This Four-Leaf Clover is All But Useless Now

Annabelle was watching the Dogs play. She and Kara were in the crowd, pressed against the grate, screaming All Time Low fans surrounded them, pushing and shoving to get closer. Being in the pit had been Kara’s idea. To fully experience an All Time Low show before Annabelle left. Kara was making sure the rowdy crowd was not too much for the frail girl, but she was safely clutching the metal railing, waiting for her friends to take the stage. Gavin had noticed her early on in their small set, and winked at her. She just continued to glare. He had misjudged her character. He had thought that she would have broken, so traumitised by the event that he would be able to take advantage of her again. But no, her character seemed to have grown, became stronger, because of what he did to her. He was slightly disappointed by her reaction, but you win some and you lose some. Emery watched her, too, more subtly. He wished that he was not affiliated with his bone-headed front-man. The Dogs were over quickly, their last show for the tour. Thank God, thought Annabelle. They loped off stage with the backing of polite screaming. Stage crew began to change the instruments over, the mics, checking and tuning. The crowd began to pump out,
“ALL TIME LOW. ALL TIME LOW.” Over and over. Annabelle laughed, joining in with Kara.

The boys mounted the stage, Alex coming on last to a deafening roar of screaming, Annabelle saw girls hyperventilating beside her. Something hard came down on her shoulder and bouncer pulled the girl over her head and out of the pit. Kara squeezed her arm, Annabelle took it to mean ‘are you okay?’ and she nodded, smiling. Alex sought Annabelle’s eyes out in the crowd, grinning at her before he slammed his guitar. Annabelle ignored the spell of dizziness that had come over her, a sudden wave forcing her to pause and take a deep breath. Then the two girls were dancing, or more getting shoved around while bouncing. They were giggling at the banter flung between the boys on stage, occasionally avoiding crowd surfers but having a good time. Half way through, Alex began to play one of Annabelle’s favourite All Time Low songs, the Girl’s a Straight up Hustler. The crowd hushed slightly, bobbing, or waving their arms. Someone screamed,
“I LOVE YOU ALEX.”
Annabelle laughed, and Alex winked at her. Suddenly he looked further back into the crowd, furrowing his eyebrows and glancing at Zack. Annabelle craned her neck, but couldn’t see anything. She could tell Alex was trying to wipe the expression off his face, but his eyes were drawn to one particular point in the crowd. She looked at Kara, who shrugged. The chorus rose up and Kara grabbed her hand and started moshing. Strobe lights flickered. Dancing, dancing, Annabelle whipped her hair, catching Alex’s attention. Sweat rolled down her face. The music dropped, the bass humming.

‘She gets what she wants and she breaks what she gets, get out while you can or she’ll tear you to pieces’

Zack’s voice overlapping, building, building. Annabelle suddenly noticed noises from the crowd, not screaming, outraged yells. Kara tugged her arm and she turned around in the tight space, and noticed that a few metres away people were being shoved around. A few girls were strutting toward the front, pushing people as they came. They were staring vehemently at Annabelle. She recognised them. They were from her school, from her grade. The strobes lit their features on and off, sickeningly. They looked mad. At the head was a big black-haired girl. Her name was Tegan.

‘get out while you can or she’ll tear you to pieces’

Tegan reached the two girls at the grate. Annabelle smiled at her, in wary acknowledgement. Ignoring Kara, she sneered at Annabelle and brought her fist down onto the smaller girl’s face. Annabelle's head snapped backwards, she gasped, grabbing her nose. The girl punched her again. And again. And again. Annabelle was on the ground, trying to kick her off with to no avail. Kara was screaming and scrabbling at Tegan, but was dragged away by one of her friends. The two small girls stood no chance. Alex dropped his guitar and jumped off the stage and over the railing before a bouncer could react. The rest of the band died out. The crowd started shouting, and talking, wondering what was happening. Those around them could only watch as Alex and one of the bouncers pulled the girl off. Tegan looked up at him in awe, her body trembling as she registered his touch.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?” Alex screamed at her, dropping to Annabelle’s side and lifting her onto his lap. Kara, now freed, rushed to their side, and dabbed at Annabelle’s bloodied face with her sleeve. Tegan just stared at Alex. The other boys were now joining the group at the grate. Matt came onto stage, taking in the situation, he grabbed the mic.
“Alright guys and gals, there’s a situation we’ve got to sort out. Go hydrate while you wait.”
When no-one moved, he yelled, “GO HYDRATE. NOW”
The crowed milled around, murmuring.
“Seriously, what the FUCK was that?” Alex was furious, fuming. The crowd around them stared as they slowly dispersed, shocked that the charismatic frontman could expel so much fury. The band had never seen him like this. He left Annabelle with the other boys and Kara as he approached Tegan. A bouncer grabbed his arm, warning him. He stared the girls down.
“She stole my spot.” Tegan said quietly but firmly.
“What?!” Alex growled. “Are you fucking kidding me?" When her expression did not change he screamed, "GET OUT!” He was about to lose his cool, about to go ballistic. He turned away from the piggy-faced girl and back to his girlfriend, whose left eye was swollen shut, the other was closed, unconscious. Matt replaced him, and quietly but sternly told the bouncers to escort Tegan and her friends out of the venue, revoking their rights to attend another All Time Low concert in their lives.

