Everything Has Changed

Chapter One:

"Go to New Orleans, she says. It'll be fun, she says. We'll meet the guys," I mutter to myself, wrapping my arms around my middle in attempt to keep myself warm.

My best friend and I had been planning a trip since graduation last May. But seeing as how I was still seventeen and not able to actually go anywhere that wasn't within a 30-mile-radius of my parents' place...the trip was postponed.

Ada was always a lot more adventurous than I was, so when the idea of going to New Orleans came up, I didn't bother questioning her about it. When I (finally) made the connection that one of our favorite bands was going to be here for the Superbowl, I knew that she had an ulterior motive.

Obviously, the chances of running into said band were slim to none. But who am I to completely shoot her down? She could meet someone, if not two of the four from All Time Low.

But while she's inside the dome, I'm standing in the cold, freezing my ass off, trying to look for my keys that some asshole threw half an hour earlier, thinking it'd be hilarious. Laugh it up, asshole. Laugh it up.

"Don't you know you aren't supposed to be alone in New Orleans after dark?" A voice calls out, immediately causing me to freeze in my tracks.

I can't move--but at the moment, I don't know whether it's from fear or the harsh, chilling wind. My heart feels like it's going to explode as I try to remember any and all self-defense classes I had as a kid.

"I d-don't have any money. Please...don't hurt me," I find myself saying, trying not to sound as scared as I feel.

To my surprise, the man laughs, putting a hand on my arm. My eyes squeeze shut, and I reach out blindly, hitting whatever I can. I feel satisfied when I don't feel his touch anymore and hear a profanity called out.

"Take that mother---Oh my God!" I gasp, looking at the familiar man doubled over. I totally just attacked Alex Gaskarth. I bet the big man upstairs is finding this pretty damn funny while irony and coincidence are appreciating how easy I made it for them.

"I am so sorry," I mutter, my cheeks heating up despite the cold.

He chuckles, standing upright to look at me. "You hit like a girl."

He's making fun of me? Wait, he wasn't actually hurt...asshole! I narrow my eyes at him, punching him a lot harder than the first time.

He rubs his arm, frowning a little bit. "Do you always fucking hit on strangers?"

My lips twitch at that, and I shake my head, laughing softly. "Sorry. But you don't exactly creep up on a girl at night like that."

"Be glad it was me and not someone else," he smirks, but I realize there's truth to his words.

"Right."

He sticks his hand out, smiling at me in a way that could have easily made me melt about two years ago. "Alex."

"Oh, I know--," I try to stop myself before the words come out. "Um..Lainey."

He chuckles as I shake his hand, shoving it back in his pocket. "Fan, huh?"

Damn. I sigh, realizing he caught that and smile sheepishly at him. "Well, kind of, yeah. Not creepy or anything like that. What I mean is, I'm not really...I love your music and the band. The guys. And you, obviously. Uh, not that...oh, hell!"

He laughs loudly, his lips twitching into a smile. "Look, don't worry about it, Lainey. I get it: you think I'm hot."

I blush brighter, biting my lip. "Alex, seriously--."

"Babe, I'm fucking with you. But that was cute."

I find myself smiling at that, shoving my hands in my pockets as a silence passes between us.

"So, Lainey."

"So...Alex," I giggle, looking up a him.

He was probably a good foot taller than me, but I wasn't very tall to begin with. And with him coming closer to me, it felt like I was a midget. Granted, if I were only a few inches shorter, I would be.

"There's a damn good game playing. Why aren't you watching?"

"I kind of lost my keys?"

He raised an eyebrow at me quizzically, pulling a pair of keys out of his jeans pocket. "These?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "That was you?"

He rolls his eyes, a smirk tugging at his lips. "If I threw the damn things, why would I have them again?"

"Oh..uh, good point. So why aren't you in there, watching the Ravens kick ass?"

"I knew I'd be helping this beautiful girl out so.."

I laughed, shaking my head. "So smooth, Gaskarth."

"Oh, last name now? Harsh."

I rolled my eyes, grabbing my keys from him. "I think you'll get over it."

"Hey, I helped you out! Don't I get something from that?" He called out, walking faster to get ahead of me.

