Best Years // Alex Gaskarth

Chapter 12 - Keep The Change, You Filthy Animal

I just wanna know what your best friend knows. 

While I missed being on tour, it was hectic. This is the first time in a while I felt like everything was finally falling into place.
That is except for Jack. He was very oblivious and bad at checking his phone. We still talked but it wasn't the same as seeing him every single day. There was a part of me that wondered if he knew that Zack and Rian knew about me and Alex before him. It sounds funny because I told Jack practically everything. Though there was a part of me that was terrified of telling him and I still didn't know why. In a way, I could feel the tension when Alex was brought up. I assume it's because we're his two closest friends and he worries we'll forget about him? Regardless, I never said a word for a long time. 
I tried to shake the thought. Instead, I sat back and began to reflect on when Zack and Rian found out.

**FLASHBACK**

"Alex! Where's your hoodie?" I yelled from the bunk area as I shift through the clothes in his bag. A chuckle was heard from the other room before Alex walks into the back.
"What do you need my hoodie for?" He asked and I glanced towards him to see a cheeky smile on his face.
A huff escapes my lips as I stand up straight, turning to face him. "I'm cold," I pouted and he giggles, his hand reaching for the same exact hoodie I have.
"Your hoodie's right here?" Alex questions with his thick eyebrow raised.
"Yeahhh," I draw out, crossing my arms over my chest and look to my feet, "but yours is baggy and it smells like you."
He rolls his eyes and reached into his bunk to grab the black Future Hearts Club hoodie before tossing it to me.
"You're so lucky I adore you." he laughs while shaking his head, stepping back out into the living area.
"Thank youuuu." I call out with a giggle. I threw the hoodie over my head, slinging my arms through before hugging myself.
I inhale deeply, smelling Alex's cologne on the clothing, my heart flutters. I always loved the way he smelled. I walked out of the bunk area, seeing the boys on their phones.
Alex sat on the couch, his legs spread wide and I head towards him. His brown eyes meet mine to which he smiles softly.
"You look nice." he grins and I give him a cheesy smile before moving to lay in between his legs.
I rest my head against his chest and rest my eyes as Alex's fingers comb through my hair. A content sigh comes from my nose as my arm wraps around his waist.
I could feel eyes on us, Alex glances up from his phone, seeing Rian and Zack looking at him with a confused look on their faces.
"What?" Alex asked with furrowed eyebrows.
Zack let out a short chuckle while shaking his head.
"Nothing," he starts and motions his head towards me, "she been doing good being away from home?"
Alex glances down at me as I stay silent, listening to their conversation. I nuzzle my face a bit, tucking my hand under his back.
"She's been doing good. I'm really glad she's here." he smiles softly and Rian nods his head with a smile.
"Yeah, for sure." Zack laughs.
I couldn't help but smile a bit before biting on my bottom lip.

