Your Favorite Enemy
Chapter 3: A Whole New World
“Wake up, Maxine,” Matt said, shaking my shoulder slightly.
I jumped a little, startled by his presence before stretching. “Is the touring life always this plush and fluffy?”
He laughed. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but we don’t stay in a hotel all the time. Tonight will be your first night in a bunk, so enjoy this for the moment. Come on, get up. We’re officially on the road today.”
I groaned. “Okay. Just give me fifteen minutes.”
He nodded and left the room, so I got up from the hotel room bed and went to the bathroom to jump in the shower. Once that was done, I dressed in a pair of denim shorts, a white Blink-182 shirt, and a pair of flip flops. I pulled my hair back in its trademark ponytail, grabbed my bags, and I was out the door, set to meet everyone on the bus.
I was the first one on, so I located my bunk and set up, leaving everything piled on the bed. I twiddled my thumbs as I waited for everybody, peering around the bus aimlessly. A trample of footsteps bounded inside, the door flinging open and the boys walking inside, luggage in tow, and much less sweaty than they had been the night before.
“No way! You’re a Blink fan too?” Jack greeted, gesturing to my shirt.
I smiled at him. “Oh hell yes!”
He dropped his stuff on the floor before joining me on the couch. “I can already tell we’re gonna get along.”
Alex rolled his eyes and stalked off towards the bunks quietly before suddenly shouting down the hall at us. “Whose shit is in my bunk?!” I froze, suddenly feeling nervous. Was he talking about my stuff? He came back out, holding my tote back. “What even is this?”
In a timid voice, I responded. “Books.”
He started pulling the novels out, tossing the bag to the floor. “Pride and Prejudice? The Great Gatsby? These are chick books; what are they doing in my bunk?”
Chick books? What? “They’re classic literature, not ‘chick books’, thank you very much. Besides, that was the bunk Matt told me to use. I didn’t know it was yours.”
“Look, Maddie, you may be Matt’s niece, but that doesn’t give you the right to do anything you want,” he retorted.
“My name isn’t Maddie! It’s Maxine, and it’s not my fault. It was just a mix up, alright?!” I shouted.
“What’s going on here?” Matt asked, suddenly entering the bus. It was quiet for a moment before anyone decided to speak up.
“Her stuff was on my bunk! That is the one place it shouldn’t be!” Alex retorted.
“Chill out, Alex. you can have a different bunk. It’s no reason to get all worked up over,” Matt replied.
“Great,” Alex said, shaking his head. “She hasn’t even been here a day, yet she’s already changed everything. That’s just fucking great.”
“Well, don’t I feel loved,” I mumbled, but he somehow seemed to hear.
“Welcome aboard, Max,” he replied.
“Don’t call me Max. I’d rather be called Maxine,” I stated.
“Max it is then,” he said, and he stalked off down the hallway before I could say anything.
Jack turned to me and shot me a sheepish grin. “He’s hard to handle, but you’re still welcome here.”
“Thanks,” I said, gathering up my books and putting them back in my tote bag. “I’m glad I’m not completely hated.”
“Of course not! You and I are Blink fans! We’ve got to stick together man,” Jack declared, and I grinned at him. “And just you wait. I’ll introduce you to all of the good bands. It could be like a book club, but with music.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” I responded.
“Well then,” Matt said. “After that lovely...argument, I think I’ll go tell the driver we’re ready to go.”
He quickly left the room and Alex soon re-entered, flopping down on the other side of Jack with a huff. He didn’t know me, so why did he hate me so much? I had tried to be nice, but I think I had already had enough. Maybe it was time to fight back. After all, I said I wasn’t going to let anybody bully me. “Be warned, Alex Gaskarth,” I thought to myself. “I don’t go down without a serious fight.”
The bus started with a rumble, and it wasn’t long before we hit the highway. I gazed out the window with my chin resting on my folded arms, watching the scenery go by. I tried to distract myself, but I kept thinking about Alex. Why did the most beautiful people always turn out to be jackasses? The thing was, I wanted to like him. I wanted to be friends with him and get to know him like I obviously would with the others this summer. The only thing stopping me from that was him.
I jumped a little, startled by his presence before stretching. “Is the touring life always this plush and fluffy?”
He laughed. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but we don’t stay in a hotel all the time. Tonight will be your first night in a bunk, so enjoy this for the moment. Come on, get up. We’re officially on the road today.”