"After all, you think I'm hot. And how many times have you dreamed about this?" He smirked, walking closer to me, eyes gleaming.

I folded my arms across my chest, having to ignore the little flips my stomach was doing. My head was spinning because he was so close to me. God damn him for being a fucking...well, for being him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I argue, smirking at him. "Guys like you don't phase me."

"No?"

Amusement flickers in his brown eyes as he closes the last bit of distance between us. He's so close that I can smell his Axe, and it takes every bit of restraint I have not to slam him against a car and have my way with him.

"Nope," I mutter, but it comes out strained.

"Because I know you want me. And I want you so fucking bad," Alex whispers, his breath hot on my ear.

Okay, totally not going to lie, that was so hot.

Before I know it, his lips are crashing down on mine, and he's backing me into a car, holding onto my waist. The car we're on starts going off, and he laughs and leads me to his car.

One of his hands is holding mine and the other is fumbling with the door handle like a nervous teenaged boy. It's almost cute. He eventually gets the door open, kissing me hungrily. Somehow, we manage to make it to the backseat of his car. Articles of clothing fly in every direction, and I'm screaming his name out like a filthy whore.

An hour later, we're sitting on the hood of his car, listening to the game. Our hands are intertwined and he's telling me a ridiculously bad joke.

I can't help but laugh anyway, looking at him through my lashes. It may because it's just Alex, but I've never felt more at ease and comfortable. I could probably tell him anything he wanted to know if he asked. I'm definitely not the type of girl that things like this usually happen with for him.

"So where are you from?" He asks, turning his head to look at me.

"It's a really small town," I admit, laughing a little. "Um..do you know Lake Charles?"

He thinks about it a second before nodding. "Uh, yeah. Casinos and shit, right?"

Of course he'd know it because of the casino. La'Burge Casino and hotel. "Yeah. Well, the bridge separates us and Lake Charles. Sulphur?"

"Nah, I've never heard of it," He laughs.

"It's pretty small. Not like single stoplight towns, but it's home, I guess."

"I was wondering what that cute little accent was."

"Shut up!" I giggle, pushing him slightly.

He puts his hands up in surrender and brushes a strand of hair away from my face. "You're so beautiful, Lainey."

"Yeah? How many girls have you said that to?"

"A lot."

"And how many girls have you slept with before or after you said that?"

"A lot."

"Right."

"Look, you're different, okay? Sure, you're hot and I just wanted a fuck, but now that I'm talking to you I think you're pretty cool."

I feel my eyes sting as I move away from him, hearing the final score announced. "And how many girls have you said that to?"

"Lainey, what the hell is your problem? You were fine two fucking seconds ago!"

I bit my lip, sliding off of his car the best I could manage without looking back at him. "Lainey!"

I didn't bother looking back because I knew that I'd end up believing him. We'd probably exchange numbers and I'd be his next fuck anytime I went to local shows. If I were that lucky. I don't know what I was thinking in the first place.

Hell, he's a musician. My mother dated a musician and that worked out so well for her. How many times has he managed to fuck a girl and then try talking to her, conning her into believing something might happen? Why the hell did I let it happen to me? I think way too fucking much.

My phone buzzes, pulling me out of my own rambling. I see Ada's name flash across the screen and I press answer, knowing I'm about to get an earful.

"Lainey! Where the fuck are you?!"

There's a lot of screaming in the background so she's obviously still inside. "My car. Come meet me here?"

I hear an aggravated sigh before the line goes dead. Realistically, I end up finding and making it to my car about 5 minutes before she does. I probably look like shit, but I don't care, really.

"Do you want to tell me what you were doing?" She growls, glaring at me. "I was fucking worried!"

"You didn't even call," I say before realizing I had nine missed calls. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh. What the hell?"

"I had to find my keys. I told you some asshole threw them. I just..it took a while for me to find them," I lie, putting the car in reverse.

"Well, you could have called," She muttered, slumping in her seat.

"I'm sorry. So did you meet anyone? See anyone?"

"Nope," She laughs, whatever trace of anger she had fading. "You?"

"Not at all."