The Rock Show

Jess sighs a frustrated sigh as she looks at her reflection in the mirror. Why can she never look right?! She's wearing skinny jeans with a tank top. She's let her hair fall in natural waves, and she's put on a simple yet effective amount of makeup. Making an effort without looking like she has. So why is she still so damn stressed? Jess couldn't fathom why, but she just doesn't feel right. And the more she stares at her reflection, the more she forces herself to believe that it's something to do with her appearance. Jess just can't pinpoint what it actually is that's wrong. Does she look like she's made too much effort, not enough? Does she look okay, not okay? Too much makeup?

"Eurgh!" Jess groans aloud, and stops when she hears a timid knock on her bedroom door. "come in." She says, and flops onto her bed, digging out a packet of cigarettes from under her pillow and finding the lighter, she lights one up- Hell, she deserves this.

Demetri pokes his head from behind the door and when he sees Jess smoking, he scoots in and sits himself down on the bed beside her.

"I thought you were trying to quit?" He asks, seeming calm for once. Jess rolls her eyes, she was expecting this as soon as she saw the look on his face when he saw her with the cigarette in her hand. Jess places the cancer stick in between her lips and inhales. Relaxing as the nicotine races through her body.

"Yeah, me too. I guess I just need to relax a bit. I'm so stressed out." She laughs shakily as Demetri cocks his eyebrow, looking at the younger girl next to him. That's all she's ever been lately. Stressed. And okay, so maybe the band are getting some great lyrics by Jess, but it's just Brad all over again. Jess being unsociable and moody and heartbroken. It wasn't fair on any of the guys when Jess snaps at them all the time, and it's not fair on Jess for being heartbroken by some asshole that so doesn't deserve someone as great as Jess.

"Why have you changed? Are you going out?"

For the first time ever, Demetri see's a pink blush crawl it's way onto Jess' cheeks, she looks down almost immediately when she feels the blood rush to her cheeks, and lets her hair cover up her face. She doesn't look up again until she's positive that she's okay.

"Uh yeah, my friend gave me tickets for a concert tonight and I'm going to that."

"Awesome!" Demetri grins, and notices how Jess says 'tickets'. Plural. Maybe he has a chance of going with her. "Who's the band? Are they any good?"

Jess shuffles awkwardly where she's sat. She really doesn't want to be having this conversation.

"Uhm, no. They're not your type of music, I don't think you'll like them." She takes another drag from her cigarette, regaining her confidence back. No way is she letting Demetri tag along with her. She loves him to pieces of course she does, but she needs to do this on her own. She needs to see Alex. Even if it's not directly. She just needs to see his face, see All Time Low perform, and then that's it. She can forget all about him, and move on in her life and focus her attention back onto the band.

"C'mon Jessy, we listen to the same stuff, if you like them, I'm ninety-percent sure I'm going to like them too!"

"Okay fine!" Jess snaps, stubbing out her cigarette in the ash tray that sits on her bedside table. She dives in the packet and takes out the last cigarette that's in there. Shit, she'd only bought this packet yesterday, Jess isn't aware on how much she's been smoking lately, and she is really hoping to take a packet to the concert with her. Oh well, she'll just have to take some from Nick, he won't mind. Lighting the cigarette, Jess puffs on it, before parting her lips slightly, and allowing the smoke to come out. She faces Demetri.

"I'm going to see All Time Low." Her voice is confident, and as always, Jess has put on the 'I-don't-care' voice, but deep down, she's shaking with nerves. Part of her doesn't want to see Alex. And anyway, he probably doesn't want to see her, he's blocked her number after all. But then another part of Jess wants her to go. She wants to see him, even if it is two months since they last spoke to each other. She wants to confront Alex, ask him everything that's been going off in her mind lately. And if Alex really is going to be a dick head, then Jess will gladly hit him.

Demetri blinks at Jess in confusion. "B-but, I thought you hated the kid? And Nick? What about him? He's not going to let you go."

"Exactly." Jess puffs again from the cigarette and shoots a devious glance at the drummer. "That's why we're not going to tell him."

- & -

"Twenty minutes until the doors open!"

All around the venue are people frantically rushing and running about, whether it's people who work there, or sound techs, guitar techs, merch guys. Up on the stage are four, very excited teenagers. Jack jumping around and screaming in people's faces. Rian, having one last rehearsal before going to shower. Zack, sat calmly, watching the scene infront of him, and Alex, typing away on his phone, texting some chick he'd met at a party the previous night.

He still remembers the party the other week, when Jack got pissed at him for hitting on his girl, but after a few groans and the puppy dog eyes, Jack had forgiven him.

And now, Alex is already talking to someone else. Her name is Cassie, a pretty girl with a smart brain. Alex and her got together when Jack introduced Alex to Cassie. ("Hey, Dick breath, you need to get over that Jess chick! See her over there? That's Cassie, I said you'd go and talk to her.")

They'd hit it off pretty well. Sharing a lot of the same things in common. Alex soon caught on that Cassie was into him; the way she played with her hair and looked from under her eyebrows, and giggling at every funny comment Alex made. And Alex wished he could have felt the same way, because any guy would truly be lucky to have a girl like Cassie in their life, but well... He's still hung out on Jess.

And they're playing at her hometown too. Alex's thoughts drift to two months ago when Jess promised him that she'd go out to see them. Ha. He hasn't heard from her since the day they said good bye. Not a text, phone call or anything. So that's why Alex is talking to Cassie. Trying to forget about the girl at warped tour.

"Guys, go shower, doors open in fifteen minutes!" The guys' friend, and tour manager, Matt Flyzik is shouting at them. Rian stops smashing his drums, Jack stops jumping around, Alex puts his phone away and Zack stands up. They all look at Flyzik, who doesn't say anything, just points to the door, where they all trudge their way backstage. Jeez, Matt is stressy sometimes.

As Alex walks away, he takes a deep breath. Even is Jess isn't going to show up tonight, he's going to perform to his best ability. He's going to sing and sing, and forget about her.