Nothing Personal

When it hit midnight, they were basically kicked out of the hospital and after Do made Alex promise for what seemed like the twentieth time to come visit him, they left. They walked in silence back out to her car and headed back to Duluth so that Alex could get back to the bus before his tour manager killed him.

“Thank you so much,” Zo said after a few moments silence. The music was playing softly in the background and they both had been caught up in their own thoughts.

Alex smiled, “I’m glad I got to see him. He looks like he’s doing ok.”

“Better than he had been a few days ago.” Zo shrugged, “I haven’t seen him smile that big in weeks now.”

“I’m glad I could do something. I feel so helpless when all I can do is talk to you and call Do.”

“Oh God, Alex you do more than that. You keep me sane and keep Do fighting. Seriously, I wouldn’t know what to do if we aren’t able to talk to each other any more.”

Alex laughed, “Well you have my number.”

“You and I both know that that isn’t the same.”

He just nodded and gave her a small smile. She really hoped that whatever was going on with their heads would fix itself. She had honestly meant what she had said. It would be horrible if she wasn’t able to hear him in her head anymore. It would be horrible. She honestly wouldn’t know what she would do. She would probably end up calling and texting him all the time so they could talk and bug him.

They both fell into silence again and Zooey was slightly aware that the music changed to something else. When the first few notes started to play, she rolled her eyes as she recognized the song and smirked at him.

“Really? And you complained about me playing your music before?” She asked as the first few words of Coffee Shop Soundtrack started to play.

Alex shrugged, “just seeing if you’re paying attention or not.”

“When it all comes down to the sunrise on the east side will you be there to carry home, the remains of my wasted youth? This wasted time on you has left me shaking in waiting, shaking in waiting for something more.”

It was strange to hear the difference between Alex’s voice then and now. Especially when he was singing right next to her. She kind of liked it. He was so adorable when he sang and she couldn’t help but sneak peeks of him in the corner of her eye as she drove down the freeway. When they got closer to the venue, Zo couldn’t help but feel a little sad, she wanted these moments to never end. She wanted to have more time with Alex. She wanted things to be different. But of course they couldn’t, and she had to let him go be a rock star once more.

She pulled up to the venue and Alex told her which bus was theirs and she stopped right behind it. They sat in silence again while Put Up Or Shut Up continued to play softly in the background.

“Do you really have to go?” Zo asked as she turned to him and saw the amused look on his face.

“Can’t get enough of me can you?” He teased and she blushed and tried to hide the red tint to her cheeks with an eye roll and scowl.

“Alex Gaskarth, you are so full of yourself than I thought.”

He smiled, “why thank you.” She couldn’t help but laugh at the flawless British accent he used and leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder. She felt a soft kiss being placed on top of her head and gave a small smile to herself. Yep, this was even better than talking to him in her head.

“I really don’t want to leave,” he sighed and she looked up with a mischievous smile.

“Then don’t,”

“Oh you don’t know how tempting that is.” He replied as he bit his lip. “But I have to. I have to finish this tour. I can’t let the boys down.”

She nodded, “I understand. I just wish that things were different.”

“Me too,” he left a pause and she saw that he wanted to say something else and gave him a look to tell him to spit it out. “Are you mad at me for not telling you who I really was?”

She had to think about that for a second. At first she honestly had been, but once she thought over what he had said, she couldn’t help but agree with him. “No, I understand. I probably would have taken it totally differently if I had known before. I’m glad it turned out this way. Little surprises in life are always interesting.”

“Spice things up a little?” He teased and she smiled and nodded. He rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone and she figured he got a text message. Biting his lip, he read it and sighed.

“Jack,” he said when he caught the questioning look on her face.

She nodded, “you have to go.”

“Yeah sorry,” he said as he typed a quick message and shoved his phone back in his pocket. “Tonight has been amazing.”

She couldn’t help but agree. “We have to figure something out so we actually have more time then just a few hours. Besides you made that promise with Do. I’ll kill you if you don’t keep it.”

