If These Sheets Were States

*I figured since I haven't updated the story in 2 years then I should move the story along about 2 years so here goes*

I grabbed my black docs and shoved them onto my feet, barley bothering to lace them all the way. I was exhausted. Work had been so hectic recently, I just found myself always travelling somewhere new to take photos. Don't get me wrong, I loved having a job where all I had to do was take photos, edit them and then my work used them for magazines etc but I was at the age where I was kind of ready to slow things down. I was only 24 but my whole life had just been ready, steady go. It was never relaxed, then again when I was home I was just by myself, it wasn't like I had anyone there waiting for me.

I had moved out from the place I shared with Kara and Eden about a year ago after a massive falling out. It all started when Kara found me in a state because I had just heard the news that Alex and Chelsea's baby had arrived and I get it, I was being a baby. Me and Alex hadn't been together for almost 7 years at that point, I was being pathetic and I did need to move on. It's just that it felt kind of impossible to when all I could see was a future with him and nobody else? I'd tried plenty of times to move on but it just wasn't happening. I had just given up on the thought of being with anyone else and had accepted the fact that I was going to be single probably for the rest of my life. Dramatic I know. Anyway the argument started small with Kara just telling me that I needed to get over myself but then it got a lot bigger and stuff was being said that could never be taken back or forgiven. I left a few days after and stayed with my mum for a couple of months until I sorted out having my own place, in LA this time.

I got a work transfer from New York to LA which was pretty handy as I didn't want to have to look for a new job on top of having to find a new house. Speaking of work, that was where I was meant to be 10 minutes ago.

I grabbed my camera and my car keys and practically ran out of the door. The drive to work was short and sweet, barley 15 minutes. The guys at work were pretty laid back so I knew that I wouldn't get in trouble for being late as I had no clients to shoot today, all I had to do was make some edits on some photos I had taken and then send them off to my boss.

My work building was huge, it had massive glass windows that you could see right through when you walked past the building and a gigantic revolving door. I put my lanyard around my neck which had my I.D card attached to it just to prove that I was even allowed to be in here. It was a pretty high class place, not just anyone could walk in unless they either worked here or had an appointment. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me.

"Well hello, hello, look who finally turned up." Andrew said to me as I walked up to my desk.

"Ha, ha. You are hilarious Andy. I'm only a little late plus I only have editing to do today." I replied whilst sitting down on my chair and turning my laptop on.

"Well actually you have a visitor in the meetings lounge."

My eyes widened as I jumped straight up out of my chair. "What? Nobody told me!"

"It's your friend so hardly think it matters, he wants to set up a shoot with you. Only you, he won't settle for any other photographer here, even the ones who have much more experience and skill than you."

"Well, I have pretty good amount of experience and skill thank you. Remember Andy, just because you have a dick doesn't mean that you always need to act like one." I said whilst smiling at him.

I didn't even wait for his response before walking off to the meeting's lounge, none of my friends had even said that they were even interested in a shoot so I was pretty confused. The outside of the meeting's lounge was a lot darker, it had blacked out windows for privacy and a large black door which was locked from either side by a key code. I typed the code in a pushed the door open to reveal the person who had been waiting for me.

It was Jack. I should have known, obviously he wouldn't have thought to have called ahead and let me know that he was here. Jack was sitting in one of the chairs, with his legs up onto another one. Classy.

"What are you doing here?" I blurted out, not even bothering to say hello first.

"Um hey. So basically I-we need you to do a photo shoot for us." Jack said scratching his neck.

"Why do you need me to do it?"

"Cause it is our last one. We want someone we really trust and who knows us personally to do it."

"What do you mean it is your last one? Plus I'm sure you know lots of photographers personally, what about Adam?"

Adam Elmakias was a brilliant photographer, I looked up to him in a lot of my work. He had worked with All Time Low plenty of times, on so many tours and photo shoots so I don't know what Jack was on about.

"We're breaking up Jen. All Time Low is over after this last tour. Alex doesn't want to do it anymore, he is too focused on his new family. We can't be a band without a singer and we can't replace him either, it wouldn't be the same. So we are done. We need a new photo shoot done, by you, for our last ever tour to promote it. Please. You have known us since before we got signed, you have been there when we got signed, it just makes sense for you to be there when it all ends too."

I was literally in shock. They had almost been together 10 years and I really never thought they would split up. They all had so much fun and it was all any of them ever wanted to do. It was so unfair that 3 of them lose everything just because Alex can't be bothered anymore. Well I couldn't really say it was all Alex's fault, who knows what Chelsea is saying to him behind the scenes.

"I'm so sorry Jack, I had no idea that breaking up for you guys was even an option. Of course I will do it."

"Neither did I and thanks. We talked to your boss guy or whatever before hand to book you and it's meant to be taking place later tonight and tomorrow. I'll text you the location, we wanted some outside scenes and then just some here in the studio."

"Bit short notice but okay. I'll see you then I guess. Do the fans know that you are breaking up?" I asked, just in case I let anything out by accident.

"I think they know something is up but we're releasing a statement later on today. After you've taken a couple shots, they don't need to be edited but we just want to put one or two with the statement."

