conflict
when two people come into a disagreement

outfit of the chapter
Walking in Portland

She looked out the window and the city of Portland opened up before her. Like she never had been to the states, she had never been to this town. Obvious I know, but that is the truth. Max stared at all the places they passed, and the people that walked across the street, that talked to another and that cursed over their spilled coffee.
"What are you looking at?" Jack asked, and sat down beside Max and looked out the window.
"At the people, and the things we pass" she said and smiled. She saw a little child dancing with her teddybear.
"At the people?" Jack asked.
"Look at that man, he’s walking up to that lady right there with a rose behind his back. She’s probably his wife and he wants to surprise her" she said and pointed. Jack saw how he pulled out the rose and how the woman hugged him, just as they disappeared around a corner.
"And look at that teenager, she’s screaming at her father and he looks surprised and a bit heartbroken, because he truly tries to understand her yet… Maybe she screams that he never does" she said and Jack nodded.
"You truly see things no one else sees" Alex said and sat down as well and looked out. Max looked at him and smiled.
"Not really, everyone sees it. It’s just a few that take a notice" she said.
"True" Jack said and nodded.

They arrived at the hotel and Max really hoped she could get her own bed, since all the guys in All Time Low knew the truth. But it seemed like they were going to share a big suite with Boys Like Girls and the third small band named Black Horizon. So Max had to pretend even at night this time.
"Max and Alex you can take the small room, you’ll find a double bed there and the rest of you will have to share big rooms with about four beds in every room" the manager for the hotel said.
"Sounds okay with me" Martin said and took his bag and walked over to one of the rooms. His bandmates followed him and Black Horizon took their own room as well. Alex looked at Max, picked up his own and her bag and nodded towards their room. Once inside Max got impressed. It was a room stricylt in black and white, with white duvets and dark red pillows and sheets. The furniture had a modern look upon them and the light in the room was a mixture of a dark red and white depending on where the light came from.
"Wow" she said and Alex looked at her.
"What?" he asked.
"This room is beautiful" she said and he chuckled.
"It looks okay, I’ve seen cooler" he said.
"I bet you have, you’ve been all over the world" she said and shook her head. He chuckled again and she took her bag and put it down.
"So when does the show start tonight?" she asked.
"Seven pm, but the doors open at six" he said.
"And soundcheck?" she asked and looked at him.
"As soon as we are finished here" he said.
"So that means we have a few hours before the show" she said and nodded, and he looked at her. A smile was barely visible but he knew what she was thinking.
"You do know I can’t really leave the hotel" he said.
"But Alex… Please, I want to see Portland. Even if it’s just for a few hours" she whined.
"And what if people recognize me?" he said.
"Dress up, wear a beanie and shave of that silly stubble of yours" she said and Alex was just about to answer when someone interrupted them.
"Love quarrels already?" Martin said and entered the room. They looked at him and they both sighed, and Martin told them they would head for the venue right now to do soundcheck.
"Are you coming or not?" Alex asked when he saw that she was lying on the bed.
"I’ll stay, then I might go for a walk" she muttered and stretched out a little.
"Suit yourself then, the key is on my nightstand" he said and she looked at it. A black card with the hotels name on it in white.
"See you later" she said.
"Don’t stay out for too long" he said and walked away.

