Damned If I Do Ya [An All Time Low Fanfic]

Chapter Thirty

It was sweltering hot backstage, I couldn't imagine having to play in this heat. I wiped at my forehead and rested my head against a pillow on the couch. Jack had left to answer a call and Claire had needed the bathroom. I could just about hear Alex singing over the enthusiastic crowd. Zack and Rian sat across from me, drying off. I could hear muted voices outside the room, quitely conversing. I stood up and opened the door to a small cramped corridor. Jack and Claire stood staring at each other intently. They both snapped their heads to me as I closed the door behind me. 

"You guys okay?" I asked, frowning.

They both looked worried but Jack smiled and Claire quickly nodded before scurrying for the bathroom.  I watched after her before turning to Jack.

He shrugged nonchalantly and muttered, "Hormones are a bitch eh?" I laughed because Claire had been irritable for the past few days. He quickly pulled me inot a hug before Zack emerged, carrying his bass. He slapped Jack on the shoulder before heading to the stage. The corridor was now swamped with people, pushing their way to the stage. I managed to wave before they were all brought to the stage to play the remainder of the set. I had another half an hour to kill before the gig was finished. I decided to venture to the bathrooms to find Claire. I knocked before I entered but Claire barely lifted her head. She sat up on the counter beside the sink, legs crossed. She quickly acknowledged me before returning to text. I frowned and stood beside her, arms crossed.

"What's wrong?" I asked, leaning my hip against the counter. Claire wrinkled her nose, obviously at the horrible stench in here. I stuck my tongue out in disgust and Claire laughed softly. 

"Claire, tell me!" I whined, sticking out my lower lip and pulling puppy dog eyes. She tut-tutted and shook her head, throwing her phone from hand to hand. 

"Please!" I whispered leaning closer. Claire rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. 

"Okay, but please, don't kill me okay?" She asked, biting her lip.

"You're a natural!" Matt smiled, taking his hands away from the neck of the guitar and rufflled his hair. I rolled my eyes at his sarcasm and held down the guitar strings again. He pushed my fingers to the next chord and held them down again. 

"Play G!" he said.

"What one is G?"

"I told you five minutes ago!"

"I forgot!"

He laughed and pointed to the right string, which I then strum. He grinned widely, and sighed in relief. He sat up on the bed and closed his eyes, resting his head on two pillows. I stood up and grabbed a cushion and threw it at him.

"Don't fall asleep on my bed!" I joked. He smiled, with his eyes still fluttering. He felt around the bed for another pillow, grasped one and held it over his head. 

"Going to sleep now, nighty night!" He said lying on his side. I sighed loudly and opened my window. It was still bright outside as I closed the window behind me, the remaining sun shining down on the quiet neighbourhood. Matt banged at the window and ran for the front door. I laughed and sprinted for the park, as Matt tried to catch me. 

Jack's POV 

"Thanks for coming to the show!" Alex said to a fan before signing her ticket. She smiled excitedly and moved onto me. I quickly signed her ticket and she thanked me before she ran away to a waiting car. The show was over but there was a line of fans outside wanting to meet us. Alex and I agreed to stay behind whilst Zack, Rian and Holly went home. The queue ran down the street and around the corner and my hand was starting to hurt from signing for over a hundred fans. An hour later we had finally finished and driving home. The ride home was quiet, both of us too tired to even talk. Eventually the silence started to annoy me.

"Why are you so quiet tonight?" I asked, stretching my legs out.

"Have you seen how big Claire is?"

"Yes obviously, she's pregnant."

"Idiot, but wow, I'm really having a baby."  

"Did you only realise now?" 

"You are so not god-father anymore."  Alex laughed, pulling into our driveway. I quickly jumped out, said goodnight to Alex before heading upstairs. I quietely opened my bedroom door and laid down on the bed. Holly slept beside me, her chest rising up and down slowly. My stomach churned when I remembered what had happened back home. I couldn't not tell her. I kicked off my shoes and took off my jacket. I put my head in my hands and sighed a bit too loud. 

"Jack? Is that you?" A voice whispered in the dark.  I turned my head to see Holly on her side, squinting. 

"Yeah, it's me." I said, crawling under the covers. 

"Good, I never got to tell you how good you were tonight!" 

"Nice moshing with Claire at the side of the stage!"

"I'm supportive, what can I say?" We both laughed softly as to not wake the others. I rested my forehead against hers. I couldn't tell her. Not now. She pressed her lips against mine and wrapped her arms around my neck. Her back pressed against the matress as I leaned over her. Her fingers tangled in my hair whilst the other unbuttoned my pants. I managed to throw her shirt on the floor along with her bra. She lifted my top over my head and wiggled out of her jeans. She stroked my tattoo with her thumb and pressed her smiling lips against mine as pulse hammered against her palm. I kissed down to her stomach and stopped as Alex banged on the wall from next door. We both held our laughter in and we started to moan over-exaggeratedly as I thrust. We both collapsed on the bed, chests heaving as Alex cursed loudly from next door. 

"How much does he hate us right now?" Holly asked, eyes closed.

"I'm thinking a lot." 

The sun shone through the blinds brightly the next morning. I covered my eyes with my arm but it did no good. I shut them last night but Alex was obviously getting payback for last night. I rolled out of bed and pulled on the strewn clothes on the floor as Alex had taken all the clothes out of my wardrobe, more payback. Holly wasn't upstairs but I could hear her from downstairs talking to Zack. I stamped down the stairs, picking up items of my wardrobe on the way down. In the living room I found a t-shirt behind a pillow, a hoodie under the couch and a pair of jeans in the bathroom. In the kitchen, Holly was taking a pair of my shoes out from the turned off oven and laughing. Her and Zack were making eggs. I slid into a seat and muttered a good morning. I noticed a stack of envelopes on the table and I started to flick through them. For me, for me, for me, for Holly. I stopped and looked at her. It had already been opened. I looked towards her but she was already jumping across the table trying to grab it from my hands. I lifted it over my head and frowned at her.

"What's wrong?" I asked, as she stood up on the counter next to me. 

"Jack, give it to me!" She shouted grabbing my arm. 

I looked at the envelope before she managed to take it from me. UCLA.