(I couldn’t think of a song or some word for this chapter, so I’ll just give you the song I listened to while writing the chapter)

Chapter 29 playlist on youtube

Outfit of the Chapter
Maxine

BANG.
What was that? What happened? Then she saw it.
She stood there for a second. Trying to comprehend what just had happened. Then she let out a scream and tried to run out on stage. But one of the short, japanese, security guards grabbed her and pushed her away. Not letting her get on stage. There was no way that they would let her run up there. Not with all the chaos going on. Not with all the people that started to run around screaming. Not with everything that was going on. Not until they knew what was happening. Zack just stared, really shocked, and didn’t know what to do and Rian fell over his drums as he tried to get over to Alex.
"ALEX" Jack yelled and Max let out a cry.
"Alex" she cried.

- - -

A day earlier

They walked in to the hotel and Max was mesmerized to the beauty. It was an old traditional hotel. It was a few mattresses on the floor, sliding door in rice paper and beautiful gardens just outside.
"Wow, it’s really beautiful" Max said and just stared. Alex and Jack chuckled.
"Well yeah, it’s japan we’re talking about" Jack said.
"Do they have the hot spring as well?" Max asked and looked at them.
"We’re heading there right now actually" Rian said.
"Thank God, I could actually use one right now" Matt said and stretched out his back. Zack did the same and agreed.
"Is it unisex, or separated?" Max asked and looked at Alex.
"I think it’s unisex actually" he said and looked at her.

It was separated dressing rooms for the hot springs, and Max rolled her shoulders as she stood there and looked at herself. She didn’t really want to go out to the unisex bath where the others could see her scar. Since only Jack and Alex knew about it. But she put her hair up in a bun and she wrapped the small white towel around her body. Then she took a deep breath and walked out, and she was mesmerized by the beauty. It was a really nice touch with the lightning around the water, and the sky above that was absolutely clear and starry. She just stood there for a moment and stared.
"Wow, look at that sky" she heard Jack gasp as the boys came out from their dressing room.
"It’s really beautiful" Zack agreed and looked amazed as well. Max looked at them and saw that they had small white towels around their hips. Except Jack who just held his towel in front of him.
"I wonder how hot the water is" Rian said and walked over, and straight down into the water. He smiled and then he turned around.
"Oh, you’re here as well" he said when he saw Max.
"oh Hi" Jack said and grinned. Max looked at him and shook her head. She walked over to the water and walked in as well, and it was really nice.
"I really needed this" Zack said and leaned back, and looked really relaxed.
"So did I" Alex said and leaned back as well.

Max just sat there and listened to the guys talking, as she looked up into the sky and watched the stars. She loved the relaxed feeling of just being here. With people that cared for her. With friends. She liked that. She smiled and looked down and saw that Alex was watching her. She raised an eyebrow and wondered what he wanted. But he just smiled making her smile as well, and even blushing a little. He chuckled a little and walked over to her, and sat down next to her. He liked the thought of being close to her. Because she wasn’t over attached. She was just as much a friend as the one he loved. And he liked that. That was the reason he cared for her so much. He never had that with Bri. Or Jenna.
"So what do you wanna do when we have our day off?" he asked.
"What I wanna do? What about you?" she asked.
"I have already been here before, and I know you haven’t… So I’m asking you" he said with a smile.
"Well I would love to go round in Shibuya and see if I can find any cute clothes" she said and looked at him.
"So shopping?" he asked, and looked a bit surprised.
"Shibuya and Harajuku are famous for their big stores and good shopping" she said.
"Fine, we’re going there" he said with a chuckle.

Max dressed up in the peach colored robe they had given her. She remembered it was called a yukata, if she didn’t remember it wrong. When she came into the dining room where the others was waiting they all looked up.
"Why do you get fun coloring on yours?" Jack whined. Theirs was just simple black and white stripes. She laughed a little and sat down across the table from Alex, next to Jack.
"I could rather have yours actually" she said and looked at Jack.
"Then change we with" Jack said.
"Jack, this is tight even on me, you’ll never be able to have it" she laughed.
"True, very true" Rian said. They all got quite though when the food came in and once again Max was mesmerized. The food looked amazing.
"You like it?" Jack asked.
"It looks so good" she said and smiled.
"It does" Zack said and nodded. They thanked for their food and then started to dig in. It tasted just as delicious as it looked like.

Max stretched out her tired body under the big, puffy, blanket and rolled over so she was like a human burrito.
"But come one" Alex whined as he entered the room.
"What?" she asked and looked at him. He walked over to her and grabbed the blanket and flipped her over so she was lying there with no blanket at all. Then he threw it up and put it over them both.
"No human burrito, just a sandwich" he said and nuzzled in her nose in her hair. She laughed and moved closer to him.
"I’m actually gonna say this while no one is listening but you" he whispered and kissed her neck.
"And what is that?" she asked and wondered what he would want to say.
"I… I love you" he whispered and snaked in his arms around her waist. She smiled and closed her eyes.
"I think I love you too" she said back.

- - -

He had his dark denim vest over a white tee, his american flag jeans and dark red shoes. He rolled his shoulders and put the guitar strap over his shoulder. Jack jumped around and pouted his lips, being in his own world. It was fun snapping pictures of them all, preparing for one of their biggest shows ever. She looked at Alex and he noticed she was looking at him and taking pictures, so he smiled and made some funny faces. She laughed and shook her head.
"You’re on in two" someone called and Alex turned to her again.
"Please don’t get out in front of the crowd" he said.
"I didn’t plan to" she said and smiled.
"Good, because they are crazy" he said.
"I know" she laughed and shook her head.
"Well I’m off" he said and placed a soft kiss on her lips before he walked over to the others, and then out on the stage.

The crowd cheered and the familiar tones to Outlines began. Max smiled and looked at them from the side, and she was a bit amazed of the reaction of the crowd. She smiled and stretched out her neck. Then she noticed that two people that worked backstage whispered to each other. They looked a bit concerned and looked out to the stage.
"Excuse me, but what are you talking about?" she asked and walked up to them. They looked at her and looked surprised.
"No english" they said and shook their heads. She sighed and frowned a little. She wouldn’t get to know what was worrying them.

BANG.

What was that? What happened? Then she saw it.
She stood there for a second. Trying to comprehend what just had happened. Then she let out a scream and tried to run out on stage. But one of the short, japanese, security guards grabbed her and pushed her away. Not letting her get on stage. There was no way that they would let her run up there. Not with all the chaos going on. Not with all the people that started to run around screaming. Not with everything that was going on. Not until they knew what was happening. Zack just stared, really shocked, and didn’t know what to do and Rian fell over his drums as he tried to get over to Alex.
"ALEX" Jack yelled and Max let out a cry.
"Alex" she cried, as Jack removed the big stroboscope lamp that had fallen down on Alex.