Mixtape of Their Favorite Band

Dallas’s Perspective

I slept in the back lounge that night. I knew nobody wanted me in the bunk room and Zack would rather cuddle up with his weights than me.

We reached the next stop, I didn’t know where, and at that point, I didn’t care.

I was backstage again that night, like nothing had changed, and it would’ve felt exactly the same, save for the tense atmosphere among everyone.

They reached their last song and everything had gone normally. Until Alex started talking.

“So last night, I sang you guys a song to a girl who I was in love with, but really shouldn’t have been. And tonight, I have another song for her. So Dallas Frasier, would you please come on-stage?” Alex said.

Shit. He’d used my full name. Probably so the fangirls could send me nasty messages on Twitter and Facebook. Although something told me I shouldn’t go with it, my feet carried me on-stage. When I got close, Alex grabbed my hand and pulled me next to him. His hand was agonizingly soft and warm and I immediately felt tears pricking in the backs of my eyes.

“Everyone, this is Dallas. I guess you could say she’s….a straight-up hustler….but anyway. Dallas, this one’s for you.” he said and started playing the guitar intro to the song I knew so well. I tried to walk backstage, but Alex stopped playing and grabbed me by my arms and held me so I couldn’t get away.

“Lipstick has a way of leaving
More than just a mark on my sheets.
Coloring my senses, cherry red
At least for this week.

Kisses under starry night skies
Talked about in song, we play along,
So bittersweet, by our design.

I’m sick and tired of
Writing songs about you
This is it, this is the end.”

Alex sang every word to me, his dark brown eyes boring into my own green ones.

“Take off your makeup
And put down the camera
Choke on the drama that
Makes me want to…”

As he sang the chorus, he got in my face, his nose practically brushing mine.

Tear up the pictures,
The pages you’ve saved.
Creating a life of trends
That make believe.”

I looked around at the other three guys. Zack refused to look at me, Rian was busy banging his drums, and Jack just shook his head.

“I’ve got no place in my heart
For a criminal like you to dwell in
This endeavor, make this last forever.”

Alex was still singing in my face, and he spat the word “criminal" at me.

“I’m just delirious
You can’t be serious
You’re so infamous
For leaving me a mess.”

“Fuck you, Dallas.” he spat, flipping me the bird and letting go of me to engage with the crowd. He sang the chorus again, and then walked back towards me. I shrunk back a bit

“Dallas gets what she wants
And she breaks what she gets
Get out while you can or
She’ll tear you to pieces.”

I noticed he inserted my name into the lyrics. Nice. I expected to hear Zack singing the back-up part, but when I looked at him, he was staring down at his pink bass. Weird.

Alex repeated the chorus one more time and then sang the final part.

“Carry on home
I’ll be waiting
Miles and miles away.
Leaving you to be
Forever seventeen,
Cleaning up the messes
That you’ve made.”

Alex shook his head and mimed a tear running down his cheek with his finger, clearly mocking me. I stormed off-stage and Alex didn’t stop me. I ran back onto the bus, expecting no one to come after me since everybody pretty much hated me.

But to my surprise, about ten minutes later, I heard someone coming onto the bus. I hastily tossed my blanket over me, as if it were an Invisibility Cloak and whoever it was wouldn’t see me because I had a blanket covering me.

“Dallas, I know you’re there, and that you’re awake.” I heard Zack say.

“What do you want? You already embarrassed me onstage in front of thousands of teenie-boppers.” I replied, not moving.

He lightly tugged on the blanket so he could look at me.

“That wasn’t my idea. Alex did it and we all had to go along with it.” he explained.

“Well, you were still thinking about doing it.” I pointed out.

“No. Honestly, it’s your first tour. Some people just...get caught up in the bullshit and the drama and the excitement…and I kinda saw this happening when I invited you.” he explained.

“Then why did you?” I asked.

“Because, I really wanted you with me. I wanted to show you my world.”

“And I ruined it.” I sighed.

“No, you didn’t.”

“Yes I did! I fucked around with your best friend, why are you being so nice to me?!" I cried.

“Because I love you.” he said earnestly.

“Th-that just makes it worse.” I choked.

“Come here.” he whispered. Before I could protest, he put his arm around me and settled us so that my head was in his chest.

“Zack?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“I love you too.”

Notes

Title: The Girl's a Straight-Up Hustler, All Time Low (obviously)

Dallas
Dallas

ugh i suck!!! i need to update more!