The Irony Of Falling In Love With That Girl
Long Live the Reckless
Alex’s POV
Alright, so the girl—Victoria—was beautiful. And she can sing. And she can write songs. And they’re damn good. Why should I care? I’m Alex Fucking Gaskarth. I run my hands through my freshly washed hair. I can still hear the guys laughing with Victoria. It’s like they’ve never seen a girl before in their lives. I’m pretty sure Jack is going to fuck her before the week is over, maybe even twice.
“Dammit, Gaskarth, you couldn’t play nice for five minutes? Good thing you’re a singer, not an actor.” Matt Flyzik pulled back the curtain to my bunk.
“We use those curtains for privacy, bastard.” I said coldly. Matt was standing over me, giving me a disapproving look.
“Listen. Victoria’s a nice girl and everyone’s getting along with her fine except for you. That’s a problem. Because tonight, you two are going to discuss song writing together. Alone. I want a few idea jotted down before we leave Baltimore, because I know you’ll be drunk off your ass after the show in Philly.” I groaned and attempted to suffocate myself with a pillow. The last thing I want to do is spend alone time with this bitch.
“What time is the supposed to be happening?” I ask, wondering if I could murder Matt without anyone noticing.
“At six. You have three hours to get your shit together, Gaskarth. Try not to screw up.” On that optimistic note, Matt left to hang out with the other guys and fawn over Victoria’s amazing song. I pulled out my phone and shot a text to my friend, Vinny. At least he might choose me over Victoria. God damn attention whore.
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At 5:55, Matt draws back my curtains again. “Have you honestly been here for three hours straight?” He asks. I shove him away from me and roll out of bed.
“I was asleep. I was hoping I was dead.” I mumbled, pulling on a white V-neck shirt.
“You’re making this situation a whole lot worse than it actually is, Gaskarth.” Matt said, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms as I slid on a belt.
“Touring is supposed to be fun. How am I going to have fun with the guys while that bitch is here?” I snap, glaring at Matt. It feels good to get it off my chest, but then I see Victoria freeze in her tracks on her way towards us. Immediately, I feel a pang of guilt. She pretends she didn’t hear it, but I know she did, and I can’t take it back. I shouldn’t care, I don’t even like her, but I still wish I could take it back. She approaches us, stumbling over her words.
“Uh, I’m ready to work on that song with Alex.” Victoria says to Matt. I’m almost offended that she didn’t speak directly to me. But why would she, after I’ve been nothing but rude to her? Well, at least we’re both on the same page now and she won’t bother me.
“Great. I’m taking the guys out to dinner. We’ll bring you something back. Try to have fun.” He directs the last statement at me before jogging off of the bus. Victoria looks away from me and begins walking to the couch at the front of the bus. I follow her, dragging my feet. I admit, I checked out her ass. That doesn’t mean I like her any more, though.
“So, have any ideas?” I ask once Victoria has sat down on the couch. I grab a drink without offering her one and sit down across from her in a single chair.
“Why don’t you like me?” Victoria completely disregards my question, which pisses me off. Can’t this just be quick and easy?
“I’m just not thrilled with having some girl on the bus, okay?” I say simply. It sounds stupid to say aloud, but in my head it’s a completely rational feeling.
“Oh, so since you’re not keen to the idea of something not being quite what you’re used to, that gives you the right to be a dick?” She raises an eyebrow and I glare at her.
“Can we just get this thing over with? I’m already missing dinner to be here.” I say, pulling out a notepad and pencil. “I want to write something about a one night stand, or…” My voice trails off. I haven’t had sex in forever. Not since Lisa, and that definitely wasn’t a one night stand. Truth is, I don’t know what I want to write about.
“Or?” Victoria inquires. When I don’t answer, she suggests a new idea. “We could write something about chasing your dreams, no matter who tries to stop you? I mean, that’s why we’re both here, right?” It’s not a bad idea, but I don’t want to admit it. I shrug.
“Being reckless got me here.” I say simply.
“Well, write a song about that, then.” Victoria tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. She really is cute. I can actually feel my pants tightening, but I know it’s just because I haven’t had sex in awhile. She picks up Jack’s guitar and starts playing a few notes, trying to find a tune.
“That sounds like First Date by Blink.” I mumble, looking at my hand.
“Shit. I totally didn’t mean to copy that.” Victoria said, playing the same rhythm again. I chuckle lightly.
“I do that all the time.” I say. Usually I plagiarize about six songs before I come up with something original.
“In the car, I just can’t wait. To pick you up for our very first date…” Victoria begins to sing. I sing along through the first verse or so of the song. She looks up at me and our eyes meet and I swear it was the most awkward moment ever. “So…” She grabs the pen. “Reckless. Long live the reckless?” She suggests. I nod. I like it.
“All Time Low started in the suburbs of Baltimore.” I add. “We could have a line about looking out into the suburbs of Baltimore.” I frown. “Or not, that’s stupid.” Victoria shakes her head.
“No, it’s not. Looking out at a town called suburbia.” She sings it to the tune of some other song I’ve heard before but can’t recall.
About an hour later, we discover we make a really great team. We’ve gotten the chorus of the song we’re calling “The Reckless” already written. She still pisses me off. It annoys me how she’s not afraid of anything. She just jumped on a tour bus with five guys. That’s a damn brave thing to do. When Matt and the guys enter the bus, they look surprised that Victoria and I are still in the same room.
“How’d the writing go?” Matt asks.
“Good.” I say with a smile. Victoria just shrugs. She’s too nonchalant, stuck-up, over-confident, conceited, loud—it all just frustrates me. I walk off to my bunk.
