Your Favorite Enemy
Chapter 6: That Girl
It took another day of riding on a stuffy bus, but we finally made it to the next city. Surprisingly, the promise of friendship I had with Alex had done well, which made everyone happy, especially Matt.
“Alright,” Matt greeted as the bus halted to a stop. “Boys, you go ahead into the venue and start getting ready. The show is in three hours, so you can chill with PTV for at least a while. Maxine, I want you with me. You’re here for an apprenticeship, so I’ve got to teach you the ropes.”
The guys nodded, grabbed some stuff, and fled from the bus. I smiled, happy to have the opportunity to be exposed to fresh air. “What exactly do I have to do?”
“Well, I’ve gotta go finish filling out paperwork at the main office, so I’m going to have you help the crew unload all of the equipment,” he replied.
I sighed and slipped on my Converse and headed outside, where a plethora of men with large muscles were dragging items out of a large semi truck. I stopped one of them and told him who I was and he showed me what to do. I carried guitars, amps, and microphone stands inside, making several trips back and forth. After an hour, everything was inside and I found Matt soon after.
He handed me a lanyard with a laminated card on the end. “This is your all access pass. Don’t lose it, because this is what you’ll be using the whole tour. Now, follow me backstage. I want to show you all of the behind the scenes work.”
A band called Pierce the Veil had just done their sound check, so the guys were headed on stage to do theirs. Jack passed me and gave me thumbs up, while Alex brushed against my arm and then looked back at me and winked. I felt myself blush, and I looked at the floor, trying to avoid all gazes and hide the blush that was probably forming.
Matt was droning on about technical drabble, but my thoughts had wandered to Alex, like they always seemed to. “Maxine? You’re not paying attention, are you?”
I snapped out of my trance and focused on my uncle. “No. I’m sorry.”
“You’re a smart kid,” he commented. “Not to mention, you’re usually really focused. What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing,” I replied. “I’ve just been distracted lately. I don’t know why.”
“Oh I see,” he grinned. “My little niece has a crush.”
I facepalmed with a groan. “Why does everyone call it that?”
“Is it Jack?” he wondered.
“No,” I mentioned. “But you’re close.”
“Alex?” he asked.
“Bingo,” I sighed.
“You went from hating him, to being friends, to liking him within 4 and a half days?” he questioned.
“It’s very complicated, Matt. The only other person who knows is Jack, and I hope Alex doesn’t find out,” I mentioned.
“Why?” he asked.
“He just barely started tolerating me; there is no way he would like me that way,” I commented.
“Do you need me to kick his ass into shape?” he joked.
I laughed. “Nah, I can handle it. So, anyway, you were going over sound check procedures?”
I paid more attention this time, trying to avoid the mental image of a certain fluffy haired boy that was glued inside my brain. The boys soon finish their soundcheck and walk off stage, foiling my plan to not think about him.
“Good job, guys. I bet the show will be great tonight,” I said encouragingly.
“Well, as long as you’re backstage, it will be,” Alex replied.
I looked at him, brows furrowed in confusion. “What?”
He didn’t look fazed whatsoever. “You’re helping Matt get everything managed, so I’m sure you’ll help make the show awesome.”
“Thanks,” I said, still a little bewildered.
I hung out with the guys and met the members of Pierce the Veil before the show officially started, and then it was time. I got to sit in pitch black darkness with ears full of earplugs to deter some of the noise for three and half hours, bored out of my mind. Except, in the middle of All Time Low’s set, something odd happened.
“I’d like to dedicate this next song to someone very special,” Alex said, his voice echoing on the microphone. “It’s the newest member to our crew. Max, this is for you.”
I gaped at the stage, surprised. I listened closely as the band began to play, and the lyrics started to That Girl. For a moment, I thought I should be offended, but then I laughed. Somehow I knew it was a friendly teasing. From where I was sitting, I could see him grinning into the microphone and felt a weird sensation in my stomach. Were these ‘butterflies’?
When he finished the song, he turned towards my side of the stage and shot me a thumbs up, and I smiled and did the same. But then I couldn’t help but wonder why he had done that. Was he harmlessly flirting, or did he actually like me? I felt like an idiot for thinking about it, but I couldn’t help it. This boy was on my mind, and was apparently going to stay.
The show ended and the boys walked off, sweaty and smiling after their marvelous performance. “I told you guys you’d be awesome,” I commented as we headed back to the bus.
Alex grinned again. “Did you like the song?”
“It made me laugh,” I admitted. “It could’ve been true deep down, but I decided to take it as a joke.”
“Good,” he replied and then winked at me again. Jack noticed, and I shot a questioning look his way, but he just shrugged.
I thought about talking to Alex, but I wasn’t really sure what to do or say. What would his response be? I hadn’t even known him for a week, so why did I feel like this? And then I thought about the off chance that he felt the same, and I couldn’t help but smile. Perhaps he was my Mr. Darcy. My punk rock, goofy, and frustrating Mr. Darcy.
