THREE YEARS LATER
@AlexAllTimeLow: @FinHGaskarth needs to get her butt off that plane before I climb in there and grab her myself
Typical Alex. I rolled my eyes and tucked my phone back into my pocket.
The airport was busy, as airports usually are, filled with tourists and businessmen, and then the odd loner, like me. It felt a little weird to be all by myself; usually when I’m flying somewhere it’s something to do with the band and I have everyone else with me. Although, technically speaking, this is to do with the band.
I was waiting at baggage claim and leaning against my luggage trolley (which wasn’t the best idea, seeing as trolleys have wheels) as I watching the conveyor belt for my stuff to get there. They were only beginning to unload the luggage from the plane, which meant that I could be there for another half an hour, depending on how much there was.
@FinHGaskarth: @AlexAllTimeLow it has been confirmed that my butt is no longer on the plane. See ya soon!
There were three things that I was waiting for. The first I’d just spotted; my suitcase. I grabbed it quickly and dragged it onto my trolley. One down.
@JackAllTimeLow:@FinHGaskarth if it makes you hurry up, I’m waiting in the car w/ @AlexAllTimeLow and he’s just started rapping... help urgently required
A bark made me look up. I beamed.
“Hey, bud,” I said, looking into the crate. McClane glowered back at me. He didn’t like being left alone for so long, so he was kind of pissed at me because of the lonely plane journey.
McClane was a seventeenth birthday present from Alex. He’s some weird pitbull mix that we found at the pound. No one’s completely sure what breed he is, but he’s a dark chocolate colour with short and stiff hair, a thick snout and perky ears. He’s got one brown eye and one blue eye, which I read somewhere means that he can see into both life and death, which is sort of like me, and my near-death experience.
We called him McClane after the guy in Die Hard. I guess it was sort of after Jacob, seeing as Jacob was the person I watched that film with, but Alex was the one who was most enthusiastic about the name.
“He’s your protector,” Alex said, scratching the dog behind his ears, “For when I can’t be there. Your personal John McClane.”
Although he didn’t do a particularly good job. McClane was little less ‘knight-in-shining-armour’, a little more ‘whimpering pile of fluff who exploits puppy-dog-eyes in order to gain dog biscuits’.
“I’ll let you out in a second,” I told McClane, “I just need to get my camera stuff, and then we can go, okay?”
Maybe I’m weird for talking to a dog. But judging by the sigh he gives me, I think he understands.
@AlexAllTimeLow: @JackAllTimeLow @FinHGaskarth don’t pretend you don’t love my rapping! (also hurry up)
I smiled when I saw my last case appear on the conveyer belt. Finally. My photography equipment. I grabbed it quickly, swinging the smaller bag over my shoulder and placing the bulkier stuff onto the trolley.
It wasn’t just a camera and a laptop anymore. Neither was my being on this tour just another long weekend from school, or summer holiday. It was work now.
Okay, work experience, but whatever.
@FinHGaskarth: @AlexAllTimeLow @JackAllTimeLow just got my bags! I’ll be there in a sec! And Stronghorn, please stop rapping, we don’t need Jack going to therapy again
I was finished high school now. That whole book has been written, and let’s be honest, I’m never going to look at it again because high school sucks. I guess my experience could have been worse though - even after Simon was put behind bars, Alex was reluctant to leave me alone, so there was no leaving for tour while I was at school. Instead he stayed by my side, helping with homework, dropping me and picking me up... It could get a little awkward when my friends flirted with him, but apart from that, it was pretty great.
Obviously there was band stuff that had to be done, so when he could, he’d do it at home. If Alex had to go away then it couldn’t be helped, but he’d keep it as short as possible. I’d stay in his old bedroom at his parents house and we’d Skype every evening. If I wasn’t busy, I would go with him.
And that would be how I spent most of my summers: doing band stuff. Seeing as All Time Low was a touring band, they’d have to make up for their lost time by using every second of my summer holidays - which was exhausting, but... also the perfect recipe for some good memories.
Then last September I started college. Now that was a fun experience, especially since I was living away from home. I would have been living on the actual campus, but the accommodation the college offered didn’t allow dogs, and obviously I had to bring McClane with me. So, I - okay, Alex - started renting out this little studio apartment that is about a five minute walk from the campus. It’s small but cosy, has two bedrooms for when a friend stays over, or Alex decides to visit, and most importantly, the landlord allows dogs.
McClane yelped, like he knew that I was thinking about him.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. He pawed at the door of his crate and whined. “Yeah, I get it, you don’t like being cooped up. I’ll let you out in a second -”
He barked. His stumpy tail wagged excitedly.
“Okay, fine,” I gave in. I found his lead and bent down to open the door to his crate, but before I got a chance to put his lead on, he shot out and ran off into the herds of people.
“Shit,” I hissed, “McClane! You idiot dog!”
I abandoned my trolley and began to run after him, the feeling of panic dominating my mind, but thankfully, I didn’t need to go far. The pitbull had already been caught, and was currently in the lap of the one and only... Alex Gaskarth.
“Are you trying to steal my dog?”
Alex looked up. His hair was lighter than the last time I’d seen him. His face a little skinnier, his chin with a little more stubble.
“I can’t help it if he loves me more than you,” Alex countered with a wink.
“Fuck you, Gaskarth.”
“Fuck you too, Gaskarth.”
I laughed. “Hey,” I said after my giggles subsided.
Alex grinned. “Hey.”
I hugged him, unable to keep my excitement under control any longer. He hugged back without a moment’s hesitation, wrapping his arms around my back and nestling his head in my hair.
“You know I left Jack alone in the car, so we should probably get going,” Alex said after a minute.
“Understood.” I grabbed McClane and my trolley, then followed Alex out into the parking lot where his car was waiting for us.
@JackAllTimeLow: HOLY SHIT I JUST SAW @ALEXALLTIMELOW AND @FINHGASKARTH WALK PASSED ME! #FANGIRLING
“Hey, Jacky,” I said as I slipped into the backseat. He turned around and smiled.
“Long time no see, Fin,” Jack replied, “You owe me a hug as soon as we get to the bus.”
I chose my major a few days after the end of the Christmas holidays, when I was back at college. It was Zack who’d made it clear for me; photography. And it was pretty obvious once I’d thought about - of course I should study photography. It was the only thing I’d ever been interested in - I wasn’t a maths person, or a language person, and unfortunately for Alex I wasn’t a music person either. But I did love photos.
And now, in my halfway through my second year, they said that we all should do some work experience - to get a bit more understanding of the practical side of things, to have something to put on a resume. And lucky me, I happened to have the perfect photography job ready and waiting for me.
“How does it feel to be back on the tour bus?” Jack asked me as he slid open the door. I grinned as I walked inside, smelling the familiar ‘man-sweat mixed with Yankee candle’ smell that All Time Low tour buses seemed to have.
“Good,” I said, “Definitely good... feels like home.”
I could hear the sounds of everyone else outside, and smell the grilling of meat. Yummy... barbeque.
Jack watched me from his bunk as I put away my bags.
“I’ve missed you,” He told me sincerely, “We all have. It’s good to have our little sister back.”
I was facing away from him, but I smiled anyway. “You know... I think this is it.”
“What?”
“My happy ending.”
Jack’s feet slammed onto the floor. He spun me around so I could see his face.
“It may be happy, Fin. But it’s definitely not the end.”