Austins POV
"Austin, you better tell me right fucking now who Alan is!"
"Shay, calm down. Please. Hes an old fr-friend.." It pained me to just say old friend
"Bullshit Austin, you're lying to me! Why are you with him most of the time? Are you screwing around with him?"
"No Shay, i'm not. He's got a lot of problems right now, he just needs friends around him to help"
"With what?"
"He's addicted to drugs, he smokes, hes got a drinking problem, hes in a bad relationship, do I need to go on?"
"Who is he really Austin?"
"Fine. He is my e-" was he really my ex? I mean, we were never official. "He's kind of an ex, but we were never official"
Shayley looked away from me, I knew he was on the verge of crying and i felt so wrong. I shouldn't be having this argument with him. I'm managing to fuck things up.. again. He was sat on the bed sniffling so I walked up to the bed and knelt down looking into his eyes. I took hold of his hand "I love you Shayley. Not Alan" I lied. I only lied about the not loving Alan part, because I did love Shayley. "There is nothing going on. I'm yours" I confessed.

A small smile grew on his face and he soon reached down and wrapped his arms around my neck. I hugged him back in relief. I didn't like fighting with him, it broke my heart to see him like that. I dont know what I was doing with my life.
---- A while later we were cuddling on the sofa watching TV, he looked up at me but I kept my attention to the TV. "I think i'll play bass instead of rhythm. I think we'll be okay with only one guitar, Phil is really good" He suggested. I looked down at him in confusion. "Are you sure? I mean, we can get another one" I replied. "Yeah, I kinda prefer bass."
I nodded my head at him. "Y'know, I think I can get us another rhythm guitarist." I knew I shouldn't being doing this but he really enjoyed playing guitar and I thought it would be a good idea to get him out again, be happy. So he's doing something he loves and hopefully that will help fix him.
Shayley furrowed his eyebrows at me in confusion. "Who?"
"I'll ask him before. Then i'll bring him down to meet the guys and we can test him out, yknow?" Shayley nodded his head in agreement, thank god he didn't press to know who it was. I knew he'd freak out but its for the band aswell as him.
----Alans POV----
Austin, had literally just asked me to be in his band. He gave me the night to think about it, what was I supposed to do? I was dying so much to do something I love and playing guitar was something I would love to do as a career but would I be able to cope seeing him and Shayley together? I dont think so. Not even my head was strong enough to block him out anymore.
"You should do it, just give it a try" Aaron suggested. "It might be easier than you think" I nodded my head. Maybe I should just try it out?
------
Austin told me to meet him at a certain address, it was quiet around here, hardly any houses. It was just a random building, it didn't look like anybodys house. I took a deep breath, hutched my guitar back onto my shoulder as it was slipping and knocked on the door.
Austin opened the door, he looked down at the floor but he didn't look happy. If anything, kinda worried. As soon as he lifted his head up to see me he grinned. His expression just went from hella dull to ridiculously ecstatic in 0.2 seconds.
"You came" he stuttered. I nodded my head slowly. "C-Come in" I followed him, closing the door behind me, he was kind of shaking nervously. What was he nervous about? i was the one that they would have their eyes on.
He opened the black door slowly and walked in. He turned around to close the door behind me, I just stood still and waited. It was empty, there were drums and a couple guitars, a couple of mic stands and wires everywhere. They kind of made their own studio. No body was in the room but I could hear that they were around. "Guys, he's here" He shouted. Three people came out of a room which i'm guessing is a chill out room. First a guy with longish black hair came out and nodded his head at me, then a guy with long brown hair came out and then a guy with medium kind of legnth brown hair came out. They gave me a wave and I did back with a forced smile. Austin bit his lip and introduced me. "Okay, so this is Tino, Phil and Shay" I hadnt seen Shay since Austin first saw me on that bench. I took a deep breath, "Guys, this is Alan" He swallowed the lump in his throat he was nervous but I had no idea what he was nervous about. His eyes were locked onto Shay and I could see Shays face turn red.
"Hey dude" Phil said to me and so did Tino, Shay and Austin had their eyes locked on each other. "Austin, can I talk to you for a moment?In private" Shay spat sharply. Austin nodded his head and walked into the room the guys had originally walked out of, they slammed the door to make sure no one could hear.
As they walked into the room Tino and Phil both oo'd together like a i kind of 'you're in trouble' thing. They laughed it off, surely that was about me. The way Shay looked at Austin as soon as he said my name. I don't think Shayley had recognized me when I first came in so.
The two guys walked over to me and we sat and talked whilst Shayley and Austin were 'talking'. They were both really awesome guys, they were so friendly and made me feel welcome straight away. They told me about Jax leaving and that Shayley had learnt all the bass parts and decided we was going to play bass instead. They also decided that it would be best to let me play a couple of tunes whilst we were waiting for the other two so i played slipknot- People = Shit. I love that song so much, its full of rage and its just so damn true. I had played it over and over again for a couple of years so I knew i'd ace that one. The guys looked impressed and asked me to play another song so I played something a little bit softer to show that I could play both kinds of music. Sum 41- Pieces and played it as well as I could.
"Dude, you're ace" Phil complimented me. "If it was up to just us, you'd be in straight away" Tino smiled. I felt accepted for once.
"I'd be happy for you to be in the band" Phil commented "I can teach you a song or two while we wait if you'd like"
I nodded my head, I picked up learning songs easily. He taught me a song they call it "They don't call it the south for nothing" They both had written it, it was a good song and I learnt it easily.
Tino played the drums to it, Phil the bass for it and i played rhythm guitar, it sounded pretty good considering there was no lyrics and they were one instrument down.
Austin and Shayley walked out of the room quietly, not saying a word. "We taught him They don't call it, you guys should hear him, he's perfect" I smiled at the compliment. Austin glanced at me with a dull expression but as soon as I caught his eyes on me he smiled. "You wanna play it then?" Austin asked. Phil nodded his head, Austin then looked at me to see if I was okay with that and I nodded my head.