“Alright,” Matt greeted as the bus halted to a stop. “Boys, you go ahead into the venue and start getting ready. The show is in three hours, so you can chill with PTV for at least a while. Maxine, I want you with me. You’re here for an apprenticeship, so I’ve got to teach you the ropes.”
The guys nodded, grabbed some stuff, and fled from the bus. I smiled, happy to have the opportunity to be exposed to fresh air. “What exactly do I have to do?”
“Well, I’ve gotta go finish filling out paperwork at the main office, so I’m going to have you help the crew unload all of the equipment,” he replied.
I sighed and slipped on my Converse and headed outside, where a plethora of men with large muscles were dragging items out of a large semi truck. I stopped one of them and told him who I was and he showed me what to do. I carried guitars, amps, and microphone stands inside, making several trips back and forth. After an hour, everything was inside and I found Matt soon after.
He handed me a lanyard with a laminated card on the end. “This is your all access pass. Don’t lose it, because this is what you’ll be using the whole tour. Now, follow me backstage. I want to show you all of the behind the scenes work.”
A band called Pierce the Veil had just done their sound check, so the guys were headed on stage to do theirs. Jack passed me and gave me thumbs up, while Alex brushed against my arm and then looked back at me and winked. I felt myself blush, and I looked at the floor, trying to avoid all gazes and hide the blush that was probably forming.
Matt was droning on about technical drabble, but my thoughts had wandered to Alex, like they always seemed to. “Maxine? You’re not paying attention, are you?”
I snapped out of my trance and focused on my uncle. “No. I’m sorry.”
“You’re a smart kid,” he commented. “Not to mention, you’re usually really focused. What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing,” I replied. “I’ve just been distracted lately. I don’t know why.”
“Oh I see,” he grinned. “My little niece has a crush.”
I facepalmed with a groan. “Why does everyone call it that?”
“Is it Jack?” he wondered.
“No,” I mentioned. “But you’re close.”
“Alex?” he asked.
“Bingo,” I sighed.
“You went from hating him, to being friends, to liking him within 4 and a half days?” he questioned.
“It’s very complicated, Matt. The only other person who knows is Jack, and I hope Alex doesn’t find out,” I mentioned.
“Why?” he asked.
“He just barely started tolerating me; there is no way he would like me that way,” I commented.
“Do you need me to kick his ass into shape?” he joked.
I laughed. “Nah, I can handle it. So, anyway, you were going over sound check procedures?”
I paid more attention this time, trying to avoid the mental image of a certain fluffy haired boy that was glued inside my brain. The boys soon finish their soundcheck and walk off stage, foiling my plan to not think about him.
“Good job, guys. I bet the show will be great tonight,” I said encouragingly.
“Well, as long as you’re backstage, it will be,” Alex replied.
I looked at him, brows furrowed in confusion. “What?”
He didn’t look fazed whatsoever. “You’re helping Matt get everything managed, so I’m sure you’ll help make the show awesome.”
“Thanks,” I said, still a little bewildered.
I hung out with the guys and met the members of Pierce the Veil before the show officially started, and then it was time. I got to sit in pitch black darkness with ears full of earplugs to deter some of the noise for three and half hours, bored out of my mind. Except, in the middle of All Time Low’s set, something odd happened.
“I’d like to dedicate this next song to someone very special,” Alex said, his voice echoing on the microphone. “It’s the newest member to our crew. Max, this is for you.”
I gaped at the stage, surprised. I listened closely as the band began to play, and the lyrics started to That Girl. For a moment, I thought I should be offended, but then I laughed. Somehow I knew it was a friendly teasing. From where I was sitting, I could see him grinning into the microphone and felt a weird sensation in my stomach. Were these ‘butterflies’?
When he finished the song, he turned towards my side of the stage and shot me a thumbs up, and I smiled and did the same. But then I couldn’t help but wonder why he had done that. Was he harmlessly flirting, or did he actually like me? I felt like an idiot for thinking about it, but I couldn’t help it. This boy was on my mind, and was apparently going to stay.
The show ended and the boys walked off, sweaty and smiling after their marvelous performance. “I told you guys you’d be awesome,” I commented as we headed back to the bus.
Alex grinned again. “Did you like the song?”
“It made me laugh,” I admitted. “It could’ve been true deep down, but I decided to take it as a joke.”
“Good,” he replied and then winked at me again. Jack noticed, and I shot a questioning look his way, but he just shrugged.
I thought about talking to Alex, but I wasn’t really sure what to do or say. What would his response be? I hadn’t even known him for a week, so why did I feel like this? And then I thought about the off chance that he felt the same, and I couldn’t help but smile. Perhaps he was my Mr. Darcy. My punk rock, goofy, and frustrating Mr. Darcy.
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