Six Feet Under the Stars

“This is where you’ll be sleeping for the next few months.” The roadie crew leader, David, motioned to a cramped set of beds seemingly placed as an afterthought in the back of the tour bus. There were three bus types in total - roadie, band/management, and equipment. I thought that the equipment probably had more comfortable quarters then what was in front of me.

“Thanks,” I said, “Are there any blankets around here?” The skeletal mattress looked empty without any sheets.

“We’re fresh out.” David told me looking apologetic. “I thought y'all would be sharin’ so I didn’t bring an extra.” He flushed bright red.

“It’s fine.” I told him hastily.

“We are sharing, right, babe?” Dorian asked me, sliding a hand around my waist. His fingers played with the belt loop, twisting it around.

“Won’t it get too cramped after a while?” I questioned, innocently.

Dorian’s face grew stony and the conversation we had in bed last night flowed through my mind. His words still gave me the chills. He obviously thought this was some ploy to prolong anything physical between the two of us. Honestly, he wasn’t far off.

David looked between the two of us and seemed to sense trouble brewing. “Well, I’ll let you folks settle on in. ‘Scuse me.” He passed between us, eager to escape the couple duel.

Now alone, Dorian turned to me. “Do you just like making me look like an idiot in front of the people I work with?”

His blunt words stung. “I just thought that giving us some space would be a good idea.”

“What do you mean?” He asked, speaking through his teeth. Clenching a fist, I could tell I had chosen the wrong words.

“No, no. Not a break.” I spoke quickly, smoothing things over. “It would just stop any fights, y’know? Besides you have to have a chance to miss me.” I smiled a little.

The anger slowly seeped out of him, and I breathed a silent sigh if relief. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.” He admitted.

Silence passed over us, and Dorian studied me hungrily.I didn’t like the annimalistic gleam in his eyes. Quickly, I said, “I’m gonna go see if anyone needs help loading equipment.”

After giving his lips a quick peck, I rapidly exited the bus, practically flying down the few stairs to the outside. There I ran smack into a member of the band. His hand steadied me on my feet. “Hey. You’re Rian, right?”

He nodded, “Yep, and you’re Melanie?”

“Uh huh.” I said, “Do you know if anything needs to be loaded?”

“I think it’s all pretty much done. I’m just making sure they get the whole drum set in.” Rian laughed, “Someone left a cymbal all the way in Memphis and we had to buy another one like ten minutes before our show started.”

“Really?” I smiled, “I guess it all worked out though.”

“We played and kept the fans happy; no one tore us limb from limb.”

“Well hey, that’s always a good thing.” I laughed.

“Rian, tell me the secrets of your art!” Someone shouted from behind us.

“Huh?” Rian turned, confused.

Alex strolled up into our conversation with a wide smile. “You already got her to laugh. You gotta sell me your secrets.”

I shook my head and sighed, “You’re really stuck on that aren’t you? Making me laugh?”

“Or smile.” Alex added. “I haven’t given up hope on you yet, kid.”

“Kid?” I questioned, eyebrows raised. “I’m twenty-one.”

“Legal? Good to know.” He winked causing me to roll my eyes. Alex looked down and grabbed his cellphone from his pocket. Looking at the caller he said, “Oh, time to deal with the wife.” Before flipping it open and walking a few feet away.

“He’s married?” I asked, surprised.

“No, it’s probably just his girlfriend.” Rian laughed, “Besides marriage is illegal for him because no one wants little Alex clones walking around to haunt future generations.”

I laughed again, “I’d have to agree with that.” Sighing, I motioned in Alex’s direction, “Is he always so hyper?”

“He’s harmless.” Rian told me. “Just look at him.”

I studied Alex for a moment across the way. He was a little hunched over as he spoke. The conversation didn’t look like a nice one; Alex kept shaking his head and scrunching his eyebrows in frustration.

Rian gave a long whistle, “Looks like there’s trouble in paradise.” Alex hung up the phone a few minutes later and walked back to us, missing a little of his usual zeal. “What’s up?” Rian asked.

“I don’t even know.”Alex spoke k, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Caitlyn just called me up demanding where I was when I didn’t answer her first call.”

“Did you tell her we were getting our stuff on the buses?”

“Yeah, but she kept demanding more, saying, ‘Alex, that can’t be true’ and ‘I know you’re cheating on me, Alex.’” He sighed, kicking at the pavement.

“Sorry, man.” Rian told him. “How many times did she call you?”

He looked at the cellphone screen. “Looks like six times in the span of thirty minutes.” Alex turned to me, “I hope you don’t do this to your boyfriend.”

I had been standing there silently, feeling a little out of place in the conversation. I didn’t want to know personal things like the problems Alex, or any member of All Time Low, was having, especially not their romantic troubles.

“No, I’m not like that.” I told the two men, honestly.

“Good.” Both Rian and Alex said at the same time, making me laugh.

“Ha! I finally got you to laugh.” Alex declared, triumphantly.

“It doesn’t count.” I told them, “Rian was part of it.”

“Damn it.”

“Sorry,” Rian apologized lightly before strolling away.

A silence hung between Alex and I, and we both stood there looking at each other eye to eye. The space surprisingly wasn’t awkward or weird, it just felt normal.

Alex sighed, “Should I send her flowers?”

“Who? Your girlfriend?” I asked. He nodded. “Definitely not.”

My answer surprised him. “What’s wrong with sending her a nice bouquet?”

“If you do that it’s saying you have something to apologize for.” I explained. “It’s like saying, ‘Hey, I cheated on you and I thought a twenty dollar floral arrangement would make up for it.’ Unless you do have something to make up for.” I paused for a moment, “Are you cheating on her?”

Alex shook his head. “Alright then. No flowers. What would I do without that advice of yours?”

“See your relationship go down in flames, I guess.”

“True.” He grinned, “I’ll just save this for if I ever break up with her.”

I covered my mouth with my hand to hide my smile. I could tell Alex hadn’t missed a thing under his watchful gaze, but he didn’t say anything.”Sounds like a good plan to me.”

“Does this...” Alex opened his eyes wide and let his mouth hang open a little, over playing the level of shock, “Does this make us friends now?”

I prolonged my answer, chewing on the side of my mouth just to make him a little worried.

“No stalling.” Alex told me, grinning. He held out his hand. “Now or never?”

“More like now or ‘I’ll try again tomorrow’.”

He shrugged, “I’m determined. I’d make a good Boy Scout.” His hand still hung in the balance.

I took it in mine. His skin was warm and a little coarse from calluses on his palms and fingertips. I shook his hand very business-like. “Friends.”