We played and it sounded great with everyone playing, Shayley only had to play bass in this, he didn't need to sing, Austin screamed it all "I said i'd fight back, I didn't say that I fight fair"
Once we had finished Phil high fived me and told me what a good job I had done on the song. "Just give us a sec yeah?" he said to me as they all went into one room, I was in this big room on my own, I could hear them sort of talking in the next room. I heard Shayleys voice raise a couple of times and he didn't seem too happy. They walked out of the room and looked at me in-sync. I felt so uncomfortable. "We'd love to have you in the band dude" Tino admitted. I smiled awkwardly. I wanted to be in the band, they were so friendly and I guess if I didn't want to talk to Austin or Shayley there was always Phil and Tino. I nodded my head accepting to be in the band, Tino, Phil and Austin looked over the moon but Shayley didn't seem happy at all. Like he was a child and someone had taken a toy from him. I hadn't done anything to him so I don't know why he was being so hostile to me.
We spent the day together, I was learning some of their songs and we played them. They were really good songs. "So you write your own songs Alan?" Tino asked. Was I supposed to write them? i mean, I did but.. I nodded my head. "You should play one" Phil added. It was kind of awkward, because the one I had in mind was the one me and Austin made. I looked over to Austin who's attention was now directly on us. He shook his head so only I could see. He didn't want me to show them our song? What was wrong with it? I furrowed my eyebrows at him but I didn't say anything about the song instead "Its not quite finished yet, the song i want to play" I was working on another one so when that was finished i would just show them that.
----
I got home and Aaron was sat on the sofa watching TV as soon as I walked through the door he turned around with a smile on his face "How'd it go?" I smiled, "It was fine.."
"Are you in the band then?"
I nodded my head
"They cool guys?"
I nodded my head. "The singer hates me though"
"Austin?"
"No, his boyfriend, Shayley."
His smile dropped. "Ah" Is all he said. I joined him on the couch and watched TV with him, thinking about what my life will be like now. I wanted to go out and celebrate, Aaron said he'd go out with me but really it was just an excuse for me to get wasted. Austin being embarrased about our song kinda got to me.

He was embarrased about being with me? That time we had together?

Notes