Time-Bomb

“Wake up! Wake up!” Jack squealed, jumping on me.

“Okay, okay, I’m up.” I groaned.

“Wait, why are you in Alex’s bunk?” he asked.

“I couldn’t sleep, so Alex let me sleep there.” I replied.

“Someone got sweet sexy love!” Jack sang, skipping around.

“Shut up, faggot.” I snapped, got out of bed, and walked down to the bus’s small kitchen/dining area, where Alex was sitting, eating a bowl of Cap’n Crunch.

“Hey August.” He whispered, hugging me around the waist.

“Hey Alex.” I smiled. “Where are we?” I asked.

“Pomona, California. Go get dressed and do whatever else you need to do to get ready. We reach our first stop in a half an hour, and then we have a show at some point, and a few meet and greets, so you gotta sell our stuff.” He said.

“’Kay.” I replied, and rushed off.

Warped Tour, of course, was huge. There were over forty bands coming, and of those, I knew quite a few. All Time Low were friends with most of the bands, but my favorites to hang out with would be Paramore, Cobra Starship, Forever the Sickest Kids, Every Avenue, Meg & Dia, and The Maine. There was also an up and coming band, Stars Forever, that had gone to Zack’s school that were good friends as well.

In the past, Alex and I went to Warped every summer since we were twelve, until the summer after graduation when All Time Low got to be on Warped as a touring band, and it was always a big party. I couldn’t wait to see what it was like to be on the other end, hanging out all the time with bands and crew members.

We pulled up in the parking lot reserved for us and I jumped out of the bus. Alex followed, juggling Josie, a cup of coffee, and his iPhone. I laughed and took Josie from him. I saw a small skinny girl emerging from Stars Forever’s bus.

“…And make sure the fridge has some Cokes in it. Thanks, Logan.” she said as she left.

“Kelsey!” I screamed and we ran to each other, hugging.

“How have you been?” I asked.

“Great, awesome, beautiful. You?” she asked. I laughed.

“Just fine.” I told her.

“Sweet! And who’s this?” she smiled, looking at Josie and ruffling her hair.

“This is Josie.” I told her.

“Like the pussycats?” she laughed.

“No, like the Blink song. I figured Alex would like it.” I replied.

“She’s his?” Kelsey asked, aghast.

“Yeah.” I replied.

“Wow, I could tell. She’s a female toddler version of him.” Kelsey said.

“Yeah, for a while she used that to her advantage.” I laughed.

“Well, can I hold her?” Kelsey asked.

“Sure.” I smiled.

“Hi! Hey Jo-Jo! Can you say Kelsey?” she laughed, bouncing Josie in her arms.

“Kessy!” Josie smiled, touching Kelsey's nose ring.

“Alright, I suppose I better go set up merch.” I sighed, taking Josie and setting her on the ground.

“Yeah, and I have to warm up.”

"Kay bye!" I waved.

I walked off, unloading the boxes and setting them behind the table Vinny had already set up as Josie sat on one of the boxes and watched us.

“August!” Vinny cried, hugging me and spinning me around. “How the hell are you?” he asked.

“I’m great, Vinny. How are you?” I asked.

“Faboo, now that you’re here to help.” he replied.

“Glad to be here.” I told him.

“Good, well, since you are here, could you lay out those posters, the bracelets, and a few of the t-shirts, if I hang everything else up on the back?” he asked.

“Of course!” I smiled.

Alex came over to us.

“Hey hot stuff! You’ll be okay watching Josie, right?” Alex asked.

“Sure. Just let me put on my extra arms.” I replied sarcastically.

“Fine. Then I’ll get Kelsey to help you. She loves kids. KELSEY!!!!” he said and Kelsey ran over.

“What?” she asked.

“Help dear old August over here. We have to go.” Alex told her.

“Fine, but I have to leave to perform in an hour.” She replied.

“Perfect. We’ll be done by then.” Alex said and left.

I watched his set from my place at the merch table while Josie watched with admiration. Finally, they reached the last song.

