UNDEAD - A HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD FANFICTION

TWO - THE BIRD'S STORY

ALEX'S POV.

I don't know whether I should stay hidden here and let them forget - though it's highly likely they'll just leave me here without making an effort to look - or slip out from the shadows. When I think about it, though, the second option is probably the most logical.

I shuffle forwards and poke my head through the branches, then let the rest of my body follow. I watch as the guys exchange looks with each other, and Kurlzz - who was the one to get frightened - awkwardly slide down the tour bus until he's sat again.

J Dog starts off with the obligatory question: "What are you doing here?"

"Did you go to the concert?" Johnny follows up.

"What's your name?" Funny Man adds.

I frown at Funny. "I'm, uh, Alex." For a moment I forget my name. "And no, Johnny, I couldn't." I turn my attention to J Dog, even though his question was for everyone's benefit. "I--"

"Have you been crying?" Da Kurlzz asks, peering at me from the furthest away.

I instinctively touch a hand to my face, trying to feel if my eyes are still red. "I... I suppose so." I wasn't even aware of this. I must have been unknowingly sobbing while I was running; but probably mostly from fear. And I'm not sure how he can tell from so far away, when the others haven't mentioned it.

"Why? What happened?" Funny Man gets up and lends me a hand also standing, and the others follow.

"I'm a real sop story." I manage to add some lightness to the situation, but no one's voice lifts.

"You know, we can listen. It's not like we're gonna do much until we sleep, anyways." Kurlzz is clearly not nervous anymore, but it almost feels like they're leaning in towards me, slowly getting closer, crowding my senses...

No. It's fine. It's just... This is most attention I've ever gotten. And from my favourite band members? This whole situation really is quite overwhelming.

"Um... A few years ago, my dad died in a car crash. We were - me and my mum, I mean - pretty screwed up for a while, and then she calmed down and got a boyfriend. A year later, they were married. Pretty quick, in my opinion, but that doesn't matter." Kurlzz looks like he's about to intervene, but I carry on. "And then..." I narrow my eyes and try not to let my voice crack. "And then I came home one day, and my mum was sprawled on the floor, bleeding out from a slit in her neck. My stepfather had gone insane. It was all a blur, and I was running from him, towards my grandparents house, and I think I lost him, but I kept running because I couldn't stop. Until..."

"Until you happened across us," Johnny finishes for me.

I nod.

"Why did you stay?" Funny Man asks, and it seems like a dumb sort of question, until I begin to wonder myself why I stayed. I mean, obviously I wanted to meet my favourite band, but why was I /hiding/?

"I thought... I mean, I wanted to meet you and all... Because you're awesome. I love you guys. But, I thought maybe..." God, I'm rude.

"You could stay with us?" Again, Johnny finishes my sentence.

I hate being submissive, but I can't help ducking my head and studying my collar.

I glance up for a moment, and the guys are sharing looks, like they are having a telepathic conversation. They probably are.

"How far away are your grandparents?"

"Few miles outside the city."

"We're gonna have to think about this." I look sharply up as Charlie speaks.

"Wait, you mean you're considering it?"

"Apparently," Kurlzz grunts.

There's a pause. Life isn't giving me much time to take this turn of events in gently.

"Do you want me to show you round the bus while these guys decide?" I'm surprised at Da Kurlzz's offer. The fact that he's the drummer and the main 'unclean' vocalist has led me to think he'd be the most aggressive, but the small kindnesses he's shown me has almost changed my opinion.

"Are you sure you don't want a vote?" J Dog frowns at him.

He shrugs. "I think she can stay."