the Reckless and the Brave (Sequel to Scream, to be Heard)

My Lungs Gave Out As I Faced The Crowd

I awoke soon enough, finding that we had gotten to the venue. "You wanna stay here? We can cut the songs if you want," Alex said, his voice trailing off slightly. "Do Time Bomb instead." I nodded, my head pounding with his words. "Okay. I'll see you later. If you wanna come backstage you can, just give them your pass." I nodded again, turning over as he left the bunk. I plugged the earphones into my phone and started playing Snow Patrol, finding myself tapping my fingers to the beat of Open Your Eyes. I saw the fans crowding the bus, and didn't care. Instead I got up and grabbed a bag of popcorn, popping it and taking it back to my bunk. I stayed in there for the duration of basically the entire concert plus an hour or so for them to get packed up and everything. I heard the door to the bus open and close promptly, and almost got out of the bunk but decided to wait.

"Alex, you should get that checked out! I'm telling you, it's not going to go away just like that," I heard Rian say.

"Rian, relax. This has happened before. I'm fine," I heard him re-assure him. Zack sighed.

"Alex, Rian's right. What if it's serious?" Alex sighed. I got out of the bunk upon hearing their conversation.

"What's up?" I asked, walking over to Alex and taking his arm, looking up at him.

"Alex just basically shredded his vocals tonight," Rian explained. I looked up at him, stepping away.

"Alex, you promised you'd take it easy!" Matt interrupted. "I can't believe you would do that. You heard what the doctor said last time."

"Last time? Will somebody please tell me what's going on?" I said. It didn't sound good. In fact, it sounded terrible. Like something that would happen to me instead of Alex. Vinny walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my neck and into a hug.

"Well while we were on tour last year Alex basically shredded his vocal chords. The doctor said that if it gets irritated like it did again then they'll have to do surgery, meaning he won't even be able to talk, much less sing, for at least a month, maybe forever," Matt said. "And we would have to cancel so many concerts and tours, it would be a distaster. And tonight Alex decided to go all out on a cover song, and now his throat's all red and scratchy." I sighed, looking at Alex.

"Guys, I'm fine. We'll know in the morning if I happen to wake up with no voice. It's no big deal," he said. I sighed.

"Alex, it better not be. Because if it is I'm totally going to hurt you," I threatned. Vinny backed away from me, running into the door to the back lounge. All of the guys dispersed, leaving me with Alex. "Why would you take that kind of risk? You heard him, it might mess up your voice so you can't sing again!" I folded my arms across my chest, and he put his hands on my shoulders.

"I'm fine," he said. "Nothing's going to happen to me or my voice." I sighed. Even I could tell there was a difference in his voice. He sounded like a pre-pubescent twelve year-old who was trying to make his voice sound deeper but ended up making it sound like it got run over by a lawn mower. He pulled me into a hug, then pulled away. I climbed back into the bunk as he changed clothes, emerging in a hoodie and shorts. Turning away to face the wall of the bunk, I smiled as I saw the picture of the two of us singing Journey, him playing on his old guitar and me standing up, my milk chocolate-colored hair pulled into a long ponytail and dressed in a white t-shirt and purple shorts. We were so happy then, and as my eyes searched along the wall of family photos until I found another one, which was a happy day for Alex, not so much for me.

It was the night of Alex's prom, which, of course he took Lisa to. It was at that moment that I realized that Alex and I were too far apart in age, and I had asked my parents why there was such a big age gap. Then they had told me that ever since Alex was three he had wanted  a sister and couldn't have one because every time they tried they failed, until they had me eleven years later. I remebered watching him try to tie his black tie, and brushing his hair repeatedly before going, leaving me alone except for Mom, Dad, and the dog. Alex was dressed in what he wore, which was a tux that he had borrowed from Rian and a black tie, a silky contrast from his normal t-shirt and jeans. He was holding me up, my small but long legs wrapped around him and small arms around his neck, and I was dressed up, being the six year-old that I was, in a black dress with my hair falling down my back, smiling as he looked at me with a grin.