You Planned It, You're a Bandit

My eyes were glued shut, and my body ached. What happened last night? I didn't exactly remember which couldn't have been a good sign. Did I get party hard and get outrageously drunk and ended up in bed with someone I was going to regret? No. it wasn't a plausible idea. I had stopped my partying and clubbing days since the day I came home to catch Jack. Relentlessly, I opened my eyes blinked away the groggy feeling. My head bumped into the ceiling, and I almost fell from the bunk.

Bunk? And that's when everything came flooding back to me. I was touring with All Time Low. Fabulous. Great dream I was having about a glorious love story, ruined. There was no love story in store for me, Jack had taught me not to fall so hard, or easily. My fleeting irritation had turned into confusion about being on a tour bus. Again. My previous assumptions were that we'd still be in Baltimore for a few more days, and I'd have a chance to reconnect with Charity and my parents. Guilt swelled up within me, I was a terrible best friend, and daughter.

Ugh, living with four guys was going to be rough. They are all complete slobs which bothers me and my OCD. I just have little tolerance for clutter, it bugs me and my senses. I pulled myself away from the messy bunk, and scrambled around to find my clothes. There were shelves above my bunk, like on an airplane, the above storage compartments. Way to go guys, put the short girls stuff out of her reach. With a sigh, I stumbled forward into the living quarters of the bus where Alex was softly strumming the guitar to an unfamiliar melody. I smiled and sat down next to him, and just listened to the gentle music. I wasn't musical in any way or form, but I really wish I was. I would give anything to be musical like Alex.

"How do you like it?" Alex stopped singing, and turned me to me. We met eyes, and gazed for a while before I actually go around to responding.

"Oh, the new song?" Ditsy question. "I loved it. It's very soft, and loving." I smiled, showing all my teeth. If not all, then most of them,. How early was it? Because it would be the only possibly explanation why Alex and I are the only ones to be seen.

As if he read my mind, Alex said, "Oh, Jack's still asleep wrapped tightly around Deena. Zack and Rian took off to get some grub." My eyes carefully watched Alex talented hands pluck strings and them strum them all together to make a chord. Fascination flooded me. earnest fascination filled my body, streaming through me like an electric bolt.

I stood up, grabbing for my phone which was missing in action. Rather than giving into a quick visit (which it was too late for) I decided on calling them. It was better than no hearing from me at all.

First thing, I needed to locate my Droid. It's always in my jean pockets, always, and if not I always know its immediate location. But now it was missing from my pockets (I slept in my clothes from yesterday, gross). Panic streamed through me; sad enough, my phone means a lot to me.

"Looking for something?" Jack came out, with his one arm wrapped all lovingly around the blonde bimbo, Deena, and the other hand holding up my phone. How the hell did he have my phone?

"How'd you get my phone?" It was the first thing that came to my mind.

"It was lying on the floor, probably fell from your bunk, just take it Andrea."

Andrea. I haven't heard that slip out of Jack's mouth in forever. It seemed too formal and foreign coming from him, after all he was the one who originally coined the name Andy on me. I quickly snatched my phone from his hand, and right when I took it, that hand was latched onto Deena's hip. If they started making out right here, right now, shit was going down. Not only did it spark a ridiculous raging jealousy within me, but PDA was just flat out one of my biggest pet peeves.

"Ugh, get a room," I muttered, and shoved through the love birds until i reached my bunk. I slid into it, and checked my phone, making sure Jack didn't corrupt it. As far as I could tell from surfing through it, my phone seemed fine.

With a wobbly hand, I dialed Cherry's number, and waited as it rang. Closing the curtain to my bunk for privacy I sat in the dark, waiting for her to answer. Six rings later, and a voice appeared on the phone.

"Hello?"

"Cherry?" I said a little unsure, she sounded a lot more mature than from when I left her.

"Andy, you're real?" Her sarcasm never faded though. It was her best attribute and I'm glad she still held on to it.

