Hidden Treasure

It was quiet for once, something Alex wasn’t use to. As he was locked away in his hotel room, the TV playing quietly in the background, he searched the internet for the best vacation spots. He just needed to get away from everything for a while.

He wanted to go somewhere tropical, that was for sure. He was always a sucker for a beach. Something about the cool ocean mist spritzing his face as the waves crashed around him and the warm, soft, sand smooshing between his toes sent his body into a glorified warmth of peace. He could already feel the warm sun beating down on him, coloring his skin as he rested in a beach chair with a cold drink at his mercy. He could almost taste the salt from the water and licked his lips, suddenly thirsty.

He knew running away from his problems wasn’t the best way to deal with them, especially since he wasn’t planning on telling anyone where he was going. It would, without a doubt, cause an uproar with the label and, of course, Keith, but he was so far past caring and desperate for a few days of fresh air and freedom. No schedules. No deadlines. No meetings. He needed this for himself.

He scrolled through different promotional websites for various paradise locations. Greece, Cancun, Jamaica, and the Bahamas sounded promising enough, but it was starting to be peak vacation season, and all the tourists were likely to be in the younger age group and he didn’t want to risk being recognized and have his vacation ruined.

Then again, there weren’t many places where that wouldn’t be an issue.

He wanted to go somewhere that he could pass for a civilian, a local that was just going about his day to day life. He didn’t want to walk into a supermarket for some bread and milk and have people stop him for an autograph. He needed to go somewhere that the people were so down to earth that a celebrity didn’t phase them. They admired from a distance and went back to what they were doing.

Oahu, Hawaii sounded like the perfect place for that.

As he was reading more about the island, a knock came from the hotel room door. He glanced at it for a moment, contemplating whether he wanted to answer before he pushed his laptop onto the bed.

“Who is it?” he called as he stood up.

“Room service,” he barely heard from the other side of the door.

“I didn’t order room service,” he mumbled as he pressed his face against the door, using the peep hole to see who was really there. He groaned and cracked the door open, allowing only his head through the threshold as he eyed Jack speculatively.

“You lied,” he sighed.

“Did I though?” Jack asked. “I do have pizza and beer. I think that counts.”

Alex rolled his eyes and opened the door wider for Jack to come in. Jack shut the door behind him and placed the box of pizza and case of beer on the desk before handing a slice and a bottle to Alex.

“Thanks,” Alex mumbled.

Jack nodded and took a bite from his slice before nodding to the laptop half closed on the bed.

“Watching porn again?” he smiled smugly.

“No,” Alex scoffed. “But it would make sense if I was. You always know just when to interrupt.”

“You know,” Jack nodded after swallowing. “I care about you. And they say masturbation makes a man go blind. I’m just looking out.”

Alex smiled very briefly as he stared at the slice of pizza he still hadn’t taken a bite from.
Jack leaned a little closer from where he sat on the edge of the bed.

“See what I did there?” he asked. “’Masturbation makes you blind’? ‘Just looking out’?”

“Yeah,” Alex said with a sigh. “I see.”

Jack sighed heavily and shook his head. “Okay. You want to try to make it seem like everything’s fine? That’s cool. Keep it up. But we’ve been best friends for, like, a thousand years now. I know something’s bothering you, bro. What is it?”

Alex looked up from the pizza in his hand to Jack. He wanted to tell him what was bothering him, but Jack was so into the fame, Alex just knew he wouldn’t understand.

“You wouldn’t get it,” Alex shook his head.

“Try me, mother fucker,” Jack smiled.

Alex grinned for a moment and decided to give it a shot.

“Do you remember when we first started the band? How writing and touring and playing shows made us feel?”

“Yeah, like we were kings of the world,” Jack smiled.

Alex nodded. “Do you know how long it’s been since I felt that way?”

Jack’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean, dude? I feel like the king of the universe now. You should definitely feel that way, too. You’re way more famous than me, you little rock star.”

“Feels like being a gutter rat most days,” Alex mumbled.

“Okay, you lost me,” Jack sighed. “What’s this about? It is Carly, isn’t it?”

Alex squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to refrain from lunging across the bed and beating Jack to a pulp. Absolutely nothing had to do with the budding actress that used her brief relationship with Alex to promote her own social status. He was very quick to move on from her and he hated that people thought he was more affected than he really was.

