No Happily Ever After

'That was awesome.' I cheered. Alex was being hoarded by fans and Rian and Zack were busy trying to help with equipment, much to the displeasure of Matt. Jack and I stood off to one side trying not to look too awkward holding hands.
'It was ok.' Jack shrugged indifferently.
'You have issues, Barakat.' I sighed, and squeezed his hand. He beamed, and then left me to go sign autographs. I watched him crouch, revealing the perfect arch of his back, take a marker from a squealing girl and scrawl across her bag. He tossed it back, keeping the marker, and continued to sign, and touch waving hands.
'What happens next?' I asked Zack, who came to retrieve a bottled water.
'Well, we go back to the bus, or go out clubbing or get a tattoo...' He shrugged, and then lowered his shirt to reveal a small tattoo located just above his heart. 'I got this on tour.'
'How did you stand it?' I automatically reached out and touched it before realising my mistake and snapping my hand back like he was dangerous.
'It's not that painful.' Zack shrugged. 'You want one?'
'I don't know what my mom'd think...'
He rolled his eyes. 'We'll have to get you drunk first.'
'I'm not drunk. I can handle this.'
After about half an hour of drifting around talking to Rian and Zack, Alex and Jack came to join us. 'What'll we do now?'
'We're getting Ella a tattoo.' Zack grinned. 'But she's in denial. Jack, can we get her drunk.'
'Yeah, sure.' He grinned at me. I elbowed him.
'I'm not legal!'
'So?'
They weren't legal either, but had tattoos.
'It won't kill you, Ella.'
'My mom will, though.' I winced.
'Another day.' He promised Zack, who looked very much put-out.
'Wanna go grab something to eat?' Alex glanced at all of us.
'Sure.'
'Yeah, why not?'
Zack nodded.
'We haven't eaten for what feels like years, let's do it.' Rian agreed.
The 5 of us, trying hard not to be bombarded by fans, stealthily sneaked out the reach of the fans. We eventually got onto an ordinary street, where Alex scanned the stores with an experienced eye.
We looked out of place. They were sweaty, I was neat. They were riled up, I was exhausted. I ran my fingers through my hair.
'I think the fans like Ella.'
'How'd you know?' Rian asked, speeding up to walk next to me.
'I was signing an autograph, and they kept asking for her.'
'I'm right here, you know.' I waved a hand in front of his face and rolled my eyes.
'Here!' Jack grabbed my arm, and Alex's, and dragged us into a quiet restaurant. Alex grabbed Zack and I grabbed Rian.
It was the sort of place that suited diplomats and lawyers, maybe the president of the America. Certainly not 4 dorky band boys and a girl with fierce eyes.
Jack, oblivious to this observation, held all his fingers up at the hostess. 'Table for 5.'
'Do you have money to pay?' She remarked, dryly.
'Your job should be to seat us, not judge us.' Rian replied, in the exact same tone, the same sneer, and look in his eye as she'd had.
'Right this way.' She avoided our eyes, but noted my hand entwined with Jack's.
Once we were all sitting, me between Jack and Rian with Alex next to Rian and Zack next to both Alex and Jack, she passed us menus.
I scanned it briefly. I could probably afford water here. Anything else was far out of my range.
Jack read out the most expensive dishes to her and then looked at me. 'She'll take the lasagne.' I almost choked on nothing.
'Jack, it's far too expensive.' I hissed when the hostess had left.
'No it's not. We'll put it on our touring card.' He held a simple rectangle of plastic. A debit card. I smiled wearily.
'Don't kiss him.' Alex jumped in before I could touch my lips to Jack's. 'Seriously, we're in a classy restaurant.'
I scowled. 'If I was kissing you, you wouldn't say anything.'
The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward. Alex and I blushed.
'Obviously, I wouldn't kiss Alex, I mean, that's just wr-'
Jack's lips met mine. Before I knew what I was doing, I was kissing him back. He pulled back slightly and smiled. 'I know, Ella. You spoke without thinking.' He chuckled, our hands laced together in my lap. His elbow rested on the arm of my chair, his fingers playing idly with a strand of my mane of caramel hair. He didn't look up from our laced hands, even when drinks were placed in front of us. I pressed my lips to his forehead, then with the tip of my finger, tilted his head to face the 3 scowls meeting us.
