Here's to the Friends That Were Alibis

Ronnie's P.O.V.

"Dude, you sure she was alright? She looked pretty pissed when she stomped off." Ryan questioned me as we all made our way back to the bus.

"She'll be fine. It really wasn't that big of a deal, dude." I lied and shook my head. I kicked a rock across the parking lot of the venue.

"Ronnie, we know something's going on with you guys. First, Mattie flips the hell out for what, we don't know... And now you guys almost making a damn scene out front of olive garden!" Jesse exclaimed, flailing his arms dramatically.

"And just what do you think's goin' on?" I snapped, glaring at everyone.

"You guys have been sneaking around behind our backs, or something." Mika joked. My face dropped and my eyes almost fell out of my head.

"Oh my God." Dylan's jaw dropped and everyone stopped immediately.

"I already knew this." Mattie narrowed his eyes at me and Jacky smiled sadly and nodded, nobody seemed to notice.

"The shit's finally hit the fan." Jacky sighed and shook his head.

"Holy fuck, dude." Ryan blinked.

"How long has this been going on?" Derek questioned.

"Probably the whole damn tour." Mattie grumbled. I didn't say anything and everyone looked even more shocked, if that was possible.

"What?!" Dylan shouted and threw his arms in the air.

"Are we that blind?" Derek furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Ryan.

"Obviously." He shrugged. "So wait, hold on a minute." Derek put his hands out in front of him, as if to get everyone shut the hell up. "You and Lex have been sneaking around, and have been together, since June?" He raised his eyebrows disbelievingly at me.

"Well..." I started, having absolutely no fucking idea as to what I was gonna say. "I don't know if we're even together..." I mumbled the last part, ashamed of myself. Although, I didn't know exactly what I was ashamed of... the fact that I probably just screwed myself out of a chance with her, or the fact the I couldn't grow the balls to ask her for a chance in the first place.

"WHAT?!" Mattie screamed. Looks like someone's 'freaking the hell out' again. This guy must have issues or something...

I raised and eyebrow and crossed my arms. Another attempt not to back down. Unlike the last one, I'm going up against seven tattooed bulky guys, instead of one hot-headed woman. Surprisingly, the latter was worse.

"You've been fucking her, but yet you couldn't grow the damn balls to ask her to be more?! You asshole! You probably don't even give a shit about her!" He balled his fists and stepped closer to me.

"That's not true! I care about her a lot!" I screamed and gripped my own hair out of frustration.

"Liar! If you cared, you would've done something about it!" He retorted bitterly.

"I didn't because I was afraid she'd reject me! I LOVE her!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Everyone looked at me wide-eyed and I even received a few gasps from the group.

"I'm going back to the bus." I grumbled and turned around. I didn't even have to look back to know they were following. Within minutes, we all reached the bus we've been calling home for the past three months. I walked in and walked straight back to bunks and sat down on mine.

"Fuck." I sighed quietly and ran my hands through my hair and put my head down, before stretching my right arms to turn on the light. I cringed as my eyes adjusted to the harsh light. I strained them as I look forward to look at Lex's bunk. I decided to be brave. I leaned over and yanked her curtain open to reveal... a perfectly made bed?

"What the fuck?" My eyes widened and I sank to my knees to yank open the drawer under her bed.

Empty.

I looked under the bed in the gap between Jesse's bunk and her's to look for the Duffel bag she was keeping the clothes she couldn't fit in the drawer. Gone.

"Oh my God. No..." I felt tears sting my eyes as I dropped onto my ass and leaned against my own bunk. I ran my hands over my face and let the tears fall.

"Why did I do this?" I asked myself as more tears fell. I let my head fall back and I stared blankly at the top of Jacky's bunk. Why did I do this?

Lex's P.O.V.

I got off the plane and grabbed my bags. Pleading with myself not to look back. I felt more tears spring to my eyes and I quickly blinked them away. I walked toward the carousel to grab my duffle bag and walked toward the big glass doors. I pulled out my phone and ordered a cab, already knowing most of the numbers for the cabs in Philly. I even smiled a bit as I entered the '215' area code, as reality sunk in.

I'm home.

I stood there for a second, staring off into space as I looked around, seeing people reunited with their loved ones as the daily tone rang through my speaker.

I thanked the the lady after she said the taxi would be here shortly.

I hit the 'end' button, locked the screen and stuffed my phone back into my pocket. People were rushing everywhere around me, reuniting with other people who were on the plane I was on just a few minutes ago. I sighed, happy that I didn't tell anyone I was coming back. I don't want a million hugs and 'we missed you's right now. I just need some alone time. Even if it's only the twenty minutes it'll take me to get home.

I pushed the door open and was met with the cool air of the late night. I inhaled the air and smiled. The air smells different here.
It might be the pollution, but I could really care less. That smell made me feel better, not that much, but enough to make me smile. I've been so preoccupied with Ronnie, that I forgot about how homesick I was. I sighed. I felt a pang at my heart.

How could I miss him already?