Glitter And Ash (Jalex)

Chapter 5

"Barakat!"

Jack and Zack had been standing talking when the banshee wail had announced Taylor's approach. They'd both cringed before Jack slowly turned to face her.

"What the hell did you do?" Jack blinked a couple of times as he tried to work out what she was referring to. He couldn't think of anything he'd done to piss her off in the last twenty-four hours. "You're going to have to be more specific."

She just glared at him, stalking closer. "I've just had Pete pull me aside to talk about my conduct. Apparently, someone has made a complaint that I'm harassing Alex and it's making both him and them uncomfortable. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Jack couldn't deny that whoever had made the complaint was right, but he wasn't about to take the blame and deal with the shit storm either.

"Sorry, can't help you." She scoffed. "Taylor. Why would I lodge a complaint when we're both essentially harassing the guy to get into his pants? You'd only end up doing the same thing." She rolled her eyes, not buying it. "Oh please, don't pretend like you're not above playing dirty. You'd do anything to get me out of the way." Jack laughed at that. She actually thinks she's a threat, that's cute.

"I know you like to think the whole world revolves around you but believe it or not I actually have better things to do with my time than scheme against you, like playing music and winning."

She grabbed the front of Jack's shirt as he went to turn away and got close to his face. "Don't mess with me, Barakat. I will end you." More than used to her aggression and empty threats Jack just rolled his eyes as he detached her hands from his shirt. "I'm quaking with fear."

He left her standing there fuming, going in search of Zack in the hopes of finishing what had been a very important debate about which Blink-182 album was the best.

He couldn't blame him for disappearing once Taylor had arrived. Had he not been the object of her rage he'd have run off too. He just had no idea where Zack would have run to, he didn't know the guy well enough yet.

He decided to try the band's dressing room first. It seemed the most obvious place to start. When he got there however, he was instantly met with the bare back of a blonde woman bouncing up and down on the couch. He quickly shut the door, flushing pink as a moan of "Oh Ryan!" floated out to him.

He shuddered before quickly walking off to get as far away as possible. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Eventually, Jack found himself making his way towards the buses. He paused at the sound of a giggle and said a silent prayer that he wasn't about to walk in on more traumatizing heterosexual copulation.

He cautiously approached and was relieved when Zack and Rian came into view. They were lent close together against one of the buses, Rian with his back against it whilst Zack's hand was mere inches from his head. Jack got the distinct feeling that he was interrupting a moment.

The closer Jack got the stranger things seemed.