Dark affairs

When we come back from breakfast we spend a few hours hanging out on the bus, the guys playing video games and I'm noodling around with one of the practice guitars.

Then it's time for soundcheck and I join them and so does Linda.

I'm no longer mad at her because she didn't know what she was interfering with but I also noted that Alex hasn't really denied that he would be interested in her. So for now I intend to watch her and Alex closely.

The guys mess around during sound check and Alex seems very giddy and upbeat and often comes onto Jack while they're on stage, nobody seems to find this unusual because they tend to do this as a joke all the time.

I decide I'm not up for helping Linda do her job today and rather hang out with the front of house audio crew and get on their nerves by messing around with their set up because I think I know it better.

They threaten to tie me up with the cables if I touch one more lever so I stop and just comment on their inability to produce good live sound quality. When Alex comes round to check on them they demand he take me with him and never let me return.

He gladly obeys and pulls me backstage where he distracts me with some kissing.

Again the show is amazing and I can see that both Jack and Alex are in high spirits. There is only a small get together afterwards because a lot of people seem still hungover from yesterday.

So it's about midnight when the party slowly begins to die down. I hand Jack my room key and see them off with a kiss each and they leave while people are still celebrating to not draw too much attention.

I keep drinking with Phil but then the bus slowly empties and after I used the bathroom I shuffle to the bunks to sleep in Jack's bed.

I have just entered the aisle when Rian who occupies the middle bunk on the other side looks up from his phone and sees me.

"What are YOU doing here?" He bluntly asks.

"I'm gonna be sleeping here" I state equally bluntly and get into the bunk.

"And where is Jack?" He leans forward intrigued.

"I don't know" I grumble. God, he gets on my nerves already!

"Hehe, trouble in paradise? Has Jacky found someone else and moved on?" I am sure Rian knows nothing and just takes a shot in the dark to see my reaction so I stay cool and just sarcastically smile at him.

"Come to think of it, and where is Alex actually? He asks me.

"Urgh, How would I know, I'm not your tour manager, I don't have to know people's whereabouts." I snap, this guy is absolutely annoying.

"Thank god you're not." Rian huffs and he adds in a low voice "It's bad enough you're a band slut," but it's still loud enough for me to hear.

He is clearly trying to push my buttons and let me tell you, it's working!

"What did you just say?" I screech not caring who else on the bus can hear us. "You take that back immediately, what the fuck is your problem?"

"My problem?" He sits up pointing to his chest "I tell you what my problem is! First you make Alex cheat on his wife with you, then you dump him and have the audacity to start dating Jack, flaunting your relationship in front of his face when he clearly is still infatuated with you. It's only a matter of time until you break Jack's heart as well but I promise you I will do whatever I can to protect my friends."

I'm stunned for a moment, I had no idea Rian knew about Alex and I's history together. And there is only one person that could have told him.

"Did Alex tell you that? Well, that's complete and utter bullshit and I refuse to further discuss this with you." I yell and am about to jump Rian and rip the stupid smirk off his face, when Zack who has the bunk above me peeks out of his curtains and surprisingly speaks up.

"Ri, would you kindly shut the fuck up now and leave Mickey alone?"

We both turn to Zack speechless. I nod at him and pull a mean face at Rian before I get into Jack's bunk and cuddle the pillow that totally smells like him and try to calm down.

Well, I'll be having an interesting conversation with Alex tomorrow.

And with that thought I'm slowly drifting off to dreamland.
......

The next thing I know I'm being squashed by a heavy body on top of me.

"Argh, what the fuck, what's going on?" I mumble and sleepily push against the dead weight not opening my eyes.

I hear a giggle.

"Come on, wake up, we're already on our way to Tempe." I open one eye and look into Jack's grinning face.

I now notice the humming noise and the vibrations that indicate that the bus is moving. I let my head fall back into the mattress. "Urgh, how long is the drive?"

"Bout ten hours, I guess." He shrugs.

"What about breakfast?" I ask because I know that this bus holds nothing edible besides chips, beer and liquor.

"Uhm, actually, Alex and I had breakfast at the hotel this morning." He hesitates, looking slightly uncomfortable.

I look at him surprised for a second because like we did with Alex, I just assumed the guys would come pick me up for breakfast. Obviously I was wrong.

"Wow," I snap at him, "thanks for nothing, I guess."

He holds out his hands and inhales to reply but I just push past him as I get out of the bunk and head to the kitchen.

I don't acknowledge anyone as I open the fridge and take out a bottle of water, about the only healthy thing on board. I plop onto the couch opening my bottle and watching the screen that is mounted on the opposite wall, trying to figure out what movie is playing.

I don't have a problem with skipping breakfast, I'm doing that more often than not.

I'm just shocked because it happened exactly how I feared it would.
Jack being so occupied with Alex that he completely forgot about me.

I can't help that my thoughts spiral into the worst scenarios and my mood drops to below zero.

Jack comes after me into the lounge and tries to talk to me a couple of times but I just give him grumpy one worded answers and he stops trying after a while and just looks at me sadly.

People come and go in and out of the lounge and conversations are being held but I zone out.

My eyes are glued to the screen but I don't follow the movie instead I'm completely absorbed by the negative thoughts in my head.

I snap out of it when I feel somebody dropping onto the couch beside me.

"Mickey, come on" Alex says in a low voice, "you are being over-dramatic" he sounds patronising "we're sorry we didn't pick you up for breakfast but we were running late and I honestly thought you would go with Zack and Rian."

I need a moment until his words register in my mind but then I explode.

I shoot up from my seat fuelled by my anger making him jump back in shock. Then I bend down towards him until our noses nearly touch and I hiss at him.

"YES! Definitely! I would totally go and have breakfast with Rian because Rian hates my guts. Wanna know why? Because he thinks I 'made' you cheat and then not only broke up with you but also broke your heart in the process. I wonder how he got this idea?" I look at him with a cold stare.

"What?" Alex splutters and his cool facade drops for a second. "He must have gotten something mixed up," he tries.

I just narrow my eyes at him and keep on staring until he breaks.

He looks down and sighs playing with a loose thread of his ripped jeans. "Okay, I might have told him that." He mumbles the rest. "I didn't want to look like an asshole in this."

"SURE! It's way more convenient to make me look like an asshole. That's just great Gaskarth! And you were running late? Couldn't stop fucking my boyfriend, huh?
You know what Alex? Stay away from me, I'm done with your shit.
You're nothing but a lying, cheating, loser and I don't need people like that in my life." I lash out at him but as I have to keep my voice down it doesn't sound as effective as I wish it would.

I turn around and am about to storm off when Zack whom I hadn't noticed sitting in the window seat mumbles. "For the record I would have gone for breakfast with you Mickey."

I'm surprised for a second but then roll my eyes groaning. "Oh my god, Zack, that's not really the point here."

And then I'm leaving, but where do you retreat to in a bus full of people? Both lounges are occupied so I take the empty bunk, I have to push a lot of things to the side because everybody dumps their stuff here but I create enough room to fit in and close the curtains.

I put my earphones in and start the music while I mindlessly play some games on my phone.

Oh, I wish I could just go home!

Notes

'Over-dramatic', psh!