I Could Write It Better Than You Ever Felt It

"LET'S....GOOO!" Jack repeated.
He was bouncing around all of us in excitement. Everyone headed towards the door. Jack tried to grab my arm, but I resisted and shook my head.

"I think Alex is right, I don't feel so well."

Alex, who was about to follow the others and leave the bus, stopped and turned to face us.
The aggravated face he wore all day seemed to soften up a little, as he probably figured I was trying to do him a favor by staying in.

I must have not been convincing enough though. Jack only rolled his eyes at my protest.

"Oh c'mon! You look fine."

I heard Alex give a faint sigh of defeat and turn around again. I sighed as well. I refocused on Jack. Despite the attitude I had given him he was still grinning ear to ear.

"Jack..." I tried. I was running out of ideas. Jack put his hands on his hips.

"Alice Wentz, you are going to watch our show backstage, and you are going to like it!!"

Alex had just reached the door when Jack spoke. His body froze while his head snapped back towards us again.
I was like a deer in headlights. He mouthed the word 'WHAT' slowly at me.
Jack didn't notice, as his back was facing Alex.

"O-ok..." I mumbled, which seemed to please Jack. He noticed I was looking past his shoulder and turned around.

"Hey." He said casually to Alex.

He ignored Jack. The aggravated face returned as he stormed off the bus.

"What's his problem?" Jack asked, taking my hand and leading me off the bus.

"No clue." I lied.

==========================

The show was amazing. I was definitely glad that Jack had made me come watch. And he was right- It did make me feel better. Although everyone else thought the only thing I had to feel better about was a head injury...

I had full intentions of heading straight back to the bus after All Time Low's set. This was all confusing enought as it is. I really didn't want to get another band involved. I couldn't take anymore embarrassment. Not to mention I'd have to face the wrath of Gaskarth.

"Hey, you guys were so good!" I smiled as the 4 of them walked off stage and past me.

"I wanna hug you, but I'm sweaty." Jack grinned. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Well thank you for keeping me not sweaty."

I followed them until we got to a hallway.

"We're gonna hit the showers. You should go back to the bus now." Alex said. He was staring to sound more and more like a jerk big brother by the second.

"Oh, Alice, Pete was looking for you eariler. You might be able to find him before they go on soon."

"Oh...Thanks Zack." I said, feeling extremely nauseous.

Jack, Zack, and Rian all headed into a room down the hall, where I assumed the showers were. Alex waited for them to be out of sight and stayed out in the hallway with me.

"So...You've made yourself Pete Wentz's sister...Unbelievable."

I looked away sheepishly.

"It's not like I knew it would come true..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got that. I suggest you don't find Pete, and go straight to the bus. Hell, you probably already know what he want's anyway." He smirked.

"Birthday party..." I mumbled, embarrassed. He ignored me.

"Just get back to the bus!" I nodded and we went our seperate ways. I couldn't argue with Alex. As much as he sounded like a jerk, he was right. Believe me, there was nothing I wanted less than to run into Pete that night.
He was going to ask me about "our" mother's birthday, and what we should do for it. I was really not interested in discussing birthday plans for a woman I'd never met, with someone I had posters of in my room.

But just as I had gotten to the end of the hallway, I heard his voice. I squeezed my eyes shut wishing I could disappear. Did I really think I could make it to the bus without seeing him? Was anything that simple anymore?

"Hey sis! Slow the hell down!" I stopped walking, and opened my eyes. I turned around to Pete Wentz and Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy. Can I just die right now?

"Hey Pete..." At least I wasn't wearing the pink PJs this time.

"So, for mom's birthday I was thinking-" I cut him off. I knew what he was going to say, and I decided to use that to my advantage.

"Oh yeah! I was thinking about that too. I don't think we should have a big party or anything. It would be too messy with tour and all. Maybe just send her a really big box of presents?"
I actually surprised myself with my tone and quick thinking. Pete seemed kind of taken aback as well.

"O-oh, yeah...Yeah that's a pretty good idea. Nice one, Al." I smiled proudly. This was becoming easier than I thought.

"Coming to the party tonight?" Patrick asked. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I decided to stay in character. They weren't making a big deal out of this conversation because to them it wasn't a big deal at all. They had talked to me hundreds of times before. This was nothing out of the ordinary. I decided to embrace this thought.

"Absolutely!" I told them. We all exchanged smiles.

"Gatta run, see ya later!" They went off down the hallway, leaving me alone.

Well, at least I knew one thing. Well actually, two things.

One, I was becoming quite the actress.
And two, apparently I could change my story around without writing it down first.
I just had with that whole party incident. In my story, Pete and I planned a whole elaborate party, which actually got it's own chapter. And I had just deleted the whole thing with a few sentences in real life.

I was beginning to gain some confidence. This was still my story. I was still in control.

I thought about going back to the bus. But I also thought about Pete and Patrick. It would be a shame to miss out on Fall Out Boy's set, just to sit alone on a bus all night...

Screw it, I thought. I was an adult. Alex wasn't responsible for me, although he must have felt he was.

I must have been contemplating all this in my mind for quite some time, because I heard running down the hall behind me. It was Jack.

"LIS!" He called out his nickname for me. I laughed.

"Hi!"

"What are you doing?!" He asked. His hair was dripping wet. "I fought them for the shower first." He added. I laughed again.

"I was thinking about watching Fall Out Boy." I told him. "But Alex doesn't think I should..."

"C'mon!!" He ignored that last part and grabbed my hand for the second time that day. Together we ran down the hallway. For once it didn't feel staged or like acting. I was running because I wanted to. I was laughing because I was excited. I was having fun. I didn't know how I got into this mess, but I might as well start taking advantage of it. I guess you could say this is where the story really begins for me.

And, believe it or not, watching a band live from backstage is even better the second time.