All I Want • Alex Gaskarth (Adoption)

Future Hearts Tour

It was very early when Alex knocked on my door. "Lex, it's time to get ready. Shower and when you're done, the tour bus should be here."

I ignore him but get off the bed loudly enough so he knows I'm up. I wait to hear his footsteps sound further away before I started to move around. I'm excited. I've never been on a tour bus, never been on a tour. I hurriedly showered and pulled on some black jeans and a tank top. I shoved everything I had taken out of my suitcases this past week back into their bags. Another knock on my door sounded, alerting me to hurry.

"Hey Lex! I'm coming in," two seconds later Jack opens my door. "Thank god you're dressed. I was worried I'd open the door and you'd be lying there naked."

"Then... why did you open the door immediately? You could've waited," I point out.

Jack hops up and down. "I'M TOO EXCITED! LET'S GO!"

He grabs two of my suitcases and I grab the remaining ones. Together we haul the load downstairs and out the doors to where the bands and the tour busses were waiting.

Rian explained that each of the band get a bus, ours was the biggest though because All Time Low were the most popular and the headliner. Inside our bus it was MASSIVE. There were several bunks and I took the liberty of stealing the very top bunk on the right. Jack tried to fight me for it, because Rian took the top one directly across from it. Alex came to my rescue and said I called dibs. I didn't look at Alex but I DID stick my tongue out at Jack.

Within an hour, the busses were all heading out. The first show was tonight, so we took the ten minute bus ride to the venue where there was instant chaos.

Upon arriving, everyone began the preparation frenzy. All Time Low had a signing in a couple hours, and all the setting up still had to be done. All the crew guys were running around, putting together the whole set. It reminded me of ants in a colony. Maybe a beehive.

I watched it all happen from the sidelines. All the guys were around, perfecting their soundcheck or helping the light / production guys. I drank the slushie that Jack grabbed me from a 7-11 across the street. Blue raspberry, my favorite.

It was surreal. I realized I have never seen them play a show - not including the one I had seen years ago with a foster family. That doesn't count. Life had been so hectic the past half year that I didn't even realize All Time Low were away from touring for too long. Was it because of me? Surely. Anyway, I was excited. I loved All Time Low's music for a long time. I've heard them practice, I've heard Alex sing acoustically, but a live show was so different, the energy was going to be INTENSE.

I jumped out of my thoughts when Michael Bohn from Issues dropped next to me. "Sup," he said. He sat criss-cross, mimicking the way I sat.

"Shouldn't you be.. rehearsing or something?" I ask him curiously. I didn't see any more of Issues hanging around so I assumed they were jamming somewhere. That's what the bands were doing to calm their nerves, at least that's what Derek from State Champs told me.

Michael laughed. "This tour is huge for us. We've spent almost every day for the past several weeks readying for this. So, what's it like having Alex as your dad? Going on tour? He told us you were an orphan before, this is a big change."

I shrug. "It's different. So... fast-paced. I'm not used to it, it's hard to adjust to, actually. And with Alex, I don't know. Lately it's like we can't come to terms with each other. He hates me, hates that he adopted me. I probably ruined his life. I'm not sure what he did to mine. I really don't know anymore if he helped me or made it worse. Now I'm just the poor orphan."

Michael let out a puff of air. "That sucks, I'm sorry. But look on the bright side, you get to see this all from the inside. So many fans would kill to be so involved," he chuckled. "You'll get used to this. It's all just go go go, but it's so fun and nothing beats a good live show."