He said, beckoning her towards him with a finger. She smiled and shook her head, going back to her camera. By now every crew member, as well as the three other band members had stopped to watch the couple. "Scarlet, come here, please?" Alex said, pouting. Scarlet looked back up at him and giggled.

"Why?" She yelled at him.

"I want to see that beautiful face up close. I also need to talk to you. Now get that sexy ass over here." She laughed and rolled her eyes but stood up none the less, putting her camera in her bag as she made her way across the basically empty venue and to the stage. Alex took off his guitar, set it down and jumped off the stage to meet her. He smiled down at her before looking around to notice that every person in the room was still staring at them. "Wanna go outside?" She giggled and nodded.

He smiled and took her hand and led her out of the venue, smiling at his band mates as he left. He led the way out of the venue and to the back where it was quiet and they were alone.

"So, what's up?" Scarlet questioned him, leaning up against the wall as she dug in her bag for a cigarette. Alex watched her for a few seconds, watching as she brought the cancer stick up to her lips and inhaled as she lit it. "Alex?" She questioned when he didn't say anything. He snapped out of his daze and looked into her eyes.

"What do you remember from last night?" She frowned and took another drag from her cigarette.

"What? Why?" She questioned, blowing the smoke out of her mouth.

"I just.... need to know." He answered her, making her sigh and take another drag before she answered.

"Okay... I remember ... going back to the room and you....." She looked up at him, his eyes filled with wonder and him biting at his lip eagerly. "You kissed me. I don't remember past when you started kissing my neck. Why I was talking to Rian this morning because I needed to know if he knew how much farther we'd gone."

"You fell asleep when he came in the room." Alex answered, unable to keep the smile off his face.

"That's what Rian said." Scarlet spoke, taking another drag from her cigarette. As she blew out the smoke, she dropped the butt and stubbed it out with her shoe.

"You don't seem happy about it... You regret kissing me, don't you?" Alex questioned as he studied her, not seeing even a hint of a smile, making his smile fall. Scarlet sighed.

"I don't regret kissing you, I don't regret it at all. In fact, I've been upset all morning because I thought you didn't remember, it's been killing me but... I'm just upset about something else." Alex frowned as a her brown eyes began to well up with tears. He stepped close to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"What happened? Is everything okay?" He wondered. She shrugged and wiped at her eyes.

"Max text me for the first time since.... he left." Alex sighed and pulled her into a hug, letting her wrap her arms around his skinny frame and bury her face in his shirt.

"What did he say, babe?" He questioned, rubbing his hand up and down her back.

"He's here in Tuscan." She answered weakly, clutching onto Alex as tight as she could.

"How does he know you're here?"

"Sam. She told her boyfriend Jake that I was on tour with you and was here today. Jake's friends with Max, that's how Jake and Sam met, we got them to go on a double date with us. So Jake told Max because apparently Max's band is here." She explained. "I don't want to see him Alex, I can't." Alex pulled back to stare into her eyes, his heart breaking at the tears falling down her face.

"You won't baby girl. We leave right after the show tonight, which starts in four hours. Just hang out here and you won't have to see him, I promise. Okay?" She nodded. "I hate seeing you upset like this." He said softly, wiping at the tears on her cheeks, making her smile softly.

"Thanks for being here for me, Alex." He smiled and nodded.

"I always will be." She smiled up at him, getting lost in his eyes, which glanced down at her lips.

"You can kiss me, you know." She said, making him smile before he leaned forward and did what he had been craving to do since he the moment he had woken up. He pressed his lips gently to hers, wrapping his arms around her tightly as she smiled against his lips.

"I've been wanting to do that all day." Alex said when he pulled away, making her laugh and nod, pressing her forehead to his.

"I have to." Right as they went in for another kiss, someone behind Scarlet cleared their throat. She turned around and her eyes became wide. "What are you doing here?" She questioned, stepping close to Alex who was frowning at the unknown man. He had long black hair, snake bites and was dressed in all black. Alex had no idea how Scarlet knew this man.

"Escape The Fate is the new band on this tour." He said, smirking at Scarlet.

"Um. I don't mean to be rude, but who are you?" Alex questioned, making the guys eyes go up to him.

"I'm Max Green, and that is my girlfriend you were just kissing."