Lost In Stereo

Alex woke to a pounding headache and voice yelling making it even worse. But then as he woke up a little more, he realized that the voice was actually in his head and not someone yelling in the front of the bus. Wait, what? Why was there a voice in his head?

*Aleeeeeex!* Zo yelled as he sat up and smacked his head on the bunk above him. Shit, that wasn’t helping his hangover at all. He could feel that this was going to be a bad day. *Alex I know you can hear me so get your ass up before the air horn goes off.*

*Zo what the hell? What’s going on and where are you?* Alex asked as he rubbed his head. *And what air horn?* He flopped back down in bed and pulled the covers over his head. All he wanted to do was go back to sleep and forget about everything.

Zo giggled, *the air horn Colussy gave me to get you guys up. And I’m in the venue. Us crew have to get up at the ass crack of dawn for load in even with hangovers while you princesses get to sleep. Where’s the justice in that?*

*What can I say, we’re special.* He replied as she scoffed. *Are you really going to use the air horn?*

Zo didn’t even hesitate to reply. *Yup! But I thought I’d give you a warning because you’re special.*

*Jack’s going to hate you,*

*I’ll just bribe him with food. That always works.*

Alex sighed as he grabbed his phone, *How long do I have?*

*30 seconds,*

And true to her word, 30 seconds later Alex heard the bus door open and footsteps coming toward the bunks. Zo gave out a warning to get up or drastic measures would be taken. But they both knew that she was going to be ignored. At least she had given them a heads up. Alex covered his head with a pillow and a few seconds later a loud noise filled the room followed by a thump and string of profanities and Zo burst out into giggles.

Alex pushed his curtain back when he realized the voice that had been swearing was Jack’s and looked down to see him lying on the floor with a pained expression. He started laughing too as he realized that Zo had scared him and he had fallen out of bed. But thankfully it hadn’t been that high so he didn’t hurt himself too bad.

“Seriously Zo? It’s your first day on the job and you’ve already gone to the dark side? If Colussy continues to corrupt you I swear we’re going have to set you up for an intervention!” Rian said as his curtain opened also and he glanced from Zo then down to Jack who was still on the floor grumbling.

“I’ve been wanting to set her up for an intervention for years now.” Alex muttered as Zo turned to glare at him.

She huffed and then pointed to Alex, “You, be quiet. You,” she turned to point to Jack. “Get up, and you two get up. You have interviews to do in two hours.”

Alex groaned and lay back down as he stared up at the ceiling for a few moments. He could faintly hear Jack grumbling still and Zo told him that if he got up she would get him coffee and he instantly got up running to the bathroom. It was only Zo’s first day and she was already doing so well. All the guys loved her and he had a feeling that this was going to be a good tour.

After lying there for another five minutes, he forced himself out of bed and then pulled on a pair of jeans and shirt before going out to the main room. Zo was already there leaning against the counter while looking at something on a clipboard. She already had the standard radio with the speaker clipped to her collar and he could hear the faint buzz of voices coming through as Flyzik and the other talked about set up.

“Morning,” She said cheerily as he glanced up and yawned in response. “Hey do you want to come get coffee with me? I don’t know what all the boys like and I promised Jack because of the air horn incident.”

Alex shrugged, “sure why not. Let me go get my shoes and wallet.” She nodded and he went back to his bunk and grabbed the items before going back to the front and smiled as they walked outside.

There was a few moments silence as Alex used his phone to find the nearest Starbucks before he decided to ask the question that had been on his mind since he woke up. “So how long had you been in my head before I woke up? How did you even get in my head?”

She shrugged, “I don’t know. It was basically as soon as I was in the venue that I was able to hear you again. It must have been the distance. I always thought it was at least a half mile that had to be between us but that defiantly proved us wrong. Again. I still can’t understand how all this works.”

