Cross the Line

It was a cool Friday, classes were over, and me and the boys were on our way back to the dorms. We were planning our weekend out. So far, no plans. Except tomorrow is the Battle of the Bands competition, and All Time Low will be competing to represent our dorm. There's a new band down at Dorm 1, they're pretty good, or so I've been told.

"Why didn't you tell us you were a fan?" Rian asked. I shrugged. "I didn't want you guys to think of me as a crazy-over-obsessed-stalker-fan." They laughed, "Nah, the guy fans are cool. It's the girl fans that do all the crazy shit." Rian laughed. 'Like me' I thought to myself.

"Video games at my place tonight?" I suggested. "No. We have band practice for the competitions." Alex said instantly. "I wish we could but, Alex is right." Zack told me as he ruffled my hair. "Don't touch the hair! I'm not your little sister." I said as I swatted his hand away. He chuckled and we went our separate ways.

"AAAAAAAaaaaarrrrtgggggghhhhh!!!!" A voice screamed followed by the bark and growl of a dog. Being the busybody that I am, I walked over to the scene of the crime. The boy had run away, but the black and white Siberian Husky remained growling.

The dog went back to sit down. I decided to approach the dog. Slowly, step by step, I inched towards him. "Pssst.. Hey, boy!" I whispered to it, catching it's attention. His ears twitched as he looked at me. I took another step closer and looked around. Nobody was around to see me.

I took another step. I was about an arm's length away from him as I reached out to let him sniff my fist. He barked and I fell on my butt, he jumped over me and I braced for the impact of his sharp teeth. But I felt nothing but his big, long, pink tongue.

I giggled. "It tickles! Stop.. it!" I giggled out. I managed to push him off me and laughed at him. His tongue was hanging out his mouth, head tilted, and tail wagging faster than the speed of light. I laughed and ruffled his fur. "Hey, boy!" I greeted him.

"Your name is..." I checked his collar. "..Riff?" he barked happily at the sound of his name. "Cool!" I complimented him. I sat down and continued to ruffle his fur. "Why did you get so angry at that boy? Did he do bad things to you? He did? Oooohh.. he is so busted!" I said to Riff. Every time I spoke, he would tilt his head as if he understood me.

I crawled into his dog house and took out a tennis ball. "Wanna play fetch?" I asked. He jumped up and down at the sight of the neon yellow ball. "I'm going to unchain you, but you can't run away, okay?" Riff tilted his head like he understood. Riff obeyed me and stayed. "Fetch!" I threw the ball to a nearby tree.

Riff was very good at playing games, tricks and he would listen to me and my problems. I was talking to him for the next hour until I heard a voice.

"Are you seriously talking to him?"

ALEX'S POV

I coughed again, and chugged down the rest of my water. "Are you okay?" Zack asked me. I just nodded. We had just finished practice and my throat hurt like hell. I couldn't sing, but I was okay with a bit of talking. My sore throat was getting worse. I had to go see Dr. Reid later.

We walked out of practice rooms and back to the dorms. In front of the dorms, we spotted Blake talking to Riff, our guard dog for our dorm. His face was oblivious to the fact that she was being watched, as he continued on and on talking to Rephaim.

He suddenly smiled and said really loudly, "You think so too!" His face was lighted up with his smile as she high-5'ed Riff. "Are you seriously talking to him?" Rian said making Blake jump.

"Scare the living daylights out of me, why don't ya!" he grumbled as we laughed at him. "And if you must know.. Yes, Riff happens to be a very good listener!" he joked. We laughed again as Blake said goodbye to Riff and made our way back to the dorms.

"Guys, I have to go see Dr. Reid for a bit. You go in first." I walked off to the direction of the infirmary to see my favourite doctor. I didn't bother to knock, he would probably already know who it is. "What brings you here today, Alex?" he asked. I just sat down at the chair in front of him.

"Sore throat is worse." I croaked. He looked up from the laptop screen and gave me a disappointed face. "I thought I made myself clear when I said no singing unless you want to lose your voice forever ." I sighed and answered him, "I know but-" I pointed to the Battle of the Bands poster.

He gave me a packet of Strepstils and said sternly, "You are not joining. Find a replacement." I was about to say something but he cut me off. "No buts! You sing, you lose your voice and might have to go for surgery!"

I just nodded and walked back to the dorms. What am I going to do? Arrghh... This battle means a lot to me and the whole dorm. We were touring last year, so we couldn't compete and our dorm lost. Who can replace me? No, I have to sing.

I sighed and had a flashback of Blake's smiling face when he was talking to Rephaim. The thought of him makes me smile, I've never seen his face so bright with happiness before. Then I mentally slapped myself.

WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING HAVING THESE KIND OF THOUGHTS FOR ANOTHER DUDE! Oh.. no.... Maybe this isn't a mistake. Maybe having these kind of thoughts is normal because I may be..

Gay?

NO! WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT! No way, Jose am I gay! (oooh it rhymes). Impossible, it's only because I'm stressed and confused. Nothing else.

I opened the door to my dorm room, and found Blake playing COD on the PS3 upside down. Hislegs hung over he back of the sofa, as she his head was inched from touching the floor. "Hey, wanna join?" he offered. I just plumped on the sofa next to him and grab the other controller.

He grinned at me. "Come on! Sit upside down, it's fun!" I wanted to smile and follow him but I resisted. "No." He pouted at me and whined, "Pweeeeeaase!" I loooked at him. He looked kinda cute when he pouts.. NO! WHAT AM I THINKING!

"No!" I said a little more sternly and maybe it too scarily. He shrank back away from me. We played a for about an hour before I went to shower and he was playing his PSP on his bed. I coughed again and almost gagged. I winced at the pain in my throat before sipping my water.

"You okay, mate?" I heard Blake ask from his top bunk. I cleared my throat and answered him, "Yeah, fine." He didn't look convinced but he left it at that. "Kay, get some rest for tomorrow!" he said as I turned of the lights.

Hopefully, my throat will be better if I rest now. Hopefully.

BLAKE'S POV

Alex turned out the lights and climbed into his bed. I continued to play my PSP for a bit until my eyes started to get a little heavy. I put away my PSP and took out the necklace around my neck. It had a ring attached to it. It was my dad's ring. He gave it to me before he died.

He died of cancer when I was about 15 years old. He brought music to my life and is the reason why I am who I am today. The ring was thick, fully silver and had his name engraved on it.

(A/N: Check link in author's note down there)

I put it on my bedside table and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.