Who Knew I Would Fall This Hard?
Nothing Lasts Forever
Zack went straight from his skate around the streets to sound check. Zack was always the quickest at sound check, and today he tried to be as quick as possible. He didn’t look at anybody but Matt and Evan, but he could tell both Alex and Jack were trying to get Zack to look at them. He was done in two minutes and then got permission from Flyzik to go leave and take a shower. Zack gave his bass to Danny and walked to the showers in the venue.
Colussy had already gotten everyone clean clothes and towels, leaving them by the shower. Zack turned on the water as hot as it would go and stripped off his clothes while the water heated up. Zack stepped into the shower and stood under the water. He just stood there, breathing in the steam, and thought about the past couple of days. He had so many emotions running through his head about some of the people he had to live so closely with.
The last twenty-four hours Zack went through had his head spinning. So much had changed in such little time, and the relationships he had with his friends seemed to be questioned. Zack had one of his biggest blowups at one of his best friends. But right now, after all Alex has been putting Jack and Matt through, Zack wasn’t sure how he felt about Alex. Alex was putting Jack and Matt through so much shit, and Zack didn’t know if Alex even cared about what he was doing. Sure Alex and Jack made up, but that made Zack feel even worse.
The past week was the first time Zack and Jack have ever spent time by themselves for more than a couple minutes. Even though they’ve known each other since they were hormonal fourteen year olds, the two have never spent time hanging out by themselves. Whenever they were hanging out together it was band practice or parties or just hanging out in Rian’s basement, which usually led to a jam session anyway. Zack found it ridiculous that he’s never spent any time alone with Jack until a week ago after ten years of knowing each other. Now everything was going to go back to normal, or somewhat normal.
“Zack?” a voice said in a low volume from outside of the shower.
Zack didn’t notice anyone enter the room, but when he heard the voice he jumped a little.
“Zack, are you ok?” It was Jack. All Zack wanted to do was jump out of the shower and give Jack one of the biggest hugs ever and cry into the man’s shoulder, but Zack was naked… and wet. That would be very awkward, so Zack just stood under the shower listening to Jack talk.
“Zack, don’t be mad at Lex. He didn’t mean to make you so upset; he was just trying to help. He didn’t want Flyzik yelling at you. Alex and I talked over our problems, so don’t be mad at him because of the past week, it was all just really fucked up. But it’s better now. Don’t you think? It’s all better now right? Alex doesn’t hate me, Flyzik is getting over Jess, and Rian finally got to bang Cassadee.” Jack was waiting for Zack to respond, but when he didn’t Jack’s heart sank. “Alright, just… talk to Lex when you’re ready. I’ll let you shower in peace.” Jack was quiet as he walked out of the room slowly; hoping Zack would call him back and say that everything was ok. But he wasn’t that lucky, and he returned to where everyone was hanging around backstage.
Zack stood in the shower, with water running down his body and tears running down his face. He didn’t know what were tears and what was water from the shower, but that wasn’t what he was focused on. He stood there, crying silently for what felt like hours. Zack didn’t know why he was crying, or at least he didn’t want to admit it.
Then Zack heard a knock at the door. The person on the other side of the door cleared his throat, “Uh Zack?” It was Alex. For the first time ever, Zack felt this sudden hatred for the man who was one of his best friends since high school. Zack didn’t respond, and after couple of seconds of the most awkward silence of Alex’s life, he continued. “The show is going to start soon…. You should come out soon…” Alex started to turn away when he quickly turned back around. “…I’m sorry, Zack…” He said it softly and then walked away, not expecting to get a response.
Zack turned off the water, and stepped out of the shower. He mindlessly grabbed a towel that Colussy left for each of the band members and toweled off as he stared into space. Zack was a deep thinker, everyone knew that, but what not as many people knew was that when Zack was deep in thought he shut out the world. Zack put on the same boxer briefs and jeans he was wearing before he took a shower. They were still good, they didn’t smell too bad, and there weren’t that many stains on them. He didn’t even bother putting on a shirt; he knew he would take it off within ten minutes of being on stage so why even bother.
Zack aimlessly walked through the hall, looking for where everyone was. He faintly heard music playing, some rap music, signaling that the All Time Low band and crew were getting ready for a show. He walked toward the sound, and as it got louder he heard Jack and Alex yelling, with crashes every once in a while. Rian was in the hall trying to block out the noise while he was on the phone with who Zack thought was probably Rian’s mom from the “Yes, I’m showering” and “Yes, my shirt is clean.” When Rian saw Zack he nodded his head and smiled, then went back to his conversation. Zack walked into the room and Jack immediately jumped to Zack, and started “air punching” Zack in the stomach. Zack smiled softly, not really paying attention to what was happening, and not putting any emotion into the smile he was giving.
Alex started walking over and tapped Jack on the shoulder. As Jack turned around Alex pretended to punch him right in the face. Jack followed along by doing a slow-motion reaction, and the two began dueling it out. While those two were busy, Zack dropped his fake smile, putting the blank expression back on his face, and walked over to the couch, sitting next to Flyzik. From his expression and aggressive typing, Flyzik was frustrated. Zack tried to tune out Jack and Alex’s laughs and sexual jokes, but that’s all he could hear in his head. With it getting louder and louder.
Zack was shaken from his not so pleasant thoughts by Flyzik. “We gotta go, you guys are on in ten. The other guys already went down.” Zack looked around, shocked that everyone already left without him noticing, and wondered how long he was just sitting there, staring into space.
Zack got up and followed Flyzik to the stage. Flyzik waited for Zack and walked next to Zack on their way down the halls. Matt was the one to break the silence. “So, what were you thinking about? You seemed pretty zoned out.”