“I promise, I’ll come back for both of you. Tour ends in about a week and then I have some time off. Then we can figure something out,”

She smiled and nodded leaning in to give him a hug. They stayed like that for a few moments before Alex leaned in to kiss her cheek lightly and give a dorky smile to her before opening the car door. He shut it and gave a little wave as she put the car in drive and then began to pull into the empty street.

As she drove off, she reached over to turn the stereo up so that he would hear the music as she drove off. She saw him smiling and shaking his head as he headed to the bus and she continued down the street toward the hotel. When she was at a stop light, she quick texted Penny to tell her that she was on her way back and received a annoyed text back saying that she had been sleeping but was going to stay up so they could talk.

Zo sighed. She knew where this was going. Penny was going to yell at her for ditching her and not telling her where she was going. Her best friend was a few months older than her and so she took on the role of acting like her mother when Zo’s actual mother wasn’t there to do it. She was not looking forward to facing Penny at all, but was glad she had a little time to get a story together before she faced her friend.

When she got to the hotel, she took a deep breath as she walked down the hallway toward their room. Taking her card key out, she opened the door to see that all the lights were on and Penny was sitting in her bed with an annoyed look on her face. She smiled weakly to her as she let the door shut behind her and put her purse on her bed.

“Well have fun doing whatever you were doing?” Penny asked and Zo instantly picked up on the snippy tone to her voice.

Zo sighed as she kicked her shoes off and faced her friend, “no not really. I had too much on my mind and needed some time to myself. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just needed to get away.”

“You should be, I was freaking out. One minute you’re leaving me to go get a picture with Jack and Alex and then when I turn around again, you’re gone. What the hell were you thinking.”

“I-I don’t know, I just needed to get away. I just went to the park to call Do and then needed some time alone.” She sat on her bed and gave a sigh. When she looked back up to her best friend, she noticed that her eyes softened a little and she knew that it was done.

Penny sighed, defeated. “Ok, just tell me where you’re going next time. I was worried, I thought something happened.”

“Nothing happened, and I promise.” Zo said as she stood up and went over to hug her best friend.

She went to her bag once they had made sure the other wasn’t mad at each other anymore and grabbed her pajamas before heading to the bathroom. She was still sweaty from the concert and even though she had changed her clothes before Alex and she had left she still felt gross. Taking a quick shower, she freshened up and then when she headed back to the main room she found Penny’s light off and soft snores coming from her best friend.

Putting her things back in her bag, she noticed that her phone was flashing and picked it up to find that she had a new text message from a number she didn’t recognize. She nervously opened the text and instantly started laughing when she read it.

Hey Zooey, it’s just Jack and not some creepy stalker. I stole your number from Alex so I could annoy you too since you’re my new BFF.

She smiled as she pressed reply and started to type. Hi Jack, I honestly don’t know whether to laugh or feel creeped out by this.

A few seconds later a new text came in. Meanie

You know I love you Jack. Now go to bed, you have to go back to being a rock star tomorrow.

Yes mom, ;)

She laughed as she set her phone back down and pulled the covers back on her bed. Crawling in, she let herself relax and close her eyes as she started to feel herself get sleepy. But she started to think of everything that happened that day and couldn’t help but smile. Everything had turned out even better than she thought they would.

*Ugh, Zooey shut up. I need sleep.* Alex said suddenly making Zooey gasp. He was back. She could hear Alex in her head again. How long had he been there? *Long enough to know that you use strawberry body wash.*

*You creeper! I can’t believe you were watching me while I was in the shower!* She replied as he just laughed.

*What else was I supposed to do, I’ve been grounded to my bunk by Flyzik.*

*Alex Gaskarth, you’re a pig.* It was still hard to get her mind around the fact that he was a singer in a popular band and she had just met him. Besides, she actually knew his last name now and she could scold him properly now.

*And don’t you forget it,* Zo could almost see him winking. *Go to bed Zo, you have to go back home tomorrow and Penny’s going to be annoyed if you sleep in until one.*

*Good night Alex,*

*Night Zo,*