I groaned. “Okay. Just give me fifteen minutes.”
He nodded and left the room, so I got up from the hotel room bed and went to the bathroom to jump in the shower. Once that was done, I dressed in a pair of denim shorts, a white Blink-182 shirt, and a pair of flip flops. I pulled my hair back in its trademark ponytail, grabbed my bags, and I was out the door, set to meet everyone on the bus.
I was the first one on, so I located my bunk and set up, leaving everything piled on the bed. I twiddled my thumbs as I waited for everybody, peering around the bus aimlessly. A trample of footsteps bounded inside, the door flinging open and the boys walking inside, luggage in tow, and much less sweaty than they had been the night before.
“No way! You’re a Blink fan too?” Jack greeted, gesturing to my shirt.
I smiled at him. “Oh hell yes!”
He dropped his stuff on the floor before joining me on the couch. “I can already tell we’re gonna get along.”
Alex rolled his eyes and stalked off towards the bunks quietly before suddenly shouting down the hall at us. “Whose shit is in my bunk?!” I froze, suddenly feeling nervous. Was he talking about my stuff? He came back out, holding my tote back. “What even is this?”
In a timid voice, I responded. “Books.”
He started pulling the novels out, tossing the bag to the floor. “Pride and Prejudice? The Great Gatsby? These are chick books; what are they doing in my bunk?”
Chick books? What? “They’re classic literature, not ‘chick books’, thank you very much. Besides, that was the bunk Matt told me to use. I didn’t know it was yours.”
“Look, Maddie, you may be Matt’s niece, but that doesn’t give you the right to do anything you want,” he retorted.
“My name isn’t Maddie! It’s Maxine, and it’s not my fault. It was just a mix up, alright?!” I shouted.
“What’s going on here?” Matt asked, suddenly entering the bus. It was quiet for a moment before anyone decided to speak up.
“Her stuff was on my bunk! That is the one place it shouldn’t be!” Alex retorted.
“Chill out, Alex. you can have a different bunk. It’s no reason to get all worked up over,” Matt replied.
“Great,” Alex said, shaking his head. “She hasn’t even been here a day, yet she’s already changed everything. That’s just fucking great.”
“Well, don’t I feel loved,” I mumbled, but he somehow seemed to hear.
“Welcome aboard, Max,” he replied.
“Don’t call me Max. I’d rather be called Maxine,” I stated.
“Max it is then,” he said, and he stalked off down the hallway before I could say anything.
Jack turned to me and shot me a sheepish grin. “He’s hard to handle, but you’re still welcome here.”
“Thanks,” I said, gathering up my books and putting them back in my tote bag. “I’m glad I’m not completely hated.”
“Of course not! You and I are Blink fans! We’ve got to stick together man,” Jack declared, and I grinned at him. “And just you wait. I’ll introduce you to all of the good bands. It could be like a book club, but with music.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” I responded.
“Well then,” Matt said. “After that lovely...argument, I think I’ll go tell the driver we’re ready to go.”
He quickly left the room and Alex soon re-entered, flopping down on the other side of Jack with a huff. He didn’t know me, so why did he hate me so much? I had tried to be nice, but I think I had already had enough. Maybe it was time to fight back. After all, I said I wasn’t going to let anybody bully me. “Be warned, Alex Gaskarth,” I thought to myself. “I don’t go down without a serious fight.”
The bus started with a rumble, and it wasn’t long before we hit the highway. I gazed out the window with my chin resting on my folded arms, watching the scenery go by. I tried to distract myself, but I kept thinking about Alex. Why did the most beautiful people always turn out to be jackasses? The thing was, I wanted to like him. I wanted to be friends with him and get to know him like I obviously would with the others this summer. The only thing stopping me from that was him.
So I just read this story, all in one sitting, and seriously loved it. You're a really great writer. :)
Alex and Max's relationship was so sincere, and even though the end was kind of surprising, I found it perfect in a way. Like one of my favorite endings I've ever read to a fic, actually. Instead of very cliche it more so fit the pieces together, if that makes sense.
I really loved it. If you ever choose to maybe rewrite this story, or perhaps do a sequel to it, I will definitely read. I looked on your profile and unfortunately you don't seem to have anymore Alex/OC centered stories. But if you ever write a new one of those, feel free to let me know as well.
One of the better stories I've read in a while, great job with it. :)
3/6/17