~

Alex and I were on the tour bus as everyone else had made their way into the venue. I sat on his lap, my legs on either side of him as my hands comb through his hair.
"You feeling okay, love?" I ask quietly and Alex moves his hands to my waist, nodding his head slowly. I frowned a bit.
"Stell, sweetheart, I'm okay. Just having an off day. I'll be fine," he mumbles and opens his eyes to look at me. "You don't need to worry about me."
His hands move up my back and I sigh, shaking my head.
"I may not need to, but I do." I tell him and he gives me a soft smile.
Alex runs his hands up my back before his fingers find their way into my hair.
"You're so amazing, you know that?" He asked me and I shrug.
"Hey, I try." More giggles leave my lips before he pushes my face closer to his.
My breath catches in my throat as our foreheads rest upon each other, sitting in comfortable silence.
The door to the tour bus opened and I turn my head to see Zack standing on the stairs, his eyes set on the two of us. I give him a small smile and glanced back at Alex to see his eyes were closed again.
"Everything alright?" Zack asks and I watch Alex open his eyes, looking towards his friend.
"Yeah, everything's good," He smiles before he taps the side of my thigh, motioning for me to get up.
I slide off his lap, laying back on the couch as Alex moves to gather his things from the back. Rian piles into the bus after Zack moved towards the table in the kitchen area.
"So," Rian starts, gaining both mine and Alex's attention, "are you guys dating or?" He asks and I furrow my eyebrows together,
"Me and Alex? No, we're not dating," I inform him and Rian lets out a laugh while walking over to us. "What?!" A laugh leaves my lips as I look between the two boys.
"There's just no way the two of you aren't dating. You two are all over each other all the time." Rian speaks up for Zack and he nods his head, pointing towards his bandmate.
"Well, believe it you two. I would know if Alex and I were dating and we aren't." I said.
They both rolled their eyes at us before getting up to continue preparing for the show.
I could hear them exit the bus as I peeked into the bunk area, seeing Alex looking at the various outfits lying on the table.
"Need help deciding?" I tease and Alex jumps a bit, turning his head back to look at me.
"Yeah, that'd be great," he laughs and I walk into the area. He drapes his arm over my shoulder as I stand beside him, looking down at the four outfits.
"Which one is your favorite?" He asks.
"The green one," I answered immediately and Alex chuckled. "What?! You asked and I answered."
"I know, I know. I guess I didn't expect you to answer so quickly," he tells me and I shrug my shoulders.
"I'm gonna be honest. You look fucking great in green." I confessed and could feel my cheeks heat up.
Alex and I's eyes met and I blushed, even more, seeing the adoration in his eyes.
"God, I don't know what I did to deserve you," he mumbled quietly, my heart flutters again.
Alex's arms wrapped around my neck, holding me close to him as we stood in silence.
"Wanna know something funny?" I asked, feeling my heart pound against my chest and he hummed in response. "Rian, uh, Rian asked me if we were dating."
He pulled away from me, his hands on my shoulders as his eyebrows were furrowed in confusion. "What? He did?"
I nod my head. "Yeah. I guess we're very friendly with each other. It makes things pretty obvious." I chuckled nervously as my fingers fiddled with his shirt.
Alex's eyes roamed over my face as he didn't say anything, the tension becoming too much. I cleared my throat, needing to get away from him as nothing but negative thoughts came to my mind.
I drop my hands from his waist, tucking strands of hair behind my ear before walking out of the bunk area. I couldn't stop the tears coming to my eyes, quickly opening the door to the tour bus to get outside.
"Wait, Stella!" He calls out and I halt my movements, turning around to see him bust through the door. I cross my arms over my chest and look at my feet, hearing his footsteps become closer.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just... I have trouble hiding things. You're a dream come true and I want to show you off. The fact that another girl gets the privilege hurts." I admitted.
"Stella," He cuts me off "It's all about baby steps okay? We'll get there. How about we start with Rian and Zack, huh?"
"I'd love that." I blushed.
Alex lets out a breath of relief, lifting his hand so his palm lays against my cheek. I give him a small smile, leaning into his touch and he leans forward to press our foreheads against each other again.
He smiles widely as he reduces the distance between us, our lips colliding with one another. My hands move to his torso, gripping his shirt as I move my lips against his. Alex deepened the kiss, running his tongue along my bottom lip.
"After the show. I promise." He mumbles against my lips.

~

The show was fucking incredible, as usual, and I found myself sitting on the couch in the tour bus while waiting for the guys. I managed to take a nice hot shower without getting interrupted by anyone, which doesn't happen often. The door opens and the boys file into the spacious bus. Jack was still outside taking photos with lingering fans.
Zack and Rian give me a smile and Alex walks towards me as soon as he closed the door.
"Hey, beautiful," he whispered before kissing my forehead. He sits on beside me as I stand up, taking advantage of the couch being empty, and sprawls out onto it.
I went into the back to get my phone charger, coming back out to see Alex taking the entire couch. "Really? I was gone for like, a minute," I giggled and slapped my hands against my legs.
"You also missed me making an Instagram story," he adds.

 I shake my head, walking towards him before laying directly on top of him. "Alright, sure, you can lay here." He replies, sarcastically.
"Well, you shouldn't have taken my seat then," I joked and rest my chin against the back of my hands, looking up at him. I glance back towards Zack and Rian as the two boys are scrounging the cupboards and fridge.
They came over and sat on the couch across from us, scrolling through their phones. They were taking photos of themselves for an Instagram story.
I shake my head, looking away from the two, and glance back towards Alex who already had his eyes on me.
"Whatchu staring at?" I smile and he shrugged his shoulders, a grin on his lips. 
"Hey, hey, wait," Rian's voice interrupts our moment and the two of us look towards him. I hum in answer, seeing his eyebrows furrowed together. "Just friends?"
Alex then went on to fill them in on the situation.
"Holy shit. Fucking finally," Zack commented before tossing his plate into the sink, heading back into the bunk area.
I giggle and rest my head against Alex's chest once more, feeling the exhaustion fill my body.