If I Could Change Your Mind

Jack is on the couch with a bowl of Cookie Crisp when the door flung open. “I don’t wanna go, don’t make me! Why can’t you go see Rian alone?” Kelsey whines. Rian blushes as he hears Alicia while she drags Kelsey in the bus and shut the door, glaring at her friend. “Because, that’s weird. Oh, uh, hi guys....” Alicia says awkwardly, noticing Rian blushing on the couch. “What’s all the commotion about?” Alex yawns, walking into the room wearing only boxers. Alicia looks away and sits on the couch with Rian, unsure of what to say about the view, and Kelsey’s eyes fill with rage. Alex smiles at the sight of her, and comes over to give her a hug. “Mornin’ babe.” “Don’t touch me, asshole.” Kelsey pushes Alex off her while he looks at her confused. “What?” He questions. “You know why, you’re such a dick sometimes.” She grumbled, sitting down on the couch next to Alicia. “Why? ‘Cause I IM’ed you late?” Alex inquires, suddenly very aware of everyone in the room. Jack knew why she was mad and instantly regretted what he had done last night. “Don’t play stupid with me Alexander William Gaskarth. Just leave me alone.” Kelsey turned away, refusing to look at him. “I’m not playing stupid, I didn’t do anything! Talk to me, why are you mad?” Alex kneels down in front of her, trying to look all cute and innocent. Kelsey doesn’t look at him, but instead turns to Alicia. “Tell Alex this is exactly what he wanted yesterday and to stop changing his goddamn mind.” With that, Kelsey gets up and stalks out of the bus. When she reaches the door she turns back around to Alicia “Oh, and tell Alex his rainbow unicorn boxers make him look like a fag.” Then she slammed the door behind her.
“What the hell? What was up with that?” Alex asks, to no one in particular. Alex’s eyes flicker toward Jack, who catches the look then quickly looks down at his cereal to play with his food nervously. “I think I’m going to go change now...” Jack gets up and dumps his bowl in the sink, proceeding to the bathroom.
Later that day they were at dress rehearsal and Alex comes up with the ingenious plan to watch Purple Vomit perform so Kelsey has to talk to him afterwards. Alex asks Jack to come for support and Jack, already feeling insanely guilty about making them fight, agreed to go. They walk in a little late and sit up front to listen. Kelsey notices them and cuts off the rehearsal shouting “Alicia, Alicia! Tell that guy with ugly pink hair that he needs to leave or I’m not going to sing tonight. I don’t want to hurt his perfect fucking eardrums with my ‘shitty voice.’” She makes air quotes around “shitty voice” as Alicia answers “Kels, you’re over reacting, he’s just a stupid fanboy who thinks he has a shot with the lead singer.” “Why does everyone always love the lead singer? No one ever loves the drummer.” Anna, the drummer of Purple Vomit, says from behind Kelsey. Alex stands up and goes in front of the stage “Kelsey, what did I do wrong? Tell me, please!” Kelsey hops off the stage, mic in hand and takes out her phone. “Let me show you what you did wrong.” She pulls up their conversation from last night and says into the mic “Alex23 at 12:36 said-” “ALEX23 IS NOT REALLY ALEX!” Jack shouts, the guilt becoming too much for him to handle. Everyone in the room turns and stares at him and he realizes how stupid he must sound. Without meeting Alex’s questioning gaze Jack turns and runs out of the room.
Jack wanders off, knowing that going back to the bus would be too obvious of a hiding place. So he goes on a small adventure and internally yells at himself for doing something so stupid. A few hours go by as he stumbles across a playground, reminding him of Alex and him hanging out the day before. Jack finds a vacant swinging bench, that old people normally sit at, facing a lake and sits down. “God, I’m such an idiot. Why the fuck did I do that? Now Alex is gonna know that I said all that and he’s going to hate me because I started a fight between him and his perfect in every fucking way girlfriend. And then he’ll ask why I did that and how the hell am I going to answer that? I can’t...I can’t tell Alex how I feel about him. I might as well just quit All Time Low right now...shit, that reminds me, I’m gonna miss our concert!” He jumps up and starts running in the direction he came, though he doesn’t really know how to get back to the concert.
