Jack sat in the booth in between Rian and Nick, the drummer for Safe Haven. Kennadee and Zack sat across from them; the rest of the band had been too hung over to leave their respective hotel rooms. Jack anxiously bobbed his leg up and down and pulled out his phone. “No new messages” his phone read. He checked the time “1:00pm,” they hadn’t even been gone from the hotel for half an hour.

The rest of the table chatted on endlessly but Jack couldn’t bring himself to care for the cheap conversation. He felt guilty enough for making Alex feel unwanted and his stomach was still in knots with the gut wrenching feeling that something was not right. His gaze was aimlessly focused on the passer byers of the busy New York street. The sunshine lit up the previous days rejected rain puddles, women in heels side stepping the small wet patches of sidewalk while children excitedly jumped into them.

“Dude, you okay?” Jack was brought back into reality as Nick placed his hand on Jack’s leg ceasing the small jumpy movements that he had been making. He shifted his gaze from the window over to Nick only to find that everyone was now staring at him.

“I—“ he hesitated, throwing a quick glance a Kennadee. He hated how he had become overly sensitive to other people’s feelings. It wasn’t natural for him. Of course he never intentionally offended people but he wasn’t used to being so aware of the thin line he was walking when it came to Kennadee and Alex.

“I’m worried about Alex “He finally said, instantly receiving glares from his two band mates while Kennadee averted her gaze from Jack. Nick sighed and shook his head and suddenly Jack felt like complete shit.

“I’m sorry—“ he began to back track only to be cut off by Kennadee. “No, he’s your best friend…I get it, and if you’re worried about him then feel free to go. I’m not going to hold that against you, Jack.” Kennadee held his hand across the table, her words genuine and sincere. She knew it would be completely shitty of her to be mad at him for being worried about his best friend. It didn’t matter where she stood with Alex, she would never try to steal Jack from him.

“Thanks” Jack breathed out, all but climbing over Rian to get out of the booth. He shot Kennadee a smile and a quick wave to the rest of the group as he practically ran out of the small diner and into the busy sea of business people. He pulled his phone from his pocket and clicked on Alex’s name, he brought the phone to his ear listening to the insistent ringing through the speaker as he pushed his way through the crowd.

“You’ve reached Alex…-“

“Dammit” Jack ended the phone call and shoved the phone back into his pocket and began to run back to the hotel. His mind going into overdrive and adrenaline coursing through his veins, he didn’t know why he was freaking out exactly but he just knew he needed to get to Alex.

“Afternoon, sir” the doorman greeted, opening the door for Jack. Normally Jack would be super polite but in his state of mind a tight lipped smile was the best he could muster. He made a bee line to the opening elevator almost knocking into the exiting woman as he stepped into the metal box.

“sorry” he muttered an apology as the door began to close, he didn’t even look up to catch the dirty glare that the woman was shooting at him. He repeatedly pressed the button for floor seven hoping to make the elevator go faster.

The elevator began to rise floor by floor and Jack silently prayed that it wouldn’t make any stops to pick people up.

“c’mon c’mon…c’mon” he mumbled under his breath.

Finally the silver doors opened to the seventh floor and Jack rushed out. He power walked down the hallways, his eyes scanning the numbers on the doors until he finally reached Alex’s door. He pulled Alex’s spare key card from his wallet, thankful that he had snagged it from Alex’s room when they first
checked in.

The light lit up green as he pulled the card from the slot signaling that he could open the door.

“Alex?” He called out as he entered the room. He looked around confused at the squishing sound the carpet made as he took a step further into the room only to realize the carpet was soaking wet.

“ Lex?” He called out again, still not receiving an answer. His heartbeat began to quicken and his hands began to shake as he tore through the hotel room calling out for Alex. With a shaky hand he rapped onto the bathroom door, his breathing coming in short but quick bursts.

“You in there, ‘Lex?” he asked through the door before ultimately twisting the door knob and opening the door. The first thing he noticed was the inch of water covering the tile floor before his eyes moved up to the counter where the small notepad with Alex’s messy scrawl was placed neatly.

“No…” Jack whispered as he grabbed the notepad and his eyes read the paper over and over again not willing to believe that it was the only type of note that Alex intended.

“No ..no…no no no” Jack repeated, throwing the note down and racing to the corner of the bathroom where the whirlpool tub was tucked away. Tears began to stream down his face as his dropped to his knees and pulled Alex’s limp body from the overflowing tub. He haphazardly pulled Alex completely out of the tub and turned the water off, cradling Alex’s head in his lap.

“No, Lex! NO! C’mon…” he cried out into the silent bathroom. Alex’s head laid in his lap and Jack sobbed into his phone waiting for Rian to pick up but he was only met with the inbox. He quickly dialed Zack only to get the same result. Then Matt, surely the manager would pick up his phone but to Jack’s misfortune that went straight to the inbox as well so he did the only thing he could think of.

“Heyyy, Jack!” her chipper voice rang through with a laugh at the end from Rian telling her a tour story.

“Jack, you there?” She asked.

Jack sobbed out uncontrollably and not able to pull himself together. Kennadee quickly shushed the boys at the table “Jack, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Alex. He—h-he…oh, God” Jack sputtered in between sobs.

“Jack, what’s happened?” Kennadee asked gingerly hoping to calm him down enough to get an intelligible answer out of him but Jack only sobbed even harder.

“Okay…just call an ambulance ok? We’re on our way…j-just stay with him” Kennadee ordered while throwing her money on the table and pulling the other boys out of the diner with her.

Notes

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