Change Is Yesterday.

Chapter 27: He's Determined To Call Her Bluff.

ALEX’S P.O.V

I'd always loved British festivals. The hype around them was tantalising. the experiences people talked about, well, quite frankly I wanted my own experiences. I'd dreamed of performing at one ever since we watched Sonisphere four years ago. You couldn’t replace the feeling you got, stood on that stage, in front of all those people. And all I wanted was to perform in front of hundreds and thousands, who probably had no idea who we were, but could well be potential fans in the future. That would truly be a dream.

But there was a downside, just like everything in life. All good things were partnered with an edge. The journalists in England were so harsh, they were eager to get dirt on anything and anyone, and they didn’t care how.

So, venturing off on your own probably wasn’t the best idea, because the chances of getting roped into an impromptu interview were extremely high and inevitable. But I needed some time alone, to think about everything that had happened these past couple of days.

I was the happiest man in the entire universe, and I didn’t see that as anything short of an understatement. Not only was I doing the thing I’d dreamed of as a little kid, but I had Connie. If I had her alone, I’d be ecstatic. Even if I had a desk job, but I had her, I don’t see how I couldn’t love my life.

Just as I was sinking into some love-daze, that a couple of weeks ago would have made me feel physically sick, I was grabbed on the shoulder. I looked behind me to be faced with an interviewer. Great.

“Mr. Gaskarth dude! We have a lot of questions for you, we’ve been searching for you all day man, where you been?” Was he serious? I already wanted to punch this guy. So I took a deep breath, put on that fake smile I’d used so much and started talking in my neutral voice – giving nothing away.

“Hey man. I’ve been busy. Questions?” I wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible.

“Yeah, loads! Our twitter actually crashed when we announced we’d catch up with you. It was crazy!” I actually laughed genuinely this time, I loved it when our fans did that, it was insane.

“Hit me up!” He nodded and started mumbling to his camera-man, they set up and within five minutes he’d introduced me.

“So, Alex! A recurring question, by quite a significant amount is about the new lady in your life. Care to erm, elaborate?” No I did not. I make a point, as I always have, of never mixing my personal life with my public life, I didn’t think it was fair. Connie and I hadn’t even told any members of our family about us getting engaged, so I wasn’t about to just announce it. But then again, he wouldn’t know about that…

I couldn’t help thinking about Lisa - my ex-girlfriend - and how I handled that in the public light. She always resented me for never showing her off in public, never talking about her, but I didn’t think it was relevant. I was the lead singer of a band, that’s what I was known for, not some guy with a girlfriend. I wanted to talk about the music, the relevant things about my public self, not who I was dating, that wasn’t important to my job.

But I couldn’t be so harsh, he was only relaying what the fans wanted to know, and as much as I disliked him, he was only the middle man. I owed my fans some information…

I laughed my perfected fake laugh. “Well, she’s hardly new, I have known her since I was five and we’ve been best friends for pretty much our entire lives. And now here we are! How did they know about her anyway?” I hadn’t thought about that. I’d not said anything that might imply I have Connie, and I don’t think anyone else has…

“You guys posted a tour-update video a couple of days ago and she was in it. Everyone’s been going crazy!” Oh no. I forgot about that video, and I forgot she was in it. A lot. Oh God, I hope she won’t mind.