"Alright, I'll see you later then. I need to go finish the editing of these other photos I have before tonight then so I better get going. What sort of time will you need me?"

"Around 7 if that's okay. We're paying you double pay don't worry, your boss said you don't usually do shoots that late with this short notice."

I nodded my head and quickly went over and gave Jack a hug without saying a word. I said goodbye to him and left back to my 'office area' to get on with editing the photos. This was going to be a very long day.

*

I arrived at the location just before 7. I was even more exhausted than I was this morning because I had been rushing all day to try and edit all the photos and send them off before I left. I hadn't even had a chance to eat properly all day, I grabbed a hot chocolate which extra whipped cream of course at a drive through on the way here.

I placed my equipment down in the place we were meeting, it was basically just a street bit that had been cornered off, it had cool graffiti on the wall which I guess they wanted in some of the shots. I sipped at my drink quickly waiting for the band to arrive. I didn't feel awkward at the thought of seeing any of them because it had been so easy to see Jack earlier, I just hoped they felt the same. I wasn't even bothered about seeing Alex, I was so so over it. I was just mad at him for doing this to the band and I guess also deep inside I was made at him for never keeping his promise of us staying friends and just dropping me as soon as Vegas was over.

A big, black Jeep pulled up almost right beside me and I knew then that they were here. Quite quickly they all got out of the car. They were all wearing pretty similar outfits, black skinny jeans and oversized white tops with leather jacket's or in Jack's case a BONER t-shirt. Of course. I thought he had stopped wearing them.

"Hi guys." I said waving, I might as well make the first move.

All of them apart from Alex came up and gave me a hug and told me that it was great to see me. Nice one pal.

"So we might as well get started, especially if you're going to release the statement tonight, you probably don't want to leave it too late. If you go stand by the wall and get in whatever pose you want to, I'll begin." I said.

They all walked over the wall and got into their poses and my camera snapped pictures of them quickly. We tried out a few different poses and locations before they changed their clothes to have another set of them taken.

"The pictures are looking great! Shall we do some individual shots as well?" I asked.

They all agreed and one by one I took their individual shots, getting at least 10 usable ones of them each.

"I think we have enough for tonight now to call it a wrap, come look at the photos and choose the two you want for the statement and I'll edit them quick and send them to one of your emails. Then we'll pick up where we left off tomorrow at the studio." I said again, just wanting this shoot to be over and done with. I was kind feeling a bit uncomfortable now and was just ready to go to bed.

They all came over and agreed on two photos which I edited in front of them and sent to them which only took about an extra half an hour.

"Do you want to come get some drinks with us? You did a good job on those photos." Alex said, speaking to me for the first time.

"No thanks. It's been a long day, I just want to go home to my bed."

"Alright, see you tomorrow then." He replied with, with a hint of anger in his voice.

He couldn't expect me just to do whatever he says when he has never done anything for me. I didn't really want to spend more time with him than I had to. If it was just Rian, Zack and Jack going then maybe I would have but then again that wasn't very likely just because of how badly I just wanted to be alone and in bed.

"I'm gonna head off now guys, good to see you all again. See you tomorrow." I said waving goodbye and getting into my car.

It was a slightly longer drive from him back home, about half an hour which just felt like a complete drag. As soon as I got home I changed into a pair of my comfiest pjs and climbed into my fresh sheets, silently thanking myself for changing them before I left for work this morning. I grabbed my laptop just to have a check on twitter to post a couple of tweets.

@jenphotography: what an exhausting, saddening day, end of an era.

I hit send and then checked the All Time Low twitter to see if they had posted the statement and they had. There was no going back for them now. I clicked the link to open the full statement up.

"To our family, friends and hustlers.

There has been lots of rumours about us for a while and we want to clear some things up. The rumour about us going on a new tour is true, we will be touring most of the United States and the UK, along with a few other countries this spring. This will be our last tour as a band. We have come to the decision that after almost 10 years of being a band that we will be going our separate ways to focus on our individual, personal lives.

As a band for almost 10 years we have constantly been non stop touring, that is what makes our band but we have got to the point in our lives where we can no longer continue with that. We don't think that as a band it is fair for you as fans to wait years for us to be able to tour again (as they may not even be possible) so we have made the decision to split up.

The band will stay friends, we are like brothers. We have so many insane memories together that none of us will ever forget. We want to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for giving us the chance to have these memories and for giving us such an unforgettable experience as a band.

We really hope all of you get to come out and see us on our last tour, it will be the best shows we have ever put on, we are sure of it, we want to give you the best send off from us as possible. We may now be over but our music will live on forever throughout all of you.

Thank you so much for this crazy journey.

Love Alex, Jack, Zack and Rian."

I retweeted the tweet and couldn't help but feel myself get a bit emotional, even a few tears slipped out. It was so weird that it was really over. I put my laptop on the floor and decided that it really was time that I slept before I ended up balling my eyes out. On top of that I had another early, hectic day tomorrow.

I laid my head back down on the pillow, my eyes instantly shutting before falling into a deep sleep where I was 16 again and nothing hurt.