She was brushing her hair and stood in only a pair of skinny high waisted jeans, and her pink bandeau. It was sunny outside and hot for being september, so she picked out her white denim vest and put it on. She looked at herself and smiled.
"I look good" she said and looked to see what she looked like from behind. The final touch was the black feather necklace she loved and her black vans. And do not forget the black canvas bag with the skull on. She walked out from the room and walked straight into Martin.
"Oh hi" she said and smiled, and he smiled back.
"Well look at you, looking all good" he said and winked. She laughed and pulled fingers through her hair.
"So where are you going?" he asked and played a little with he string of her hair. She looked at him and smiled.
"I was actually heading out to see a little bit of Portland" she said.
"Alone?" he asked, a bit surprised.
"It seems like it" she said and looked to see if she could see Alex.
"I could always go with you" he said and shot her a blending smile. She looked at him and almost blushed a little, and just like that Alex walked by into their room.
"It’s okay" she said and walked right back in to talk to him. He looked up when she came in and he looked a little bit annoyed.
"Do you wanna come, or not?" she asked and smiled.
"Why don’t you go with Martin?" he said, dangerously calm.
"Why would I?" she asked and stared at him. He looked at her.
"But no, I will not go with you" he said.
"Why not?" she asked, and swallowed nervously.
"Because I don’t want to. I don’t wanna risk it" he said.
"You can just dress up a little Alex" she said.
"No I can’t" he snapped and looked at her. She looked back and then she sighed.
"You really did change, didn’t you?" she said.
"What?" he asked, and stared at her.
"You used to love the challenge, and the adventure" she said.
"We were kids" he said and rolled his eyes.
"But still" she said and he sighed.
"Just go Max" he said, and she did. She walked out without him.

She walked through the city and it was beautiful. But she kinda wished she had convinced Alex to come with her, because walking alone was not fun. She could understand him though. The little fear of having fans chase him down the street on a day they had a show. People would have an extra eye for people like him. He couldn’t just walk out of the hotel and pretend to be a human being. Even if he was one. Tonight he was a God. They were all Gods tonight.
”Ohhh, if there’s one thing I hang onto, that gets me through the night. I ain’t gonna do what I don’t want to, I’m gonna live my life" her phone rang. The sound of Bon Jovi and the song Have a Nice Day. She answered.
"They show will begin in about two hours, where are you?" Alex asked.
"I’m on my way back to the hotel, I’m just gonna go and grab something to eat" she said.
"I’ll leave your backstage pass on your nightstand" he said.
"Okay" she said and bit her lip a little.
"So, was Portland nice?" he asked, and she could hear him smile a little.
"It was beautiful, not really my kind of town but still beautiful" she said.
"Good, you were lucky with the weather today" he said.
"Yeah, but I’m gonna go and have something to eat. See you later" she said.
"Take care, and don’t get lost" he teased and hung up. She laughed a little and walked in to a small restaurant and ordered some pork. Max sat down by a table and looked around and the people by the other tables. there was an old couple, a young couple and an older man. Or not that old. He was just about 40 years old. She noticed that he stared at her and she looked at him for a short moment, before she looked away and continued to eat her food. soon she glanced over at him and saw that he was still looking at her and he had a grin on his lips when he saw that she looked at him again. She swallowed and got nervous. Did she know him? Or was he just some creep staring at her?

She finished her food, payed for it and glanced over at the mans table. He was gone and she relaxed a little. She had gotten scared for nothing. So she took her canvas bag and walked out, and headed for the hotel. But she didn’t get far before she got the feeling of being watched. She looked over her shoulder and saw that the man from earlier was walking behind her. He smiled when she saw him and her heart dropped a little. She walked much faster, because she didn’t want to run. Alarm him of being scared. But it didn’t help. The man started to walk much faster as well and the panic took over. She found herself running and when she looked back he was gone. She stopped and stared but couldn’t find him.
"Maybe I did overreact" she whispered and took deep breaths. She closed her eyes and relaxed, and took another deep breath.
"thank God" she whispered and turned around again, only to walk right into his arms.
"Hello, I couldn’t help but to notice your beauty" he said. She gasped and backed a few steps, and stared at him. He smiled and she could see sweat all over his forehead. She shivered and notice a bump over his crotch.
"Oh for fuck sake, no" she thought and started to tremble.
"You have really beautiful eyes" he said and took a small string of her hair. She hit away his hand.
"Don’t touch me" she snapped and glared at him.
"oh honey" he said and took a step forward.
"Leave me alone you creep" she said and ran past him, only to feel a pair of hands grab her hair and pull her back.