Long Live the Kids (an All Time Low fan fiction)

Sad Song

*Liz's POV*

I watched Mirror Image from sidestage, tapping the toes of my Vans and singing along. Jack and Alex weren't too far away from me, but I was trying to act like I didn't notice. That got a bit more difficult when Alex started staring at me. It wasn't even a curious stare that could be passed off as "trying to figure out whether I'm all right or not". It was full on creeper staring. Sydney came over and snapped him out of it, and I felt my face go red. Dammit. He's not allowed to have that affect on me anymore.

He had a girlfriend, anyway. He shouldn't be staring at me. He's supposed to hate me, too. I don't know when that changed.

Towards the end of Mirror Images set, I walked over to the cooler and grabbed a couple of water bottles and a few towels. Jack followed me and grabbed another couple water bottles so we had enough for all of them, and then we met them sidestage as they walked off, smiling and breathing heavily. We handed them the waters and towels, which they took gratefully. Most of them walked right by Alex without even acknowledging him, but Dale and Sara both gave him a small smile or a wave. However, every one of them gave Jack a hug. Alex seemed a bit discouraged as he stood a few feet away from our group. He hadn't seemed himself tonight. He seemed nervous and unsure, but I didn't even know he was capable of those emotions. I thought it was always confidence and jokes about genitalia. He finished the drink in his hand with one, quick swig, reaching into the cooler to replenish his drink.

I looked away as he poured the Jack into his plastic cup, and I saw Alan looking down too. It was harder for him to abstain from drinking, but it was very hard for both of us. Being an alcoholic, even if it was a secret from most people, was the worst thing to be on tour. When I looked back up to Alex, I saw his eyes on me and him finishing whatever he'd put in his cup once again. I swallowed hard and looked back to Jack, who was telling a story that everybody else was absorbed in. I tried my best to catch up, but I could see Alex pour a new drink and walk somewhere else. That was the last time I saw him that night, and all I could think was that I hoped he wasn't driving home.

**

~2 months later~

We were on the last two days of Mirror Image's tour with Aria, and I couldn't wait to get home. The sad thing was that I would only be home for a few weeks, because Mirror Image was going on Warped Tour, and we had to leave for that after only two and a half weeks at home. I had a hell of a lot of laundry to do in two and a half weeks. 

"Liz!" Ben called from the other room. I walked around a corner in the venue, very confused at where I was and where he was. I didn't know this place at all.

"Keep calling my name until I find you," I told him, peeking around another corner as he called my name again. He did it over and over again until I found my way out of the hallways and into a room in the back. "This place was designed for a murderer to keep his victims from being able to escape."

Ben chuckled and shook his head. Suddenly, it hit me that he wasn't wearing pants or a shirt. He was in his boxers and sneakers, only.

"Is this what you need help with? You can't dress yourself?"

"The problem is that I spilled Ramen noodles all over myself. I had to take my clothes off."

"I feel like 'had to' is the wrong choice of words."

"Feel how you will, Liz. I just need you to go to the van and get me some more clothes."

"What do I look like to you, Ben? A servant?"

"This is an emergency."

"I don't get paid enough for this," I sighed, turning around and walking towards an exit.