‹ Prequel: A Life Better Than Reality Lies in My Dreams
Dreams Only Last for the Night.
Paitence is a Virtue.
Alex and I were in a dark corner backstage making out while NST was finishing up their set. Alex slid his hand down my side and to the front hem of my shirt; he slowly ran his fingers back and forth then undid the button to my jeans. "Be patient." I laughed into our kiss as I pulled his hand away. He stopped kissing me and looked into my eyes. "I just want to be with you." He said in a pleading voice. I shook my head and rolled my eyes, which I'm sure he didn't see because it was so dark. "I know how much fun you think having sex right behind the stage would be, but I'm a modest girl and I like keeping my sex life behind closed doors." I put a hand on his face reassuringly. "I promise we can be together soon." Just then Ryan screamed to the crowd, "This is our last song. Broken Halo. Thank you for a great evening and hopefully we'll see you next time!" I grabbed Alex's hand and ran to the side of the stage to watch. When they were finished I hugged each of them as they came off stage as Alex patted them on the back. "Ok Love, I gotta get ready." Alex said and gave me a quick kiss and ran to All Time Low's green room. Stefanie came up beside me after a moment. "Sorry about you and Zacky." She said somberly. I shrugged. "It’s no big deal. I thought he really cared about me, but somehow I knew all along he didn't and I think that's why I let things happen with Alex." I paused and looked down the hall to where Alex was standing with the rest of his band mates. "I'm really glad I did though. Things just feel different with him." She smiled at me as she gave me a sideways hug. "Well I'm glad you're happy. I really wish we could stay on tour with you guys, it's been the time of our lives." She said with a glint of a tear in one eye. I squeezed her tighter and put a hand on her stomach. "You have to take care of my new baby!" She nodded and then went to find Chance.
The guys of All Time Low walked up the stairs one by one. Rian was first, followed by Zack, then Jack who stopped and hugged me. They all walked out on the darkened stage while Alex walked up to me and put his arms around my waist. "I love you." He said as he put his head against mine. "I love you more." I smiled and leaned up to kiss him. He grinned and shook his head as the lights started to flicker like strobes, queuing his entrance onto the stage. Alex gave me a quick peck and a wink as he walked out to the screaming fans. After their first song Alex looked at me slyly then said to the crowd, "So I am currently in an argument with my friend." He paused as there was a collective sad "Awws" from the audience. "Yeah. She says that she loves me more than I love her and I need to come up with a very creative way to show her I love her more, but I'm going to need your help. Will you help me?" The crowd roared their agreement and Alex waved for me to come on stage. I rolled my eyes and walked out. "This is April, everyone say hi." The fans obliged and I don't think I've ever heard a hello so loud in my life. I gave a wave as Alex revealed the rest of his plan. "Ok. So I need you all to say 'Alex loves you more.' on the count of three ok?" I looked at him and shook my head. "Ready? One-Two-Three!" Alex screamed then turned to look at me. We stared at each other as a building full of a 1,000 kids at the most screamed "Alex loves you more!" He leaned down and whispered into my ear. "I love you most." Then kissed me on the cheek. I gave a wave to the crowd and walked off stage to watch the rest of the show.
After hanging out and meeting with all of the fans we decided to go to Subway and grab something to eat. We were all laughing at Corbin screaming "YO FACE!" when any one tried to say something. "Dude! I am totally stealing that!" Jack said slapping Corbin high five. Alex leaned over and whispered something to Jack after a while and I looked at them both questioningly. When we were heading back to the hotel I asked Alex what he had said to Jack. He smiled and kissed up my neck until his lips were an inch away from my ear. "I told him to bunk with Corbin and the guys to let us have the room to ourselves." He said quietly. I smiled and said, "They are going to be like little school girls at a slumber party." Alex and I hung back by the bus as everyone else walked inside. I sighed contently as I looked up into Alex's dark brown eyes. He pulled me to him and said, "Finally. We're alone." As he leaned down and kissed me. "Let's go to the room." He laced his fingers through mine. Walking down the hall, Ryan was standing there waiting. "Hey April we are having a band meeting." I looked at him confused. "Ok? What does that have to do with me?" Ryan rolled his eyes and before he could retort I said. "I'm kidding. I'm coming." Alex looked like a boy whose puppy had died as I gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It'll be like ten minutes. You can wait that long." I smiled and followed Ryan into the room where the rest of the NST guys and Stefanie were waiting.
