The Rock Show

It's getting late. The sun's shine no longer beams in the sky- Instead, an orangey haze- somewhat relaxing. The group of teenagers are sat on the grass; Jess, sandwiched between Jack and Rian. Zack is lounging next to Rian and facing opposite them is Alex, scowling at Jack, because he's the one playing with Jess' hair, and she's done nothing more other than frown at him.

Why is she being so uptight? Alex couldn't decide. All he wants is to know why Jess is so unpredictable around him, well, around everyone other than her band mates. She's either happy and go-lucky one minute, then a hormonal and angry bitch the next. Alex can't deny it though- He didn't mind which mood she decided to be in, as long as he was in her company, Alex was cool.

Look, there he is again, going all soppy and mushy over a girl. This is wrong. So very, very wrong. And what's even worse? Alex likes it.

"I should really be heading back to the guy's." Jess sighs, looking up at the sky, only just noticing how late it's actually getting. "'I've been gone hours. And I don't know what time the bus is leaving for the next venue."

"Oh Jessy-poo, you can't leave us now!" Jack cries, wrapping his skinny arms around Jess and squeezing her closely to him. "We've only just met you!"

Jess attempted at peeling Jack off of her, then sighs. "This is warped tour Jack, what do you expect? I can't stay here forever. Besides, I don't even live in this state when I'm not on tour anyway."

"But you can still stay a little while longer, right?" Rian asks, his frown lines creasing his forehead. "I mean, I don't think the bus will leave without it's lead singer."

"I suppose you're right." Jess smiles shakily after a long pause. "And I have my phone, they'll ring me when they need me."

"Yeah!" Jack cries, leaning back in for another rib-crushing hug, but Jess sees what's coming, and somehow back rolls out of the way, causing snort of laughter to escape from Zack.

"Hey!" Jack pouts, jutting out his bottom lip. Jess shrugs her shoulders. She's known this kid for only a few hours, and already, Jess feels like she's known Jack her whole life.

The group broke into a conversation about Four Year Strong's set or something, Alex isn't really listening. He's just staring at the group, mostly Jess. He crinkles his eyes, squinting. She'd held his hand the entire way through Four Year Strong, she'd laughed when he'd made some corny joke, and now, now she was completely blanking him. Like he isn't even there. Instead, she's talking to Rian, Zack and Jack, and smiling, genuinely smiling, and even Alex can't deny the tiniest pang of jealousy in his chest.

Jess is his friend. He found her first, he introduced her to the guys. It should be him laughing and joking with her now, instead of the other three. Life really isn't fair.

A man walks past the group- He's wearing skinny jeans, and a tank top. Tattoo's cover almost every inch of his body, and long brown hair reaches his shoulders. In his ears are two huge stretches, and in his mouth he holds a cigarette.

Jess' mouth waters as she watches the man take a drag from the cancer stick, and puffs out a cloud of smoke. She hasn't had a cigarette since her small drag from Nick's at the start of the day.

"Excuse me." She pipes up. The man turns his head.

"Hey, you're that chick from that band that were playing earlier!"

"Yeah." Jess shoots him a quick smile. "Actually, I was wondering if you have a cigarette?"

"Sure thing sweetheart!" The man digs around his pockets in his jeans, and pulls out a cigarette and a lighter. He throws them to Jess, who catches them successfully, lights the cigarette, sticks it in her mouth and throws the lighter back towards the man.

"Thanks." She smiles, taking a puff, and relaxes as the nicotine rushes through her body.

"Anytime." The man smiles back before walking off.

It's all silent for a moment, all the boys watching as Jess takes a long, slow drags from the cigarette.

"You shouldn't smoke." Alex finally speaks, and everyone's heads turn to face him. Jess cocks her eyebrow. "It's bad for you."

"Bite me." Jess exhales in Alex's face, making him glare at her.

"Don't say that. He'll actually try to." Zack laughs, winking in Alex's directions. His cheeks flame red as Alex glares at the scruffy teenager ahead of him.

"Hey don't look all pissy, you know it's true!" Rian joins in.

"Guys, shut up" Alex's hisses.

"Has anyone told you about Alex's reputation?" Jack grins, tugging at Jess' shirt for attention. Jess smirks, stubbing out the cigarette. Her eyes gleam as they shoot Alex a wicked look before focusing on Jack.

"No Jack... I know! You tell me!"

Jack giggled, like a child on Christmas day.

"He's like a manwhore of Baltimore! He sleeps with a ton of girls, and then refuses to speak to them the next day! He's always fucking with Lisa, and even if he has denied it-" Jack stops as he realizes what's just come out of his mouth. He know he gets a little over excited sometimes, but even he could tell that Alex was liking Jess, and now, because of his big mouth, Jack had possibly ruined it all for him.