Zack tensed up a little. He was never one for being open about his feelings. “Ya know, just thinking.” Zack just left it at that without looking at Matt.
Colussy had already gotten everyone clean clothes and towels, leaving them by the shower. Zack turned on the water as hot as it would go and stripped off his clothes while the water heated up. Zack stepped into the shower and stood under the water. He just stood there, breathing in the steam, and thought about the past couple of days. He had so many emotions running through his head about some of the people he had to live so closely with.
The last twenty-four hours Zack went through had his head spinning. So much had changed in such little time, and the relationships he had with his friends seemed to be questioned. Zack had one of his biggest blowups at one of his best friends. But right now, after all Alex has been putting Jack and Matt through, Zack wasn’t sure how he felt about Alex. Alex was putting Jack and Matt through so much shit, and Zack didn’t know if Alex even cared about what he was doing. Sure Alex and Jack made up, but that made Zack feel even worse.
The past week was the first time Zack and Jack have ever spent time by themselves for more than a couple minutes. Even though they’ve known each other since they were hormonal fourteen year olds, the two have never spent time hanging out by themselves. Whenever they were hanging out together it was band practice or parties or just hanging out in Rian’s basement, which usually led to a jam session anyway. Zack found it ridiculous that he’s never spent any time alone with Jack until a week ago after ten years of knowing each other. Now everything was going to go back to normal, or somewhat normal.
“Zack?” a voice said in a low volume from outside of the shower.
Zack didn’t notice anyone enter the room, but when he heard the voice he jumped a little.
“Zack, are you ok?” It was Jack. All Zack wanted to do was jump out of the shower and give Jack one of the biggest hugs ever and cry into the man’s shoulder, but Zack was naked… and wet. That would be very awkward, so Zack just stood under the shower listening to Jack talk.
“Zack, don’t be mad at Lex. He didn’t mean to make you so upset; he was just trying to help. He didn’t want Flyzik yelling at you. Alex and I talked over our problems, so don’t be mad at him because of the past week, it was all just really fucked up. But it’s better now. Don’t you think? It’s all better now right? Alex doesn’t hate me, Flyzik is getting over Jess, and Rian finally got to bang Cassadee.” Jack was waiting for Zack to respond, but when he didn’t Jack’s heart sank. “Alright, just… talk to Lex when you’re ready. I’ll let you shower in peace.” Jack was quiet as he walked out of the room slowly; hoping Zack would call him back and say that everything was ok. But he wasn’t that lucky, and he returned to where everyone was hanging around backstage.
Zack stood in the shower, with water running down his body and tears running down his face. He didn’t know what were tears and what was water from the shower, but that wasn’t what he was focused on. He stood there, crying silently for what felt like hours. Zack didn’t know why he was crying, or at least he didn’t want to admit it.
Then Zack heard a knock at the door. The person on the other side of the door cleared his throat, “Uh Zack?” It was Alex. For the first time ever, Zack felt this sudden hatred for the man who was one of his best friends since high school. Zack didn’t respond, and after couple of seconds of the most awkward silence of Alex’s life, he continued. “The show is going to start soon…. You should come out soon…” Alex started to turn away when he quickly turned back around. “…I’m sorry, Zack…” He said it softly and then walked away, not expecting to get a response.
Zack turned off the water, and stepped out of the shower. He mindlessly grabbed a towel that Colussy left for each of the band members and toweled off as he stared into space. Zack was a deep thinker, everyone knew that, but what not as many people knew was that when Zack was deep in thought he shut out the world. Zack put on the same boxer briefs and jeans he was wearing before he took a shower. They were still good, they didn’t smell too bad, and there weren’t that many stains on them. He didn’t even bother putting on a shirt; he knew he would take it off within ten minutes of being on stage so why even bother.
Zack aimlessly walked through the hall, looking for where everyone was. He faintly heard music playing, some rap music, signaling that the All Time Low band and crew were getting ready for a show. He walked toward the sound, and as it got louder he heard Jack and Alex yelling, with crashes every once in a while. Rian was in the hall trying to block out the noise while he was on the phone with who Zack thought was probably Rian’s mom from the “Yes, I’m showering” and “Yes, my shirt is clean.” When Rian saw Zack he nodded his head and smiled, then went back to his conversation. Zack walked into the room and Jack immediately jumped to Zack, and started “air punching” Zack in the stomach. Zack smiled softly, not really paying attention to what was happening, and not putting any emotion into the smile he was giving.
Alex started walking over and tapped Jack on the shoulder. As Jack turned around Alex pretended to punch him right in the face. Jack followed along by doing a slow-motion reaction, and the two began dueling it out. While those two were busy, Zack dropped his fake smile, putting the blank expression back on his face, and walked over to the couch, sitting next to Flyzik. From his expression and aggressive typing, Flyzik was frustrated. Zack tried to tune out Jack and Alex’s laughs and sexual jokes, but that’s all he could hear in his head. With it getting louder and louder.
Zack was shaken from his not so pleasant thoughts by Flyzik. “We gotta go, you guys are on in ten. The other guys already went down.” Zack looked around, shocked that everyone already left without him noticing, and wondered how long he was just sitting there, staring into space.
Zack got up and followed Flyzik to the stage. Flyzik waited for Zack and walked next to Zack on their way down the halls. Matt was the one to break the silence. “So, what were you thinking about? You seemed pretty zoned out.”
Zack tensed up a little. He was never one for being open about his feelings. “Ya know, just thinking.” Zack just left it at that without looking at Matt.
7/29/13