I plopped down next to Michael and Ryan stood in front of the T.V., pacing slightly. "What's up dude? Is it bad? Because you are making me nervous." Michael asked. "Nah, it's not bad. This mostly has to do with bringing someone out here to continue the tour with us." Everyone looked at each other and then back to Ryan. Ryan continued his explanation by looking straight at me. "I know we don't have room in our van when you ride with us...but lately you have been riding the All Time Low bus leaving a vacant spot in the van." "What the fuck are you getting at?" Johnny Mike asked impatiently. Everyone laughed and Ryan said. "I called Papa Zane and he's flying in tomorrow to meet us in Nashville. He paid for his own ticket so don't worry about our tour money getting spent." I jumped up and said. "That's great. I know how bad he wanted to come out with us in the first place. Well if we are done here I'm just-" "Actually there is one more thing to discuss." Ryan said sticking a hand out and stopping me from walking out the door. I sat back down on the bed and everyone got quiet. "So we all know that Chance and Stefanie are leaving when we play in Austin. I've been thinking about what to do about a screamer. Corbin and I have been talking to Dan a lot lately and we think we should bring him on as the new screamer. He sent me some stuff he's done over an e-mail and I want to play it for you." After he played Dan's version of 'Passion' we all sat in awe. I was the first to speak. "I agree whole heartedly. He is awesome." "I agree too. I think he fits with you better than I do actually." Chance said making everyone turn in shock. "I agree." Stefanie said. "Well its official I guess." Johnny Mike said to Ryan. "Yeah, I think he sounds awesome." Michael agreed. "Well I want his first show to be the Austin show. I've sent him lyrics to the songs and he's started practicing." Everyone nodded and I gave them all hugs and said goodnight as there was a knock on the door. "I was supposed to see if you were done. Alex is getting impatient." Jack said like a child. He excitedly looked over my shoulder into the room. "Go Jack, play with your friends." "Yes!" He said then ran in and jumped on the bed where Corbin and Michael were.
The door to Alex's room was slightly opened so I pushed it and walked in. "About time you got here." Alex laughed and held his arms out towards me. I climbed in the bed with him and laid my head on his chest. "Good news or bad news?" He asked after a moment of running his fingers through my hair. "Good actually. One of our friends is flying out tomorrow when we get to Nashville. Which means you are permanently going to be sharing your bunk with me." I smiled up at him. "I have no problems with that." He laughed. "They also decided who the next screamer was going to be. His first show is going to be in Austin, when Chance leaves." "Good. We'll call the management company tomorrow and get it all set up." I nodded and closed my eyes. Alex shifted his weight and was soon on top of me. I smiled, keeping my eyes closed. I could feel his face inches from mine. He kissed my lips softly, then my cheek, my forehead, and then back to my lips. I tangled my fingers in his hair and deepened the kiss. Alex ran his hands up my side brining my shirt with it. He pinned my arms above my head and kissed down my neck. I ran my hands down his back and pulled his shirt over his head. We both sat up, still kissing. My hands fumbled with his belt, and then his phone rang. I reached in his pocket and pulled it out for him. "It's your mom. You need to answer it." I handed him the phone and he walked out on the balcony. I laid back and waited for him to come back. I closed my eyes and soon drifted off to sleep before Alex climbed back into bed.
The guys of All Time Low walked up the stairs one by one. Rian was first, followed by Zack, then Jack who stopped and hugged me. They all walked out on the darkened stage while Alex walked up to me and put his arms around my waist. "I love you." He said as he put his head against mine. "I love you more." I smiled and leaned up to kiss him. He grinned and shook his head as the lights started to flicker like strobes, queuing his entrance onto the stage. Alex gave me a quick peck and a wink as he walked out to the screaming fans. After their first song Alex looked at me slyly then said to the crowd, "So I am currently in an argument with my friend." He paused as there was a collective sad "Awws" from the audience. "Yeah. She says that she loves me more than I love her and I need to come up with a very creative way to show her I love her more, but I'm going to need your help. Will you help me?" The crowd roared their agreement and Alex waved for me to come on stage. I rolled my eyes and walked out. "This is April, everyone say hi." The fans obliged and I don't think I've ever heard a hello so loud in my life. I gave a wave as Alex revealed the rest of his plan. "Ok. So I need you all to say 'Alex loves you more.' on the count of three ok?" I looked at him and shook my head. "Ready? One-Two-Three!" Alex screamed then turned to look at me. We stared at each other as a building full of a 1,000 kids at the most screamed "Alex loves you more!" He leaned down and whispered into my ear. "I love you most." Then kissed me on the cheek. I gave a wave to the crowd and walked off stage to watch the rest of the show.
