“New York! New York! New York!” Jack yelled enthusiastically as Alex drove down the highway. We were almost into New York, and it seemed as if everyone in the van was starting to get antsy since we’ve been in it for about three hours already.
“Shut up!” everyone else yelled, causing me to laugh as I turned around in my seat to face the excited, skunk-haired boy sitting directly behind me.
“It’s ok, Jack; I’m excited too,” I assured him once a pout started forming on his face.
“You’re too nice to him sometimes,” Alex muttered so only I could hear, not that anyone would be able to hear him over Enema Of The State being blasted throughout the car.
“He’s your best friend, Alex,” I pointed out to him and he nodded while looking at me out the corner of his eye.
“That he is, but he can be a bit…annoying at times,” Alex said, trying to choose his words careful.
“Cut the boy some slack, Lex; he’s happy and excited, that’s all the matters,” I told him quietly before looking out the window at the passing scenery. We’d be in New York any minute now, and I couldn’t help but get nervous. I couldn’t necessarily explain why I felt nervous; I just felt as if something bad was going to happen tonight.
After an hour of listening to Alex yell at the cars ahead of us and how slow traffic was being, we finally arrived at the venue they would be playing at. It wasn’t really big and was often used just for local bands, but it didn’t really matter, to be honest; this will be All Time Low’s biggest concert to date and I knew they would rock the show.
“Are you ok, babe? You seem nervous,” Alex asked as he met me on my side of the van. Everyone else ran ahead towards the venue where Matt already was waiting for them as Alex intertwined our hands before we slowly made our way to where everyone else was waiting.
“I’m fine, Alex, just a little nervous,” I admitted to him as I leaned into his side slightly while we walked ahead.
“Why’s that, Kay?”
“I haven’t been here in so long and I don’t know if I’m completely ready to revisit the past and everything that happened here,” I admitted to him quietly.
“Don’t worry, Kaylie, I’ll be here for you every step of the way.” I turned to look at him finally and saw the encouraging smile adorning his face as he looked down at me.
“Thanks Alex, that means so much,” I told him while standing on the tips of my toes and softly kissing him.
They had soundcheck early, so by two o’clock, we were free to do whatever for the next four hours. Everyone practically ganged up on me and had forced me to show them around downtown Manhattan. I’m not sure why they felt the need to gang up on me, seeing as I would’ve showed them around anyway. I spent most of my time in downtown Manhattan because I lived in central Manhattan but all of my friends liked downtown way more and I was dragged around with them. After I showed them pretty much everything I felt were important enough, we started on our way back to the venue because it was getting close to when the show would start.

Saying the show was amazing is an understatement. Sure, they weren’t very known yet and still had much more practice ahead of them, but they were naturals onstage. Alex and Jack bickered jokingly after every few songs which had me laughing after every joke. During one of the songs, Alex would look over at me from side stage and smile at me which for some reason caused me to blush. Caitlyn and Kara were standing on either side of me and laughed at me.
The show was ending now and the guys had finished talking to the audience before running over to us. Caitlyn quickly gave Jack a hug, despite how sweaty he was, and congratulated him on playing one of their best shows to date, and Kara kissed Rian sweetly when he came over. Zack went off to find a bottled water. Alex came over to me with the biggest smile on his face.
“You did amazing, Lex,” I said, using his nickname, while giving him a hug.
“Thanks Kaylie,” Alex replied happily and bending down slightly to capture my lips to his. I heard Caitlyn ‘aw’ beside us and I giggled before pulling away from Alex to tell the rest of the guys how good they did.
“Who’s ready to go to the merch booth?” Jack said a few minutes later and we all nodded before making our way to the front of the small venue where several people were waiting in line to get All Time Low’s EP or one of their shirts, though they didn’t have that many at the time.
Alex left my side once we got there to take a pictures with two girls that looked about our age, and I stood beside Kara and Caitlyn as they explained that the guys would be here talking to anyone who stayed after the show for a little while before we’d actually leave for the hotel.
I stood to the side for nearly ten minutes before I heard my name being called from a voice I recognized but couldn’t quite make out who it was. I looked over questionably, not sure why anyone here would know who I was and my stomach dropped when I saw the familiar black and blue haired girl standing a few feet away with two girls I couldn’t remember all too well – one with bleach blond hair while the other girl had bleached blond hair with a few light purple highlights mixed in.
I quickly excused myself from Caitlyn and Kara to visit the three girls that made my life a living nightmare when I lived here. “What the hell are you doing here, Addie?” I practically hissed at my old friend. Addie Bonnell was once the one girl I instantly became best friends with when I moved to Manhattan, and she made me feel welcomed, though that feeling didn’t last too long. I spent all of my time with her, and it turns out she was always getting into trouble, so I was dragged into it as well.
“I just wanted to check out the band. The singer is so hot; I wonder how easy it’ll be to get him in bed with me,” she said with a smirk but she sounded innocent enough even though I knew not to believe it. “Why are you here, Kaylie? I thought you moved away, such a shame really.” I really did want to slap her in the face, and if it wasn’t for Caitlyn and Kara’s curious looks as they watched us from afar not to mention Alex and the others were here too, I would’ve.
“The singer happens to be my boyfriend so fuck off and quit being such a fucking whore,” I spat. Addie had a reputation for stealing any guy she wants from anyone, sleeping with him, and then leaving the next morning, ruining the guy’s relationship in the process.
“I don’t see why he would want to be with someone like you, Kaylie,” she replied just as angrily.
“Fuck you, Addie! You practically ruined my life already; why do you want to ruin it even more? Stay away from my boyfriend and friends or I will punch you, and I’m not afraid this time.” We had a falling out, that much is obvious, but seeing her again and hearing her say she’s going to try to sleep with Alex left me fuming. I curled my nails into my palm to stop the urge to slap her before I turned away and walked over altogether, not wanting to be in the same room as her any longer.
“I’m going to the hotel; do not let that bitch near Alex,” I said as calmly as I could to Caitlyn and Kara though I still sounded pissed. I stormed out of the venue to catch a taxi before anyone had a chance to say anything, leaving a surprised Caitlyn and Kara and a confused Alex back at the venue as they watched my retreating figure.