"Of course, silly." I used a playful banter. Just hearing her voice made me realize how much I missed having my best chicka around. Like honestly, I'm nothing without her by my side, and I've been missing my partner in crime for many long months now.
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"How's LA? I miss you babe, you should come back," Her voice trailed off, sounding a little dead and morose.

"Is everything alright?" I could read Charity at any point in time through text, person, or over the phone. Her voice and tone gave it all away.

"No, I need you right now. Jason committed suicide, and he meant a lot to me." And that's when everything came falling down for the both of us. In the past nine months a lot had obviously happened.

Before I knew it Charity was bawling her eyes out, and I was growing choked up in the throat myself. My ex boyfriend, Jason, apparently came back to town for a while to visit and reminisce all the memories. And along with that Cherry had always had a secret love for him she confessed. They got together, and everything was wonderful; except for the one flaw in her plan. As much as Jason may have loved her, I would have always held onto his heart. All the way through high school we dated, and I thought I was in love with him, I honestly did. I probably would have stayed convinced if Jack had never came along and screwed me over.

I knew love, and I felt the truest love with Jack. That warming sensation that spreads all over, and the butterflies and fluttery hearts was only ever found with Jack.

Now Cherry knew love, and what it was like to love someone who would never love you the same in return. My heart ached for her, and for me. I didn't feel any hurt for her making a move on him, it was an open opportunity I had dropped. Sure, I didn't love Jason like I loved Jack, but he still meant something to me. Regardless of our relationship I cared for him, especially as a friend. Knowing he took his own life because of something so petty is heart wrenching. The petty act was caused on the behalf of both me and Cherry. He didn't want her to feel the shunned feeling. knowing that he'd never love her like her loved me. I know that feeling, especially now because Jack seems in love more now than ever.

"Oh, babe, I'm so sorry. Hey, i'm planning a visit soon, okay?" She was given barely any details. And I knew I had already left Maryland for now, but we'd be back.

With a few last sniffles she said goodbye, and I was left listening to the dial tone. Did I really want to call my parents after a moment like that? I owed it to them.



After the getting off the line with my parents, I wanted to cry again. What kind of daughter was I? I just left and they barely had a clue why. I know my parents weren't completely fond of Jack, but they even didn't know why I left. They're even confused why I up and left Jack all alone. Really, they were the ones who warned me what guys like him were like.

And they wanted me to move back in with them. I wasn't just about to leave my life again, and start all over. I already experienced everything I needed to in Baltimore. There was nothing more left for me in Maryland.

I guess I still missed it though. Even after everything, I missed living in Baltimore because in LA I was completely, isolated and alone.

I crawled out of my living quarters and went on a search automatically for Alex. If there was anyone on this tour bus who'd cheer me up it'd be him.

I walked in, in hiding still, since none of them had noticed me on an interesting conversations.

"You go and write a song that you want to perform tonight without consulting the rest of us?Fuck this, Alex!" That was Jack's voice. Everything needed to go according to Jack's plan or else it was an argument waiting to happen.

"It's a brilliant song, the other's agree," Alex''s voice was calm. Alex was always usually calm, he knew how to keep his cool. Another thing I admired about him.

'Yeah but its about you're mystery girl," Jack mocked, losing it. He knew he was out numbered, and there was something else to it.

"Its about, Andy isn't it?" His voice was very accusing and my heart raced. There was no way Alex had feelings for me like that, or was there? Maybe I had been oblivious to all the signs.

There was no such response from Alex. I presume they all still think I'm hiding out in my dark bunk doing something other than standing here listening on. Jack shot up from what I could tell, and with a middle finger salute, told Alex, "Fuck you, bro. I thought you were my friend."

His footsteps were storming in my direction. There was little time to react, so I hopefully quietly scurried up and flung myself up into my bunk. Boy, I had a ton to think about, and in a very short amount of time. I needed to figure out what I wanted.