After hanging out and meeting with all of the fans we decided to go to Subway and grab something to eat. We were all laughing at Corbin screaming "YO FACE!" when any one tried to say something. "Dude! I am totally stealing that!" Jack said slapping Corbin high five. Alex leaned over and whispered something to Jack after a while and I looked at them both questioningly. When we were heading back to the hotel I asked Alex what he had said to Jack. He smiled and kissed up my neck until his lips were an inch away from my ear. "I told him to bunk with Corbin and the guys to let us have the room to ourselves." He said quietly. I smiled and said, "They are going to be like little school girls at a slumber party." Alex and I hung back by the bus as everyone else walked inside. I sighed contently as I looked up into Alex's dark brown eyes. He pulled me to him and said, "Finally. We're alone." As he leaned down and kissed me. "Let's go to the room." He laced his fingers through mine. Walking down the hall, Ryan was standing there waiting. "Hey April we are having a band meeting." I looked at him confused. "Ok? What does that have to do with me?" Ryan rolled his eyes and before he could retort I said. "I'm kidding. I'm coming." Alex looked like a boy whose puppy had died as I gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It'll be like ten minutes. You can wait that long." I smiled and followed Ryan into the room where the rest of the NST guys and Stefanie were waiting.
I plopped down next to Michael and Ryan stood in front of the T.V., pacing slightly. "What's up dude? Is it bad? Because you are making me nervous." Michael asked. "Nah, it's not bad. This mostly has to do with bringing someone out here to continue the tour with us." Everyone looked at each other and then back to Ryan. Ryan continued his explanation by looking straight at me. "I know we don't have room in our van when you ride with us...but lately you have been riding the All Time Low bus leaving a vacant spot in the van." "What the fuck are you getting at?" Johnny Mike asked impatiently. Everyone laughed and Ryan said. "I called Papa Zane and he's flying in tomorrow to meet us in Nashville. He paid for his own ticket so don't worry about our tour money getting spent." I jumped up and said. "That's great. I know how bad he wanted to come out with us in the first place. Well if we are done here I'm just-" "Actually there is one more thing to discuss." Ryan said sticking a hand out and stopping me from walking out the door. I sat back down on the bed and everyone got quiet. "So we all know that Chance and Stefanie are leaving when we play in Austin. I've been thinking about what to do about a screamer. Corbin and I have been talking to Dan a lot lately and we think we should bring him on as the new screamer. He sent me some stuff he's done over an e-mail and I want to play it for you." After he played Dan's version of 'Passion' we all sat in awe. I was the first to speak. "I agree whole heartedly. He is awesome." "I agree too. I think he fits with you better than I do actually." Chance said making everyone turn in shock. "I agree." Stefanie said. "Well its official I guess." Johnny Mike said to Ryan. "Yeah, I think he sounds awesome." Michael agreed. "Well I want his first show to be the Austin show. I've sent him lyrics to the songs and he's started practicing." Everyone nodded and I gave them all hugs and said goodnight as there was a knock on the door. "I was supposed to see if you were done. Alex is getting impatient." Jack said like a child. He excitedly looked over my shoulder into the room. "Go Jack, play with your friends." "Yes!" He said then ran in and jumped on the bed where Corbin and Michael were.
The door to Alex's room was slightly opened so I pushed it and walked in. "About time you got here." Alex laughed and held his arms out towards me. I climbed in the bed with him and laid my head on his chest. "Good news or bad news?" He asked after a moment of running his fingers through my hair. "Good actually. One of our friends is flying out tomorrow when we get to Nashville. Which means you are permanently going to be sharing your bunk with me." I smiled up at him. "I have no problems with that." He laughed. "They also decided who the next screamer was going to be. His first show is going to be in Austin, when Chance leaves." "Good. We'll call the management company tomorrow and get it all set up." I nodded and closed my eyes. Alex shifted his weight and was soon on top of me. I smiled, keeping my eyes closed. I could feel his face inches from mine. He kissed my lips softly, then my cheek, my forehead, and then back to my lips. I tangled my fingers in his hair and deepened the kiss. Alex ran his hands up my side brining my shirt with it. He pinned my arms above my head and kissed down my neck. I ran my hands down his back and pulled his shirt over his head. We both sat up, still kissing. My hands fumbled with his belt, and then his phone rang. I reached in his pocket and pulled it out for him. "It's your mom. You need to answer it." I handed him the phone and he walked out on the balcony. I laid back and waited for him to come back. I closed my eyes and soon drifted off to sleep before Alex climbed back into bed.