Alright, so the girl—Victoria—was beautiful. And she can sing. And she can write songs. And they’re damn good. Why should I care? I’m Alex Fucking Gaskarth. I run my hands through my freshly washed hair. I can still hear the guys laughing with Victoria. It’s like they’ve never seen a girl before in their lives. I’m pretty sure Jack is going to fuck her before the week is over, maybe even twice.
“Dammit, Gaskarth, you couldn’t play nice for five minutes? Good thing you’re a singer, not an actor.” Matt Flyzik pulled back the curtain to my bunk.
“We use those curtains for privacy, bastard.” I said coldly. Matt was standing over me, giving me a disapproving look.
“Listen. Victoria’s a nice girl and everyone’s getting along with her fine except for you. That’s a problem. Because tonight, you two are going to discuss song writing together. Alone. I want a few idea jotted down before we leave Baltimore, because I know you’ll be drunk off your ass after the show in Philly.” I groaned and attempted to suffocate myself with a pillow. The last thing I want to do is spend alone time with this bitch.
“What time is the supposed to be happening?” I ask, wondering if I could murder Matt without anyone noticing.
“At six. You have three hours to get your shit together, Gaskarth. Try not to screw up.” On that optimistic note, Matt left to hang out with the other guys and fawn over Victoria’s amazing song. I pulled out my phone and shot a text to my friend, Vinny. At least he might choose me over Victoria. God damn attention whore.
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At 5:55, Matt draws back my curtains again. “Have you honestly been here for three hours straight?” He asks. I shove him away from me and roll out of bed.
“I was asleep. I was hoping I was dead.” I mumbled, pulling on a white V-neck shirt.
“You’re making this situation a whole lot worse than it actually is, Gaskarth.” Matt said, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms as I slid on a belt.
“Touring is supposed to be fun. How am I going to have fun with the guys while that bitch is here?” I snap, glaring at Matt. It feels good to get it off my chest, but then I see Victoria freeze in her tracks on her way towards us. Immediately, I feel a pang of guilt. She pretends she didn’t hear it, but I know she did, and I can’t take it back. I shouldn’t care, I don’t even like her, but I still wish I could take it back. She approaches us, stumbling over her words.
“Uh, I’m ready to work on that song with Alex.” Victoria says to Matt. I’m almost offended that she didn’t speak directly to me. But why would she, after I’ve been nothing but rude to her? Well, at least we’re both on the same page now and she won’t bother me.
“Great. I’m taking the guys out to dinner. We’ll bring you something back. Try to have fun.” He directs the last statement at me before jogging off of the bus. Victoria looks away from me and begins walking to the couch at the front of the bus. I follow her, dragging my feet. I admit, I checked out her ass. That doesn’t mean I like her any more, though.
“So, have any ideas?” I ask once Victoria has sat down on the couch. I grab a drink without offering her one and sit down across from her in a single chair.
“Why don’t you like me?” Victoria completely disregards my question, which pisses me off. Can’t this just be quick and easy?
“I’m just not thrilled with having some girl on the bus, okay?” I say simply. It sounds stupid to say aloud, but in my head it’s a completely rational feeling.
“Oh, so since you’re not keen to the idea of something not being quite what you’re used to, that gives you the right to be a dick?” She raises an eyebrow and I glare at her.
“Can we just get this thing over with? I’m already missing dinner to be here.” I say, pulling out a notepad and pencil. “I want to write something about a one night stand, or…” My voice trails off. I haven’t had sex in forever. Not since Lisa, and that definitely wasn’t a one night stand. Truth is, I don’t know what I want to write about.
“Or?” Victoria inquires. When I don’t answer, she suggests a new idea. “We could write something about chasing your dreams, no matter who tries to stop you? I mean, that’s why we’re both here, right?” It’s not a bad idea, but I don’t want to admit it. I shrug.
“Being reckless got me here.” I say simply.
“Well, write a song about that, then.” Victoria tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. She really is cute. I can actually feel my pants tightening, but I know it’s just because I haven’t had sex in awhile. She picks up Jack’s guitar and starts playing a few notes, trying to find a tune.
“That sounds like First Date by Blink.” I mumble, looking at my hand.
“Shit. I totally didn’t mean to copy that.” Victoria said, playing the same rhythm again. I chuckle lightly.
“I do that all the time.” I say. Usually I plagiarize about six songs before I come up with something original.
“In the car, I just can’t wait. To pick you up for our very first date…” Victoria begins to sing. I sing along through the first verse or so of the song. She looks up at me and our eyes meet and I swear it was the most awkward moment ever. “So…” She grabs the pen. “Reckless. Long live the reckless?” She suggests. I nod. I like it.
“All Time Low started in the suburbs of Baltimore.” I add. “We could have a line about looking out into the suburbs of Baltimore.” I frown. “Or not, that’s stupid.” Victoria shakes her head.
“No, it’s not. Looking out at a town called suburbia.” She sings it to the tune of some other song I’ve heard before but can’t recall.
About an hour later, we discover we make a really great team. We’ve gotten the chorus of the song we’re calling “The Reckless” already written. She still pisses me off. It annoys me how she’s not afraid of anything. She just jumped on a tour bus with five guys. That’s a damn brave thing to do. When Matt and the guys enter the bus, they look surprised that Victoria and I are still in the same room.
“How’d the writing go?” Matt asks.
“Good.” I say with a smile. Victoria just shrugs. She’s too nonchalant, stuck-up, over-confident, conceited, loud—it all just frustrates me. I walk off to my bunk.
8/21/13