“So, this is my daughter’s first time with us and I think we ought to make her feel special. Turn around and look at the merch table. Wave to Vinny and August. Now, see the mini-me? That’s her. So I think we should end this set today, in hot-as-fuck Pomona, with the song her name is from.” Alex told the audience and the band played Josie by Blink-182.

I saw Kelsey gaping.

“That was so sweet. I’ve never seen this side of him.” She mumbled.

“Me either. He’s like if Godzilla turned into Elmo.” I replied. They finished, and with a “THANK YOU, POMONA!” Alex dropped his guitar and ran to me.

“What’d you think?” he asked nervously. He looked strung out up close, like he hadn’t slept after all last night.

“That was incredibly sweet.” I told him and Kelsey nodded in agreement.

“I’m just trying to prove myself to you.” He explained.

“I can see you’re serious about it.” I told him. He leaned towards me, putting his lips at my ear.

“I know you want friendship, but I think we could be so much more.” He whispered and kissed my cheek.

He backed up and waved to me, leaving me. He walked off to the nearby hill, climbing it with the other members of All Time Low, Forever the Sickest Kids, and The Maine. Alex had his head ducked and I could see Jack shaking his shoulder, but Alex put his hand up. He finally sat down and hugged his knees to his chest. He turned his head away from me.

“Kels, can you take over?” I asked, not looking away from Alex.

“Sure. Just don’t come back pregnant.” She laughed, sitting back and putting a Sun Chip in her mouth. I laughed and left. I walked up quietly. I hugged Alex from behind. He turned surprised.

“You know, I smell like shit.” He laughed.

“Nothing I haven’t been through before.” I smiled.

“Uh, can I talk to you for a moment alone?” he asked.

“Sure.” I replied and we walked down until my back was against our bus and Alex was facing me.

“I’m confused. What brought this on?” he asked.

“What you did was so sweet. And I think we should give us a try.” I replied.

“Well, good. Now I can do this.” He smirked and kissed me.

I put my hand to his chest and he pushed me up against the bus. He slipped his hands underneath my tank top and his tongue into my mouth.

“Hey! The rest of us have to ride this bus, too!” Zack yelled, jolting us apart.

“Shit. I have to go get Josie.” I whispered and ran off.

“Kelsey boo, I’m sorry. First we were hugging, then talking, then kissing and ugh! That man could distract me from an earthquake if he wanted to. How much do I owe you?” I sighed.

“Zip. This time’s free. I know you needed that.” She replied.

“Thanks.” I smiled.

“No probs. So… how is he?” she asked, a grin forming on her face.

“Yes, how is he?” Alex mimicked her, hooking his chin on my shoulder and wrapping his arms around my waist.

“Do you have a life?” I asked.

“Yeah, go away, Gasbarf.” Kelsey laughed.

“Alright. I can see I’m not wanted.” Alex scoffed and walked off dramatically.

“I want you!” I laughed, jumping on his back.

“Why, is that a sexual innuendo, Miss James?” Alex gasped.

I laughed and left his back. We hugged. A camera flash went off and we saw a petite blonde. She smirked.

“What the fuck do you want, Sunday?” Alex asked venomously, shoving me behind his back.

“Oh, just seeing your ‘picture-perfect’ family.” The girl named Sunday mocked.

“Like it’s any of your business.” Alex spat.

“Oh, it is. Don’t you remember that night?” she purred.

“Yeah, I remember the dry handjob and you using my back as a scratching post. I still have the scars to prove it.” Alex replied nastily.

I’d forgotten this side of him. I just hoped he wouldn’t turn it on me like he did in high school. I'd also forgotten the three years that had passed and the things that could've happened in Alex's life in that time.

“This isn’t over.” The girl snarled and left.

“Who was that?” I asked, trying to remain calm.

“A girl I had a one-night stand with. She stayed a little bit longer than I would’ve liked.” He replied.

“Don’t let it happen again.” I warned.

“No worries. I realized what an ass I was being and stopped. I still drink, but I try not to get too shitfaced. It’ll be fine.” He promised. I just hoped that would hold out.

Notes

So yeah. In case you didn't know, Stars Forever is a fictional band and Kelsey is based on me and the other band members are based on my friends :) because I had to!

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xoxo

Hayley