My Understandings

Four

“You're joking, right?” Alexis asked, staring each of her band mates in the eyes. Her face was contorted into a sort of sneer while she leaned against the door frame between the bunks and the front lounge of the bus.

Her band mates shrugged their shoulders awkwardly. “You may have beef with him but we don't really want him to hate all of us...you know?” Spencer said.

“So, you're going to leave me to fend for myself when it comes to dinner tonight while you have your little gang bang with Austin Carlile?” Alexis's voice started to rise. “Hey, wasn't it you who told me you didn't like him? Why are you suddenly buddy buddy?”

“'Kay, Lex, calm down.” Gary stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. She slapped it and side stepped away, her newly waxed eyebrows furrowing together. “We just happened to be walking out and he saw us; invited us to have a few drinks on him plus dinner.”

“And you guys didn't even think to mention me?” She snapped.

“We know the mysterious tension between you guys.” Spencer said. “He made it pretty clear he only wanted us there.”

She scoffed, shaking her head. “What the hell does that guy have against me? I didn't do anything to him besides tell him I wouldn't bow down and worship him like every other girl he comes across.”

“And that's just it.” Gary said. Her eyes met his again. “You bruised his ego. Guys don't like that.” He tried to hide the small smirk on his face.

She rolled her eyes and pushed past him. “Whatever. Have fun on your guy date, boys.” She slammed the door shut and strut across the parking lot angrily.

And of course, who should be walking toward her than the jackass himself. He whistled to himself while twirling keys in his hand. He only looked at her for a second before a small smile slid on his face.

She could feel her rage rising. She was only a few feet from him now. And right before she passed, she decided to say it before it was too late.

“Thanks for buying me dinner, Carlile.” Her words were snide and unpleasant and she didn't stop to wait for his answer.

“All you had to do was ask.” He called over his shoulder. She looked behind her but he didn't even bother looking back.

She just shook her head and faced forward, heading toward the car that would take her downtown. She tried hard to forget that she was already having problems on the biggest tour of her career yet.

All alone, Alexis entered the restaurant. She ordered her food and waited off to the side, mindlessly looking through her phone.

“Alexis?” She heard someone call her. She looked up. Nick Matthews smiled and waved her down. She headed over to him, where he also sat by himself at a table with only a paper cup drink in front of him. “No band with you?”

“Could say the same.” She said, laughing awkwardly and sitting down across from him.

He shrugged. “I told them I'd bring back a pizza since their lazy asses don't want to go anywhere.” Alexis let out another laugh, rubbing her palms together. “What about you?”

She shrugged. “Austin offered to take them all out.”

Nick raised an eyebrow. “And you aren't with them because...?”

“Austin's not exactly a fan of me.” She said flatly. “We got off on the wrong foot and he's been out to get me since.”

“Is that supposed to be a pun directed toward me?” He smirked, actually making Alexis laugh. “Kidding. But, that's odd. Austin normally gets along great with everyone he meets. He met a girl from this band one time and they seem to be pretty great friends.”

“She probably slept with him. Or he probably got off to the fact that she's into him.” She grimaced.

Nick's eyes lit up. “Ahh—you aren't an Austin Carlile fan girl, are you?”

“Not exactly. Never have been.” She shrugged. “I'm not into the whole 'I'm a dude in a band with lots of tattoos. So many girls want me so you should want me, too' deal.”

“So then, what is your type?” Nick asked, folding his hands together and leaning forward over the table. He was actually intrigued by this? That surprised Alexis greatly. Never in a million years did she see herself sitting down in a restaurant with Nicholas Matthews discussing her boy issues.

Alexis let out a small breathy laugh. “Funny story...” She looked up at him and he was still staring at her with interest. “This is going to sound really, really weird and I'm still embarrassed by it but hear me out, okay? And don't laugh!”

Nick laughed. “I'm all ears, Alexis.”

“You know Jack Barakat from All Time Low?” Nick nodded slowly. “I dated him. A long time ago. We broke up maybe two or three years ago.” Nick's eyebrows went up and he placed a hand over his mouth to hide his smile. “I told you not to laugh!”

Nick let out a small chuckle. “I'm not laughing. Keep going.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling. “I dated him for a long time. Only to find out a lot of things about him that I didn't want to find out nor believe. Ever since, I just don't date band guys. I don't date at all.”

“So at a point, you were into band dudes?”

“I guess. But I don't know if Jack could be considered that.” She snorted. “His band was so fifteen-year-old teenage heartthrob. I liked him before I even realized he was in All Time Low. I just talked to him at a venue one time because I thought he was cute and he ended up stalking me until he got my attention. From there, I was hooked.”

“Why would you let one guy stop you from that?”

“Nick, I've got a band with all guys. I know what band guys do on tour.”

“Hey, not all of them.” Nick said, pointing at her with his paper cup before he took a sip from the straw.

“I'm sure you're not one of them, Nick.” She smiled. “But I've gotten the time to befriend band girls and know a lot about Austin and his history, too.”

Nick shrugged. “I'm not close with him so I can't tell you much.” A loud commotion disrupted their conversation. Alexis looked up to find Austin, his band, and her band mates walking inside, all talking and laughing loudly.

“Glad they get along so well.” She muttered. Nick looked back at her, his face contorting into a sad grimace.

Gary and she made eye contact. He waved happily at her and she merely nodded her head. Apparently Gary's wave caught Austin's attention, breaking him away from the conversation he was having with Danny. He suddenly looked confused and his eyes darted from her to Nick simultaneously. He seemed to quickly get over it and turned back to Danny, smiling and laughing, pretending he was listening the whole time.

Nick's name was called and he got up quickly, heading to the counter to grab his large pizza. Austin stopped him and shook his hand, giving him one of those one armed hugs guys always give each other. He talked to him for a minute or so, his eyes darting toward Alexis once as Nick pointed in her direction. She snapped out of it when she heard her name called.

She hurried up to the counter and took her smaller box with a single slice of pizza inside and stood beside Nick, hardly looking at Austin. Nick looked down at her and gave her a small smile.

“You off?” He asked.

“Yeah, didn't want to leave without saying goodbye.” Nick placed his pizza box down and leaned down to hug her. “Thanks for talking to me and everything. Thought I'd be alone tonight.”

“Anytime. Oh! Before you leave...” He quickly took out his phone and unlocked it, handing it to her. “Give me your number and we can get all our guys together to go out.”

“Oh, definitely!” Alexis happily put her number in Nick's phone and handed it back to him. “I'll talk to you soon?”

“You bet.” He winked at her. She walked away, smiling to herself as she felt eyes burning into the back of her head. Whether it was Nick's or Austin's, she didn't care. She just patted herself on the back, knowing she knew exactly how to wrap a guy around her finger.