I'm Dancing on the Ceiling

Alex and I didn’t kiss when he walked me back to my hotel. He didn’t confess his love to me. He didn’t sweep me off my feet with some romantic speech. And I’m glad that he didn’t. He just walked me to the door of the elevator and smiled at me.

“Goodnight, Clary Bowen. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said with wink just as the doors to the elevator slid closed between us. I waited until I was a few floors up to squeal like a girl.

The next day, I walked into All Time Low’s studio in my Batman scoop neck t-shirt and a pair of jean shorts that showed off plenty of my freckled legs, feet bare and the Deathly Hallows symbol hang around my neck. I smiled at the boys, minus Alex who was in the recording booth area, headphones on and ready to start. I flopped onto Jack, who wrapped his arms around my waist to keep me from sliding off, and tossed my leatherbound journal onto the table beside us. I was already significantly less skittish around them and back to being myself, which was good for me. I didn’t like when I acted weird around people, just because I was afraid they wouldn’t like me. If they didn’t enjoy my presence, that’s their problem, not mine.

“What’re you working on today?” I asked, resting my head on Jack’s collarbone.

“Today is…” Jack started and trailed off.

“You have no idea,” I replied.

“Yeah, basically. It’s all Alex’s thing now.”

I nodded.

“So you guys are almost done recording?” I asked.

“Mmmmmmm, yeah. Pretty much.”

I chuckled and closed my eyes, listening as a guitar started, playing quite a few measures before Alex started singing. And there’s just something amazing about hearing Alex Gaskarth singing a brand new song. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and launched my twitter app.

ClaryBowen if you were where I am right now, I’m sure you would faint with excitement.

I checked my text messages and found a message from Ian.

Save me from having to work with the bitch boy! You have to work on… that one song today! Please!

“Oh, boy. I gotta go. I have to go save Ian,” I chuckled and stood up from Jack’s lap. I grabbed my notebook and tucked my phone into the pocket of my shorts. He pouted, causing me to giggle and kiss his cheek.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back tomorrow, hopefully. Ian just needs me to save him from the snotty little bitchface Gary.”

Jack wrinkled his nose and nodded, “I’ve only heard about that guy and I hate him.”

I waved and left, heading across the hall to where Ian and Gary were sitting in the control room.

“Hey, turns out, Alex is working on a different song today and I was wondering if maybe we could work on Skin?” I asked with a smile. Gary glared at me.

“Of course. It’s your recording time anyway,” Ian grinned back at me and turned to Gary, “Sorry, man. Clary has priority. She’s due to finish sooner than you.”

Gary grumbled, getting up and leaving.

“What now?”

“I don’t know, but thank you. I really hate that snot-rag.”

I laughed.

“Actually, could we work on Skin? I’m not so solid on that one,” I said. He nodded and gestured to the sound booth. I grabbed my notebook and headed inside. It was just me and Ian for the rest of the day, and because of that, the song improved so much. Ian was right. After a bit of practice along with some sound magic, it sounded fantastic. I had a few guitars when we first started, but after stripping it down to just one acoustic, the song just fit together so much better.

Eventually, it was quitting time and Ian headed out before me, saying how his wife was getting annoyed with his late nights. Laughing, I packed up my notebook, tucking loose sheets back inside. The door opened and I turned to ask Ian what he’d forgotten, but it wasn’t Ian.