“You and me both,” Alex muttered as he let the subject drop. There was no use in trying to understand it better. It seemed to come back when they were least expecting it to. That was the only way he could really explain it to himself. “So are the other bands there?”

She shook her head. “No not until later this afternoon.”

Since the tour they were currently on was so small and only on the east coast, they didn’t have another band touring with them but instead had a few local bands opening for them before they went on. They were in Philadelphia that day and were saving their Maryland show for the end of the tour since it was so short. They would usually do two shows in Maryland, one in the beginning and one in the end, but because how small it was, they were saving their hometown show for last. Then after this tour, they would be flying out to the UK a few days after this current tour ended.

When they got to the Starbucks, Alex and Zo stood in line and waited patiently for their turn in line. He ordered what everyone like along with Zo’s order too since he knew her so well. When he ordered for her, he caught the small smile playing on her lips as he handed the money to the nervous cashier in front of him. The girl kept blushing whenever they made eye contact and he just smiled every time she did.

Once everything was paid for, they waited for their large order to be called. Zo was looking around curiously and Alex was watching her. He wasn’t trying to be a stalker or creeper, she was just so adorable. She seemed to already be getting a hang of her job and it was still her first day. Colussy had even texted him a while before telling him how impressed he was with her already and he couldn’t help but feel proud. She really was a hard worker and was thankful that she already impressed the other crew.

As they waited, his phone buzzed and he pulled it out and rolled his eyes when he saw he had a new text with Jack.

You and Zo better be getting my damn coffee. If you’re not then don’t come back until you do.

Alex knew that Jack was half teasing about that. But the boy got cranky when he was woken up so early in the morning and especially today with the air horn incident. They were all still trying to get back into the habit of waking up early after so many days off, and all the drinking they did the night before didn’t help at all either.

Alex hit reply and started typing. Yeah we’re down the road at Starbucks. Colussy just texted me and said how impressed he was with Zo.

Yeah Colussy was talking to me about her too. I knew she would do good.

Yeah I’m just glad everyone is warming up to her so well. Everyone except Vinny that is. He’s being a total creep. Our order just got finished, we’re about to head back.

Alex walked up to the counter as his name was being called and quick checked his phone once more before helping Zo carry everything back. Vinny’s an idiot, see you in a few.

When they got back to the bus, everyone was already there and Jack hopped up excitedly when they walked in and helped them set the carriers down just so he could get his coffee first. Flyzik must have gone for a bagel run that morning since there was also a huge bag of assorted bagels on the table that everyone else had already been in. He grabbed one and offered it to Zo and she took it with a small smile before he grabbed one for himself.

Everyone was already talking about what was ahead of them for the day. Flyzik was saying that Alex, Jack, Rian, and Zack had a few interviews that they would do in their dressing room that day before sound check. The other bands were already there setting their things up and they would meet up with them and have some fun before the concert.

“Ok! Everyone let’s go! Back to work!” Flyzik said when he saw that everyone was finishing what they were eating. “I’ll stay with the boys for the interview, the rest of you listen to Colussy and Zo. Let’s go!”

Alex smiled as he finished the last of his coffee and nudged Zo playfully as he tossed the cup in the garbage. Flyzik was barking orders to everyone else and Alex couldn’t help but laugh. Their tour manager was such a hard ass during the day but at night he was a total party animal. It just showed how good he was at separating work from fun and Alex couldn’t help but admire him for it.

As he walked off the bus with the rest of the band and Flyzik he realized that he was able to hear Zo’s thoughts again. He rolled his eyes as she started to freak out because Colussy left her in charge of the boys while he went to grab some things. It was really nothing but he was starting to realize just how nervous Zo really was. She had looked perfectly fine when he had seen her but now that he could hear her thoughts again, he knew how freaked out she was.

*Zo just calm down. No one is going to say f you and go running around while you try to catch them. Well everyone but Vinny, God only knows what that idiot will do.* Alex said.