Jack got lost on the way back, so called a cab service and got back with barely five minutes to spare. He didn’t have time to change so he ran backstage wearing sweatpants and his Jagk to Future tshirt. Backstage, he saw Kelsey hugging a very agitated Alex, in an attempt to calm him down. Alex noticed Jack’s presence and shrugs Kelsey off. “Jack, where the fuck have been?” Alex asks louder than expected. A stage crew guy came up to Jack with his guitar and began putting it on him as Jack murmured “Uh, well...” The stage crew guy shouts “Guys, you’re on, go! go! go!” Jack avoids Alex’s glare and paints a fake smile on his face, then runs out onto the stage. Alex follows, but this conversation is not over.
At the end of the concert after they put their guitars away, Alex grabs Jack by the t-shirt and drags him over into the next room, closing the door behind him. “Dude, stop stretching out my favorite shirt.” Jack complains, prying Alex’s hand off him. “Well stop ruining my favorite relationship! Why the fuck did you say all that stuff to Kelsey? Were you trying to ruin us?” Alex’s voice grows angrier as he spits out each word. “No, Alex, I-I just...um...I’m sorry.” Jack mumbles miserably. “What the fuck has been up with you lately? I’m tired of dealing with all your fucking lies and shit, you keep lying to me. Why Jack? You’re my best friend, but I have this feeling that you’re keeping something from me; something that this is all about. Tell me.” “No, no I can’t...Alex, just forget it, it doesn’t matter.” Jack wants to tell Alex so badly, but he knows it would ruin everything between them if he did. Besides, he knows Alex doesn’t feel the same way about him, he’s with Kelsey, so why should he bother confessing? “Of course it matters. You’re my best friend... Or at least you were. Best friends don’t keep secrets, I guess we’re done here.” Alex starts for the door as Jack asks “Done how?” “Done being friends. I’m sick of your lies. Come back when you want to start confessing. And by the way, if I talk to you on stage and act all friend-like, it’s for the fans. It doesn’t fix this.” Alex points towards Jack then himself before he opens the door roughly, causing Alicia and Rian to fall at his feet for they were listening in on the entire fight. Alex kicks them aside and leaves the room. Rian starts to get up, but Alicia whispers “I got him,” and starts running after Alex, grabbing Kelsey from the group of people and dragging her along too.
Jack sinks to the floor, burying his face in his knees as he tries to fight off the tears. Rian crawls over and wraps his arm around Jack’s shoulders saying “It’s gonna be alright buddy, Alex will get over it.” “No it’s not, I fucked up. It’s all my fault, I shouldn’t have said those things to Kelsey in the first place.” Jack whispers, a salty tear slides down his cheek. “That’s not what this is all about though, is it.” It came from Rian’s mouth as more of a statement than a question, but Jack agreed anyway. “Then what is it? No one has any idea, aside from its related to Alex. Just let it out, it’ll make you feel a lot better if you talk about it.” Rian states. “No, it’s nothing. I just need a moment, I’m sorry.” Jack sniffles, wiping his nose. “Jack, it’s time to stop lying. Talk to me.” “No, maybe I don’t want to. Everyone keeps telling me to talk to them but no one seems to understand that I don’t want to. I’m fine, just leave me alone.” Jack’s voice quickly changes from sad to annoyed. “Fine, don’t tell me. I understand why you wouldn’t tell Alex, but me? Really? I’m Rian, I’m amazing, you can tell me anything. But apparently you don’t feel that way. Whatever.” Rian starts to get up but Jack says desperately “Rian, don’t go, please don’t...don’t leave me like Alex did!” Rian sits back down and waits patiently for Jack to continue. When he doesn’t, Rian asks “What is this about?” “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it, I just...I don’t know...just, Rian, just shut up and hug me!” Jack collapses in Rian’s arms, sobbing. “Jack, it’s gonna be okay, it’s not a big deal...” “No, it’s not okay! I’m in love with my best friend! I’m in love with Alex fucking Gaskarth!”