Zack shrugged. 'She's coming with our food, better stop whilst you can.'
Over the large plates of expensive food, obviously prepared for sophisticated office workers instead of scruffy teenagers, we talked about the least suitable topics we could, keeping it clean.
'What about teenage pregnancy?' Jack said loudly. 'I was pregnant.' I choked on a piece of pasta.
Several onlookers turned to stare at us, scowling because we'd ruined their evening.
'Remember that time I stabbed a cop, Alex?' Rian spoke loud enough not to gain the attention of the hostess, but of the people around us. They tried hard not to look at us, but failed.
'I broke someone's nose.' Alex declared, grinning.
'Oh God, they're gonna kill us.' Zack doubled up laughing, his head almost touching his plate of food.
'Excuse me?' A lady tapped Jack's shoulder. He whirled around innocently.
'Yes?'
'Could you not discuss such obscene... Memories whilst in our company?' She was struggling to remain polite.
'Hey, I'm doing nothing.' Jack threw up his hands. 'I'm not in your company, either.'
She narrowed her eyes. 'Then I suggest you stop being so unple-'
'Oh, stuff you.' Alex leaned back lazily and fixed a professional glance on her. 'Just because you're about 60 and you wear pearls, you have more of a right than us?' He rolled his eyes. 'We happen to be famous and rolling in money.'
'Don't be silly, you're only 17.'
He shook his head. 'Your loss.' He got up to pay the bill, flipping the woman off the second her back was turned.
'That was horrible. So snooty.' I shuddered.
'It's better than take out.' Jack argued.
'Right.' I laughed.
We found our way back to the site to find a group of fans trying to get into the bus. I bit my finger anxiously. Jack's hand tightened on mine protectively. 'What're we gonna do?'
'Watch as security haul them away.' He chuckled.
As soon as the mob of fans had been steered, or more like forced, away, I sprinted to the bus and launched myself onto one of the bunks.
'You tired?'
'Exhausted.' I traced a circle under my eye.
'You'd better sleep at the back. We're partying.' Alex threw a cushion at me.
'Fine.' I hissed, throwing it back.
After a few hours, the sound of blaring was getting too much for me to handle. I threw the covers back, and made my way to the sound of screams and drunken wails.
'Where's Barakat?' I asked Zack, who gestured towards the left. I nodded in acknowledgement, and walked to the left.
I certainly wasn't expecting to see him totally off his head drunk. I'd seen him drunk a few times, but never like this.
'Jack?' I poked his cheek, and crawled into his lap.
'Hey, Ella.' He grinned and pressed his lips to my neck. I felt uncomfortable.
'Jack?' It was a fan, screaming to get his attention.
'Yeah?'
'Is that your prune of a girlfriend?'
He came up for air, narrowing his eyes at her. 'Prune?'
'She's boring.' She gave me the one over, and then back at him. 'You do realise you could do... Better.'
'Not with yo- Ella!'
I tore off in the direction of the bathroom. 'Excuse me, Zack.' I mumbled.
'What's up?' He looked up, grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of Jack's vision. 'What's wrong, Ella?'
'Nothing.'
'Jack doesn't persist with you because he doesn't want to upset you. I don't care. What's wrong?'
I looked up at him. 'Am I a prune?'
'Prune?'
'Boring.'
'Nope.' His popped the P.
'Really?'
'I swear. You're fun in your own way.'
'So I am boring!' I wailed, covering my face with my hands.
'No, you're not. You just have a different way of having fun. For instance, a girl might describe having fun as sleeping with one of us. But your definition of fun would be being back at that restaurant, mocking the customers. You're different, and that's a good thing.' He added, smiling.
I leaned over and squeezed his hand. 'Thanks Zack.'
'Anytime.'
I shuffled awkwardly to avoid getting injured by Alex leading a girl to his bunk, and leant my head on his shoulder. It was surprisingly comfortable.
'Ella?'
'Yes?'
'You smell nice.'
'Thanks, Zack.' I smiled weakly. Thanks Zack, for knowing what to say.