Zo sighed, *Please don’t jinx me. I don’t actually need Vinny to do that. He seems like he’s already hyper on the huge cup of coffee we got him. Or is that naturally Vinny?*

*Eh, it’s a little of both. With Vinny you never know what could happen.* She sighed again and he laughed. *Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine. I promise. As soon as you get through this day the rest will be fine.*

*Please distract me,* He could see in her mind’s eye that she was watching the others as they continued their work. Jeff seemed to have taken Zo under his wing since she was at the lights table sitting next to Jeff while the he kept up a light conversation and continued to help her keep an eye on the others.

Alex walked into the dressing room with the others and took a seat next to Jack and sighed. *Um so we’re sitting in this nasty dressing room and Jack is molesting my leg.* Which was true. Alex had rest his head on Jack’s shoulder and in return, Jack started to rub his hand up and down his leg.

*Um please, no images. I don’t want to see that at all.* Alex just laughed as he turned to Jack and told him what he had told Zo.

“Dude, I’m so going to text her. Hold on, let me take a picture,” Jack said as he pulled out his phone and rest his hand on his leg again and Alex started laughing as Zo realized what was going on.

*Dear God, tell him to stop!* Zo said as Alex laughed and told Jack what she said. He rolled his eyes and he pressed send and Alex started cracking up when Zo got the message.

When the interviewer got there they all settled down on the couches and began to answer the questions she gave them. Zo was still freaking out about everything and he tried to keep her calm while also look like he was paying attention to the interview. Thankfully Jack was there to keep him focused.

Once the interview was over, they all got up and made their way to the main room where the rest of the crew were. When Alex saw Zo, he couldn’t help but smile. She was still sitting with Jeff and chatting lightly. She looked up and caught his eye and gave a small smile and went back to whatever she had been talking about with Jeff.

“Yo Flyzik, are we sound checking now?” Jack asked obnoxiously loud and everyone just rolled their eyes at him.

“Yeah so get your lazy asses up there and actually play your instruments for once!” Flyzik snapped back and the rest of the band started to protest.

Alex laughed as he walked up to the stage and climbed up not bothering to use the stairs. Jack was already there getting his guitar from Danny and strumming a few notes as Alex took his guitar also and pulled the strap over his head. Rian was already starting a beat on the drums and Zack was yet to be on stage.

“C’mon Zackary! Get your slow ass up here!” Jack said into his mic as Zack just flipped him off. “Evan, can you turn my mic up a little more.”

“How about you turn if off Evan! We don’t need to hear his voice for once!” Alex said into his as Jack glared at him.

Jack tried to say something back in his mic and Alex started laughing. Evan actually had turned off his mic, which was good because Jack was having a fit and no one could hear it. Zack started strumming also and Alex started to play though the first song of their set list.

When they were finished sound checking, they all went back to the dressing room messing around. The rest of the bands slowly but surely arrived and they all mingled getting to know each other and spend the last few hours before the concert started.

The first band started to play, then the second. When the third came up, Alex started to get a little nervous and now Zooey was there making sure he was calm. And he honestly couldn’t be happier that she was there. Right then she was the only person that could really calm him down. Even Jack’s stupid jokes weren’t helping.

When it came for them to go on stage, Alex took Zo’s hand as he followed the rest of the band and crew to the side stage. He took his guitar from Danny and thanked him and then turned to Zo as Jack and the others got ready to go on. It was almost completely dark where they were standing and there was just enough room for him to see her face.

“Ok guys! Let’s get this first show on the road!” Flyzik was saying loudly so he could be heard over the background music playing. Everyone cheered as they started to head toward stage.

Alex felt Jack’s hand on his shoulder giving a light squeeze as if reassuring him, and he knew that it was now or never. Just as Rian started the beat and the crowd started to cheer, Alex leaned down and pressed his lips to Zo’s for a soft kiss. When they pulled apart, he caught the growing smile on her face and returned it before turning to go on stage.