“I'll call Juliet and ask her if she can do Remembering Sunday with us.” Alex murmured as he picked up his phone during our planning of our final set so we didn't have to do much when we arrived in Los Angeles. Shit, I had to do something, but I couldn't give away my plan to him, god hoping it worked.
“Don't.” I interrupted. Alex stared at me confused, why would I object to that? “I have someone to sing it already.” I loved the trust on this bus, it made life so easy. They all just shrugged and took my word that it would be worth it, no one asked who or why I had arranged anything, they all just carried on deciding out of the few songs we had. I checked the time on my phone and ventured out of the bus, exchanging a knowing glance with Rian. I picked up the pace and headed straight for the Pierce The Veil bus to hear Carrie's voice carrying outside from their tent. I took a sharp turn and ducked into the covered area. The Pierce the Veil boys swayed as Carrie and three others jammed out an acoustic, all sitting cross legged on the floor. Carrie belted a song I had never heard before as a small girl tapped her drumsticks on the floor and two guys played along with the melody on a really nice bass and a pretty sleek looking guitar. Tony looked up to see me walk in and nodded to me with an unsure look on his face. I knew none of them trusted me to be here and Vic's face said it all, I should leave and never come back. But instead of turning back, I stood my ground determined to fix what I had wrecked.
“Until you return to me, make me whole once more, I'll be waiting.” Carrie sung as she stared at me, bringing the song to an end. “I'll be waiting.” The two boys picked an extra bar or two as Carrie stood and walked over to me, and judging by the look on what I assumed to be Carries band's faces, I knew she had told them the story. They were less than impressed with my presence.
“What are you doing here Zack?” Her tone was cold and hurt, it broke my heart that I had made her this way. Vic and Mike joined her, each on one flank and stared me down. I knew I wasn't the smallest person and could easily out muscle both of them, but I couldn't help but feel intimidated.
“I came to fix things.” I looked between the two men and back to Carrie. “Can I speak to you alone?”
“Over my dead body.” Mike answered for her and I could here the rest of the two bands whispering behind us. Carrie turned to glare at Mike, she hated it when Mike spoke for her, I had learnt that much from Alex. She told the boys to stay where they were and took me out to sit on some fold out chairs outside the bus.
“What do you want, Merrick?” Carrie sighed as she sat down. “I've done what you've asked. Can't you just leave me alone?” I shook my head and took the seat next to her.
"Look, Carrie, I made an assumption on Alex's feelings and royally fucked up." She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, clearly trying not to hear what I was saying. "I thought that the nightmares Alex were having was because you reminded him of Chloe, but it turned out they had been going on for months and I hadn't noticed. Apparently they had started to subside when he saw you again. I judged from his reactions when you guys hugged that you were hurting him, reminding him too much of Chloe when he told us about his flashback." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I had had it cut recently and it still felt weird short. "I made a hug mistake and I really would love it if you would let me fix this." Carrie sat bolt upright, rage in her eyes.
"You want to fix this!?" She yelled. "You can't fix this! You can't fix him! Face it, he can;t be around me!"
"No! I was wrong!" I put a hand out to try calm her but she slapped it away. Fuck that hurt. "Rian told Alex what I had done and now he's totally pissed off. He explained everything to me and that's when we came up with the plan for him to sing along to Hold On Till May, to prove he still knew it, he still cared about you." Carrie's rage subsided slightly as she listened. "Look, I know you're pissed as shit at me for what I've done and I am just as mad at myself. But Alex is drinking himself under the table every night since you lied and told him you never loved him." She raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I know you were lying, Carrie. You can't explain it, neither can any of us, but you and Alex have a connection. You two are meant to be together." She flicked her hair of her face and stared at me blankly. "Please, I told the boys I had arranged a singer to come in and perform Remembering Sunday with Alex during the set tomorrow in L.A. I was hoping you would do it. I know it would fix everything!" Carrie smirked and stood up, turning to face the bus and then pounding her fist on the metal.
"You think you can walk here and interrupt my band practice, tell me you're sorry and have this great plan and expect me to agree?" Her voice was pure anger but a shaky laugh managed to escape her throat at the same time. "I spent this entire tour avoiding the one person I wanted to spend the most time with because you told me that I was hurting him. I lied to him to keep him away from me so he could be happy. Now you come here and tell me it was all wrong? That you want to fix it?"
"Please, just sing with him!" I pleaded. "I know it's hard after all I've said but Alex loves you, and I know you love him too." Carrie shook her head slowly and turned back to face me.
"No. Fucking. Way." She growled. "I would never do anything for you, Zack. Now leave."
Holy fuck. I thought this would have worked. I though I could have fixed everything. I was at a loss of what to say and slowly started to back away from the Pierce The Veil lot.
"I;m sorry you feel that way, but the stage will be open for you tomorrow if you change your mind and want to take it. I guarantee it will be worth it." She held up her finger and pointed me back towards my own bus.
"Fuck off, Merrick."

Notes

Gasp. Carrie said no? Or did she? Dun dun dun.
God, I hate that I'm kind f making our wonderful sweet Zack out to be a douchebag.