"Oh really?" Jess shoots Alex a devilish smile. "Tell me more about Alex and Lisa."

"Now that's not entirely true, is it!" Alex cuts in before Jack has time to open his mouth again. "I told you earlier- there's nothing between me and Lisa."

Jess shrugs her shoulders. "Why would I care if there was? Chill."

Sorry Jack mouths to Alex, and in return, receives a deathly glare. The group of five sit in silence for a while, taking everything in. Each of them thinking the same thing; In less than five hours, Jess will be gone, another city, and they guys will never see her again. The thought is pretty depressing. All five of them seriously couldn't have asked for a better day.

Jess' phone suddenly ends the silence with a shrill ring. She take it out of her pocket, and looks at the caller ID; Nick.

"Hey!" Jess smiles into the phone.

"Sis, where are you? Jason and Demetri are going crazy, they haven't found you anywhere!"

"Nick, it's cool. I'm just hanging out with a few guys, is that alright?"

"Uh yeah, I guess-"

"When do I have to be back on the bus?" Jess asks, tapping her fingernails against her knees.

"Well, uh now, preferably. We just want everything to be good and ready to go, so we don't run late."

"Sure thing. I'll come in like…. Five minutes, okay?”

“Okay.” Nick hangs up. Jess sighs, does she actually really want to leave? Not really. So far, her day has been great. She’s performed in front of an actual crowd that like her music, she’s met a bunch of guys which, (and she hates to say it) are pretty cool, and she’s seen all her favourite bands.

But then Jess shakes the thoughts from her mind. Everything comes to an end right? There’s no point getting all sad about it. No doubt she’ll make some more fiends when they play more dates. But that’s not exactly the point. Jess really like these kids. She likes how Zack’s calm, cool, and keeps to himself, She likes how Jack’s over the top and most of the time annoying. She likes how Rian’s the father figure- Always looking out for Jack to see if he’s doing anything stupid… And Alex? Well, Jess isn’t too sure about Alex.

It’s true, Jess still can’t shake away the sick feeling whenever she looks at Alex- Not because of him, himself. But because she can just see Brad. Which is even more frustrating, because Alex is nothing like Brad at all. In fact, Jess would even say that Alex is a thousand times better than Brad. She won’t say that out loud though, people might start to think she likes him or something.

“I have to go back now.” Jess announces, and watches as every single one of the teenage boys’ face drops.

“But it’s not even that late yet.” Zack almost whispers.

“I know, I know. But Nick just wants to make sure everything’s all set and ready to go for when we actually leave.”

“Oh Jessy-poo, don’t say things like that!” Jack cries.

“Call me that name one more time and I’ll kick you in the balls, got it?” Jess warns, and Jack nods his head timidly. Everyone knows Jess probably isn’t lying. “Why don’t you guys walk me back the bus? And then maybe I can introduce you to my band? I bet you’d like them.”

“Okay!” Jack squeals, jumping up from his spot and tugging Rian up too.

“Rian, you fat fucker! Get up!”

Rian laughs, but pulls himself up. Jess also stands up, brushing away any grass that’s stuck to her legs. Zack joins them, and the four begin to walk in a straight line back to the bus. Jess walks silently, but then feels a firm grip on her arm, and is pulled back.

“Have I been invisible to you or something?” Someone hisses into her ear. She looks up and sees Alex glaring down at her. She laughs sarcastically.

“If I remember correctly, you were the one wanting me to meet your friends. Sorry if I've been a bit friendly and shared myself.”

“You haven’t spoken to me since we saw Four Year Strong. Other than that, you’ve blanked me.”

Jess arches her eyebrow and looks at Alex. “Don’t get all butt hurt because there’s other people I wanna’ talk to.”

“You’re such a bitch.” Alex huffs, hunching his shoulders as he walks. Jess thumps him, fairly hard in the arm. She stops walking, and looks up at Alex pleadingly.
“Look, I’m literally leaving in a few hours, and you’re never going to see me again. I don’t want to leave on a bad note okay? So just… drop whatever problem you have with me?”

Alex sighs, but reluctantly nods his head. “Fine.”

Jess smirks, she loves the control she has over his kid. “Promise?”

Alex grins and holds up his pinky. “I pinky promise.”

Jess grins back, holding up her pinky and links with Alex’s and shakes firmly.

“Come on you two!” Jack calls from the distance. “Jess is the only one who knows where her bus is!” Jess laughs alongside Alex as the begin to catch up with the other three members of the group. Their fingers still linked.