Alex bent over Annabelle, trying to stop the flow of blood coming from a cut in her head. Her eyes fluttered open. Upon seeing Alex’s face she smiled. Then gasped. Her hands flew to her side and she winced, tears seeping out of her eyes.
“Oh my God.” Alex whispered. “Oh my God. She had a knife. That little bitch had a fucking knife. Someone call 911.”
“I already have.” Rian said, touching Alex’s shoulder comfortingly. Jack bundled up the hoodie he was wearing and pressed it to Annabelle’s side. She winced.
“Stay with me, Belle.” Alex whispered frantically, watching her eyes lose focus. She let her eyelids droop, her ears ringing, her eyes losing. She fell backwards into darkness.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Alex started crying, his voice breaking as fat tears oozed from his eyes, “please wake up, please wake up.”
Kara had tears dripping down her face, and Rian gathered her into his arms, where she turned away from the poor, tiny girl on the ground. She couldn't bear to watch the blood soaking Jack's jumper, Annabelle's distorted face. Alex pressed a hand to her neck, feeling for a pulse. It was faint, but it was there. They heard the cry of the ambulance.
“What are you going to do, Alex?” Matt asked. The frontman looked lost. Matt had never seen him like this, so frightened. Alex shook his head.
“I have to go with her.” He looked imploringly at his manager, his friend. Matt nodded.
“Get Gavin to take over for Alex, the rest of you, there’s a show to finish.” The band exchanged glances and nodded while swallowing the lumps building in their throats, understanding.
“I’ll follow in one of the cars.” Kara said. Alex nodded, still staring at the girl in his arms. Paramedics rushed in, carrying a stretcher, and Annabelle was lifted away from Alex. Strapped up and given oxygen. Alex followed the paramedics, answering their urgent questions without expression. The band, without Alex, mounted the stage.

***

When the boys arrived at the hospital, Kara was sleeping against Alex, who had his head rested in his hands, his back hunched. They huddled around him but he didn’t look up. Looking around awkwardly, they perched on sagging chairs and a sad sofa, avoiding the others waiting in the room. It smelt of disinfectant, and the air conditioning dried their throats almost immediately. Zack picked up an old magazine and flicked through it, disinterested. Rian woke up Kara, who mumbled and swapped from leaning on Alex to curling up next to her boyfriend. Alex didn’t move. Jack took Kara’s place next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Alex leant into him slightly. The self-important sound of doctor’s heels made Alex stir, his head jerking up. As the doctor reached the room he rose to his feet.
“You’re the boyfriend of Annabelle Heron?” The doctor asked, Alex nodded and the doctor indicated that he follow. Alex was led through corridors, they had moved her from emergency to a ward. Alex didn’t need to ask why, but the doctor explained anyway.
“She’s very underweight, Mr Gaskarth.” The doctor glanced at Alex as he entered the room. Annabelle was pale against the white sheets, her left eye was becoming purple, and her jaw had a blue patch on it. Gauze covered an area on her forehead where the skin had split. A drip led from her hand to a plastic bag of fluid.
“We’ve replaced the blood she’s lost.”
Alex nodded, he could only stare at her; so tiny and shrunken in the single bed. The doctor seemed to understand that Alex was exhausted, and unreachable.
“I’ll let you visit for now, but we do need talk about Annabelle’s condition and her options.”
Alex nodded again. The doctor went to leave as Alex pulled up a mud coloured chair next to Annabelle’s bed.
"Just one more thing, Mr Gaskarth," Alex looked up, "We haven't had any luck contacting her mother."
From the blank way Alex stared, the doctor knew he had no response to this. He trained his gaze on Annabelle, and when he next glanced up the doctor had disappeared. She was tucked in so tight, as if she was going to fall out. Alex reached out to touch her face, her skin was dry, cracked and broken around her lips. He felt numb.

“Annabelle?” His cracked voice sounded loud in the silent room. “Annabelle. I love you. I love you so much.” He dropped to a whisper, “I’m so sorry that this happened. Please get better... I-I don’t think I can live without you.”
He took her hand, and brought it up to his lips, kissing each fingertip. He took a deep breath, and begun singing softly.
“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy. Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high. Oh, your daddy’s rich, and your ma's goodlookin’. So hush little baby, don’t you cry.”
Annabelle’s eyes fluttered slightly, and Alex kept singing, becoming slightly louder.
“One of these mornings, you’re gonna rise up singing. Spread your wings, and take to the sky.”
Annabelle registered the singing, soft and sweet. The voice sounded so vulnerable, so scared. She felt warmth over her hand, and squeezed slightly. Slowly, she tried to open her eyes, trying to win against the heaviness pushing them shut. She felt so tired. Exhaustion perched on her chest, making her breathing heavy, laboured. It would be so much easier to let go, to slide back into darkness. But that voice, so sweet, so beautiful. She had to see its owner. Her body ached. Nonetheless, she fought, forcing her eyes open. Alex’s face broke into a smile.
“But ‘till that morning, aint nothin’ can harm you, with daddy and mammy, standin’ by.”

Notes