brother
a male with the same parents as you

outfit of the chapter
Maxine Seattle

“When I was younger I was certain that I’d be fine without a queen. Just a king inside his castle, with an ocean in between. Now all I do is sit and count the miles from you to me, Oh, calamity" Alex sang on the soundcheck and max snapped some pictures. She thought it was fun and she couldn’t wait for the show to actually begin. The first show was in Seattle and so far she liked it. Except all she could think of was Grey’s Anatomy, and when she thought about the next season she just sighed.
”It’s a shame that we play strangers. No act to change but we’ve become.
Damn, it’s such a shame that we’ve built such a wreck out of me. Oh, calamity. Oh, calamity…" Alex sang out, a little bit louder. Max rolled her shoulders and looked around inside the room. It was big.
"Can you make it a bit..?" Alex asked and pointed upwards and gestured towards the microphone. Their sound tech started to mix with the sound and soon they all seemed to be happy.
"Hey Max, we have about three hours. Let’s go and get something to eat" Jack called.
"Thank God, I’m starving" Alex said and put his guitar in the guitar stand. Max agreed. She was starving as well, since she missed breakfast this morning.
"You only have yourself to blame" Alex said.
"Well someone didn’t wake me up" Max said and looked at him.
"I tried to" he said and looked at her.
"Easy, easy" Jack said and got in between them and wrapped his arms around their shoulders.
"Yeah easy, save the fights until after the wedding" Rian teased and winked.
"Very funny" Alex said and stretched his neck.

Max took a bite of her pasta and Alex looked at her.
"I didn’t notice, but the color red really suits you" he said and looked at her red flannel shirt. She looked at herself and then she shrugged.
"Thanks I guess, and… This is really yours" she said with a grin.
"Don’t think I’ve noticed" he answered her with a grin back.
"You two go all fighty fighty to lovey lovey in seconds" Jack said and shook his head in amusement.
"What aren’t lovers for?" Max teased and poked Jack’s cheeks.
"Yeah, lovers" Jack said and chuckled.
"Hey Max, I though about something. Your brother, David, didn’t he move to the States?" Alex asked.
"How did you know about that?" Max asked and looked at him.
"We might or might not have talked a few times" he said and shrugged.
"But yes, David moved to…" she began and stopped. She just realized she was in the same town as her brother. He moved to Seattle a few years ago.
"Seattle" she whispered and Alex smiled.
"Exactly" he said.
"Wait… Your brother moved to Seattle?" Jack asked and looked at Max. She nodded and felt a small pain in her chest. How could she forget about that?
"Why don’t we go and see him?" Alex suggested and Jack agreed. Only Max hesitated but they convinced her to go.

The short drive to his place was only ten minutes, and when she stood on his porch she felt how her heart started to race. She had not seen him in years. She wondered what he looked like. How much he had changed. Alex pressed the doorbell and they heard someone mutter on the inside. Max squeezed Alex hand and wondered if her heart would beat itself out of her chest. But the man opening the door was not her brother.
"Yes? what can I help you with?" he asked.
"Hi, my name is Alex… This is Maxine and we… we’re looking for David Clayton?" Alex said, and he looked a bit skeptical.
"You’re friends of Dave?" he asked, a bit surprised.
"Yes, he’s my.. brother" Max said and got a bit nervous.
"Oh… I’m sorry, he didn’t tell you?" he asked.
"You know David?" Jack asked.
"We used to live here together, now it’s just me and my wife and… Dave moved to Australia about two years ago, i’m surprised you didn’t knew" he said and looked at Max.
"He moved to…. Australia?" she asked, very surprised to hear that.
"Yes, Melbourne I think… How come you don’t know?" he asked.
"We haven’t spoken in years, that is why I thought I could come here and say… Hi" she said and her heart dropped a little.
"Sorry to tell you, if I hear from him I will tell you that you came by" he said and smiled.
"Yeah" she said and said their goodbyes.

Back at the venue Max prepared her camera and got her backstage pass. She smiled when it stood “all access” on it and she felt special. A few greeted her and she greeted them back, and when the opening act began she got up and stood side stage. She had heard them before. A band called Boys likes Girls, and her favorite song was their old one Hero/Heroine. Martin even winked at her when she snapped a few pictures of them, and that gave her the courage to go in front of the stage. Because she had about a meter between the stage and the crowd.
"I’m glad I have earplugs" she murmured for herself as the music and the screams almost destroyed her ears. But it was fun. She enjoyed herself.
"GIVE IT UP FOR THE NEXT BAND… ALL TIME LOW!" Martin shouted out and the crowd roared even louder, causing Max to frown a little. Seconds later she saw the familiar faces of Alex, Jack, Zack and Rian getting on stage and the roar got even louder.
"Fuck, I’m going to die" she said and stared out over the crowd.
"HELLO SEATTLE" Alex yelled and they started to play the music for Canals. Max turned around and started to look at them, and took a few pictures from time to time. Looking more through the eye of the camera than with her own eyes.
”Smile, tell me I’m alright, with a goodbye” Alex sang.

Just before the show ended Max made her way backstage and let out a sigh. Martin and Morgan came up to her.
"Well I haven’t seen you before, I’m Martin" Martin said and held out his hand for her. She smiled and shook his hand.
"I’m Max" she said and greeted Morgan as well.
"Are you the tour photographer? I thought that there wouldn’t be anyone this tour" Morgan said and looked a bit confused.
"She’s our personal photographer" Alex said and walked off stage.
"Personal photographer?" Martin asked and looked at Alex.
"Wait… you’re the Max? Alex fiancée?” Morgan asked.
"That would be me" Max said and smiled, and to her surprise Alex put on an act and walked straight up to her, kissed her cheek and smiled.
"So how was the show? Do you still hate All Time Low?" he asked.
"You got a little bit better, but to be honest… I prefer Boys like Girls" she said with a grin.
"Wait… Alex famous girlfriend, fiancée whatever… Doesn’t like the band?" Martin said with a chuckle. Alex sighed and shook his head.
"I like maybe one or two songs, but I used to hate them" Max said with a laugh and Martin and Morgan stared at her, before they laughed as well.
"Wow, that is… Weird" Morgan said and shook his head.
"What’s weird?" Jack said and came off stage as well.
"That Max here doesn’t like our music" Alex said.
"You still don’t like it?" Jack said and sounded like a whining girl.
”Nothing personal" Max said with a grin, and they all laughed at her little joke.