“If you say that one more time I will fucking kill you,” Alex said through gritted teeth.

“Then I give up, man,” Jack shrugged. “Tell me. What is it?”

Alex shook his head. “I just,” he paused, cautious of how his words would resonate with Jack. “I hate this fucking job.”

Jack’s eyes widened and he held up his pizza-free hand. “Whoa, dude-“

“I fucking hate it. And I used to love it. I used to live for it. This used to be the best thing that ever happened to me. But now, I can’t stand waking up in the mornings – if I even get to sleep, that is – and running here and there doing these little shows and these interviews and press and rabid fucking quote unquote fans and all the fake ass people that use you to get themselves just a little bit higher on the famous by association list and-“

“And you’re sure it’s not Carly,” Jack interrupted.

Alex quickly snapped and balled his fist and reared back to sock Jack in the face and he barely regained his self-control to stop himself as Jack winced. He took a second to calm himself down as Jack eyed him cautiously.

“I’m sorry,” Alex said slowly. “Maybe she did have a slight influence, but she’s not all this is about. I’m over her. Please, don’t mention her again.”

“Sorry,” Jack mumbled.

Alex sighed heavily and leaned against the headboard. “I just need to get away for a while.”

Jack nodded slowly. “Do it. You clearly need a vacation. I don’t think you’d almost punch me in the face if you didn’t. We have about a month before tour starts. Take a week and enjoy yourself. I can cover any responsibilities you may have to the band while you’re gone.”

Alex nodded slowly. He was going with or without Jack’s offer to help, but he still appreciated the gesture. “Thanks, man.”

Jack smiled and picked up another slice of pizza. “So have you decided where you’re going?”

When Alex decided that he was going to leave, he also decided that he didn’t want a single person knowing where he went. It was risky going somewhere alone and no one knowing where to find him, god forbid something were to happen to him – especially since he was going to get a minute phone to use while he was gone and no one would know the number unless he called them from it. He knew some people would strongly disapprove, like Jack and his parents and Keith (for selfish reasons). But he wanted to completely disconnect from the mayhem of his life, and to do that he needed to be left alone.

“I think so,” he nodded, pulling his computer back into his lap and looking at the picture of the ocean off the Hawaiian coast.

“Well, where you headed?”

He glanced up at his best friend, preparing himself for the protest. “I’m not telling you.”

Jack chuckled a little, taking it as a joke at first until he saw the rock-hard expression on his face. “What do you mean you’re not telling me?”

“No one can know where I’m going.”

“Why the fuck not?”

“Because, Jack. I need space and privacy.”

“What, is this some sort of secret mission you’re going on? Are you James fucking Bond now?”

“I just don’t want anyone to know where to find me.”

Jack sighed heavily with a shake of his head. “I guess I could just call you if I want to check up on you.”

Alex pursed his lips together. “I’m turning my phone off, too.”

Jack chuckled again, but this time there was no humor in the sound. “What the fuck, man? You’re going AWOL? Is life that displeasing to you that you have to up and leave and disappear? What if something happens to you there, wherever the fuck there is? Huh? What if something happens here? How am I supposed to call and let you know? How is someone supposed to call and let me know?”

Alex pinched the brim of his nose. This was pretty much exactly what he was expecting.
“I don’t want anyone to grill you and you give in and tell them where I am and them come find me. You cave way too easily, Jack.”

“What if I swear?” he asked. “I swear I won’t tell anyone where you are, dude. But please at least tell me? You’re my brother, Alex. I’d be worried shitless about you, not knowing where you are or if you’re even still fucking alive. I won’t tell a soul.”

Alex watched as Jack begged for just a smidge of information, and he could tell this was a big deal for him. Still, he didn’t want anyone knowing where he was – not even Jack – so he decided on a compromise.

“How about this,” he sighed. “I’ll text you from the other phone when I get it. But I’m still not telling you where I’m going. You will find that out if and only if I need some sort of rescue. Deal?”

Jack shook his head, still unsure if this was the best idea. But he could feel the desperation in Alex’s stiff posture, and he’d never seen him so unhappy. He was willing to take this deal, as long as it meant getting the old Alex back.

“Man, deal,” he huffed.

Notes